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Original poster

I'm so down right now, please help me find a book to read

134 replies

adaptiveness · 16/09/2021 11:28

I'm not going into the details, but I'm not in a good place right now and I badly need a good book.

I have 5 mins to write this, so am going to be really unreasonable and just list the stuff that I can't deal with reading about right now.

No sex, suicide, romance, bad stuff happening to kids, sad endings, books that will make me think about the fucked up state of the world. No kooky, random, wet, indecisive protagonists. No 'hilarious' bad parenting.

Any genre fine: fiction, literature, sci-fi, fantasy, non-fiction, historical, comedy, biography, sport. Whatever. I just need to disappear into a good book.

Please help!

OP posts:
HasaDigaEebowai · 16/09/2021 16:45

Oh goodness definitely not Elenor Oliphant or The hearts invisible furies!

Councilworker · 16/09/2021 16:26

Diary of a Nobody is marvellous. I first read it as a teenager and now in my 40s it's still wonderfully funny. Very Adrian Mole of his time.
David Sedaris "Dress your family in corduroy and denim" is very funny short essays on things that happened to him. But I can't remember the whole contents of the book. This is his one on Christmas customs which I always enjoy www.stnicholascenter.org/around-the-world/customs/netherlands/sedaris

TolpuddleFarter · 16/09/2021 16:08

I Capture the Castle.

Or any Wodehouse

cheeseismydownfall · 16/09/2021 16:08

3 1/2 Pillars of Wisdom by Alexander McCall Smith.

RickOShay · 16/09/2021 16:04

I second Miss Marple. My heroine.
The Elly Griffiths Ruth Galloway books got me through lockdown, and beyond.
The diary of a country lady by EM Delafield is very soothing too.
I also enjoyed the Thursday Murder Club.
Hope things cheer up for you Flowers

MartyHart · 16/09/2021 16:04

Another one here who can't understand why Diary of a Nobody is a sad book. I think it's hilarious and definitely inspired Adrian Mole.

Miss Pettigrew is bloody marvellous and never fails to cheer me up. Also Cold Comfort Farm by Stella Gibbons.

tunnocksreturns2019 · 16/09/2021 16:00

Alexander MacCall Smith’s Sunday Philosophy club series. Ellis Peters Cadfael series. Sending fortitude.

EdithGrantham · 16/09/2021 15:58

If you don't mind a teenage view on romance my go to for a book to cheer me up is Angus, Thongs and Full Frontal Snogging, I've read it multiple times and it still makes me laugh out loud

JassyRadlett · 16/09/2021 15:56

My go-too books for gentle escapism are things like The Making of a Marchioness, Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day and Miss Buncle’s Book. Agatha Christie is good escapism - go for some of the ones that are completely daft but fun reads like The Secret of Chimneys or The Man in the Brown Suit.

RiotAtTheRodeo · 16/09/2021 15:53

Secret Diary of Adrian Mole

sleepwhenidie · 16/09/2021 15:52

The Heart's Invisible Furies by John Boyne is great

cosmopolitanplease · 16/09/2021 15:51

At the moment I'm reading The Diary of a Provincial Lady and I think it fits your remit perfectly. It's a lovely read and I'm really enjoying it.

leavesthataregreen · 16/09/2021 15:46

For cosy escapism I love Mapp and Lucia. Petty in-fighting between two women who think they are each the social queen bees of their small town.

For switch-off-your-brain cosy crime - Agatha Christie or the Armande Gamache series set in an artistic little village in Canada.

For easy to read feel-better novels try The Midnight Library of The Alchemist (I've not read the Alchemist but so many people say it's a life-changing story. It's on my list)

wholesomeliving · 16/09/2021 15:41

Forty Rules of Love by Elif Shafak..it's not romance but more philosophical and spiritual. It's a beautiful read in my opinion

lazylinguist · 16/09/2021 15:39

Grin StMarysKettle. I'm with you on the Rithfuss dicking about bit but I love the second book!

StMarysKettle · 16/09/2021 15:25

I wouldn't start Patrick Rothfuss if I were you. The Name of the Wind is a brilliant book, a breath of fresh air and you'll read it and think it was fantastic. The second book is the biggest pile of dross I've ever read. He's been promising the third book for TEN years and just keeps dicking about going to Comicons and gaming streams and seems to have no intention of ever finishing the book so I would save myself the disappointment if I were you!

WendyJames35 · 16/09/2021 15:22

Forget my suggestion, it does feature romance!

WendyJames35 · 16/09/2021 15:21

The Keeper of Lost Things, by Ruth Hogan. It's easy to read, but in my opinion, it's absolutely beautiful.

StMarysKettle · 16/09/2021 15:15

The St Mary's books by Jodi Taylor. Its about historical time travel, its light hearted, fun, interesting, with a female lead, great if you're interested in history or even if you're not.

First one is called Just One Damn Thing After Another (I think). Someone else recommended her Doing Time series but as those books features character from the St Mary's series they may not make sense.

littlepinkseals · 16/09/2021 15:04

Miss Pettigrew lives for a day - Winifred Watson
Gone with the Wind
Britt-Marie was here - Frederick Backman (or A Man called Ove)
Ladies No 1 Detective Agency

NuffSaidSam · 16/09/2021 15:04

'Elinor Oliphant is completely fine'

That features romance, suicide and dreadful things happening to children!

I came on to say Bill Bryson. Any of his travel books would fit the bill I think.

PiglingBlonde · 16/09/2021 15:02

Actually thinking about it, when I've really been struggling I find gentlemanly detective stories really good - so Agatha Christie, Dorothy L Sayers, PD James etc.

Or just Miss Marple.

PiglingBlonde · 16/09/2021 15:00

The Enchanted April by Elizabeth Von Arnim. There is a very small bit of romance, but it is not the purpose of the book.

Winniewonka · 16/09/2021 14:56

Bill Bryson. His earlier travel accounts might be a bit dated but his wit makes me laugh out loud.

SailYourShips · 16/09/2021 14:55

@futureghost. I'm intrigued why do you find Diary of a Nobody sad? Mr Pooter is delighted with his quiet life, he doesn't crave anything, does get everything he needs and would be shocked I'm sure to think anyone found him sad.

I've recommended it many times and this is the very first time someone has said it's sad.

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