Books for when you’re feeling a bit down and blue… ?

[SadOied]

Any recommendations? I’m thinking heartwarming, facing adversity, etc.

Thank you!

I like re reading Anne Tyler books. They're well written but not a difficult read

I have just finished reading A Man Called Ove.
Oh my it was soooo lovely. Made me laugh and sob and i have messaged everyone i know to tell them to read it!!

Rosy Is My Relative by Gerald Durrell.

My go-to comfort books are Armisted Maupin’s Tales of the City. Wonderful characters in seventies San Francisco. Funny, silly and touching in equal measure.

Or anything by David Sedaris. He is so sharp.

@PuddleglumtheMarshWiggle

The tent, the bucket and me - Emma Kennedy. Adversity in the face of camping. Good for a laugh!

I was going to say exactly the same thing!! I always have a copy to hand just in case.

I tend to re read historical fiction like Elizabeth Chadwell. It is far away from my reality that it seems to help me de stress. Recently also re read the secret garden, some Agatha Christie and Adrian Mole.

My family and other animals. Gerald Durrell . Never fails to cheer me up.

Another one who came on here to say "Chronicles of St Mary's" and was beaten to it.

I look for old friend books when life's being a bit horrible. Georgette Heyer, even though the feminist bit of me goes into bloodboiling fury with a couple of the more idiotic heroines and domineering heroes. More recent intelligent well researched written by someone who can actually read and write English HEA (Happy Every After for non-romance people) authors... Jo Beverly. Elizabeth Chadwick. Mary Balogh. Mary Jo Putney.

@Vicliz24 I came on to recommend My Family and Other Animals too! Reading it is like a tonic. I’ve read it dozens of times in my life, it’s wonderful

Anything by Milly Johnson comforts me. I also like reading Cathy Glass. There are some hard issues in the books but I can imagine the warmth and care she puts into being a foster carer and so I find them quite comforting.

The NO1 Ladies detective agency

@cansu I think you meant Elizabeth Chadwick rather than Chadwell? I will admit to a minor crush on William Marshal as a direct result of her books. To be fair, Heath Ledger's character in A Knight's Tale which I saw at an impressionable age and which is based very loosely on William Marshal really didn't help!

yes, Chadwick. I know exactly what you mean about William Marshal. I really enjoyed the series about Eleanor of Aquitaine too. I often re read and it is pretty much the only thing other than wine that soothes me!

@LadyJaye

My 'comfort blanket' book is ]].

I often turn to Jilly Cooper when I just want to switch my brain off, too.

Absolutely lovely book.

The Adrian Mole books for me every time (particularly the first one)

The Rosie Project

I read Bob Mortimer's book (And Away). It really cheered me up when I was waiting in hospital recently. Biographies/autobiographies are always interesting and I tend to get lost in them.

Rosie Is My Relative by Gerald Durrell is a brilliant choice. One of those "it all comes good in the end" types of books. With delicious descriptions of food and the countryside.

The Pop Larkin Chronicles by HE Bates. If you can see past the inappropriate bits.

Any of the Miss Read books. Pure comfort reading.

Worzel Gummidge.

The Borrowers books.

The Wind In The Willows.

Any Jeeves & Wooster.

Jenny Colgan's books. And I second Milly Johnson.

The Number One Ladies Detective Agency series is lovely.
A Man Called Ove was good but very bittersweet.
For real life War Doctor is a great read (I’d also recommend a listen to his interview on desert island discs too).

Swallows and Amazons is also a much loved escapism book.

Mine is Instructions for a Heatwave by Maggie O'Farrell. I just think it's lovely.

I also liked The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman. It's a happy, easy read.

[quote Splann]@Vicliz24 I came on to recommend My Family and Other Animals too! Reading it is like a tonic. I’ve read it dozens of times in my life, it’s wonderful [/quote]
Me too I find such joy in it .

Anything by Miss Read or Rosamund Pilcher

Pure comfort reading which takes you back to a time when the world was a much simpler place....