Comfort Books?

I'm not sure if they're comforting, but Iain M Banks' sci-fi novels all have a familiar feel to them. Though his characters and environments are always different in each book, it's reassuring to get a sense of overall coherence. As a reader, you know you can trust him.

I have a few series of books that I read when I need some comfort - the JD Robb books, the Harry potter series, and a few others

The Last Unicorn by Peter S. Beagle
The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster
Villains by Necessity by Eve Forward
How Much For Just the Planet? by John M. Ford

Almost anything by Lois McMaster Bujold, but especially A Civil Campaign

Wodehouse, definitely. Jane Austen, pretty much anything. And I never realized this before, but I tend to turn to nonfiction a lot for comfort reading, especially books about science.

I actually DO read Anne of Green Gables for comfort... Also, the whole Laura Ingalls Wilder-series, as well as many other "books for girls" from the 20's-50's. Nothing truly bad ever happens in them.

The Moomin books rank high in comfort, too.

YA books. I bought Grace Dent's Diary of a Chav: Slinging the Bling last night. It's the second of a three-parter and she can't publish them fast enough for my liking; they're so funny.

Also GWTW. How many times have I read that now? Forever Amber, likewise. I love historical doorstoppers like that. Also, Karleen Koen's Through a Glass Darkly is wonderful.

A couple of years ago when I had flu (NOT a cold. I mean proper flu) my dad bought me a copy of Anna Karenina and I was too weak to lift the book for longer than it took to read two pages at a time! When I began to feel better I propped myself up on pillows and sat it on my lap to read. But I always seem to revert to that book when I come down with a cold now!

Books are too long for me to be comforting. I need instant gratification. I usually go for my favorite sentimental movies.

Anything by Alexander McCall Smith.

Dubliners is pretty comforting. Ulysses is comfort reading too, once you've been through it once, and can go back to any of your favorite parts just to "visit" for awhile.

The Hobbit, Sherlock Holmes, Heart of Darkness, also come to mind as books with which I can just nestle into the couch on a cold day and relax.

Call me wierd, but I reallllllly enjoyed reading At Home In Milford by Jan Karon. I could smell the greasy food at the diner, I could feel the dew in the air as the MC walked through town, I could smell the flowers, I could feel the mud splash up from Barnaby (was that his name...?) That was my comfort book. I know, I'm odd. No real crime, no murdering sprees, no sexual innuendos, no naughty words, no hate, just plain ole life in a small town with friends.

maestrowork said:

Books are too long for me to be comforting. I need instant gratification. I usually go for my favorite sentimental movies.

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Length itself is comforting for me.

What?

WHAT???

When I want rereading comfort I either go for Pratchett, the Sandman graphic novels, or Tender is the Night.

scarletpeaches said:

Length itself is comforting for me.

What?

WHAT???

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The dye is getting to you isn't it?

Sirena by Donna Jo Napoli or A Great and Terrible Beauty by Libba Bray.

Actually anything I've ever read before and loved. Lots of books.

Pratchett, romantic comedies by Jennifer Cruisie, and for 'you can do it' inspiration, The Prize Winner of Defiance, Ohio. Used to love Lilian Jackson Braun's books for cuddly, warm fuzzies that require no thought, but the last few books took a weird turn, never solving the mystery.

I'm a Patrick O'brian fanatic. Master and Commander, the first book in the twenty-book-long Aubrey/Maturin series, is balm for my soul.

I like to read Nero Wolfe books whenever I don't have enough patience, time, or presence of mind for anything else. It's formulaic, I like revisiting the characters, and it's a simple read.

I also have a collection of graphic novels that I will read periodically.

Oh... there's this manga. Fruits Basket. If you want to read something that just makes you feel all warm and fuzzy inside, there you go. I have volumes 5-17. Good show, too.

Wodehouse, Pratchett, Georgette Heyer's mysteries - agree 100%. Also Sayers, Allingham, Patricia Wrede, MM Kaye's mysteries, Emma Lathen, Dana Stabenow, Margaret Maron, Emma Goldrick (old Harlequin author), Phoebe Atwood Taylor, Elizabeth Peters. I'm a huge re-reader of old favourites.

Most Mercedes Lackey and Tamora Pierce. Most of their books are oddly comforting for me -- I'm a big fan of rereading books for comfort.