Of course, the Hitchhikers Guide. If I could only take one book on a desert island, it would probably be that.

Cath, I've had "Time for Bed" under my bed for years. Tried reading it several times but ended up getting side tracked. I'll have to give it another go. I read his other one, "Whatever Love Means" and thought it was brilliant.

Colin M

Pratchett, yes, definitely Pratchett, and Harry Potter (you can spit on me and make cross signs if you want) and if my brain's in working order, Greg Egan.

I get great comfort in leafing through a BIG book with beautiful pictures. I like to remove words from my mind altogether and just saturate my mind with beauty. A warming cuppa helps with the comfort, followed by a little snooze in the lounge chair.

Four of my favourites from my personal library are Simon Schama's Landscape & Memory, American Visions by Robert Hughes, Art Nouveau by Gabriele Fahr-Becker, and Essential William Morris by Iain Zaczek.

Strangely, I find spending an hour or so fossicking in the local library always lifts my spirits.

I've enjoyed reading the comments in this thread plus I've enjoyed considering how to answer the question. Thanks for the question.

I hope you feel better soon.

Colin,

The general concensus seems to be that Whatever Love Means is the better novel. It's a lot darker than Time For Bed, which has me in stitches!

Cath

The Odessa File, by Frederick Forsyth - no laughs, admittedly - and only if I've mislaid Day of the Jackal

Joe

Any Roald Dahl books are great when your feeling low - jokes about bird pies and granny's with mouths like dogs bums never fail to amuse me, and remind me of how much pleasue I got from his books as a child. George's Marvellous Medicine, The Twits and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory are probably my favourites, but they're all good. I like his short stories for adults too - wonderfully macabre!

In a similar vein, a few years back I found a little book called The Adventures of Dylan - basically all the Magic Roundabout scripts that featured Dylan, which was just wonderful and a great comfort at a miserable time.

Someone mentioned picture books - my boyfriend very thoughfully bought me a beautiful book called Jim Henson's Designs and Doodles. The design is gorgeous and it's full of witty and funny doodles, and early drawings of some of his more famous creations such as various muppets. That brings me nicely to my comfort film - Labyrinth. Trips down memory lane are definitely the order of the day for me!

L

Wow, of course, I'd never thought of that. One of my best ways of passing the time a couple of years back was reading "The Enormous Crocodile" to my eldest son. Great books, all of them. I wonder if he'd have a problem getting them published today.

Roald Dahl's The Twits makes me chuckle every time. Seems, as always there's always a book for everybody. I haven't read it, but I was captivated with Marianne Dreams. I listened to a 2 hour story book of it several times on the great BigToe Radio show on Radio 7 (http://www.bbc.co.uk/bbc7/bigtoe/books/). It's gone from the sight now but check out the link if you are into children's books.

As always, it all depends on the individual. It's kind of impossible to compare books, they are so personal. This all seems at odds with what publishers/agents tell writers they want - they want something commercial and to "fit in" with a current product line. Hey ho.

19th century novels definitely - Jane Austen (well ok only just 19C), Mrs Gaskell and Charlotte Bronte particularly.

Lots of children's books - v pleased to see someone else liked The Swish of the Curtain - just found a copy second hand. But my main ones are Narnia books, E Nesbit, Rosemary Sutcliff (definitely not many laughs there, but good for cathartic weep), Hobbit, Wizard of Earthsea trilogy, Harry Potter (yes, me too), I could go on - have a good collection of kids books on their own shelves just outside my bedroom door!

good thread
Veronica

For me, I'd definitely agree with the Hobbit. It always makes me want to curl up on the sofa, raining outside, drinking hot choco and dreaming about travelling to far fung and remote places. Hopefully with no dragons.

I guess it reminds me of being young, and safe, and believing in elves. I must have read it about 15 times now, if not more. It's the literary equivalent of a hug.

JB

I'm afraid that when I'm feeling down, I favour any magazine that has cover-mounted chocolate over a book. Failing that, perhaps a book of fairy stories with happy endings.

Great question.
Alison Lurie, Sue Grafton alphabet books and Harry Potter (I won't spit on you, Eyeball)
But all these in the sense of pouncing on a new one and feeling comforted. I almost never re-read books. What do others think about re-reading? I can't do it, just can't.

Actually, today I saw in Waterstone's the Shirley Hughes Anthology. I have read all her stories to my kids over the years but the books have been given away, lost behind a radiator, ripped etc. She's truly a comfort read. Can I justify buying this very expensive book when I no longer have small children to read to? Should I buy it and put it away to read to my putative grandchildren? Should I steal a child? Do NOT report this thread!

Caroline,

I feel the same about re-reading - and about re-watching films. Being honest, the only book I've ever 100% re-read from cover to cover is Angela Carter's Wise Children, which is my favourite book ever. The only films I've ever 100% re-watched are La Haine (my favourite film ever) and one other one which I'm not going to say right now!

it seems like a waste to read/watch something again when there's so much new stuff out there just waiting.

Cath

I'll echo the joys of childhood books when you're ill. Tove Jansson's Moomin books are marvelous if you're feeling low. There's a great cosiness in being transported into such a different world. I would probably enjoy watching Clangers videos too if I had them.