Monday 21 June 2010

Comfort reading follow up


I had an absolutely overwhelming response to the post I wrote about comfort reading this time last week, and there were so many comments that mentioned books which people turned to that I thought I would write a follow up and share them. Perhaps if you're feeling in need of comfort reading, then you might like to try one of someone else's ideas (although that may by implication take you out of the comfort zone...). I've had another week of feeling doped up and confused by some new medication that I've been taking, which has rendered me almost completely incapable of reading anything particularly literary, although I did manage Valerie Grove's Kaye Webb biography, because it was so very good. So much of my "reading" this week has comprised the perusal of recipe books, particularly cake decorating ones, and more Babysitters Club and Enid Blyton.

Children's literature was unsurprisingly mentioned frequently. Specific titles included The white horse by Elizabeth Gouge, The swish of the curtain by Pamela Brown, and specific authors such as Judy Blume and Roald Dahl and Louisa May Alcott. But more often series were mentioned - Anne of Green Gables, the Flambards books (KM Peyton), the Green Knowe books, Famous Five (and other Enid Blyton series), Sadlers Wells, Nancy Drew, the Little House on the Prairie books, and the Chalet School. Ann P made the important point in that series tend to be so comforting because one meets the characters again and again and so they seem like "old friends" even if the plot itself is new.

But some adult books were revealed; David, who inspired the original post, said that he didn't read much children's literature as a child and didn't become a literary addict until he was an adult, aimplying that he didn't have the same sense of nostalgia that those who read as much as children. He thus turns to the Alexander McCall Smith books. Crime is also the comfort of choice for Hannah, who says that she hasn't actually read any children's books since childhood, and likes Agatha Christie and murder mysteries when she needs to relax. Simon from Stuck in a book highlighted perhaps the most literary of all of the books mentioned - the Diaries of a Provincial Lady.

I suppose the most important thing for many of us with comfort reading is familiarity, and turning to a book that one has read several times before. As an adult I tend to reread books less than I did as a child, mainly because now I have a huge awareness of the numbers of books out there that I want to read, but also because the supply is greater - I can go to the library every day if I want and I can order books at whim from Amazon, rather than relying on the once-weekly excursion into town or birthday booktokens. So the books with which I am most familiar are those read as a child.

The picture by the way is of some perfect food to accompany comfort reading; chocolate, cake, toast, scones - anything carbohydratey would be perfect I'm sure.

I'm still indulging in lots of comfort reading as I'm currently taking some medication which is making me extremely dopey and unable to focus. So there may be some hiatus in replying to comments/visiting blogs. It's starting to wear off and I managed a Virago Modern Classic at the weekend but unfortunately I have to put the dose up again...

14 comments:

  1. I have a comfort reading-related post in the pipeline - do you mind if I draw attention to your posts? Mine is manly "popcorn" reading interspersed with some literature ;)

    ReplyDelete
  2. Oh poor you! I do hope you feel more yourself soon! I'm sorry I missed your first post on this fascinating topic until now and can see you had some fabulous suggestions. Have you ever tried the Abbey books by Elsie J Oxenham? I find them a great comfort read series. I love the fact that you share so much of your own personal reading taste in your blog btw - def not narcissistic at all!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Hope you feel better soon Verity, keep up with the comfort reading and look after yourself.

    ReplyDelete
  4. I missed your original post too - but agree with ramblingfancy-there are some great contributions there! I have some children's books I will re-read - L M Alcott, Swallows and Amazons, Chronicles of Narnia and The Dark is Rising. I know these books so well that reading them is like meeting old friends. However, the books I re-read the most are Jane Austen's... they are my ultimate comfort read. If I'm feeling sad or ill, I'll read the last chapters of one of them and feel better, and will re-read at least one a year. I blame them entirely for my overly romantic tendencies.....

    Hope you are feeling much better very soon - its horrid when medication knocks you for six - lots of relaxation and nice books and food called for.

    ReplyDelete
  5. I was just remembering as a child, when I was only allowed to go the library once every three weeks and then I was only allowed three books out at a time. I never received many books, so the joy now of having such a huge and instant supply is wonderful.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Hope that you feel better soon!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Hope your reading and baking helps you feel better soon.

    ReplyDelete
  8. I hope you feel better soon!

    ReplyDelete
  9. Thanks for everyone's comments and kind wishes.

    Rambling Fancy - I have read some of the Abbey books but they are very difficult to get hold of. And, as I didn't read them as a child I don't feel as comforted by them in the sameway. I'm keen to get Oxenham's Damaris books as Damaris is one of my middle names!

    Vivienne - only every three weeks?! I used to read library books through several times while I had them out to tide me over until I went back - but I doubt I could have lasted that long. Going on holiday used to be torture as I could never take enough books with me.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Verity you have really got me thinking about re reading books from childhood. We are home in July so I might see if my Mum can dig some out!

    Hope you are having a happy Tuesday

    Hannah

    ReplyDelete
  11. Well that explains things...I wondered where you had gone! Hopefully the medication helps but in the meantime...we can finally keep up with you in the books department!

    ReplyDelete
  12. Hi Verity,
    Sorry you are struggling. I hope you feel better soon and am grateful that you manage to post up anything at all whilst having a hard time.

    My comfort reads of the year have been recommended by you: The Marriage Bureau for Rich People series by Farahad Zama. This series has temporarily knocked Alexand McCall Smith of his perch in our house!

    ReplyDelete
  13. I'm sorry to read your well at the moment and hope your feeling much better. I love your Virago Venture, thanks to you I've just discovered Winifred Holtby. On the subject of comfort reading though I had to laugh. I have a part time job in the book department of my local supermarket and I must have spent at least 10 minutes yesterday, completely engrossed in Enid Blyton's Naughtiest Girl - I completely forgot I was at work

    ReplyDelete

Do leave a comment - I love to hear from people who read my blog.