Comfort Literature

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Don, Steven Riddle, and TSO have all posted on what Teachout called "total comfort reading (which I guess is the Mac N Cheese and mashed potatoes of ink and paper).
I have to confess that I have LOTS of books that I curl up with on those occasions. The two genres that I tend towards for comfort reading are science fiction and children's literature. I have found that the juveniles by R.A. Heinlein meet my needs on both counts. Hence, I have practically memorized some of them, given that I have been reading and re-reading said books since age 7 (that's 42 years, folks). I also enjoy reading Madeline L'Engel's juveniles, with one exception. House like a Lotus I find terribly disturbing and I wonder if she was influenced by a desire to be more 'hip' and 'with it' in this book than in her previous young adult fiction.
If I want to read previously unread stuff for comfort, I am very fond of "The Cat Who" series of murder mysteries, true medical stuff (Like Oliver Sachs and similar writers) and Harlequin Romances by Betty Neels. A weird assortment, I know.
How about you folks? What all do you read for comfort?

4 Comments

Dear Alicia,

Yes, the Heinlein juveniles are fantastic also. And I like L'Engle very much.

shalom,

Steven

Another weird assortment:

Psalm 94.
Alexandre Dumas: The Three Musketeers.
Spider Robinson: The Callahan series as well as Night of Power and Lady Slings the Booze.
David Drake: Hammer's Slammers series.
John D. MacDonald: Any Travis McGee mystery.
Andrew Vachss: Any Burke mystery, esp. Flood.
Georgette Heyer: Most of her regency romances, esp. The Grand Sophy.
Chris Crutcher: Stotan.
Diane Duane: The Door Into Fire.

Dear Mich,

Thank you. I had forgotten the Travis McGee series--it too is at the top of my list--even more so now that I live in Florida and have visited Bahia Mar, slip 17.

shalom,

Steven

Oddly enough, I really like "House like a Lotus," (but then, I'm sure you already think I'm strange enough).

My other favorite L'Engle series: Meet the Austins. Oh, it's been years since I read them... maybe this summer or during Spring Break I'll get them.

It's funny you mention "comfort" books--for the last several days, I've been possessed by the worst urge to see Mary Poppins, even though I know we don't have the video anymore...

Have you read any Frank Herbert? I'm still digesting Fr. Seraphim Rose's arguments against pluralism and modernism and so grappling with Herbert has proven to be quite a challenge. (The really weird thing, though, is that he structures his arguments like a lawyer. Makes it somewhat more entertaining for me...)

Anyway... I'm off to bed to deal with this cold. Got any "home" remedies to help a sore throat and a cough? :-)

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This page contains a single entry by alicia published on January 29, 2004 3:31 PM.

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