old fashioned gentle books

[mumwon]

Talking on another topic 2 of us mentioned "Mrs Harris goes to Paris" a lovely uplifting old fashioned book - ia there any books that other people like - either as a child or as an adult that you can suggest & tell us about them - briefly!
Mrs Harris is about an old fashioned char who saves & goes to Paris to buy Dior dress
& "Family at One end Street" children's story about a family with several dc before the ww2

In the 1980s Ruth Elwin Harris wrote a series of books called the Quantock Quartet, each book told from the point of view of a different sister in a family growing up near the Quantock Hills in the early 20th century.

I Capture The Castle by Dodie Smith. Just a lovely, gentle coming-of-age classic novel about a girl and her eccentric family.

I came on this thread specifically to say this. It’s a lovely, funny, atmospheric book that’s almost Dickensian in its characterisations - you really ‘live’ in it.

Apart from I Capture the Castle, my other comfort reads when I need the literary equivalent of a warm reassuring hug are Emma, Cold Comfort Farm, and The Darling Buds of May

On a different note, I also find Bill Bryson wonderfully, gently funny and informative when I’m feeling stressed.

Ooh and another one - technically a children’s book - is Cue for Treason, a ripping Shakespearean yarn that’s great fun to read. I first read it at about 11 or so.

I’m on a roll here...I obviously do more comfort reading that I realised!
Period Piece, by Gwen Raverat (Charles darwin’s granddaughter) is a lovely funny memoir of her childhood in late Victorian Cambridge. Anyone who likes I Capture the Castle will enjoy this, too.

Has anyone mentioned Elizabeth Goudge? Old fashioned and gentle- but with complex stories and characters. Or Noel Streatfield’s adult books.

The 'Aurora' books are great - and very funny.

There's 'Aurora and the Little Blue Car', and another one.

I've never met anyone who has this book- I re-read it every Hallowe'en and have done since 1972!

It's called 'Spook' and is about a little dog who belongs to a witch

it's a Scholastic book and I bought it for the princely sum of 25p

I love the Henry Pratt series by David Nobbs - it starts with Second From Last In The Sack Race, through Pratt Of The Argus....

I think The Cucumber Man comes after that and I can’t remember the next one. Gentle but Funny

Gatekeeper - That looks sweet! I've just ordered a copy!

A Month In The Country - JL Carr

Enchanted April and Elizabeth’s German Garden both by Elizabeth Von Armin.

All just lovely, gentle, atmospheric, and wonderful at capturing the seasons.

I would second the Herriot and Jennings books mentioned by pp, and add the Rumpole books. Like a cosy hug in book form.

I like DE Stevenson's books - especially Mrs Buncle's Book, but also the two that follow on from that, and the Mrs Tim books.

Oh yes to Elizabeth Jane Howard and James Herriot! And Noel Streatfield.

@Furryandpurry I went to girls’ boarding school. They have a massive nostalgia factor for me!

Oh, and for children, the Green Knowe books.

Pippa at Brighton by E E Ohlson, I think I was about 10 or 11 when I first read it, my mum gave it me because it was one of her favourite books, I found it very funny! It's such a long time since I last read it, I must find it.

Agree that Anne Tyler's books fit this description and do remind me a lot of the Cazalet chronicles despite the difference in time and place.

For gentle books Gwendolyn Courtney wrote some beautiful ones.
My go to favourite authors are Malcolm Saville and Monica Edwards books.

I'm rereading Cue for Treason to ds at present. I read it to him about 3 years ago and he loved it so much that we thought we'd reread it. It was his favourite until we read Mystery at Witchend (Malcolm Saville)

Noel Streatfield is lovely too. One of my favourites is The Fearless Treasure.
Elizabeth Goudge, especially Linnets and Valerians.
Violet Needham has some good ones too.
And Antonia Forest-especially recommend the historical ones.
Then there's the Swish if the Curtain series...

I've been enjoying sharing my favourites with ds- the girls stopped wanting me to read to them far too early!

What a lovely thread! Another fan of James Herriot here :)

How about Laurie Lee? Cider with Rosie, As I Walked Out One Midsummer Morning...

I don't know if it's your cup of bush tea, but it love the No 1 Ladies Detective Agency series.
It's a detective series but most books are quite nice and gentle.

I always enjoy a Rosamunde Pilcher. September is probably my favourite, followed by The Shell Seekers.

Oh yes Mouse510 The Shell Seekers is lovely.

More! :)
I love the Victorian favourites Little Women & What Katy Did
Oh yes my dsis & I read Malcom Saville too!
Got lots of old books from Charity Shops & lots of "old" Girl's Annuals some were antiques going back before ww2 & just after -
Malory Towers, Chalet Stories,

I recommend anything by Alexandra Raife. But particularly Drumveyn and Return to Drumveyn. Lovely gentle reading. Also absolutely agree with every one who has said the cazelet books... I re read them regularly. Slightly different but equally gentle I would also recommend anything by Laurie Graham. Start with the Future Homemakers of America.