Struggling to get back into reading

eggplant of the three books you've mentioned, I've only read Clare Chambers' Small Pleasures, which I enjoyed a lot.

My suggestions from some of the books I've enjoyed this year.:

The Three Graces - Amanda Craig
Lessons in Chemistry - Bonnie Garmus
All the Broken Places - John Boyne
The Amateur Marriage Ann Tyler
Unsettled Ground Clare Fuller
The Story of the Forest - Linda Grant
Strange Sally Diamond Liz Nugent (Disturbing) but excellent.
Americanah Chamanda Ngozi Adiche
Ordinary Human Failings - Megan Nolan

Also The Bee Sting Paul Murray and Demon Copperhead - Barbara Kingsolver - but both are weighty, 600 plus pages I think, and the subject matter of both is bleak at times.

PinkCosmos

I'm not a fan of Fern Britton or the fluffy kind of books

I am currently reading The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid. It is about an aging and reclusive movie star who want to tell her story to a young journalist. Her story starts in the 1950's. I can't remember the names of all of her husbands but that doesn't really matter. It is very character driven and well written.

Mrs Benson's Beetle by Rachel Joyce is also a good read with two great characters.

Also recommend:
Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus
The Wonder by Emma Donoghue
Small Pleasures by Clare Chambers
Mix Tape by Jane Sanderson

But if someone has lost their concentration because of illness or other reasons, fluffy kinds of books might be the best starting point to get back into reading.

I've had Lessons in Chemistry by my bedside for weeks now, haven't yet read it and keep rejecting it in favour of other books. Somehow it doesn't look very appealing.
I'm just reading the fourth Thursday Murder Club book by Richard Osman.

Thanks folks! I don't think 600 pages is for me right now. I did try a Richard Osman but that didn't work either.

MissAdventure

I've read one about a dating bureau, and the detective one.
I believe its the dating one that features the traditionally built woman.

They are quite delightful - the books, and no doubt te women, too.

The Traditionally Built Woman is the detective, Mma Precious Ramotswe.

He also wrote 44 Scotland Street, the Sunday Philosophy Club series and more.

Well worth a try, eggplant

Allira

PinkCosmos

I'm not a fan of Fern Britton or the fluffy kind of books

I am currently reading The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid. It is about an aging and reclusive movie star who want to tell her story to a young journalist. Her story starts in the 1950's. I can't remember the names of all of her husbands but that doesn't really matter. It is very character driven and well written.

Mrs Benson's Beetle by Rachel Joyce is also a good read with two great characters.

Also recommend:
Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus
The Wonder by Emma Donoghue
Small Pleasures by Clare Chambers
Mix Tape by Jane Sanderson

But if someone has lost their concentration because of illness or other reasons, fluffy kinds of books might be the best starting point to get back into reading.

I've had Lessons in Chemistry by my bedside for weeks now, haven't yet read it and keep rejecting it in favour of other books. Somehow it doesn't look very appealing.
I'm just reading the fourth Thursday Murder Club book by Richard Osman.

Allira - the OP said she didn't want to read 'fluffy' books

I like reading short stories when my stamina is low.
The aforementioned Maeve Binchey, Road Dahl (adult stories),
Dorothy Whittle or you could try anthologies of various authors.

eggplant, I'd just Google books you might fancy and read the reviews to gauge others opinions, another Clare Chambers maybe? Probably a tome is too much right now.There are lots of suggestions on Our 50 Books a year thread by the way.

Hope you get back into reading and find something you enjoy.

eggplant

Thanks folks! I don't think 600 pages is for me right now. I did try a Richard Osman but that didn't work either.

Ibpve just finished Swimming for Beginners by Nicola Gill.
It was quite short, quirky but enjoyable.

Do you have a Kindle? You could try some free or 99p books which won't break the bank if you don't like them.

Joanna Nell books are good as are Lianne Moriarty's.

The Woman who Ran Away from Everything by Fiona Gibson
The People on Platform 5 by Clare Pooley
The Lost Bookshop by Evie Woods

Janet McLeod Trotter books set in India

PinkCosmos

Allira

PinkCosmos

I'm not a fan of Fern Britton or the fluffy kind of books

I am currently reading The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid. It is about an aging and reclusive movie star who want to tell her story to a young journalist. Her story starts in the 1950's. I can't remember the names of all of her husbands but that doesn't really matter. It is very character driven and well written.

Mrs Benson's Beetle by Rachel Joyce is also a good read with two great characters.

Also recommend:
Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus
The Wonder by Emma Donoghue
Small Pleasures by Clare Chambers
Mix Tape by Jane Sanderson

But if someone has lost their concentration because of illness or other reasons, fluffy kinds of books might be the best starting point to get back into reading.

I've had Lessons in Chemistry by my bedside for weeks now, haven't yet read it and keep rejecting it in favour of other books. Somehow it doesn't look very appealing.
I'm just reading the fourth Thursday Murder Club book by Richard Osman.

Allira - the OP said she didn't want to read 'fluffy' books

Yes, I know, but books that some might call fluffy could be a good starting point. I suppose it depends on different interpretations of fluffy!

TerriBull

eggplant, I'd just Google books you might fancy and read the reviews to gauge others opinions, another Clare Chambers maybe? Probably a tome is too much right now.There are lots of suggestions on Our 50 Books a year thread by the way.

Hope you get back into reading and find something you enjoy.

Thank you so much and everybody else for your thoughts.

I don't think I said fluffy! I thought Fern might be a good place to start but sadly my concentration wandered.

There seemed to be a lot of eating of hob nobs and cake which was distracting

I did , indeed say the F word. Aplogies.

I'm going to suggest any of the books you loved as a child or young adult. Something you know so concentration isn't an issue.
Usually that sparks a train of thought - and on you go to something else.
I find that doing this is wonderful therapy as I re-visit old favourites. Good luck.

When my life upended in 2008and again 18 months ago I turned to books I enjoyed in my childhood.

Lots of votes for Lessons in Chemistry, I agree, recently read it and found it very engaging and an easy read. Nice for us Boomers too, because of the era.

Brian Bilston - Diary of a somebody… thoroughly recommended.

I was ill a couple of years ago and have still not quite managed to get back into reading. I buy books that might appeal and, when they don't, donate them to the village library so it isn't quite as bad as it might be.

On that note, maybe visit a library and browse.

Catherine Cookson…🤓

Oh yes!!! I'd forgotten her.
I liked the Tilly Trotter ones.

Elly Griffiths - Ruth Galloway books to be read in order. Just fabulous imo. I felt I knew all the characters personally by the end of the series.

If you can find them anywhere, there’s two lovely series of books by the late Rebecca Shaw - Turnham Malpas and Barleybridge.
TM is about the people/events of a small fictional English village. Includes characters such as the Curate and his family, the shopkeeper and his family, the local “lord of the manor”type character. Each book stands alone although it does help to read the series in order. There are 19 books in this series.
Barleybridge is about a fictional country vet’s practice, so you get animal (large and small) “stuff” as well as the personal life of everyone who works at the practice. There are six books in this series.

I found Lessons in Chemistry easy but a little obvious.

My favourite book for a long time has been Bridge of Clay by Markus Zusak. It's a really moving story but I think could be read in smaller chunks.
It was originally released as "Young Adult" fiction but is much more than it sounds.

www.goodreads.com/book/show/7767276-bridge-of-clay

eggplant

I don't think I said fluffy! I thought Fern might be a good place to start but sadly my concentration wandered.

There seemed to be a lot of eating of hob nobs and cake which was distracting

Talk of cake makes my mind wander too 🎂🍰🧁🍪

Oh, I could just eat some cake!
Usually it doesnt bother me at all, but I just thought of a soft sponge cake, with big chocolate chips in, and a cup of tea to wash it down with.

Oh hush your mouth!