Can anyone recommend some really decent (well written) etc novels that are also really positive, almost “feel good”

[NeverTwerkNaked]

Ideally more modern literature if possible, as reread most of the classics recently.

I’m in quite a fragile place still after so many difficult times in the last few years, and ongoing issues with abusive ex. The problem is my taste is generally for quite literary books and they nearly always seem to be on gloomy/ dark etc themes. And I just find these a bit too triggering.

I’m searching for something brilliantly written and thought provoking but also upbeat, almost comforting I guess.

Any recommendations welcomed

I know what you mean, OP. Books have got me through the hardest times and your favourite authors are along the same vein as mine so here are some suggestions of a variety of genres and authors I have particularly enjoyed (although I suspect you may have read some or most of them already):

Absolute must-read: All the Light we cannot see by Anthony Doerr
The Vanishing Act of Esme Lennox, in fact any Maggie O'Farrell
The Uncommon Reader by Alan Bennett - hugely entertaining
Days Without End by Sebastian Barry - remarkable, stunning novel
Fingersmith by Sarah Waters - had me gripped
Shadow Baby by Margaret Forster
Early Anne Tyler (not recent though, I don't think they are as good)
A Spot of Bother, Mark Haddon
Blackberry Wine, Joanne Harris
The Secret Life of Bees, Sue Monk Kidd
Me Before You, Jojo Moyes
Siddhartha, Herman Hesse
The Remains of the Day - Kazuo Ishiguro
The Stone Diaries, Carol Shields, or Happenstance, same author
In this House of Brede, Rumer Godden
So Many Ways to Begin, Jon McGregor
We are all made of Glue, Marina Lewycka
The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry, Rachel Joyce
Nora Webster by Colm Toibin
Sweet Caress by William Boyd

Happy reading!

I've just realised not all of them are that uplifting but they all gave me something.

Echoing Scabbersley: the Cazalet Chronicles, by Elizabeth Jane Howard.

BlackBerry wine,\chocolate by Joanne harris
The magus by John fowles
The Harry potter Collection are my go to books when I am feeling emotionally burnt out

Great question; and some great suggestions.

The Rosie Project and The Rosie Effect by Graeme Simsion. Very funny and a great read, not sad at all!

Kate Atkinson, Life after Life. Not massively happy but a great read.

Oh and This must be the Place by Maggie o'Farrell

Early Marion Keyes is very good. Not really literary classics but nice to switch off with.

Also Jemima J and Mr Maybe by Jane Green. ChicLit but lovely little books. Avoid her more recent stuff but the older stuff is fab.

Lisa Jewel is lovely. And Freya North.

Non are literary classics but sometimes light and fluffy but well written is the perfect antidote to the blues.

The Patchwork Planet by Anne Tyler

Marion Keyes

The girl who fell to earth
How to breathe underwater
The elegance of the hedgehog

Douglas Adams always cheers me up.

Not literary but Dear Fatty and According to Yes both by Dawn French are lovely.

Seconding the diary of a provincial lady..... Fabulous.

Possibly not, but have you looked at Lincoln in the Bardo? It has some difficult themes but ultimately i found it uplifting and feel good.

What about trying to read all the booker winners from the past 20 years?

It’s on the lighter end of literary, but not at all frothy, but I really enjoyed A Gentleman in Moscow (so did Barack Obama, I noticed, in his list of books he enjoyed in 2017).

Where'd you go Bernadette
Eleanor Oliphant
Unlikely pilgrimage of Harold fry

We have always lived in the castle (1965 so just outside 50 years!) American classic, taught in schools if you'd like some reassurance on literary credentials!

War crimes for the home (I think this was feel good)

Elizabeth and her German garden: outside your date range but well written and humorous.

White Noise - delillo - funny!

Tom Pynchon? Long and a bit nuts can work when you're feeling down

Once in desperation for a uplifting/funny classic I read The Third Policeman. I'm glad I read it but I haven't ripushed to read more!

i also enjoyed 'swing hammer swing' Geoff Torrington so was uplifting for me and same for 'how late it was' James Kellman.

Or two young adult - Wonder - R J Palacio (it's good!) and One by Sarah Crossan, manages to be both uplifting and deeply sad but worth reading just to appreciate how great some children's writers are.

Good luck. I've often had the same problem and literary/uplifting is not easy! Great thread.

The 100 Year Old Man Who Climbed Out Of The Window and Disappeared. Riotous good fun and life affirming.

White Teeth?

Lots of these books with silly long titles are good : I wish I could remember one that has a title like Harold Fry .. Mr Pettigrew's Last Stand or something .... v good

And A Short History of Tractors in Ukrainian is good fun.

I don't like chick lit and love Hardy so we may have similar tastes!

Aha! I was actually thinking of Mr Rosenblum's List (although Major Pettigrew's Last Stand is whimsical).

I have hated every book I have read in the last few years . these are the last ones I recall rather liking!

Yes, another vote for Major Pettigres last stand. And a short history of tractors. Both good cheer up reads!

I'd also recommend Sarah Waters early books, and Kate Atkinson, especially Behind the Scenes at the Museum.
Also Elizabeth is Missing by Emma Healey is definitely uplifting. Oddly I just googled it to check the author's name and the first link described it as a dark psychological thriller. It wasnt for me.
Finally anything by Carol Shields (but not Unless) and Alice Munro who is a Nobel prize winner for her short stories.

I would recommend Robertson Davies - any of his trilogies, Deptford/Salterton/Cornish. Also Jane Gardam - a criminally underrated writer IMO. And Curtis Sittenfield, especially Eligible if you're after well-written feelgood (modern reworking of Pride & Prejudice).

A bit left field as they have gone out of fashion but Muriel Spark and Beryl Bainbridge are dark but in a good way.

Girls Of Slender means is a hoot!

Another one - Margaret Forster has written loads, including a novel written from the point of view of Elizabeth Barrett's maid.

The hundred year old man who climbed out of a window

The name of the wind by Patrick rofuss

God's behaving badly (by Marie phelps)

I quite like PD James for a mystery. Not sure about uplifting, but not really depressing either, just engrossing.

Also, The Help by Kathryn stockett