What do you read when you need a break from your own problems for a while?

[Wendyer]

Having a stressful time of things recently and I’d like to escape my reality for a while into something that takes me back to a simpler time. I feel like reading something historical and safe that doesn’t require too much concentration. Agatha Christie type stuff maybe (except I’ve read all hers).

Any ideas?

Gerald Durrell or anything by Mary Stewart, the first for the hilarity and the second for the plots.

Miss Pettigrew Lives For A Day
Any of the Miss Buncle books
Cold Comfort Farm

You might like Small Pleasures by Clare Chambers- a fairly recent novel set in the 50s I think and has a similar vibe to many of the suggestions here, I really enjoyed it. Good luck, a good read is such a wonderful escape in a stressful time

Lucy Dillon's books. All stand-alone, but set around one small town so you get cross-over of characters. And dogs.

The Murder Most Unladylike series might suit you? Think Agatha Christie set in Blyton world boarding school. DD (13) got me into them, and they're fun if slightly repetitive, but very cosy. Apart from the whole murder thing, obviously.

Miss Read

Elizabeth Jane Howard’s Cazalet trilogy

The Agatha Raisin books (MC Beaton) are quite good for a bit of relaxed escapism OP.

Or, dare I say it - the Harry Potter books, always easy to get lost in them.

Hope all is well.

Despite having a masters in English and having been an English secondary school teacher, for years I stopped reading, just couldn't find the time or so overwhelmed with all the choices of what to read. I signed up for Shelter Oxford Book Club and love it, would really recommend it.

@bonfireheart could you post a link ?

Several options came up when I googled .

Thanks.

Definitely Miss Read. I love the Thrush Green ones best. Her Christmassy ones are lovely at this time of year too (No Holly for Miss Quinn, the Christmas Mouse etc).

Georgette Heyer (I can recite Black Sheep and Frederica).

Carola Dunn's Daisy Dalrymple series - rather like Heyer's crime novels.

Nora Robert's Bride Quartet 😳 - very formulaic but everything is alright in the end and there are pretty dresses.

They are all just gentle and calm, do not require much brain and can take me out of myself and modern life for half an hour.

Pratchett obviously, Nancy Mitford, Cold Comfort Farm, Ben Aaronovitch's Rivers of London, and for when I'm having a really bad day, Dorothy Dunnett. Not exactly cheerful, but you have to pay really close attention so everything else tends to fade out.

Omg all of these suggestions are so brilliant, I popped on to say Agatha Christie as she is like therapy for me but you’ve been there!

One who I think all of you could like is the non-shopaholic Sophie Kinsella - for the exact same reasons you ask I recommended The Undomestic Goddess to someone, it’s hugely underrated but definitely in this category. (I mean she’s sold 50 million copies so not THAT underrated, but she’s often dismissed as ‘just chick lit’ when in fact this is more like Wodehouse levels of farce). My not so perfect life also simultaneously incredibly silly, clever, funny and brilliant!

Also Cold Comfort Farm, Diary of an Edwardian Lady, I Capture the Castle. Bridget Jones! Also critically underrated and a work of comic genius.

Tana French - crime, great writing
Cazelet chronicles - inter war family saga
The 2 Richard Osmans are good
The good Jilly coopers -riders, rivals, Pandora, polo
Marian Keyes - esp Rachel’s holiday, the other side of the story
Jojo Moynes
The guy that wrote One Day and Starter for Ten
The Guy that wrote about a boy
Eat love pray

Not you type probably, but Amanda M Lee. I find the sarcasm, humour and ridiculousness comforting, easy but engaging enough to help me switch off. The covenant and grimlock family series in particular.

Oh, and Christopher Fowler's Bryant and May series, if you have a bit of brain to spare. They can be incredibly funny and well-observed - the gag about "do you have any mobility issues?" "Well, I recently had trouble getting through a turnstyle wearing an accordion" still has me wheezing with laughter on a regular basis.

And yes, Rivers of London and all its offshoots including the graphic novels.

Also Ruth Downie's Gaeus Patreius Ruso series and Lindsay Davies' Falco novels, both set in the Roman period (Downie in Britain, Davies in Rome).

I always read Marve bin hey when I’m stressed.

More suggestions! Thank you :).

I’ve read the cazalet chronicles and really enjoyed them - they would fit the bill perfectly for what I’m wanting if I hadn’t already read them!

I’ll go and investigate some of the other ideas. Thank you for taking the time to post.

Not a book but during the first lockdown I started playing animal crossing, I'm not usually one for games at all but it was so relaxing and soothing. It gave me a break from my anxiety.

children's books - Noel Streatfeild, Antonia Forest, etc.

Or if I need to feel how small my problems are in comparison, Helen Forrester's Twopence to Cross the Mersey (and sequels)

Second the Mary Stewart books - the mysteries rather than the historic novels. Eg This Rough Magic, My Brother Michael, Touch Not The Cat, The Gabriel Hounds... all great. Well-drawn female heroines although there's a bit of 1950s "need a man" in there - but not enough to be annoying! My complete go-to when I'm tired and need something that will interest but not over-exert me.

Hope you find what you're looking for.

@SaltedCaramelHC

children's books - Noel Streatfeild, Antonia Forest, etc.

Or if I need to feel how small my problems are in comparison, Helen Forrester's Twopence to Cross the Mersey (and sequels)

Helen Forrester’s series is so good.

@SaltedCaramelHC

children's books - Noel Streatfeild, Antonia Forest, etc.

Or if I need to feel how small my problems are in comparison, Helen Forrester's Twopence to Cross the Mersey (and sequels)

I adore all of these and find them all very comforting (well, tuppence across the Mersey makes me feel lucky!)

Lark rise to candleford is brilliant.