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I'm not ranting about politics, or anything else. Not right now. I'm asking for book recommendations, for something that's probably closer to comfort-reading than anything else. I know what it's like to be happy and healthy, and reach for a book because I would rather spend that time reading than doing anything else. I also know what it's like to be sick, or exhausted, or fucked up from medication side effects, and not be able to do anything BUT read for weeks at a time. This post is about what happens when someone is too sick for anything but reading, and also too sick to think clearly, too sick to understand books that would usually be interesting.
A dear friend of mine is starting a course of cancer treatments that (based on unpleasant past experience) cause him to lose a fair amount of his considerable mental faculties, energy, and emotional resiliance. Temporary unpleasantness. Temporary. But still damn unpleasant. My friend is terrified. I want to give books. Partly because this friend reaches for books at least as often as I do. Partly because the treatment demands physical isolation, and precludes hugs. Partly because I very much want to do *something* helpful, and the right books can sometimes help.
I'd appreciate suggestions as to "the right books." When I'm sick/exhausted/stupid, some of my comfort reads are unlikely to be comforting to many other people, because they have so much angst. (John Barnes, other than maybe "Orbital Resonance." David Feintuch. A lot of Joan Aiken.) I'm currently immersed in the Lymond books, but that obviously demands way too much attention, in addition to being depressing. I want something good, engaging, and not too dark or complicated. I want to spare my friend the frustration I've often felt, when I tried to read something and been unable to follow it becauase I was too sick. Or been bored with it, because it was too babyish or repetitive or preachy.
Short stories would be good, or episodic novels that rely on dialog and character more than complex plotting. Recent YA or older children's books would be fine. (YA>30 years old, or well-known crossovers like Pullman, would be rereads.) I was wondering about Sarah Caudwell or Kate Ross...would those still be fun without the novel structure, if a reader were just enjoying isolated scenes and not tracking how they fit together? And how girly *is* Joan Aiken? Are there men who enjoy the Armitage stories, or _Go Saddle The Sea?_ I've considered Laurie King, just because I find her so readable...but don't know which of her books would be light enough. Other suggestions would be very welcome.
A dear friend of mine is starting a course of cancer treatments that (based on unpleasant past experience) cause him to lose a fair amount of his considerable mental faculties, energy, and emotional resiliance. Temporary unpleasantness. Temporary. But still damn unpleasant. My friend is terrified. I want to give books. Partly because this friend reaches for books at least as often as I do. Partly because the treatment demands physical isolation, and precludes hugs. Partly because I very much want to do *something* helpful, and the right books can sometimes help.
I'd appreciate suggestions as to "the right books." When I'm sick/exhausted/stupid, some of my comfort reads are unlikely to be comforting to many other people, because they have so much angst. (John Barnes, other than maybe "Orbital Resonance." David Feintuch. A lot of Joan Aiken.) I'm currently immersed in the Lymond books, but that obviously demands way too much attention, in addition to being depressing. I want something good, engaging, and not too dark or complicated. I want to spare my friend the frustration I've often felt, when I tried to read something and been unable to follow it becauase I was too sick. Or been bored with it, because it was too babyish or repetitive or preachy.
Short stories would be good, or episodic novels that rely on dialog and character more than complex plotting. Recent YA or older children's books would be fine. (YA>30 years old, or well-known crossovers like Pullman, would be rereads.) I was wondering about Sarah Caudwell or Kate Ross...would those still be fun without the novel structure, if a reader were just enjoying isolated scenes and not tracking how they fit together? And how girly *is* Joan Aiken? Are there men who enjoy the Armitage stories, or _Go Saddle The Sea?_ I've considered Laurie King, just because I find her so readable...but don't know which of her books would be light enough. Other suggestions would be very welcome.
