It’s been a tough week for anyone who a) lives in the world, b) pays attention to the news and c) has compassion.
If you don’t live in the affected areas, there’s not much more you can do now. Presumably you’ve given what you can, and are watching as the devastation begins to get cleaned up.
I am not advocating pulling an ostrich and sticking your head in the sand, but it seems as if now would be a good time to try to lose yourself in a good book. For me, I’ve read so much news, visited so many websites, felt so much sympathy and anger I need a respite. And since I’m not really a ‘Calgon, take me away’ kind of person, I head to the TBR stacks.
Obviously, romance is probably the best kind of book to read for escape. But what kind? Excluding the books published by my co-Bloggers–just because this is not a self-aggrandizing post–my short list includes Lynn Kerstan’s 2-in-1 reissue of Celia’s Grand Passion and Lucy In Disguise, Bernard Cornwell’s A Crowning Mercy and old category romances by Anne Stuart. I can’t handle romantic suspense, vampires, or the intensity proferred by some of my favorite Regency-set historical writers such as Julia Ross and Liz Carlyle right now.
If you’re a romance reader, chances are you’ve got a stack of books togo through. What books and authors are your comfort reads? What’s next on your pile?
Since a reader emailed me saying she was a young widow and fun romantic romps were a solace, I have never underestimated the importance of a comfort read!
Georgette Heyers are always a good choice; I’ve read them since I was a girl so the characters feel like old friends.
As far as authors currently writing, the one who writes my favorite comfort reads is Loretta Chase. There are some of her 2-in-1 releases out (Viscount Vagabond and The Devil’s Delilah is one of them). The most recent Regency historical of hers that I’ve read was Miss Wonderful, which lived up to its name. Mr. Impossible is there on my staggering TBR list; I don’t doubt it’s another great read.
Loretta Chase does the most delightfully foolish characters; she has a nice way of mixing humor with angst so it’s never gets too dark or too maudlin. Even the lighter Regencies have a streak of meaning underneath the froth–but perhaps I shouldn’t tell anyone as it’s so nicely chocolate-coated!
Elena mentions some great reads. I positively devoured Mr. Impossible and urge you, Elena, to pull it to the top of your pile. At times like this I feel the need to laugh. If I wanted to go back to a previous read, I’d pull out anything by Barbara Metzger, Heyer, or Chase. In my TBR stack is Sabrina Jeffries’ Royal Brotherhood Series. They sound like fun, sexy romps and I think I’m going to start in on them this week.
Meanwhile, to those of you affected by Katrina, you’re in my prayers.
My comfort reads are books that I’ve read before and loved. For some reason, taking on new books is a little too stressful for a comfort read!
I often turn to my favorite Heyers (such as BLACK SHEEP, VENETIA, COTILLION, and FREDERICA), or certain early Joan Smiths (especially SWEET AND TWENTY or IMPRUDENT LADY) or Barbara Metzger (particularly AN AFFAIR OF INTEREST, AN EARLY ENGAGEMENT, or MINOR INDISCRETIONS) — all books that I first read a while ago, and have read several times since.
I’m also a big reader of children’s and young adult books — and so I also turn to Louisa May Alcott, Diana Wynne Jones, and Edward Eager for comfort reads.
Cara
This might sound odd, but when I was a kid I loved these cheesy YA historical romances called Sunfire Romances. They were always titled with a girl’s name (Nicole, Emily, Elizabeth, etc.) and were always about a heroine trying to make her own way in a restrictive society (Gilded Age New York, Puritan New England, immigrants at the turn of the century, the Titanic, whatever) and choose between two men. One always wanted her to stick with tradition, one encouraged her to break out. Guess who she always chose? (Hint–the chosen one is always on the right on the cover). I gave them away years ago, but have lately been making an effort to find them again, on Ebay and at library booksales. I’ve regained quite a pile of them, and just started reading a couple of them again this weekend. They were one of my first intros to romances (along with Cartland and Heyer), and I found it kind of comforting to feel like I was going back in time for a while. I’m currently reading one called Emily, where she lives in a rich family in 1900 New York but really wants to be a nurse rather than a deb (encouraged by a hunky young doctor, natch).
I also like books like Metzger’s Snowdrops and Scandalbroth, Chase’s Lord of Scoundrels (wonderful book!), and I also pulled a book off my towering TBR pile that proved to be dleightfully funny and different, Lisa Cach’s George and the Dragon.
I can’t read romances for relaxation–my inner critic is too strong! Just about any other genre. I find solace in the Narnia books (except for the last one) by C.S. Lewis, and other kids’ books like “The Secret Garden” by Frances Hodgson-Burnett (I think) and “The Railway Children” by….oh lord, I have 30 seconds of lunchtime left and no memory. I’ll think of it in a moment.
bah.
Janet
1. Harry Potter. Harry Potter. Besides the wonder of the alternative world and the best names this side of Dickens, there’s this little matter of honor (thanks, Cara, for that other post), which is also why I love Harry Potter.
2. Nick Hornby — well I’ve only read 2 novels and 1 set of essays, but I love his . . . goodness — I think of him as a hip contemporary version of what Orwell said about Dickens: “a free intelligence, a type hated with equal hatred by all the smelly little orthodoxies which are now contending for our souls.” (speaking of honor)
3. When I want to pretend-play ton-ish luxury and total insulation from the insecurities that most mortals must encounter, I turn to the late lamented comic novelist Laurie Colwin (Mayfair on the Upper East Side of Manhattan). Her characters always own things like “a few good pieces [of furniture] from their families,” along with staggering intelligences and fabulous degrees from elite schools. Their only problems are how to deal with all this muchness, and the prose is exquisitely turned.
4. Lord Peter Wimsey. Essence of snobbery with a bit of honor as well. And Sayers can’t be clearer that he’s supposed to be dynamite in bed (I always love it when the prostitutes weigh in with their ratings).
Oh, I love those books too, Janet! And you’re right that “Secret Garden” is by Frances Hodgson Burnett. “The Railway Children” is by the incomparable E. Nesbit (one of my favorites!)
You know, Pam, I really need to read Sayers sometime! Everyone I know thinks her books are brilliant.
Cara
Some of my very favorite authors have been mentioned here! In particular, I love Dorothy Sayers, too–she’s one of my favorite authors, not just one of my favorite mystery writers. Years ago I adapted one of her novels (The Documents in the Case) as a play, though it has no Lord Peter in it, alas…
I also love the Narnia books and the Boxcar Children, and Diana Wynne Jones. And the Harry Potter books, too! I just finished the sixth book–don’t want to spoil it for anyone who hasn’t read it yet, but I thought it was excellent.
And for me, Regencies are also a great source of pleasure reading. I guess that since I don’t write them, my “inner critic” doesn’t worry about it. 🙂
Todd-the-escape-artist
Wow, there are some new-to-me authors mentioned here. I’m going to have to hunt them down. I read Sayers when I was about 12, definitely too young to get them, but I have a couple on the shelf, so I should pull them down.
My son is into Harry Potter, but he’s too little yet to get it, but we’re reading the second book. I’ve read the first four, I’ll have to carve out some time to read the rest.
And Amanda, those Sunfire books sound awesome! Like you, I started out on Cartland and Heyer–I’ve been meaning to find my two favorite Cartlands, but it seems they’re hard to find (I’d say ‘rare,’ but that might imply quality. Not so much quality in Dame Cartland’s books).
The Sunfire books ARE awesome! All the settings are American, so there aren’t any Regency plots, sadly. But there is one about a girl in Louisiana Purchase-era New Orleans, and she wears high-waisted gowns and goes to lots of balls. 🙂
The first Cartland I ever read was called Elizabethan Lover, and seems sort of atypical for a Cartland story. Maybe because it was very early, one of her first books. The heroine actually disguises herself as a boy and runs off to sail on the hero’s ship to the West Indies. Later, thinking he’s in love with her sister (who wants to run off to France and be a nun), she joins Queen Elizabeth’s Court as a lady-in-waiting. There is very little gasping for air when she talks. 🙂 But there is also one I loved where the heroine disguises herself as an actress during the Regency (but I can’t remember why). Anyway, I could go on and on about favorite cheesy reads. 🙂