Comfort Reads discussion

I don't know what happened to our general historical fiction thread (not featuring a single author) so I'll create a new one.

A great suggestion from Gundula:

One of my favourite books that I've reread at least three times is How Green Was My Valley by Richard Llewellyn. Although sad and poignant, the story is both poetic and moving and I find it both a comforting and enlightening read.

I guess I put this in the wrong section. Sorry.

Gundula, no problem, I just wanted to add it here as well. Many books cross genres and I know this is an excellent one so I want people to know about it.

Oh, that's totally going on my TBR list. Thank you.

There was a movie made of it as well, but I have not seen it. It was a 1941 John Ford production starring Walter Pigeon and Maureen O'Hara.

Well, I posted about How Green Was My Valley in the other thread. When I saw the book mentioned, I posted. Hope that's ok. I'm not going to repost.

(This group is getting so busy it would be hard to find the thread. ;-) Yay!)

I just found this on my to-read shelf. It looks like it might be a good comfort read.

by Olive Ann Burns

There are sometimes I am in such a funk and nothing on the pile will do and then I always go reaching for a Chadwick book for a second or third read. Her medievals are the best and hooray to Sourcebooks for bringing some of them to the US marketplace again.

I love historical fiction set in boarding schools and one of my favourites is To Serve Them All My Days by R.F. Delderfield taking place in the period leading up to World War II.

That's a great book Shelley.

Shelley wrote: "I love historical fiction set in boarding schools and one of my favourites is To Serve Them All My Days by R.F. Delderfield taking place in the period leading up to..."

Oh yes! I was just coming on to post that myself; it was a miniseries on TV, too.

Lisa wrote: "Well, I posted about How Green Was My Valley in the other thread. When I saw the book mentioned, I posted. Hope that's ok. I'm not going to repost.

(This group is getting so busy it w..."

The movie is incredible.It won best picture Oscar.If you've read the book, see the movie.Even if you dont read it, see the movie.

Did it really? That must have been quite a few years ago. Welcome to the group Louis! :-)

Oh! Into the Path of Gods by Kathleen Cunningham Guler. Pre-Arthurian times, just, and romance too. Book 1 of a tetralogy, but I've read just this one. Comfy, with twists and unexpected bits to satisfy as well.

Also The Firebrand by Marion Zimmer Bradley. Troy from Cassandra's point of view. I sighed with regret and satisfaction when I finished this one.

Lee wrote: "Did it really? That must have been quite a few years ago. Welcome to the group Louis! :-)"

1941. It actually won 5 that year.

aaaanddd Gone to Soldiers by Marge Piercy. WWII story told from about eight characters' perspective; they don't all meet each other either. There's a merchant marine, a French resistance fighter, a Statesbound female pilot, a British code expert, a refugee child, others too. I was book-stalled for several days after reading this one - no, no, it *can't be over!

My favorite historical fiction series : The Complete Aubrey/Maturin Novels. Fun to dip in from time to time for the wonderful characters, beautiful writing and humor. Boat scenes that get too technical are skipped, naturally. : )

I know that feeling Peregrine. Sometimes you just can't bear to start something new after finishing a book like that.

Sandybanks wrote: "My favorite historical fiction series : The Complete Aubrey/Maturin Novels. Fun to dip in from time to time for the wonderful characters, beautiful writing and humor. Boat scenes that ..."

Sandybanks, I've read the first four in the series and look forward to continuing. I'm glad I wasn't put off by all the nautical and technical language in the first one because they just get better!

Master and Commander is the first in the series by Patrick O'Brian

Louis wrote: "The movie is incredible.It won best picture Oscar.If you've read the book, see the movie.Even if you dont read it, see the movie."

Louis, How faithful is the movie to the book? I'm just curious. I read the book so long ago I probably wouldn't notice any differences.

Lisa wrote: "Louis wrote: "The movie is incredible.It won best picture Oscar.If you've read the book, see the movie.Even if you dont read it, see the movie."

Louis, How faithful is the movie to the book? I'm j..."

I can say that it is pretty faithful.Obviously not as good , but the film stands on its own. This is one I re-watch at least once a year.

You've convinced me to give this movie a try sometime soon, Louis. Because I loved the book so much, I was kind of holding back.

My husband read all 21 O'Brian books through twice (back-to-back). Besides hearing his excerpts, I watched Master and Commander and really enjoyed it. He did say that the movie was made up of parts from a few of the books, but it was great anyway. Too bad the last book was never finished.

Peregrine - I loved Gone To Soldiers, that was truly a phenomenal book, I read it back in 87 and 20+ years later I still think of the characters. Piercy's book about the French Revolution, City of Darkness City of Light, was also a knock-it-out-of-the-park.

Whenever historical fiction comes up, I always try to get people to read Dorothy Dunnett. Good god, I spent a solid year with her, first reading one series then immediately into the other series, rinse repeat. Her books are dense, you don't always know what's going on, living and breathing characters, and lots well researched history. It's what got me back into history actually, history not being dates and battle which is the way I taught in school, but the passions of people.

Just thinking about those books gives me immense comfort. Hmm it might be time for a reread soon.

Thanks for the Piercy recommendation, Lori. What Dunnett book do you suggest to start?

Lori,

I have Niccolo Rising here languishing on a shelf but have been unsure if it is the better series to start with as well.

I've read the Lymond Chronicles and loved them to bits. They can be very very difficult to get into and you should not feel bad if you can't. I lucked out as the Lymond books were very similar to Dumas' style and I've read a lot of his books. They are quite an adventure, including a chess game with real life players - to the death.

That does sound wonderful.

Currently reading Wolf Hall. Very interesting so far, particularly the narrative voice - "he" is almost always Thomas Cromwell so far.

Another historical fiction masterpiece that I have read multiple times is Isabel Allende's The House of the Spirits. It took me a bit of time to get into the novel, but once there, I couldn't put it down (again and again and again).

Susanna - I recently finished Wolf Hall - just wonderful. I love when a historical fiction has me googling because the history is so fascinating. I did trip over some of the "he's" tho. I want to read her French Revolution novel, A Greater Safety, very soon.

Lori wrote: "Peregrine - I loved Gone To Soldiers, that was truly a phenomenal book, I read it back in 87 and 20+ years later I still think of the characters. Piercy's book about the French Revolution, [book:Ci..."

sounds interesting, I just added to my TBR...

Lee wrote: "I just found this on my to-read shelf. It looks like it might be a good comfort read.

by Olive Ann Burns"

I loved Cold Sassy Tree. I hope you enjoy it!

Thanks, I'm sure I will Dara. :-)

I love to climb into books like Coming Home and The Shell Seekers by Rosamunde Pilcher. The DVD of "Coming Home" is delightful to watch as well.

And I think that Atonement by Ian McEwan is another of my favourites. Perhaps not so "comfortable", since I was disturbed by the injustice, but a compelling story that was turned into a beautiful movie as well.

I really like R. F. Delderfield's books - God Is an Englishman, Horseman Riding by, To Serve Them All My Days, and so on. I read these decades ago, but remember that I couldn't get enough of Delderfield at the time.

Jackie, Please delete this your post from this folder and cut it and paste it into this thread: http://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/2... in the author's corner folder. Thanks so much!

Thanks Jackie, and thanks for sharing your book info with us. I'm thinking the authors' folder might not be so easy to find, but we'll see how it goes.

Please post your comfort reads in the various threads and I hope you find more good books to read!

We do have a strong preference that author members first become active members of the group, then posts about their own books are very welcomed.

Lisa wrote: "We do have a strong preference that author members first become active members of the group, then posts about their own books are very welcomed."

Other groups do the same thing, too.

I'm reading Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett. I've really looked forward each night to getting into bed and reading this one. There's some violence, but the characters are really interesting. I think it's going to be one of those books that will leave me wanting more when I'm done.

Scout wrote: "I'm reading Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett. I've really looked forward each night to getting into bed and reading this one. There's some violence, but the characters are really interesting. ..."
Scout, once you're finished that one, you have to read the sequel (well kinda) World without End.I liked it just as much if not even more.

Thanks, Louis. I'll look for it.

Scout wrote: "I'm reading Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett. I've really looked forward each night to getting into bed and reading this one. There's some violence, but the characters are really interesting. ..."

Pillars was a tough read for me, although I think it was a great book. The violence was way beyond my comfort zone so I still haven't attempted the sequel. I do have it though, and hopefully sometime soon.

I really didn't like Pillars of the Earth, which is a shame as it was my father who recommended it to me. I got about a third of the way through it, and there it remains, beside my bed, maintaining the fiction that I'll get back to it one day. I found nothing to like in any of the characters.

I have started some books and abandoned them, too. I used to think I had to finish a book once I started it, but there are too many great books out there to waste your time on something that doesn't interest you. Maybe it's the same with characters in books as it is in life - you like some people right away, and some you don't.

Nicely put, Scout.

Thanks. The last book I put down was Lady Killer by Lisa Scottoline. It felt too much like a romance to me - mushy and juvenile.

Peregrine wrote: "Thanks for the Piercy recommendation, Lori. What Dunnett book do you suggest to start?"

Woops, wow, haven't been to this group in too long! Peregrine and Lee - I started with Niccolo Rising and I'm glad I did. Even tho it's her 2nd series, and there are flashes to the Lymond Chronicles, I think it's much better written. Game of Kings, the first of the Lymond Chronicles, was her first book and I might not have lasted if I hadn't already known and adored her. The writing, while still wonderful, is weaker and the book itself is also harder to get into. Through the Lymond Chronicles, you can really see her getting into her stride!

Chadwick looks wonderful, I'm definitely adding to my to-read list. Oy! And I noticed she has Dunnett as her first influence.