What are your comfort reads - books that you can read over and over again?

Only slightly naughty bits - they're very funny to re-read. All the clothing descriptions are very dated.

My ultimate comfort reads are EF Benson's Mapp and Lucia books.

But I'll also go back to Terry Pratchett, most Austen, Vanity Fair. I'm with you on the Mitford - The Pursuit of Love, and Love in a Cold Climate. Also the older Jilly Coopers - the ones with the girls' names - I'm gradually re-collecting them, having first read them in my teens, I think.

Books I love, but need more concentration to read, so can't quite count as comfort reads, are the Dorothy Dunnet Niccolo and Lymond series.

Robert Harris - all of his books
JKR - Harry Potter Series
Phillip Pullman - His Dark Materials and Sally Lockhart Series
Margaret Michell - Gone with the Wind
Colleen McCullough - The Thorn Birds
Jacqueline Susan - Valley of the Dolls

I tend to read these when I'm down or things are stressful as I find anything more difficult/weighty too hard to concentrate on, but find TV doesn't take me away from myself enough iykwim.

Whenever my stress levels get too high, or something traumatic is happening I read Ghost Story by Peter Straub. It is strangely comforting despite being really scary. The last time was while my mother was dying.

oh and the Dark is Rising sequence (just finished re-reading in fact)

lots ( I re-read far more than I read new books)

PG Wodehouse, esp the Psmith books
Agatha Christie
Sherlock Holmes stories
Rumer Godden, In This House of Brede
LOTS of children's books: the William series, the Little House series, Ballet Shoes, Secret Garden, the Little Women series, Arthur Ransome...
Dorothy L Sayers
Jennifer Crusie's books

there are far more than I have read oodles of times (think 20+ ). Some I read every year, like A Box of Delights at Christmas.

Another vote for Betty MacDonald (esp Onions in the Stew).

I like anything by Joanne Harris.
Captain correlis mandolin ( de bernieres)
Forever Amber (Kathleen Windsor)
Mortal sin
Harry potter

Nobody has mentioned Roald Dahl who I absolutely loved as a child.

Good night Mister Tom - Michelle Magorian

Re-read some many times I had to buy another copy.

I do re-read others but thats generally because they are there on my bookshelf, and I haven't had time to go to the Library. Goodnight Mister Tom though is the one I turn to when I'm not feeling myself.

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Anything by Mary Wesley.
Anything by Enid Blyton. (Preferably an older edition. I don't like the politically correct versions that have been reprinted)
Tess of the d'Urbevilles

thanks for advice taliac!

Nope, avoiding for the same reasons.

Saw the stage version though and enjoyed that.

Christiana - I bet that will be good..

am also a bit wary of The Golden Compass - have you seen that?

It was bad bad.

Ian McShane as Merriman.

Miss Greythorne wielding a sword against the dark (no wheelchair).

Will developing superpowers.

Utter arse.

couldn't bear to see the film of the Dark is Rising; as soon as i heard American accents in the trailer i knew it wasn't going to work for me - it is so very English, it couldn't possibly translate well. probably nsrrow minded of me but I hate seeing poor films of books I love - I can only just cope with te Harry Potter films as they have to cut so much out.

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I think I'm going to go reread the Dark is Rising series. I've read it a lot over the years but not for a while now. Very English, but I really love it, esp because I've spent a lot of time in Cornwall where some of it is set.

Did anyone see the truly shocking film? I could only watch half of it before turning it off..

AbbeyA - Snap!
can now include anything by Joanne Harris too.

Depends if you prefer fantasy or SF.

I liked the Chalion trilogy for fantasy - I'd start with the Curse of Chalion.

The SF ones are best read chronologically, and the Heyer tribute is right at the end, so I'd start with the 2 Cordelia books, Shards of Honor and Barrayar (printed as an omnibus edition called Cordelia's Honor, ignore the really awful cover!). Cordelia is a very satisfying character, again somewhat in the Heyer mould.

Bujold is much darker than Heyer obviously, being SF, but is a very compelling read. Not least because I've read very little other SF that deals with strong/interesting women who are also mothers. And although most of the series after the first two books is about Cordelia's son, parenting is a really strong theme.

Corblimey, taliac, that Wiki page is a lot to take in - haven't read Ms.Bujold but probably will now you've said - any recommendations as to which one to start with? Or should I just go with A Civil Campaign (the Heyer tribute)?

All and any of the Georgette Heyers
Dorothy L Sayers, esp the Peter/Harriet ones.
Susan Cooper's The Dark is Rising
Margaret Mahy - The Changeover.
Pratchett (Vimes / Witches for preference)
Phillip Pullman - His Dark Materials.
Jane Austen - Persuasion

God we are all the same person its true.

Issy you make a really interesting point about the similarity between the self contained worlds of SF/fantasy and the Regency romances. Have you (or anyone who likes both Georgette Heyer and Pratchett!) tried Lois McMaster Bujold? She writes SF / Fantasy, is very good and is a Heyer fan (has one book in her most popular series which is definitely very Heyer inspired).

Now reading this thread properly (sorry, post-holiday brain). Fab to be reminded of so many well-loved old friends.

Just a plea to the Pratchett-haters: do give Good Omens a try if you ever decide to have another go at one. It's not Discworld - set in modern-day UK - and is absolutely packed with very funny literary and historical references so you can feel jolly clever while you're reading it too. honest.

I don't really re-read much any more, having developed a rather morbid obsession with the idea of there being a limited number of books to get through before I die(!). But when I do:

Good Omens - Pratchett/Gaimans. Top book.
Dorothy Sayers
possibly Agatha Christie (although all mine are still at my mum's)
Lucy M Boston - Green Knowe books

cmotdibbler: astounded and delighted that you also pick Veronica at the Wells. Just rescued my copy from my mum's (annoyingly seem to have lost book 1 of the series and they are now apparently impossible to get hold of). DD1's middle name is Veronica. My (Catholic) husband thinks it's after the saint but I know better

Actually the majority of my "comfort" reading seems to be stuff I read while growing up.