Top Ten Tuesday: Books to Read while You're Sick

Technically, today's topic is Books I'd Recommend As Good Beach Reads, but I've already done that one. Since I've been down with a cold for a week, however, and since head colds, like the beach, generally demand uncomplicated reading material, I figured the matter of what to read when sick deserved its own list.

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by The Broke and the Bookish! Do come join the fun...

Perhaps this will differ from reader to reader and from cold to flu bug, but when I'm feeling really awful, I shamelessly choose books that won't ask much of me. This means that a) they won't test my reading comprehension with mind-bending concepts or overly intricate prose or a lot of new vocabulary, b) they are unlikely to prove irritating or unsettling, and c) I can count on a happy ending.

With those qualifications in mind, then:

1. The Scarlet Pimpernel by Baroness Orczy. Mystery, romance, heroism, fashion, simplicity. It's a fantastic read and won't let you down.

2. P.G. Wodehouse—anything by him, I suppose, if I may judge entirely by Psmith in the City. Lots of humor, and laughter is supposed to be good for the health.

3. Any Lord Peter Wimsey book, by Dorothy Sayers. For the same basic reasons as the Wodehouse recommendation, plus the fact that Lord Peter is just delightful.

4. Moonraker's Bride by Madeleine Brent. Historical romance with a Gothic flair and an absurdly capable, wonderful heroine. If the rest of Brent's books are as relaxing and intriguing as this one, I recommend them, too. This was one of Arabella's offerings, so I actually read it during this cold. Review coming soon.

5. Summer of the Monkeys by Wilson Rawls. Hilarious, old-fashioned, with just a touch of the mystical—rather like his better known work, Where the Red Fern Grows, but with a happy ending this time. Five stars.

6. The Little Princess by Frances Hodgson Burnett. I also loved The Secret Garden and liked Little Lord Fauntleroy, but this was always my favorite. Sara was a childhood hero of mine, and I've never given her up.

7. The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame. Kid lit can be particularly enjoyable when you're sick or tired or just needing a break. I keep forgetting that I recently bought a copy of this and need to read it, as I haven't since childhood.

8. Anything by Jane Austen. Yes, Austen can make you think, and yes, you need to be pre-accustomed to the phrasing and sometimes the spelling of Regency England, but Austen is my go-to girl when I need an optimistic read with lots of laughter.

9. Any of Patricia St. John's works. Most of them are for children, and all of them are quick, easy reads. They're among the few works of categorical Christian fiction that I don't hesitate to recommend. My favorites are If You Love Me (her one adult novel) and Star of Light.

10. Girl of the Limberlost by Gene Stratton Porter. It's one of those over-dramatic old romances, but a thoroughly delightful one. Porter makes the Limberlost a place you'll want to visit.

What books do you read when you're under the weather?