Happy books

I am reading a serious, good book, a prize winning book. The book is a fictional story of a family during the Nigeria-Biafra War of 1967-1970. I am learning a lot and the book is well-written and evocative. And that's the problem...it is so evocative that it's not fun to read. The descriptions of malnutrition " kwashiorkor" are heart wrenching. The descriptions of death are graphic but the saddest descriptions surround the deterioration of the human spirit during the war. I haven't finished the book yet (and I've been reading it since October which is an eon since I usually complete a book within a few days or a week), so I don't know whether the ending is uplifting but I doubt it. Such an ending would not be true to the book or the nature of war. War does not just kill those who die; it can also kill those who live.

Books like this are necessary. They serve to educate and remind us of life, all aspects of life, no matter where we live. There is great sadness in the world. There is torture and war and other unspeakable crimes, but I believe there is also great light in the world. There are many people who respect each other, who see the light even through the darkness and strive to make the world a better place. These people are not just the Nobel Peace Prize winners; they are the ordinary folk among us who smile at strangers, who let us merge in traffic, who emanate cheer even standing in line at the grocery store...and the bittersweet, great thing is that many of these people are calm, composed and bright simply because they know the value of life.

I vow that the next book I read will be a happy one. The trouble is that happy fiction is hard to find. I've read all of the No. 1 Ladies Detective Series with its gentle approach to life and human foibles. I'm not particularly fond of British or American humor. P.G. Wodehouse and Bill Bryson do nothing for me. I've read and re-read the Little House on the Prairie series so many times that I can quote passages (though I always skip over Pa's fiddling). I enjoy books with a touch of magic. Bernard Malumud, Isaac Bashevis Singer, Chaim Potok all have elements of this aspect in their writing. I recently discovered an Alberta Ismaili writer, whose book of short stories, Baby Khaki's Wings, left me feeling a quiet peace. My favorite author, though, when I want to read about happiness is Laurie Colwin. I highly recommend all her books but two, in particular, stick out for me. Happy All the Time and Shine on Bright and Dangerous Objects.

So, friends, help me out. I need some recommendations for happy books. They could be classics that I have never read, classics that I should re-read or new titles that I have not yet found. It will be fun to share the books that make us happy.