Has anyone read any good books lately??? - Mental Health Sup...

Mental Health Support

31,378 members17,127 posts

Has anyone read any good books lately???

24 Replies

I can’t believe it, I have just got myself dressed and had to put a thick jumper on! What’s going on…. Anyway I digress as usual.

I have just finished reading the ‘Host’, very good story and loved it and now need something else to read to distract my thoughts.

I am already dipping in and out of several good self help ones on depression so don’t need those, but I also like loosing myself in fiction, so wondered if anyone has any good recommendations?

I like reading any genre as long as the style of writing is good making it a compelling read.

I have just been search the net for books and nothing has jumped out at me, so I really would be grateful for any ideas or recommendations.

Thanks xxxxx

24 Replies
CarolineLondon profile image
CarolineLondon

You, You young lady read ' Tooo the Lighthouse!', what hope have we got?

I hear the 'Seagull' by Chekov is supposed to be good,....lol or the 'Old Man and the Sea' even worse! You know what I read part of 'Crime and Punishment' by Dostoyevsky such a beautifully written book but sooo desperately depressing I had to stop! No Hardy or DH Lawrence too long winded. Never Ever '100 Years of Solitude' by Gabriel Garcia unless you want to end your life prematurely. Sorry you did say what books shouldn't you read didnt you ?...ha ha.

I dont know, used to delight in murder mysteries and horrors, but I'm trying to stay away from the negative, stay positive, poor me eh so now I don't know what to read! We all going to end up with H.E Bates!!! Arrrgggg.

Get this you know Joanna Trollope well they interviewed her you guessed it on Radio 4 and she said ....and this is truely golden, you know one of those moments in life.....she said:

"Well i mean we all middle class now"

Haaaa Haaaa never read one of her books.

As you can see I love writers, my faves used to be Tennesse Williams, Ian Mc Ewan, Arthur Miller, all have to be given up in the name of positivity. I believe I am now left with Deliah Smiths Cookbook and an AA Map of Britain....lol

OOOH Monib you wassskle.

Hope you find a good one. X

in reply to CarolineLondon

Thanks Caroline,

Have read many of the old classics, but fancy something new, and perhaps light, well not even sure on that? I loved books by Sophie Kingsella, I still laugh at ‘the domestic godess’ and putting chick peas in the oven to melt!!!!

Just downloaded Ian Mc Ewan’s sweet tooth, so thanks for the name dropping xxx

Answering you comment on the other post, (you sure have been making me smile today) I loved studying George Bernard Shaw at college years ago and love the quotes from Pygmalion.

I know I shouldn’t laugh at male jokes but one of my favourite moves is ‘as good as it gets’ and love the line where the receptionist say ‘how do you rate women so well, and Jack Nicholson replies ’I think of a man and take away reason and accountability’ , but is such a funny and beautiful film. Have you watch it? I haven’t seen the Mel Brooks film yet so now want to watch that one, thanks xxxx

CarolineLondon profile image
CarolineLondon in reply to

Looove the quote when he tries to see the psychiatrist without and appointment:

Dr. Green, how can you diagnose someone as an obsessive compulsive disorder, and then act like I have some choice about barging in here?

Jack Nicholson sooo great.

Monib you wasskel calling me out on Pygmalion okay, okay so the film was My Fair Lady...lol.

Oh Shaw is so funny, love his Joan of Arc pure genius read the play when I was a teen. You studied...why Monib you brainiac how are we going to keep up with you! I have read 'When we were young several times" could even quote it as a child " Jonathan Joe has a mouth like and O and wheel barrow full of surprises!"

Watch Mc Ewan great writer but bit on the dark side now Monib your supposed to read happy books! Have you thought about Doctor Zeus? :-o

Actually if you like him you should read John Fowles 'The Collector' but you didn't hear it from me right....gawd feel like Im peddling Opium!

Oh and Daphne Du Maurier always good for a lighter read, much under rated writer I think.

Right Im off I have achieved nothing today!!!

in reply to CarolineLondon

Oh it's me!! I keep doing it as well, I always confuse Mary Poppins with My fair lady! I can never remember which is which, sorry.....

I agree Du Maurier is a very under rated writer, for now I think I might enjoy a bit of Doctor Zeus :-)

and I'm with you there, not getting far, so back to the piano!!!

Hugs xxxxx

CarolineLondon profile image
CarolineLondon in reply to

You read AND you play the Piano ! Monib I cant bare it, Im off to research Rocket Science!!! Wasskel....lol.

Sooo envy you, cant play a note. Remember that PG Tips ad with the two removal monkeys, they are climbing down stairs with a piano...son says "here Dad do you know the pianos on my foot"

Dad replies: " You hum it son and I'll play it"

Age, age Im showing my age....I'm off the do the laundry wont do itself...ha ha.

X

in reply to CarolineLondon

you would be amazed how many things can do BADLY! took up piano when my youngest was 11 as she wanted me to do duets with her, and took up the Cello in my late 50's, so not doing to well at that yet, I did learn vibrato the other year though, took the cello up to my deserted spot with the dogs, but it was so noisy it attracted attention, I was trembling so badly I got a lovely vibrato on it!! unfortunately I couldn't string two notes together as I was trembling with fear so much :-(

Hey, but when you've done that rocket science and build the proto type, can I put my hand up for flying off to the moon with you :-)

thanks for giving me so many smiles today xxxx

LittleAine29 profile image
LittleAine29 in reply to

Oh dear ! Eliza Dolittle was SO different to Mary Poppins !!! My Alter Ego and guardian angel Henrietta Spiritwind is a cousin to Mary Poppins and she flys on a huge red brolly when the wind changes ! Mary poppins had a talking parrot head on her brolly handle, Henrietta's has a magic Unicorn ! X

wallflower_fairy profile image
wallflower_fairy

Sophie Kinsella is a great author. :) I would definitely recommend her if you want something light hearted. (I see you've read The Undomestic Godess - I love when she's having trouble getting the washing machine to work!) Also Marian Keyes and Cecelia Ahern. They're my staple bed time reads. :) xx

in reply to wallflower_fairy

Sometimes I don't think of the obvious! I was just browsing through the books and maybe would have been better to browes through the auther I know!

read Cecelia Ahern's P.S, I love you when it first came out and loved it. So just downloaded how to fall in love, thought the title sounded good! but the end of the first chapter gave me a cold shiver and stunned for a few minutes, got past that so now enjoying it more!

thanks xxx

wallflower_fairy profile image
wallflower_fairy in reply to

No problem. Yeah at the beginning there are aspects of it that are shocking, but it's a great read. :) I hope you enjoy it. xx

Hi Monib the authors I find are very compelling story tellers are: Steven King, Dick Francis, Nikki French, Susan Howarth and (an old one but a good one) Dennis Wheatley. Happy reading. xx

in reply to

thanks cough, I love reading Steven King, last one was 'the green mile' and havent read anything of Dennis wheatley for over 30yrs! so perhaps I shoud re visit sometime.

xxx

in reply to

The Green Mile? Wow he has done loads since then. Am currently reading his new one a follow up to The Shining. It's about Danny Torrence and what happens to him years later. One of my fave books of his is quite a recent one - '11.22.63. Buy it, it is a cracking read. It's about a man who goes back in time to try and change the future. You remember what happened on that date? In the USA? I still love Dennie Wheatley and have read most of his books. Read 'The Ka of Gifford Hillary'. Brilliant. I love the Rupert Brook series and the Duke de Richleu ones too. Happy reading. xx

21esme profile image
21esme

Hi,

If you want to laugh I find P G Wodehouse is excellent, well written and clever. For more modern Julian Barnes, Neil Gaiman, terry pratchett, donna tartt or try Jeffrey Deaver. Or old style daphne du Maurier, Agatha christie.

I have a bit of random preferences thanks to an undergrad degree in English literature but always like a decent thriller.

I was recommended an author called Linwood Barclay at my book club so you could try them.

If you want light not sure Ian Mc Ewan is known for light. Lol

I'm struggling with our mutual friend by dickens. Listening to the serialisation on radio 4 extra.

Started a Jeffrey Deaver thriller as I just can't get back into this Dickens.

Oh I love a book. Reading Caroline's response I may have to look out for john fowles the collector - as I liked the french lieutenants woman's.

Sarah xx

WantToChange profile image
WantToChange

Hi, I love to getlost in a good fiction novel as well! Always have.

I love to read Jodi Picoult's books. Her style of sriting is quite unique because she is very good at drawing you into the story and really making you wonder what you would do if you were the character. I always semm to be able to relate to the characters as well which I love. So I would recommend her.

I'm reading a book just now called Witch Hunt by Syd Moore. Her introduction has pulled me in so far. It's about the women who were tried as witches hundreds of years ago in Essex. It is set in modern day and it's a bit of a ghost story as the main character is being haunted by the ghosts of these women. It's also factual, like 200 women dies, in Essex alone. I'm finding that quite different just now.

in reply to WantToChange

thank you, I am so glad I asked now, my kindle is getting well stock again! not read anything by Jodi Picoult so looking forward to it. xxx

LittleAine29 profile image
LittleAine29 in reply to

The jury is still out with me on Kindles ! I love real books. As I get most of mine in the local charity shops for about 50p, read them and then pass them on, a kindle wouldn't be quite the same for me I don't think :) X

in reply to LittleAine29

If you ever get stuck in with nothing to read and can't get to the charity or other shops, just download the free Kindle app on your computer! there are hundreds and hundreds (i think that probably means thousands?) of free books to download.

there are also so many other good things with it, like being able to change the font size, having an instant dictorary, Something I need all the time as my English is very bad!

happy reading xxx

CarmelaGrace profile image
CarmelaGrace

I love reading. I liked the Sophie Kinsella books too - she's about the only 'Chick Lit' writer I can stand. I really enjoyed her 'Twenties Girl' one - about a modern day girl who finds herself haunted by her great aunt Sadie.

As Sarah says - Wodehouse is good for a laugh, as is Terry Pratchett. I like Agatha Christie, but my favourite 'mystery' writer has to be Dorothy L Sayers and her Lord Peter mysteries.

I have tons of books on my kindle, but they're all pretty old-fashioned or ones that I can't get unless I download them from Project Gutenberg. I have eclectic tastes - I like Rosemary Sutcliff's historical books for children, as well as Elizabeth Goudge's (she of the 'Little White Horse') books for older readers, and I'm currently reading The Aeneid in 16th century Scots... (on kindle, of course).

Oh, and I've really enjoyed reading 'The Parasol Protectorate' series by Gail Carriger.

in reply to CarmelaGrace

thanks Carmela, I am adding so many to my list. I am always amazed at how many books we can get for free for the kindle, it's better than the liberary sometimes! of the ones suggested I downloaded several for free and the others were so cheap, how the times are changing xx

Gambit62 profile image
Gambit62

I was given a copy of Kabuko the Djinn by Hamraz Ahsan just before Christmas last year. Couldn't put it down once I started reading it .... and usually it takes me months to work my way through a book ... spend far too much time with crosswords and the sudoku :)

My favourite author is probably Terry Pratchett - love a lot of his take on life ... and who can forget Nanny Ogg's take on the passage of time: "But we've all passed a lot of water since then..."

LittleAine29 profile image
LittleAine29

Hi Monib, I love reading too :) My two favourite books of all time are One Summer At Deer's Leap by Elizabeth Elgin and Time's Legacy by Barbara Erskine. I am into spiritual stuff and natural healing and they are both ecellent spiritual stories. I like good family stories too, Rosamund Pilcher is very good ! She has written one called Winter Soltice which is based in Dornoch a few miles north from where I live, she owns a holiday home up here in the Scottish Highlands :) She also writes alot about Cornwall. The Shell Seekers is one of her best books, I've read that twice ! :) Happy reading :) Hugs from Elaine X

in reply to LittleAine29

thanks Elaine, not heard of those, so yet more to add to my list!!!

is Findhorn anywhere near you? I read so much about it and my ex hubby used to go there years ago, he couldn't get me to come as I was afraid it would have been all too intense for me, but was lovely reading about.

xx

secondhandrose2 profile image
secondhandrose2

I don't know that book, but to find new books I tend to go on Amazon and put in the name of a book I do like then they come up with suggestions which gives me a starting point. Suexx

You may also like...

Has anyone changed their whole support system?

very little contact. My brother is estranged. My good friends growing up seem to speak to me less...

Has any one ever worried about losing their country before?

trigger anyone I will not get into any other details. Keeping myself somewhat sane has been tough...

Amitriptyline 10mg has anyone tried this antidepressant?

prescribed Amitriptyline antidepressant for sleep? Am just having trouble switching off my brain...

Does anyone else find things that bring back good memories hurt you so much you can't deal with them

do fool myself with the thought of the day I can handle positive things from the past and just feel...

Does anyone have any tips on dealing with feeling anxious on a everyday occurrence?

worse the last few months,I have three children and need advice or tips on how I can maybe slow the...