alg | Book meme: Day 15!

Day 15 - Your "comfort" book

You know, for a long time, I stopped reading books for pleasure. Part of it was learning how they were made and the politics involved in getting even The Best Book Ever Freaking Written published, and part of it was not having time, because I was reading so much for work. Not just stuff I was editing, but also keeping track of the competition and figuring out what I needed to be publishing to both compete and fill untapped niches.

I loved it -- oppositional research in publishing is totally one of my favorite things to do. But it meant that when I got home and collapsed on my bed with an hour to myself at night, what I wanted to do was not read more books, even my favorites. I ended up working at a vegan restaurant for a while (okay, for, like, two years!), which not only helped me to not feel like I wasn't reading enough for pleasure, but also gave me time to think about... well, about work, I admit it, but it was sort of like meditation, and I put a lot of things into perspective and came up with a lot of good ideas while standing over the cold hold and using the grill and holding down the cash register with a line out the door.

Now I am in the opposite position, where I read more for pleasure than for anything else. It's amazing! I miss the hectic, high-pressure, high-stress of that time, but I don't miss not reading the stuff I love.

A selection of some of the books I read when nothing else is satisfying me:

I admit that these days I am almost exactly as likely to go for my favorite fanfics when I am in need of comfort, as I am to go to my favorite comforting books, but I think that's a different meme!!

How about you guys -- which books are your favorite comfort reads?

Other days of the book meme:

Day 01 - A book series you wish had gone on longer OR a book series you wish would just freaking end already (or both!)
Day 02 - A book or series you wish more people were reading and talking about
Day 03 - The best book you've read in the last 12 months
Day 04 - Your favorite book or series ever
Day 05 - A book or series you hate
Day 06 - Favorite book of your favorite series OR your favorite book of all time
Day 07 - Least favorite plot device employed by way too many books you actually enjoyed otherwise
Day 08 - A book everyone should read at least once
Day 09 - Best scene ever
Day 10 - A book you thought you wouldn’t like but ended up loving
Day 11 - A book that disappointed you
Day 12 - A book or series of books you’ve read more than five times
Day 13 - Favorite childhood book OR current favorite YA book (or both!)
Day 14 - Favorite character in a book (of any sex or gender)
Day 15 - Your "comfort" book
Day 16 - Favorite poem or collection of poetry
Day 17 - Favorite story or collection of stories (short stories, novellas, novelettes, etc.)
Day 18 - Favorite beginning scene in a book
Day 19 - Favorite book cover (bonus points for posting an image!)
Day 20 - Favorite kiss
Day 21 - Favorite romantic/sexual relationship (including asexual romantic relationships)
Day 22 - Favorite non-sexual relationship (including asexual romantic relationships)
Day 23 - Most annoying character ever
Day 24 - Best quote from a novel
Day 25 - Any five books from your "to be read" stack
Day 26 - OMG WTF? OR most irritating/awful/annoying book ending
Day 27 - If a book contains ______, you will always read it (and a book or books that contain it)!
Day 28 - First favorite book or series obsession
Day 29 - Saddest character death OR best/most satisfying character death (or both!)
Day 30 - What book are you reading right now?