Calming, funny or light hearted book recommendations for someone with poor mental health.

[Flowersinthewateringcan]

I’m currently struggling with my mental health.

My therapist has recommended that I start reading again. I used to be an avid reader but that dwindled down to hardly anything when my MH started going downhill and I’ve not picked up a boom since.
She believes this will be better for me in the evenings rather than aimlessly scrolling through the internet (will need to overcome my MN addiction 😳), which is obviously sound advice.

I currently can’t deal with anything too taxing on the brain, too emotional or upsetting so looking for suggestions on anything light hearted, funny, easy going and easy reading etc.

Ballet Shoes

Bill Bryson's humorous travel books. Really amusing! Hope you feel stronger soon.

Matt Haig Reasons to stay alive and The comfort book

the number 1 ladies detective agency series

Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day
Jeeves & Wooster

'Narrow Dog to Carcassonne' by Terry Darlington. Gently humorous with some chunks where I laughed so much DH wondered what I was reading.

Diary of a provincial lady by EM Delafield. So well observed!

I’m also partial to the Calvin and Hobbs cartoon collections!

Miss Buncle's Book by D E Stevenson. I find that so comforting. It's one of my all time favourites

However, when I feel I need comfort reading, I often look to children's books.

Jane Austen
Those Georgette Heyer regency romances. Not sure of titles but should be easy to Google.
Harry Potter.

Marian Keyes is good for light-hearted humour. I think her series on the Walsh family is good. It covers some typically tough subjects in an easy-read way.

I know this is always being recommended on here as a funny book, but that’s because it is.
The Tent, the Bucket and Me by Emma Kennedy. About the writer’s experiences of camping holidays in the 70s.

Yy to Jane Austen. Pride and Prejudice in particular is so comforting and very witty.

Any romance novelist will be easy going. I like Katie Fforde.

Georgette Heyer's Regency romances I think will be OK. I read a lot of them as a teenager, and dobt recall anything unhappy or unpleasant.

Thank you everyone - I’m making a list and will try them all

I’ve just ordered this, thank you.
Think I’ll love this. I recall many a disastrous camping trip in the 70’s/80’s with my crazy family.

The Rosie Project books are lovely

Marian Keyes - Under The Duvet. It’s a collection of short stories/accounts/articles type thing. Marian is really gents, having suffered with her mental health herself, and ever so funny. You can dip in and out.

The Big Over Easy Jasper Fforde

Adrian Mole...the only books that make me properly laugh out loud. I had to stop reading it on the train!

Rivers of London Ben Aaronovitch, I re read them quite often. Very London focused though and a police-supernatural mash up so not for everyone.

When I was suffering with some MH issues last year I read the whole series of Aubrey & Maturin historical fiction about ships and sailors in Nelsons Navy by Patrick O'Brian. Not everyones Cup of tea but totally absorbing.

The Eyre Affair and its sequels are good escapism.
The Salt Path
Pride and Prejudice
Also try some YA or even kids' books; I often read them!

The Eyre Affair and its sequels are good escapism

you need your head screwed on for those to get the most out of them I think

James Herriot books - vets in the Dales and Gervase Phinn similar but school inspector.

Driving over Lemons and the sequels.

Was just going to suggest!

love your username btw. The Flumps was legendary TV. And that theme tune!

How do you do with audiobooks? I signed up to my library online and got my card number instantly.

really enjoying anything by Annie Darling right now. Just feel good