To ask for recommendations for bedtime reading to help me through a dark time

[OlderMummy1]

We have been through a difficult 6 months with serious illness in the family, losing a loved one and coping with a refluxy baby. Mumsnet has helped me so much, answering a lot of questions that I had and giving me support in this difficult time.

I now feel as if we are coming out the other side. Last week I looked at my baby and felt absolute love for him for the very first time. It was a long time coming but completely overwhelming and made me very happy. We are getting a bit more sleep and moving on with life as a family.

However, I am still finding night times hard. When I'm lying quietly in the dark I just start thinking about things and getting upset. I have to read until I am so tired that I nod right off.

Which leads me to my question. Can anyone recommend any books to me. I need something funny, fairly pointless and very easy to read, nothing heavy. I have read all the Karl Pilkington books which I really enjoyed as well as a lot of the 'Confessions of' series. My latest one was In Rude Health which was amusing. But..... I can't find anything else.

Any suggestions gratefully received.

I'll second, or is it third Sophie kinsella, there's a few in the shopaholic series but she's also written others. Nothing heavy, incredibly easy to read and fairly entertaining.

Thank you everyone! Some fab ideas there. I'm off to download a few onto the kindle. I forgot to say that I re-read all the Adrian Mole ones and then read the new ones. Soooo funny!! I used to live Mallory Towers/St Clare's so might get those as well

James Herriot is the best hug in a book . It is so easy to read and just really comfy cosy .

PG Wodehouse-gentle humour and great writing.

A question about Holly's Inbox... Is it sad at all as I can't read anything even slightly sad at the moment. It says in a comment on Amazon it's a mix of comedy and tragedy?????

Gently funny books I enjoyed are
I capture the castle
Cold comfort farm
Jeeves and Wooster (apparently the fav pick in prison and hospital libraries)
Diary of a provincial woman
Bill Bryson

Laugh out loud funny for me is anything by David Sedaris - he writes short essays about his life. I think the first one I read was Me talk pretty one

Georgette Heyer are good for comfort reading.

Sorry you've had such a tough time.

Marie Potter and the Campervan of Doom by Brian Burke.

This bloke gets made redundant and he and partner decide to buy a Campervan and travel around Europe. It's very funny, interesting and gives great inside into a way of life I never knew existed.

Definitely the No 1 ladies Detective books, I love them, always make me warm and fuzzy inside!
Also if you like a good boarding school series try Class by Jane Beaton, like Mallory Towers but for grow ups.
Also try the Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, I just read it with my book club and loved it

I agree that the shopaholic books are laugh out loud funny, and I also agree that James Herriot is a loverly warm hug in a book.

Op you so lucky to read these books for the first time. There are some amazing books out there. In my local library there's a book behind the counter. If you like an author it gives you a list of others they have written similar books. I wish I could start again reading as I've at the present time read ever thing in our local library and my budget doesn't go to new books. The only problem with books like the shopaholic series and hollys inbox is once you give started them you can't finish. I think I read Holly's inbox in one session the first time until 3am and I had work at 7am. I couldn't stop laughing or reading. ' Where rains bows end ' in two days. 'Who moved my blackberry' is also good. I wish someone would give me a list of books like others have here that are new adventures to find out. Enjoy whatever you choose to read and enjoy your new baby...x

I was just reviewing all 28 pages of my Kindle purchases to find some other suggestions.

Has anyone ever heard of a book called 'There is a Problem with your Credit Card'??
I seem to have a few copies on there...

I came on to say exactly the same as sunflowersareblue! Audiobooks from the library to sooth a troubled mind. I have a media subscription and can hire willynilly without extra charge.

One go to book is the Flambards trilogy by K M Peyton. Undemanding but absorbing, perfect for bedtime.

Adrian mole I would recommend, however I enjoy going to the charity shop buying a random book I wouldnt normally pick up - found some brilliant books this way ( and some god awful ones )

Lol spring...hence why my budget us borrowing from the library or buying from the charity shop if nit too expensive. Op there are new st clares and mallory tower books added recently. Nit written by Enid Blyton and not as good but still worth a read..

I recently read a very funny, easy, light book called "the Rosie project", i loved it!

'A spot of bother' - absolutely hysterical.

I also have a copy of the Anchorage Daily News, 26 April 2012.
What happened in Alaska that was so interesting that day?

Fup by Jim Dodge. Brilliant.
Saki short stories
Mapp and Lucia stories by E.F. Benson
The Lake Wobegon books by Garrison Keillor.

Some good old Miss Marple mysteries. Nothing too taxing and nothing too horrible (short of a couple of bodies) happens in Miss Marple world. The Agatha Rasin books are similar escapism in modern setting.

Peter Kay's autobiography is very funny.

I wholeheartedly second HolgerDanske's recommendation of The No 1 Ladies Detective Agency series. Lovely easy reading full of wisdom and sense of place. Loved every one of them. Also Bill Bryson - Neither Here Nor There is my particular favourite. Here's to you whatever you choose - it's lovely when things start to turn for the good.

What about the Marian Keyes books?

If you love Karl Pilkington then listen to all the xfm radio shows on YouTube. The ricky gervais show. They are my 'go to' thing when nothing else is working.

The Tent, the Bucket and Me by Emma Kennedy - the authors memories of being dragged camping in the 1970's

Wilt, by Tom Sharpe an oldie but goodie

All creatures great and small books, a flask of tea and chocolate biscuits got me through the sleepless endless breastfeeding nights.

The 'Shopaholic' series is by Sophie Kinsella; and really funny.