Since having my heart broken I find myself with tons of time and tons of stuff in my brain I really don't want to think about. Reading is the best way to tackle both problems at the same time. Plus it's nice.

But I was unsure as to what to read. Sad stuff, so I can bathe in my own misery and get it out of my system? Light and fun stuff to trick myself into being happy? Pure escapism?

I figured there's not one right answer and it pretty much depends on the person and the situation. So I thought everyone would have a different approcah and I got curious.

What do you read when you're in a dark place? Do you have a favourite book, author or genre to help you out? Or do you choose something that might allow you to go deeper into your pain or make some sense out of it? What authors or works have helped you in the past?

I used to read Anne McCaffrey - either the Pern books or the Rowan books. Or the David Eddings series. Because they were good stories, with good characters who occasionally did some really stupid things, but then fixed it. I re-read them a lot. I sort of burned out on them though and haven't read anything for years. I tend to re-read Pratchett now. Maskerade or Carpe Jugulum or Thief of Time or Night Watch.

Anne McCaffrey had a knack for making me cry - for getting so involved in her characters that they were my best friends and when something happened to them it was like it happened to me, too. But I re-read them too often and got to know the stories too well (I think)

And now I just don't want a physical book, I'd rather read from a device and I dread buying *all* those Pern books. And Eddings.

I have thought of Pratchett as a grat way to get mi mind off things.

I think I'd also like the kind of books I can immerse myself in, but the authors I've been into lately are the kind that delve maybe too much into emotions and relationships, especially females'. So it might not be good choices right now, I couldn't stand to read that just yet.

I go for pure escapism: Epic fantsy of S/F. Nothing set in the 'real' world. Big thick books that I can get lost in or a long series. I agree with Maeve you need charactors you can become friends with.

Good luck Cloverheart. we're here for you.

I usually read old fantasy YA novels when I'm in a bad place. Robin McKinnley and Dianna Wynne Jones for example. I think it may be because novels for that age group are usually about the first time something really crappy happens to them, and how they handle it. But it's for a younger audience, so the crappy things aren't that crappy, and there's always a resolution at the end.

Also, YA leaves the boring parts out.

When Karen Miller writes as K.E. Mills, she's good and quite funny- the rogue agent series is good, although the third is a little bit dark. I wouldn't recommend her others, though- it's as if she takes herself too seriously when she writes under her own name.

Diana Wynne Jones, of course! It's true that YA books tend to be quite soothing... Besides the aforementioned reasons, I think it's also because you get to feel like a child again, not jaded and burdened by grief or sorrow or whatever.

Maeve, I read the Belgariad Chronicles by Eddings as a kid. I hated it with a passion for some reason I don't quite remember. But you raise a good point with the kindle, I might be able to borrow one and then I don't mind giving anything a second chance.

Epic fantasy did come to mind. I thought of re-reading TLOR, but I think it's too intense right now for me. I do want to read something that will make me forget about the rest of the world, but I feel like I need all my emotional strength to deal with Real Day-to-Day Unbelievably Boring and Lonely Life (at the moment) and not stressing over characters who might die or loose everything or destroy the world.

I loved the Belgariad! But then again I read it when I was 17? 18?

Have you read the Patrick Rothfuss books yet? Epic fantasy and really engaging. Also intense, but in different ways from LotR. However, the series isn't totally done yet.

My problem with a lot of fantasy is that my first book of the genre was TLOTR when I was 10 or 11. I kept expecting everything else to blow my mind in the same way and it didn't. It took me many many years to be able to appreciate other fantasy writers for other reasons, but I 'm still reluctant to pick up fantasy novels for the same reasons. But maybe it's a good moment to pick up a new auther or series... Maybe not a big series as that seems like a huge commitment right now.

Jocelyn, Dianna Wynne Jones of course! I see what you mean about YA. I think for me another reason why YA literature can be 'healing' is that I do feel like a kid again when I read, which takes me back to a place where I felt more secure, things were easier, I hadn't been hurt yet. It's nice to feel that again.

Have you read the Tiffany Aching stuff from Terry Pratchett?

Nope, is it a Discworld series or another one altogether? *wikies* Discworld series then. Noted

It is set on the Discworld, but you don't need to have read any other DW books.

Tad williams is good fantasy, though when I'm feeling crappy i tend to reread Gaiman or Pratchett

Probably why i've re-read good omens over 50 times

When my mum was dying, I mainlined Terry Pratchett, particularly the Watch books, re-read them all. They got me out of myself, and were kind of solemn as well as funny. I am so grateful to these.

When I was getting divorced, when I wanted a quick pick-me-up or mood reset, and didn't have the time to sit down and read something long, I'd read a chapter of something by Al Franken - usually a bit from his book "Lies and the Lying Liars who tell them". It just made me laugh and got me into a completely different headspace.

Again, during the (long, drawn-out) separation and divorce proceedings, when I wanted to read something emotionally comforting, I couldn't read het romance *or* lesbian romance, as both were too close to home. That's when I got into reading gay male romance, which gave me the emotional kick and a happy ending (usually) without too much of the self-identification.

Dianna Wynne Jones - I read "Howl's Moving Castle" three times sitting by my son's hospital bed.(That was back when he first had his car accident)

i'm not sure if ive ever read something different when im feeling down...i usually just finish the book im already on then the one i planned on reading next

but if you want a depressing book, my suggestion is The End Of The Affair by Graham Greene

or Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close by Jonathan Safran Foer...but that one actually took me from a great mood into a horribly depressed one

A bit different from what's been recommended so far, but My Family and Other Animals used to be my go-to book when I was a youngster nursing a broken heart. So funny, and not even the vaguest romantic sub-plot in sight, yay. I recall Watership Down was safe, too, and rabbits are just what you need when you're fed up with people and their rubbish.

Also, interesting (unsentimental) memoirs, such as Thor Heyerdahl's books about his adventures, not only Kon-Tiki but the one where he lives in the jungle for a couple of years... Fatu-Hiva (I just googled it). Oh, and rock n'roll biographies are great, IME they almost never dwell on heartwrenching stuff. The Dirt was hilarious (so wrong in so many ways).

quote:

Originally posted by Tismalleen:
A bit different from what's been recommended so far, ...

Well I wasn't exactly asking for recommendations, I was just really curious as to what people take comfort in, book-wise. Maybe the thread title and making the first post about memememe makes it seem otherwise

(Of course any discussion about books is kind of everyone recommending stuff, which is great of course. Like your choices there and I might steal some.)

quote:

Originally posted by Jocelyn:
I usually read old fantasy YA novels when I'm in a bad place. Robin McKinnley and Dianna Wynne Jones for example. I think it may be because novels for that age group are usually about the first time something really crappy happens to them, and how they handle it. But it's for a younger audience, so the crappy things aren't that crappy, and there's always a resolution at the end.

Also, YA leaves the boring parts out.

I'm seconding Joc's recommendation. The last time I was in a bad space, I read The Girl with a Dragon Tattoo and The Hunger Games trilogies. I needed female characters who had been through stuff but still had the grit to fight on when all the odds seemed stacked against them.

Also, as far as graphic novels go, I'd recommend the Blue Monday series by Chynna Clugston. It always makes me laugh and isn't too emotionally heavy.

For truth to close to the bone, read this chilling truth, about a girl, stepping like Peter out of a boat, in faith......and experience what happens when you realise Jesus is your only hope!