Help. Can’t read.

How about Erica James, Marcia Willett, Kayte Nunn or Kate Morton? They are all family based authors but eminently readable.

Posted too soon. I have just finished The Last Reunion by Kayte Nunn and could not put it down. It tells the story of a group of young women serving in the Far East in the Second World War and their reunion in the new millennium.

I enjoy the 44 Scotland Street books by Alexander McCall Smith when I fancy some light reading. Easy to dip in and out of, humorous and addictive!

Can I also recommend Neville Shute, easy reading, no sex but warm characters and historical facts. I particularly like No Hiding Place, but A Town Like Alice (suggested above) , Requiem for a Wren, An Old Captivity and Trustee from the Toolroom are all excellent.

In a similar vein Howard Spring an RF Delderfield also write warm, gentle novels with believable characters

RosieJ

I love Gervais Phinn books. Reminiscences of his days as a school inspector in Yorkshire and the many often hilarious stories that came with his interaction with the children.
Guaranteed to lift your spirits.

I’m afraid I had my fill of gervaise at speech day…!!

Lizzie44

Anne Tyler's "Redhead by the Side of the Road" is a lovely read. It's good writing, emotionally intelligent, bit of humour. It's short - less than 200 pages in paperback. Also highly recommend "The Enchanted April" by Elizabeth von Arnim. Originally published in 1922 it is a charming and funny novel about four dissatisfied English women after First World War who spend the month of April holidaying together in a small castle on the Italian Riviera. A favourite read of mine when I need a bit of comfort reading.

Loved enchanted April !!
I have redhead book awaiting on bedside table !

I'm a devoted fan of 'The Oldie' magazine. It doesn't take itself too seriously but is packed with funny or interesting articles and excellent sharp cartoons. I've never had a dud copy. I have to put off starting a new one as once I get started reading it that's me stuck for hours! It's the only magazine I subscribe to and even DH who lives in a world of car magazines is always keen to get the latest Oldie.

Lucca

Lizzie44

Anne Tyler's "Redhead by the Side of the Road" is a lovely read. It's good writing, emotionally intelligent, bit of humour. It's short - less than 200 pages in paperback. Also highly recommend "The Enchanted April" by Elizabeth von Arnim. Originally published in 1922 it is a charming and funny novel about four dissatisfied English women after First World War who spend the month of April holidaying together in a small castle on the Italian Riviera. A favourite read of mine when I need a bit of comfort reading.

Loved enchanted April !!
I have redhead book awaiting on bedside table !

If you liked Enchanted April, there are other books by Elizabeth Von Armin I’m sure you will enjoy, such as Elizabeth and her German Garden. I’ve read all her books,

Lucca

RosieJ

I love Gervais Phinn books. Reminiscences of his days as a school inspector in Yorkshire and the many often hilarious stories that came with his interaction with the children.
Guaranteed to lift your spirits.

I’m afraid I had my fill of gervaise at speech day…!!

Lucca, oh dear!

Reading Agatha Christie and Nevil Shute helped me get back into reading after a time when concentration had gone. Magazines were also helpful. Knitting helped tremendously to restore focus and patience.

I love Rebecca Shaw, easy going and amusing

Kristin Hannah are excellent. All different and thoroughly mesmerising

Have you tried Dervla Murphy? She was the most amazing lady who travelled alone on a bicycle from Ireland to India in 1963. The book of her journey is called Full Tilt: Ireland to India with a bicycle and there are lots of follow up books about her subsequent journeys, all pretty incredible. Travels on my Elephant by Mark Shand is another similar book which is very absorbing. I have just read six books on the trot by Jim Kelly, they are detective/crime fiction, but old style, mostly set in the past. The Night Raids is probably my favourite. Easy reads without being too light weight.

Dervla Murphy died this week at age 90 yrs

Danielle Steele. I.have just started to read The right time. It's such an easy read and she's a great story teller. A good change and a relief after some heavier stuff I had been reading. Any of her books really. I read a whole lot at one time but one can get indigestion. Jackie Collins as well.

I took to reading children's classics when I was in your situation. Great opportunity to read those books that I should have by now. Get well soon. ?

So lovely to read these posts. I'm a librarian and some popular authors not mentioned include...
Ben Arranovitch, Hania Allen, Rachel Amphlett, JDRobb, Val McDermid, Elly Griffiths, Anne Cleeves, James Patterson, Mark Billingham

I think we all have a classic we revisit time n time again...mine is Jane Eyre

Whenever I become book blind and can’t settle to read anything, I turn to my kindle and my complete collection of Agatha Christie.

You cant go wrong with Kitty Neale, lovely books and easy to read. The 4 Streets series (4 in all) are a great read too. They are by Nadine Dorries (yes the MP) but she writes great books. Hope you can get back into reading, i would be lost without my books.

I thought Richard Osman’s first book (not bothering with the second) was rubbish! Absolute tripe!

Lucca

What about a magazine of short stories? I think Womens Weekly do a monthly one. Easy to complete one at a time and mostly very light subjects. Sometimes there are ones by well known authors and you may then be tempted to try a full length book.

When my husband died very suddenly I couldn't concentrate on anything-couldn't even read a short newspaper article. As someone who can read 4 books in a week this was totally out of character. After a while I read some short stories and found I could concentrate on those. A friend then gave my the Clifton Chronicles by Jeffrey Archer. I had never read any of his books before and they were not a genre I fancied. I thoroughly enjoyed them, perhaps, because they were so different from my usual books.

Lucca if you enjoyed Crawdads which I loved too, do try Mary Lawson. She’s only written three I think, they are all fabulous.

Amanda Prowse, Cathy Kelly, Karen Swan, Hannah Beckerman, Nick Alexander, Dani Atkins, Fern Britten, Rowan Coleman, Elisa Darcy, Veronica Henry to name but a few authors whose books I’ve enjoyed. Hope you get your reading mojo back soon. Best wishes