Of challenges, comfort reading and realisations...
Recently my brother set me a challenge. Sending me the article by Neil Gaiman where he offers 5 comfort reads to turn to in difficult times. My brother challenged me for my 5. Easy peasy methinks - I'm an avid reader, have loads of books - how hard can it be?? Hmmm - not so. It would seem that I rarely read "one off" books preferring to be in it for the long haul with trilogies, or even more, in a series. I hadn't ever considered this - but clearly I want to really get to grips with the characters and their worlds and one book often won't often do this for me. I have of course read many of the "classics" - Austen, Dickens, Hardy, Brontes but would I offer any of these as a comfort read? As a book I go back to again and again for comfort in difficult times? I would also not be offering a complete picture if I didn't admit to reading "chick-lit" especially the paperbacks sold at supermarkets with a Christmas theme on the cover - but agai...