Books for the intelligent woman with the flu, please!

[clowniform]

The subject line is a quote attributed to Eva Ibbotson, on her own novels. I've also turned to Persephone, Dean St Press, Greyladies, Girls Gone By etc. for this kind of thing in the past, but would welcome some newer recommendations. Doesn't need to be totally Disney or fluffy but nothing too depressing either, please (think early vs late Barbara Pym).

Any genre, although my brain can't handle too many plot threads or literary fireworks at the moment (Shardlake fine, Dunnett or Mantel no). Conversely, non-fiction will need to have some kind of consistent narrative voice because I tend to zone out of anything too bitty.

Have just finished a run of Murderbot, Susan Scarletts and Andrew Taylors, and it's too soon to reread Austen/Pratchett/Slough House, if that gives any more indication of my tastes!

Perfect, thank you! I see she's fond of theatrical settings which are among my favourites.

Joan Aiken - don’t think she’s been mentioned already? Her adult work is excellent.

During Covid I re-read all the Austens then read Aiken’s sequel to each of them.

Good shout, Longlist I do have unread books by all of these on the shelf in fact 👀

Have you read the Diana Gabaldon Outlander books? You didn’t mention them I don’t think, and it’s a vast untapped seam if not. Definitely give the first one a try if you haven’t.

I know you said no to Sharpe, but how about Bernard Cornwell The Last Kingdom books? Loved them. Great history (danish invasion, King Alfred, Saxons etc) very page turner-y. And not the same “noble devoted soldier” thing that sometimes washes over the 1800’s wartime ones.

As a one off - lessons in chemistry? Everyone was telling me to read it and I was so glad when I finally did.

What about HG Wells, Ursula Le Guin sci fi?

Listening to Master and Commander series at the moment. I sincerely hope they get better at figuring out marriage and how it works, but I suspect not..! Please don’t tell me either way, I’m only on book 4.

I often revert to Sherlock Holmes at these times as well. Have you read The Beekeepers Apprentice, and subsequent Mary Russell series, by Laurie R King? Vg sherlock Holmes spin-off with female protagonist - better than my description sounds.

Anything by Somerset Maughan

Has nobody mentioned Diary of a Provincial Lady yet?

What a great thread , this is the sort of thing I want to read all the time even when completely healthy! Hope you feel better soon OP.

You need A Far Cry from Kensington by Muriel Spark. It cures everything.

Also, Seven Sisters by Margaret Drabble.

Have you read any Rumer Godden? I like all the things you’ve mentioned so far and I love her books. Start with the children’s stuff if you’re still poorly and work up to the adult ones.

Elizabeth Goudge is another one but I suspect you’ll have already read her!

Aiken is another of my childhood favourites (even possibly the root of my liking for Stuart-set or AU fiction more generally??) but afraid I swerve all Austen-likes even when in raging full health (except Clueless).

Have I missed a recommendation of Le Carré? And I keep meaning to read the rest of the Slough House series.

I've seen Mitford and Mary Stewart recommended so another vote for those, and for The Moonstone.

And my ill-in-bed reading is usually things like The Blue Castle by L.M. Montgomery. Or Dick Francis, who I find oddly soothing.

This thread is costing me a fortune! I may have to mute it!

Outlander are decidedly not for me, sorry! Agree they would be ideal and with appealing-sounding spinoffs, too.

Thank you so much for addressing my concerns about Cornwell's other heroes, back they go on my TBR list! Likewise Mary Russell (I have read all the Holmes stories but am not a super-fan i.e. the ideal type of reader for spinoffs.

Love Le Guin. Not read much Wells but DP is a fan so will see what he has.

Lucky you in the early years of O'Brien! There are certainly many more emotional storms to weather 😄Which narrator?

The Edmund Crispin detective books are Golden Age-ish (Gervase Fen is the detective). How do you feel about the 'Miss Read' books - they are good with the flu, I find!
Barbara Willard's Mantelmass series (best to read in order, I think the first 2 are the best)

Geoffrey Trease? Cynthia Harnett?

Non fiction I adore 'How to be a Tudor' by Ruth Goodman

Arnold Bennett. I'm currently reading Clayhanger and it's a page turner.

While exquisitely written I've found him anything but soothing in the past! Any safe for someone who's easily tipped over into nihilistic despair while feeling a bit poorly? 😅

We are well acquainted, even down to the Provincial Daughter! (Still quite fun but much less escapist, actually uncannily just like reading MN big boards at times.)

Love Spark but possibly a bit too astringent for me right now. Will try the Drabble (though does this one have a lot of unsubtle snipes at Byatt -- those annoy me, from either one of them)

I find Drabble really irritating.

Share your love of Godden and actually it's Goudge's adult books I have yet to try! Particular favourites?

For well researched, woman-focused but easy to read historical fiction:

Pat Barker
Elodie Harper
Jennifer Saint
Kate Grenville

Oh and Mary Stewart (but less woman focused)

Oh really? I don't know anything about that (or indeed writers' lives in general). Someone recommended Seven Sisters to me and I loved it - I never would have chosen it in a million years. It is very bitchy true but I find bitchiness soothing when I'm ill.

I haven't read it yet but there was a radio version of Stella Gibbons' Nightingale Wood on BBC Sounds recently and that might be what you are looking for - witty, romantic and charming.

Agree with Mitfords, Montgomery and Victorian sensation for other intelligent convalescents. Not for me this round (bit soon).

Le Carré may be too plotty for my Covid brain to follow as I will be reading them for the first time (came to these very late -- after Herron!). Which more of his are more straightforward, like A Murder of Quality?

Dick Francis is the first author mentioned on this thread who I've never even contemplated trying 😆But willing to, if you'd pick one title to start me off? (Your prize is to be decided...)

Oh good shout, I've been meaning to try him for years!

Accurate assessment of my tastes! I'm trying to space out the Classics retellings (you pine for a genre for 3 decades then 300 come out at once....) but Grenville sounds ideal before my trip to Australia next year