A good comfort read

[zippyswife]

Not sure if this is a genre but I love books that are rich in description and often in detail of daily tasks. Although these aren’t similar books I love the Japanese books like Sweet Bean Paste memoirs of a Geisha for this reason and Fannie Flaggs Redbird Christmas and Fried Green Tomatoes…. Is this a genre in its own right? If so what is it called and do you have any recommendations?

Maeve Binchey was the author that jumped to mind. Good stories with good characterisation.

Funny @Snowmanscarf as I typed my post I thought the same. Maeve was my go to years ago for that reason, especially during difficult times. I think I might return to them.

John Steinbeck paints pictures with words.

@MillicentMaybe sounds perfect. Any particular recommendations? I read Of Mice And Men 30 odd years ago. I wasn’t a fan then but I’m a different person now and may love it.

Have you done John Irving? Very lovely life epics. I really enjoyed Cider House Rules and a Prayer for Owen Meany

East of Eden is amazing, in my opinion, but I'm not sure I'd call it comforting?
Are you looking for a 'feel good' read OP?
Something to uplift the spirits, cosy descriptions?

The Jackson Brodie series by Kate Atkinson. Yes they are murder mysteries, but they have such a heart to them. More optimistic than Steinbeck.

I've just finished Belgravia by Julian Fellowes. It's just gorgeous, with a great plot and a happy ending. As a socialist and feminist maybe this doesn't fit my usual choices, but it's adorable. And when you're not very well/shattered it's a lovely comfort read.

Also I love John Irving.

PG Wodehouse? I also comfort read Agatha Christie, if you don't mind the occasional murder they're very soothing...

Shrines of Gaiety by Kate Atkinson!! Fabulous and fits your criteria

I love John Irving but Owen Meaney made me cry and cry and cry. Cider House Rules is great, but you will still need a tissue!

I love Elizabeth Strout. Sounds like you might too. Her books are a series so make sure you start with the first one as the same characters keep appearing.

These are fantastic recommendations all. Really appreciate it. Have been going through a period of severe anxiety and the comfort reads I’ve had lately have been such a tonic that I’m pleased I now have more to go to.

@Polecat07 i hadn’t considered that I was looking for feel-good but I suppose yes I am. Although I will also put a couple of the Steinbeck on my list now too.

I love Frannie Flaggs books, Ann Tyler is another favourite

"Miss pettigrew lives for a day" is an often recommended feel good one.
Pretty short too, I finished it in a day and loved it.

I read a lot of Anna Jacobs books OP. She is a bit like Catherine Cookson. They are very daily task orientated , cleaning, preparing a home and quite old fashioned but very easy reading 😊

Steinbeck and John Irving are both excellent but not cosy reads imo.

I think you would really like Persephone books. It's a small publishing house that focuses on mainly women writers who used to be very widely read but are less well known now. Dorothy Whipple is one of their most popular authors and High Wages is a great read. It's the story of a young women working in a draper's shop in a small town. Lots of period detail. I'm old enough to remember these shops with mahogany labelled drawers, and glass countertops where the shop assistant would lay out goods for perusal. Quite nostalgic.

The founder of Persephone Books, Nicola Beauman, speaking at their first festival last year, fiercely defended the importance of the novel with a domestic setting. She argued that the most precious things we have are family and home and books with domestic themes should be more highly regarded.

Other ideas - Leonard and Hungry Paul is a heartwarming tale of two friends who wouldn't be regarded by many as successful or admirable, but they are just decent and kind. It's a gentle read.

I also like the Scotland Street series by Alexander McCall Smith, and James Herriot's vet books. Good when you need to escape harsh reality for a bit.

Marian Keyes?

I find the Agatha Raisin books comforting

My comfort read is Anne of Green Gables.

HE Bates Larkin series, Dixie Smith I capture the caste - Nancy Mitford, Georgette Heyer mysteries - second Agatha Christie too.

I’ve recently been rereading Joanna Trollope and Rosamund Pilcher for comfort. I would agree with with Maeve Binchey too.

I’m about to read A Month in the Country.

I’m re-reading Frenchman’s Creek. I find reading classics again really comforting. Not sure what I’ll read next but I usually re-read three or four classics in January and February.

How about The Cazalet Chronicles by Elizabeth Jane Howard? Series of 5 books about the Cazalet family starting pre WW2 and continuing to the 50s. First one is called The Light Years. Lots of description of daily life, you get caught up in the characters over the years.