When I am down and out, I enjoy reading fantasy , comics, children's books, comedy, chic flicks, a really racy suspense thriller...
But there are some days when you are totally out and want something familiar. So I have a stash of books which I re-read on my worst days when :
a) I am overworked, so stressed out that I need something familiar
b) When nothing around me is going right.. I am depressed.. and I need a few laughs
c) When I am scared.. the night is too silent and I am alone in the house
d) It rains like crazy and it is chilly and you are house bound
e) When am pms (ing) and I am depressed
e) Many a days .. just like that.. when you just feel like dipping into something nice
So my choice for these rainy days -
1) PG Wodehouse - My favourite author!!! Gives me quite the laughs when I need it. I never got bored of it no matter how many times I read it. I take refuge in PGW books quite often.. I remember the one night in Bombay when I was alone and I was so scared... I read PGW till 5am.. till it became sunny and light!!!!! You can never be scared with Bertie / Gussie Fink Nottle / Bingo around you ... As one of the introductions to PGW stated... when there is a bed in a PGW book, it is not used for s*x... it is used as a hiding place!!
I have read most of PGW.. save for one.. which I have had for the last 6 months.. I am saving it :)
2) The Faraway tree series by Enid Blyton - I can never ever ever tire of this book. This is one book I have read about 20 times at least... Every few months I read this book. 3 kids living in the country - Jo, Bessie and Fannie find this magic tree which grows different things every few metres.. and there are elves/ pixies who live on it... moonface, silky (who keeps washing her hair), the angry pixie, Mr whatshisname, dame washalot, the saucepan man.. and every few days, on the top of the tree, there is a magical land that comes.. land of birthdays, land of rolling (where you keep rolling), land of giants, land of wishes, land of toys , upside down land, land of nursery rhymes.... you get the picture! What a wonderful book... and what an imagination. One of my eternal favourites !! And this is what I read on rainy , drak, grey, dreary, gloomy days!!!
Actually all Enid Blyton books have such a positive atmosphere... rosy cheeked children, drinking ginger ade, going for picnics... eating scone and jams!!! Ah.. to be transported into that world.. sheer bliss!
3) Archies - I started reading Archies when in school and I read it to this day. I have about 50-60 odd Archies and I keep buying them every month. I love Jughead and Moose and Midge and Reggie and Mr Weatherbee and everyone else!!! It makes me laugh even now.. as an adult.. seeing Archie walk into lampposts.. one image permanently stuck in my mind is that of Archie skateboarding down a steep incline. Many a times when am reading Archies, you will find me shaking with laughter!!!! I love it ...light reading when overworked!!! It makes me feel all sunshiney!!!!
4) Harry Potter - You knew this was coming didnt you! I dont think there is any book as fascinating!! It is so fascinating that it makes me forget all my worries and troubles. Whenever I have read the books .. I have read the series 3 times now.. my head has been full of HP for that period.. and nothing fazes me.. so deeply am I entrenched in the HP world!! I wish it didnt have end though - I wish she would write more of it :(
5) Outlook Traveler magazine - Nothing else (besides whatever I mentioned above) makes you feel better than reading about beautiful destinations and dreaming about visiting these places when you are putting in about 14-16 hours a day. Whenever I have too much work.. I read outlook traveler and plan for a trip.. which invariably does not happen.. but makes me feel great at that point in time... the thought of taking a holiday and chilling!
6) Adrian Mole series by Sue Townsend : It is hilarious. While I havent re-read any yet, I read a few books of the series when I was really dying with work. And everyday late in the night, on my way home, I would feel happy thinking about the fact I am going to read Adrian Mole. Everyday I read in bed and I would be laughing so much that I would have tears in my eyes. So I used to feel happy that I went to bed happy and smiling.. all set to face work the next day.
So what does your stash of "feel happy" books comprise of?
6 comments:
I can understand the 'need for familar books' I got into the trap so much that I almost stopped reading anything new :(
On difficult day and on long tours I take those familar books, almost the same ones as yours: HP, PGW and Archie and few more classics..its very assuring I guess :)
@melee Extremely. I just feel very happy reading these over and over again.. possibly as I know these are nice and warm books!
Well, given that I wasn't a reader till I was about 14-15, my feel good books are mostly books I've read as an adult. And since they're "feel good" books, they tend to be comedies. Chick flicks, to be precise. So there's Bridget Jones I & II and the shopaholic series. I can read them randomly...a few pages here & there, they need not be read from cover to cover every time. There's also HP...but once I start re-reading one of the HP books, I need to read them through.
I never did get the big deal about PGW. But think I will read the Faraway Tree series now.
@Scarlett Thats true for me for HP too! I need to read the full thing. I cannot read it in parts. And for some reason I am unable to re-read chick flicks..I could possibly read devil wears prada and Bridget Jones Diary again.. but not the shopoholic series. BTW, there's a new book in this series - Mini shopoholic. How did you like Adrian Mole?
Well I still maintain, you need to read one PGW in full. And if after that too you dont like it.. well then we would disagree!
And definitely read magic faraway tree!! Its awesome.. You can get it in any bookstore. :)
I agree with you Enid Blyton's books, at least most of them, have a positive atmosphere to them. Thus, that is why they are immortal. My fascination with Enid Blyton's books led me in writing and publishing a book on her, titled, The Famous Five: A Personal Anecdotage (www.thefamousfiveapersonalanecdotage.blogspot.com). Last Friday, I happened to watch the latest Harry Potter movie. during the pre-show ads, I learnt that a second movie has been made about C.S. Lewis' Chronicles of Narnia. It is high time that The Magic Faraway Tree stories that include The Enchanted Wood, The Magic Faraway Tree and The Folk of the Faraway Tree be made into bonafide cinematic movies.
Stephen Isabirye
@Eni Thanks for dropping in!! Thats quite cool - you have written Enid Blyton! I wonder why has anyone not thought of it yet.. given that shes so very popular!!
Oooohh.. a magic faraway tree movie.. Boy, I will be first one in the queue to watch it. I cant wait to see the books transformed into celluloid!
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