Please recommend me some engaging, non-violent, cheerful stories for my hospitalised mother? Audiobook ideally

[IndecentFeminist]

Hi all,
My mum is in hospital and really lonely and bored. We are only allowed to visit once a day for half an hour so she is struggling to fill her days.

I'm suggesting audio books, but due to her anxiety she cannot handle anything violent or worrying. She's worried that her concentration is very poor (hospitalisation is for mental health issues) but I think it may be worth a try, at least it would be some noise in her room as she's scared of the communal areas at the moment.

I had thought of Gerald Durrell and some of his, has anyone any suggestions please?

Maybe short podcasts would suit her better. Or bbc radio comedies.

How about anything by Alexander McCall Smith-lovely gentle series of books? Or Veronica Henry The Beach Hut” which is a novel but each chapter is like a short story-not sure if it’s an audio book but it’s a good story.Rosamunde Pilcher books also come to mind
Hope she feels better soon

Does she like classics - Jane Austen might be good. You can choose the unabridged versions too. I also love Agatha Christie but depending on levels of anxiety that might not be the best plan.

Does she like classics - Jane Austen might be good. You can choose the unabridged versions too. I also love Agatha Christie but depending on levels of anxiety that might not be the best plan.

Eva Ibbotson's books tend to be very gentle and sweet. I'm sure they're on Audible.

www.goodreads.com/shelf/show/gentle-reads

How about some Georgette Heyer? Lovely, gentle, regency romance where everything always works out well for the heroine.

Are there any books shes particularly loved in the past? I find very familiar books (even childrens books) so easy to listen to and comforting

I think the Fairacre series by Miss Read would be perfect - very gentle series of books about village life & a local little school. Hope your mum's on the mend soon - must be so hard not being able to visit for long :(

Gervase Phinn, PG Wodehouse, Miss Read

Cross post!

Not a book but if you subscribe to Disney+ (7 day free trial then £5.99 a month) you can download films. There are lots of nature / travel films from National Geographic which are very calming and gentle and beautiful scenery as well as Disney Classics (more for kids).

Jeeves and Wooster. Perfect.

Miss Read is a good call. And doesn't require much concentration

Ferne Britton (sp?) writes easy going books. There's usually a little twist so they're not wall to wall saccharine.

The Seven Sisters books by Lucinda Riley

All Creatures Great and Small
The Darling Buds of May
Hamish Macbeth

Actually - anything that’s been made into Sunday evening TV.

Little house on the prairie and Anne of green gables are very calming. The secret garden was another lovely audiobook. Also David Attenborough’s life on air was brilliant.

What about some biographies of her favourite actors/singers.

Amazing, some great suggestions, thanks all! Going to investigate further, I need to work out what to download to her phone etc.

Agatha Raison - bbc audio

What are her interests, @IndecentFeminist?

There are millions of YouTube videos and many many of them are lovely.

If she likes cooking/food, then www.youtube.com/emmy is lovely - she's super sweet and bubbly and her videos are fabulous when I'm feeling anxious. I'm sure you can download them.

My Gran loved the audio book by Paul Burrell (Diana's butler), in similar circumstances.
www.audible.co.uk/pd/A-Royal-Duty-Audiobook/B004FTOMTC?plink=55611310-26b8-4b

Audible do a free first month, worth setting up on her phone perhaps.

I love Alexander McCall Smith books when I'm feeling anxious, especially the number 1 ladies detective agency series.

I was also going to say Georgette Heyer, wonderful books with fantastic narrators! Elizabeth Cadell is similar and her books are mostly read by her daughter and grand daughters (the book title with the Lilies, sorry can't remember the whole title, is the only one I would avoid) Also Mary Stewart's are good as well, just avoid Thornyhold as it's pretty gloomy. I have no idea if AudibleUK has Elizabeth Goudge, but if so those would be amazing too.

for your Mum