# What are your read-for-comfort books? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 15, 2005, 3:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-read-for-comfort-books/321723 "2005-09-15T03:42:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![h.sapiens](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e0b2c6/32.png) [@h.sapiens](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/h.sapiens)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2005, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-read-for-comfort-books/321723/21 "2005-09-15T18:31:36Z")
Anything by Jane Austen. Unfortunately there are too few. ---
**Author:** ![NinjaChick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/71c47a/32.png) [@NinjaChick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NinjaChick)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2005, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-read-for-comfort-books/321723/22 "2005-09-15T18:32:16Z")
Anything by Douglas Adams. If I’m feeling romantic, or if I’m feeling a distinct lack of romance, Romeo & Juliet. ---
**Author:** ![billfritter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/54ee81/32.png) [@billfritter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/billfritter)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2005, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-read-for-comfort-books/321723/23 "2005-09-15T18:50:47Z")
I like to reread the Sherlock Holmes cases. The short stories, not the books, since the books necessarily have a lot of filler - atmosphere and chase scenes and dialog with suspects that don’t have anything to add to the case. Also, I’ve found that the later cases, the ones after his “return from death” were just adventures and police procedurals, rather than the brainy first books. And of course I like to read the many books that analyze Sherlock and Doyle. ---
**Author:** ![Ellen\_Cherry](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellen_cherry/32/3600_2.png) [@Ellen\_Cherry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ellen_Cherry)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2005, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-read-for-comfort-books/321723/24 "2005-09-15T19:05:09Z")
Many of my favorite, comfort-books are already on here! Lonesome Dove tops the list Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil The World According to Garp To Kill a Mockingbird Addie Pray (also sometimes titled Paper Moon; part of the book was the basis for the movie) The Stand (I miss Stu, too!) Gone With the Wind Sophie’s Choice Cold Mountain ---
**Author:** ![Orual](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/779978/32.png) [@Orual](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Orual)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2005, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-read-for-comfort-books/321723/25 "2005-09-15T19:30:40Z")
_The Last Unicorn_ _Neverwhere_ _The Princess Bride_ _Lord of the Rings_ (my own personal ‘good parts’ version) _Till We Have Faces_ (… obviously) ---
**Author:** ![Lissla\_Lissar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8491ac/32.png) [@Lissla\_Lissar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lissla_Lissar)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2005, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-read-for-comfort-books/321723/26 "2005-09-15T19:34:13Z")
Last night I re-read _Angel-Seeker_, by Sharon Shinn. Her books are so gooey and overly romantic, and yet strangely compelling. ---
**Author:** ![eleanorigby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ee7513/32.png) [@eleanorigby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eleanorigby)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2005, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-read-for-comfort-books/321723/27 "2005-09-15T19:37:25Z")
Jane Austen Georgette Heyer Mary Stuart Agatha Christie Josephine Tey Ruth Rendell PD James (some) Bill Bryson LOTR (rarely) Harry Potter books ---
**Author:** ![well\_he\_s\_back](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/3ab097/32.png) [@well\_he\_s\_back](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/well_he_s_back)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2005, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-read-for-comfort-books/321723/28 "2005-09-15T19:41:39Z")
Lord of the Rings and The Last Unicorn are high up on my comforting to re-read list. ---
**Author:** ![photopat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e95f7d/32.png) [@photopat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/photopat)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2005, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-read-for-comfort-books/321723/29 "2005-09-15T19:45:04Z")
Any Discworld book, The Lord of the Rings, Dave Barry. ---
**Author:** ![tremorviolet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e47774/32.png) [@tremorviolet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tremorviolet)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2005, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-read-for-comfort-books/321723/30 "2005-09-15T19:57:48Z")
> [@billfritter](#): > > I like to reread the Sherlock Holmes cases. > The short stories, not the books, since the books necessarily have a lot of filler - atmosphere and chase scenes and dialog with suspects that don’t have anything to add to the case. Those are my favorites too; I reread them every couple of years or so. I also like: Nero Wolfe Terry Pratchett Heinlein (mostly the older “juvenile” novels) Dean Koontz (yeah, he’s cheezy but they’re fun) Stephen King (older ones only) ---
**Author:** ![amarinth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3be4f8/32.png) [@amarinth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amarinth)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2005, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-read-for-comfort-books/321723/31 "2005-09-15T20:13:15Z")
**Pride and Prejudice** - it never gets old for me. I still giggle and grin and am generally happy with the world when it ends. Pratchett & Brust novels are generally good for quick reading. From time to time, trashy romance novels. Wodehouse for laughs. ---
**Author:** ![ArrMatey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/arrmatey/32/3522_2.png) [@ArrMatey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ArrMatey)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2005, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-read-for-comfort-books/321723/32 "2005-09-15T21:29:09Z")
Effinger’s **A Fire in the Sun**. Second book of a trillogy, and the only one that I actually own a copy of. Highly recommend it- ‘old school’ cyberpunk set in the middle east. ---
**Author:** ![delphica](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e9a140/32.png) [@delphica](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/delphica)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2005, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-read-for-comfort-books/321723/33 "2005-09-15T21:38:29Z")
Some of mine have already been mentioned, but other comfort books include: _I Capture the Castle_ by Dodie Smith _In This House of Brede_ by Rumer Godden _The Betsy-Tacy_ books by Maud Hart Lovelace _The Egg and I_ by Betty MacDonald _Voyage of the Dawn Treader_ by C.S. Lewis (any of the Narnia books really, but DoT is the best for comfort because you get the most Reepicheep per page.) _Lizard Music_ by Daniel Pinkwater and anything by Dorothy Sayers. **eleanorigby** , my favorite Tey books for comfort reads are _Brat Farrar_ and _The Daughter of Time_. ---
**Author:** ![Meaty\_Beaty\_Big\_and\_Bouncy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c57346/32.png) [@Meaty\_Beaty\_Big\_and\_Bouncy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Meaty_Beaty_Big_and_Bouncy)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2005, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-read-for-comfort-books/321723/34 "2005-09-15T23:13:18Z")
When I’m in a waiting room or something. I like to read something I have read many times, short stories like _The Good Old Stuff and More Good Old Stuff by **John D. McDonald** , or any of his Travis McGee_ novels; any of **Stephen King’s** early stuff;\*\* Rex Stout\*\*'s\* Nero Wolfe\* series, especially\* Some Buried Caesar\* or _In the Best Families_, or anything where Wolfe leaves his familiar 35th St. environs and Archie has to lead him around in unfamiliar circumstances, all while cracking wise and getting under the skin of the local constabulary. Great stuff. \*\* Ed McBain\*\*\* 87th Precinct\* series, especially the ones concerning the _Deaf Man_. - Catch-22\* by\*\* Joseph Heller\*\* _The Hotel New Hampshire, The World According to Garp, A Prayer for Owen Meany \* by_\* John Irving\*\* _On a Pale Horse_ by **Piers Anthony** or any from that series is good for a quick read. - It’s a Small World\* by **Tabitha King** (\*\* Stephen King\*\*‘s ol’ lady). Creepy. ---
**Author:** ![Lissla\_Lissar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8491ac/32.png) [@Lissla\_Lissar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lissla_Lissar)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2005, 3:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-read-for-comfort-books/321723/35 "2005-09-16T03:59:05Z")
“Most Reepicheep per page”! That’s brilliant! I notice no one reads _Ulysses_ or Nietzsche for comfort. This is fascinating, so I’m bumping it. ---
**Author:** ![Ranchoth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranchoth/32/1066_2.png) [@Ranchoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranchoth)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2005, 4:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-read-for-comfort-books/321723/36 "2005-09-16T04:39:34Z")
> [@delphica](#): > > _Lizard Music_ by Daniel Pinkwater God, I thought I was the only person who ever read (or re-read) that one. It must be 10 years since I read it last…too long, I think. > [@Lissla Lissar](#): > > I notice no one reads _Ulysses_ or Nietzsche for comfort. I just recite Nietzsche by rote in a trance while listening to Wagner. How’s that? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Morgyn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/morgyn/32/3041_2.png) [@Morgyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgyn)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2005, 5:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-read-for-comfort-books/321723/37 "2005-09-16T05:01:26Z")
My comfort books lately have been _Tam Lin_ by Pamela Dean, _The Interior Life_ by Katherine Blake, and _Once a Hero_ by Michael Stackpole. I have quite a few others (such as the Eddings books and almost anything by Elizabeth Peters), but they’re (still) packed. I really need to move boxes and put up bookshelves and mind the bar code scanner and shelve my books while scanning them into Readerware. Gonna take a while, though. _sigh_ ---
**Author:** ![Atlantlis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/cab0a1/32.png) [@Atlantlis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atlantlis)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2005, 5:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-read-for-comfort-books/321723/38 "2005-09-16T05:07:12Z")
I’m reading Kerry Greenwood’s Phryne Fisher Mysteries. Its a great read. I’m from Melbourne and it is interesting to read about what it was like in the 1920s, but the heroine is comfortingly modern (perhaps a female Indiana Jones combined with a young Mrs Marple!) I recommend it (also helps to support Australian authors)! ---
**Author:** ![LavenderBlue](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e95f7d/32.png) [@LavenderBlue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LavenderBlue)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2005, 5:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-read-for-comfort-books/321723/39 "2005-09-16T05:09:19Z")
All seven of the _Anne of Green Gables_ novels except for the last one. _Rilla of Ingleside_ is set during WWI. I find it too painful to serve as casual entertainment. ---
**Author:** ![delphica](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e9a140/32.png) [@delphica](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/delphica)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2005, 12:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-read-for-comfort-books/321723/40 "2005-09-16T12:23:44Z")
> [@Morgyn](#): > > My comfort books lately have been _Tam Lin_ by Pamela Dean, _The Interior Life_ by Katherine Blake, and _Once a Hero_ by Michael Stackpole. I have quite a few others (such as the Eddings books and almost anything by Elizabeth Peters), but they’re (still) packed. Oh wow, I also love _Tam Lin_ as a good comfort read! I also like to read it in the fall, it’s such a great back to school/halloween book. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-read-for-comfort-books/321723.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-read-for-comfort-books/321723.md?page=3)