Comfort Literature, Part 1

I just finished rereading the Chronicles of Narnia, and this got me thinking about the books I've always turned to , over and over again, when I just need some comfort and relaxation. I've always turned to books as a source of comfort; as an only child, I spent a lot of time alone, so characters like Anne of Green Gables always felt like friends.

So here we have it, my favorite comfort literature:

The Chronicles of Narnia, C.S. Lewis

Narnia was always such a magical place that I've been enchanted by these books since I read The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe as a child...who can forget the first time they read about Lucy going through the wardrobe and coming across the lantern in the middle of the snow, and meeting Mr. Tumnus? In addition to the magic, the fact that the characters made mistakes, sometimes big ones, but never managed to really mess things up and were always forgiven was even more comforting. As an adult, the (very obvious, now that I'm looking for it) Christian allegory is also a comfort, since many books today are pretty blatantly anti-Christian.

Ballet Shoes, Noel Streatfield

This is my favorite book of all time. I think the first time I read this book I was about 9, and since then I've read it more times than I can count. The story of 3 orphaned girls adopted by an eccentric scientist, and living in a boarding house full of equally eccentric (but nevertheless supportive) characters, who all take ballet lessons, and end up making their way in the world in different ways (plus being set in 1920s England) is a recipe for comfort literature. I think what was so initially attractive to me was the story of three sisters who support each other (even as children), and as I've gotten older, the simplistic and straightforward plot is great for relaxing my brain. I highly recommend the story of Pauline, Petrova, and Posy...for kids or adults.

Jane Eyre, Charlotte Bronte

I first read this book in college, and ended up basically reading it in one go sitting on the futon in my dorm room. I love Jane as a narrator, perhaps because she is a realistic, and a little bit depressing, narrator (in other words, like me), who nevertheless finds happiness, and also has the strength to turn down offers she knows aren't going to make her happy (who would want to be married to someone named St. John, anyway?). Plus, who can beat a mad wife in the attic?

Jane Austen

I love Pride & Prejudice, Sense & Sensibility, and Northanger Abbey about equally, and I love them all as comfort literature because Jane Austen's writing style brings their world to life so fully. Even though they were written more than 200 years ago, they still seem relevant every time I read them. The endings are all happy, but they aren't cookie-cutter like many modern "chick lit" novels are...the heroines really have to work through why they care for the hero, and it's never just because they have money and look nice. The case of supporting characters also stand out as unique, making the whole novel like a window into the lives of real people who struggle, triumph, and make mistakes along the way.

Great Expectations, Charles Dickens

I first read this book in high school, and have since gone through 3 copies (I finally bought a hardback one). Pip is an excellent, wry narrator, though what I like best about this book is that it isn't only about him--Joe and Birdie, Mrs. Havisham (who can forget the first time you read about the huge rotting wedding cake??), Wemmick and the Aged P, Magwitch, ....the revolving cast of characters all get attention and, for the most, part some kind of resolution. Unlike many of Dickens' other books, the kindness and generosity of human nature shines through, just when you're thinking that all is lost. An excellent read when you're feeling down.


I realize that all the books I've written about here are for the most part "classics"--I promise I do read modern books, and to do a post on them in future. But right now, I think I'm going to go read....