comfort books
Oct. 20th, 2003 06:47 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
adrian_turtleThis meme is from Papersky, who learned it from Khavrinen, who had it from Azurelunatic, who had it from Cadhla. Like most of those I've read, I find the list expanding beyond 10 books. Unlike them, there are very few authors for whom all their work is on my comfort reading list.
Gillian Bradshaw, Lois McMaster Bujold, Susan Cooper, Guy Gavriel Kay, Laurie King, Barbara Kingsolver, Primo Levi, Dan Simmons, James Tiptree, T.H. White.
Gillian Bradshaw: Beacon at Alexandria and The Sand Reckoner. I reread her Arthurian novels with moderate frequency, but don't consider them comfort novels. If I were listing books that I have EVER turned to for comfort, but don't reread frequently...The Bearkeeper's Daughter and Island of Ghosts would probably be on it. Cleopatra's Heir and Imperial Purple are very, very, far from comforting, for me. For assorted personal reasons.
Lois McMaster Bujold: Her best work is not what I turn to for comfort (or what I reread most often.) Falling Free for distress over work or disability stuff, or grief about my father. The Spirit Ring for comfort about scientific community (of all things...but
that's how it works. *shrug*) And Shards of Honor for romance.
Susan Cooper: The Dark Is Rising, either the series or just the book, depending on how I feel.
Guy Gavriel Kay: A Song for Arbonne is a comfort read, for me, though I think Tigana is probably better. The Summer Tree series doesn't really speak to me.
Laurie King: Only The Beekeeper's Apprentice comes near comfort reading status for me, though Justice Hall and Night Work probably impress me more.
Barbara Kingsolver: The Bean Trees and Animal Dreams. And I've turned back to Small Wonders remarkably often, with great satisfaction, considering it was only published last year.
Primo Levi: Other People's Trades and The Mirror Maker
Dan Simmons: Hyperion Not the whole thing, usually. Just Rachel's story, or Siri's. Occasionally Martin's, or the Priest's Tale. Children of the Night and Summer of Night are sort of on the borderline between comfort reading and non-comfort rereads. But I feel compelled to reread Hollow Man and "Death in Bangkok" every so often, though they are so far from comforting that I'd rather not have them in the house.
James Tiptree: Brightness Falls From The Air and "I Awoke And Found Me Here On The Cold Hill's Side." I have a huge collection of Tiptree's short stories, which I open for comfort reading with reasonable frequency...always to that story, which makes me cry.
T.H. White: The Once And Future King My introduction to Arthur, and pacifism, and all sorts of neat stuff.
Gillian Bradshaw, Lois McMaster Bujold, Susan Cooper, Guy Gavriel Kay, Laurie King, Barbara Kingsolver, Primo Levi, Dan Simmons, James Tiptree, T.H. White.
Gillian Bradshaw: Beacon at Alexandria and The Sand Reckoner. I reread her Arthurian novels with moderate frequency, but don't consider them comfort novels. If I were listing books that I have EVER turned to for comfort, but don't reread frequently...The Bearkeeper's Daughter and Island of Ghosts would probably be on it. Cleopatra's Heir and Imperial Purple are very, very, far from comforting, for me. For assorted personal reasons.
Lois McMaster Bujold: Her best work is not what I turn to for comfort (or what I reread most often.) Falling Free for distress over work or disability stuff, or grief about my father. The Spirit Ring for comfort about scientific community (of all things...but
that's how it works. *shrug*) And Shards of Honor for romance.
Susan Cooper: The Dark Is Rising, either the series or just the book, depending on how I feel.
Guy Gavriel Kay: A Song for Arbonne is a comfort read, for me, though I think Tigana is probably better. The Summer Tree series doesn't really speak to me.
Laurie King: Only The Beekeeper's Apprentice comes near comfort reading status for me, though Justice Hall and Night Work probably impress me more.
Barbara Kingsolver: The Bean Trees and Animal Dreams. And I've turned back to Small Wonders remarkably often, with great satisfaction, considering it was only published last year.
Primo Levi: Other People's Trades and The Mirror Maker
Dan Simmons: Hyperion Not the whole thing, usually. Just Rachel's story, or Siri's. Occasionally Martin's, or the Priest's Tale. Children of the Night and Summer of Night are sort of on the borderline between comfort reading and non-comfort rereads. But I feel compelled to reread Hollow Man and "Death in Bangkok" every so often, though they are so far from comforting that I'd rather not have them in the house.
James Tiptree: Brightness Falls From The Air and "I Awoke And Found Me Here On The Cold Hill's Side." I have a huge collection of Tiptree's short stories, which I open for comfort reading with reasonable frequency...always to that story, which makes me cry.
T.H. White: The Once And Future King My introduction to Arthur, and pacifism, and all sorts of neat stuff.
