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Original poster

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

234 replies

harpomarx · 21/06/2008 22:03

You know, those books that you have been reading for years, have old dog-eared copies of and will pick up when there is nothing new that takes your fancy.

Mine are:

Almost anything by F. Scott Fitzgerald, but especially The Beautiful and Damned.

Betty MacDonald - The Egg and I etc

Nancy Mitford Pursuit of Love, Love in a Cold Climate etc

J. D. Salinger Catcher in the Rye

Cold Comfort Farm

OP posts:
Cathpot · 21/06/2008 22:44

Hi overmydeadbody, yes he gets people that way. I know of a book group which fell apart after someone put forward a Prachett and other people didnt like it. Have you read one? What is it about them you hate? It interests me as I often wonder what it is I get from them, why I find them so satisfying. He has a hell of a turn of phrase and also I think the characters are some how safe and reliable and liable to win through at the end. Its an odd feeling, I cant really compare it, may be it is knowing the set up of the whole disc world. I love Ian M Banks Culture novels for the same reason, buts thats my limit more or less for SF type books.

Threadwormm · 21/06/2008 22:44

Jane Austen, by a long distance.

Original poster
harpomarx · 21/06/2008 22:44

feel the same, omdb

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Twinklemegan · 21/06/2008 22:43

And Lord of the Rings - they're all coming back to me now.

Twinklemegan · 21/06/2008 22:42

Oh and Thomas Hardy. I love his novels, esp Far From The Madding Crowd and Tess of the d'Urbevilles.

Califrau · 21/06/2008 22:42

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

liath · 21/06/2008 22:40

Another vote for River God (but I always cry at the bit where the horse dies )

The Triffids and the Chrysalids by John Wyndham (although since having children the Chrysalids always makes me cry buckets)

Riders, Rivals & Polo by Jilly Cooper. Fantastic stuff, a real mental enema . Don't much like her later books though.

Maia by Richard Adams.

Pillars of the earth by Ken Follett.

OverMyDeadBody · 21/06/2008 22:39

I would rather stick pins in my eyes than read a Terry Pratchet book

wheresthehamster · 21/06/2008 22:38

Diary of a Nobody
Three Men in a Boat
Any Bill Bryson.

All good for a laugh.

CoteDAzur · 21/06/2008 22:35

Dune.

DaDaDa · 21/06/2008 22:33

Billy Liar by Keith Waterhouse
How Far Can You Go by David Lodge
Unbearable Lightness by Milan Kundera (pretentious nonsense but it makes me feel 17 again!)
Most George Orwell.

Original poster
harpomarx · 21/06/2008 22:33

oh, and Harry Potter

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Original poster
harpomarx · 21/06/2008 22:33

ok, so far we have more than one vote for

Jane Austen
Terry Pratchet
Betty McDonald

have I missed any?

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PigeonPie · 21/06/2008 22:31

Jane Austen and Dorothy Sayers' Lord Peter Wimsey detective stories - currently reading Unpleasantness at the Belona Club

Twinklemegan · 21/06/2008 22:29

Pride and Prejudice

Jane Eyre

Chalet School series (not stricly adult fiction I know, but out of print for children so it counts)

Not many others actually.

dittany · 21/06/2008 22:28

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Message withdrawn at poster's request.

bamboostalks · 21/06/2008 22:28

cmot, I had totally forgotten about those amazing ballet stories, all those Lorna Hill books were my life for a few years. I may reread them all now. Love Daddy Long Legs too, it's so romantic. I am a total sap for rereads but love all the romances by Eva Ibbotson, full of Russian and Viennese emigres.

4andnotout · 21/06/2008 22:27

Wilbur Smith: River God, Seventh Scroll, Warlock
Patricia Cornwell:Kay Scarpetta series
Conn Iggulden: Rome series and Ghengis Khan series.

Original poster
harpomarx · 21/06/2008 22:26

read Travels with my Aunt recently, daffodil - that was a really strange book. I did finish it though and have got stuck with a few Graham Greene's in the past!

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littleboyblue · 21/06/2008 22:26

World Full of Strangers. Don't know who wrote it as I've read it so many times I've lost the cover!
It about a Jewish boy in the 30's who gets married and turns his back on his heritage coz he can't get a job or anywhere to live. It very sad and makes me cry.

Yorkiegirl · 21/06/2008 22:26

Message withdrawn

Cathpot · 21/06/2008 22:25

I always turn to a Terry Prachett when I just need to comfort read, ill or stressed or tired or overemotional. Its interesting that other people say the same thing. Its like there is a Prachett shaped niche in my brain which is only satisfied by a slice of disc world - ( the only other author that will do in a crisis is Douglas Adams Dirk Gently books.) When I heard about Prachett having alzheimers (spelling??) I thought about writing to him and telling him this, that he is uniques in that way for me, despite the fact I read quite a wide range normally. Maybe now I will get off backside and do it.

AbstractMouse · 21/06/2008 22:24

Good omens-Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman
Lots by Stephen King

Those are the only ones I can remember reading more than twice, I love good omens so much, makes me lol. It's probably my favourite book ever.

daffodill6 · 21/06/2008 22:18

Travels with my Aunt -

Any Agatha Christie

Tomorrow to be brave - Susan Travers

Any Molly Keane

Many Autobiographical WW2

Original poster
harpomarx · 21/06/2008 22:16

Have just finished Pride and Prejudice AbbeyA - Jane Austen is a semi-comfort read for me. I can't tear through them like my others 'cos you have to concentrate! And I really can never remember which one is which even though I am sure I have read nearly all of them.

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