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 would echo so previous posters. I find re-reading old childhood favourites - Noel Streatfeild, Enid Blyton, Chalet School etc - very comforting when I'm feeling a bit down.

Get all the Georgette Heyer Regency romances and work your way through them. They are the only books I can read when I'm in the sort of place you describe.

Bill Bryson is ace. The only problem is that I wake DH when I read him in bed because the bed shakes where I'm stifling laughter.

I'm just re-reading his Australia book and had tears rolling at the boogie boarding chapter. Priceless.

I second the chalet school books - couldn't live without them. Very reassuring.
Anything by Georgette Heyer.
The Mitford books by Jan Karon (slightly religious but incredibly absorbing and gently funny)
Anything by Elizabeth Goudge. She's not light light though - a wee bit of effort involved.
Anything by L.M Montgomery.

Oh! Please read Miss Pettigrew Lives For a Day, it's my favourite "cheering up" book ever!

TSSDNCOP - YY. Can't stand to hear him IRL though - his voice doesn't match his face at all!

I haven't read the rest of the thread but can I recommend Terry Pratchett. Lovely, light books but with lots packed into them.

Tom Cox books are gently funny, and the first one is on offer for Kindle at the moment too www.amazon.co.uk/Under-Paw-Confessions-Cat-Man-ebook/dp/B007ANV3ZQ/ref=la_B0034O3ZEC_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1410533011&sr=1-1

Bill Bryson will always get my vote, as would Deric Longden

Sazzle - Janet Evanovich. Brilliant suggestion, perfect escapism.

The Sookie Stackhouse novels, they're my guilty pleasure. Sex and the supernatural galore.

Yet another recommendation for Alexander McCall smith, his No.1 Detective Agency Series for starters- with many hurrahs for the Traditionally Built, and, really, anything else he's written . Lovely man, gentle, intelligent sense of humour. Perfect, soothing read for a stressed mind in the dark watches of the night.

All the very best to you.

I know you said you're looking for funny, but if you feel at any point like you want to read something which is a sort of solidarity of the craziness of that time you're in right now I can recommend two non fiction: What Mothers Do by Naomi Stadlen, and The Mother Trip by Ariel Gore.

Ignore me if I'm totally off the mark!

Definitely going to look at some of these recommendations though, they sound great! :)

DON'T read Alice Munro "Too Much Happiness". It's got a really shocking upsetting scene in the first few pages which wouldn't leave me for days and days. I didn't buy the book, I couldn't after that (just the kindle sample).

Meg Cabot (author of the Princess diaries) also writes adult novels - I'd recommend The boy next door, Every boy's got one and Boy meets girl. They're are all written in a email/note/IM style and they're light and funny.

Catherine Alliott is brilliant for a funny, light hearted read.

I second PG Wodehouse and EF Benson - I often revisit them, especially when I'm feeling vulnerable or sensitive.

I also recommend audiobooks in bed; Stephen Fry reading the Harry Potter series is a treat and the Jeeves books are brilliant. You can set a timer on your phone and drift happily (also doesn't seem to drown the sound of a baby monitor at all or wake co-sleeping babies).

Lisa jewell writes easy to read books.
Also getting rid of Matthew by Jane fallon is great.
I love reading but anything slightly heavy going puts me off

Are you dave Gorman? By dave Gorman and Danny Wallace

I am having a bit of a tough time at work and am really enjoying escaping into Jeeves and Wooster by pg Wodehouse. So jolly and gently enjoyable.

I also love mapp and Lucia by ef benson.

I read LM Montgomery if I need a good feel good book. There are loads of books apart from the famous Anne series (which are lovely). My favourite is the Blue Castle with the Emily books a close second. You can buy the complete works of LMM on kindle for about £1.50.

"Lisa jewell writes easy to read books. "

But there is one really sad one, think it's the follow up to Ralph's party.

Agatha Christie, Christopher Brookmyre, Alexander McCall Smith (though I prefer the Isabel Dalhousie series)

The Outlander books rollock along but aren't always cheery.

I was strangely comforted by the vera stanhope series by anne cleaves. Ok there were a few murders. Two in fact , in every book and vera would inevitably go off on her own after the bad guy, at the end, followed by her side kick who i think she harboured a bit of a crush..... predictable much? Maybe that was the comfort...

Of and yy to the isabelle dalhousie series. I wanted to be her!

My favourite laughing book is My Family And Other Animals... not all chapters but there are some that have me howling. Those that aren't so funny (the nature orientated ones) are very beautiful in their imagery, so you can escape.

I also escape with Harry Potter, and as well as Adrian Mole, I love Bridget Jones. The second is better IMO.

PG Wodehouse of course is just perfect for escape.