Comfort Books: What Do We Read Again and Again? Iowa Patch Book Club

Welcome to the Eastern Iowa Patch book club, a place to discuss the books you love, the books you can't stand, the books you're reading and those you think everyone else should read too. Really, we're keeping it informal here, and we hope you'll join the discussion.

This week I'm talking about comfort books.

Like comfort food, for me a comfort book is a book that I know I'll enjoy, that I can pick up without any expectations except to lose track of the world for a little while.

As children, my sister and I shared books and constantly re-read our favorites. I still have many of them, the covers falling off, pages coming loose from over-use. Comfort books.

It's been a long week. Here in Cedar Falls the ongoing drama of budget cuts at the University of Northern Iowa has kept this Patch editor busy, and reading through budget documents is my personal recipe for a migraine.

The solution? Pick up a comfort book.

What am I reading this week?

Besides spending time with some of my old favorites, I just got a notice that the has a copy available of Suzanne Collins' Catching Fire, the second in The Hunger Games series. So this weekend will feature Easter family time mixed with Dystopian survivalism.

I'm also reading After the Workshop, by John McNally. This one should appeal to anyone who has spent time in Iowa City, as it is the fictional memoir of a Writer's Workshop graduate who never leaves Iowa City and never finishes his novel. McNally gratuitously place-name drops, taking readers along with his character as he tromps from the Sheraton to Prairie Lights to the Foxhead and back. A silly but entertaining novel.

This Week's Club Recommendations: 

So, what books do you re-read? Or is re-reading not for you? I know people who love it and people who hate the very idea.

Tell us how you feel about re-reading and tell us your favorite comfort books in the comments section. We'll compile a list of recommended books that we can share with everyone next week. of books featuring strong female characters, submitted by readers and Patch editors.