I find my mood is often affected by the book I'm reading at the time, can you suggest some books to lift my mood?

See I find Adrian mole quite depressing - his ghastly family and the way his own pretensions make him his own worst enemy. It's really sad to me.

I know what you mean Chubfuddler :). I never really "got" Adrian Mole, and stopped after the first book. It has recently been voted the best comedy novel, I believe. Personally I've read funnier books, but then we've all got a different sense of humour.

The book that made me laugh out loud was Cold Comfort Farm by Stella Gibbons. I must get round to reading it again.

Aah, margoandjerry, someone else mentioned that book in response to my username. I havent' read it actually - I have a picture of the Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild near my computer, which I visited on holiday a few years ago, and had no idea there was a book linked to it. Feel compelled to read it now, but, dare I ask... happy or sad?

haven't

Just read Pursuit of Love followed swiftly by Love in a Cold climate: you need your tongue firmly in your cheek but they are fab as is anything by PG Wodehouse, don't think the politics just think the bonkers stories

Well, I posted that I thought the book was really dull and seeing your name, I thought you were going to tell me you loved it and inspired you and everything you do and then I was going to feel like a philistine all over again .

Actually I am persevering with it and it is getting better. There is early 20t century middle Europe anti-semitic trouble brewing so there is some emotional connection now. The first bit was just boring art waffle

Forgot all about David Sedaris until tonight. Have you tried his books yet NMP?

I'm completely different from the above: I'm usually so exhausted I don't want anything that challenges the meaning of my life or makes me think too hard!!
I got a Kindle for Christmas and am enjoying downloading some great fiction really cheaply. Recent books that really lifted my mood were: "Never Can Say Goodbye" - Christina Jones and "For A Smile" - Lydia Jones. (I don't think they're related!) :)

Forgot to add that the second one : "For A Smile" was only £1 on Kindle - bargain! It's a selection of short stories which I love because I can read one when I haven't got the time to get into a novel - like when I'm waiting around being Mum's taxi. This one really cheered me up! :)

Keith Waterhouse - try 'Billy Liar', and he also did 'Mrs Pooter's Diary' which is a must for fans of the original! Most of his novels are comic, although there is a melancholy side to some of them given that his protagonists are usually sad losers. He did 'Office Life' long before anyone thought up 'The Office' - great twist in the tail to that one.