5. Finally, for total escapism that shouldn’t take you more than a long afternoon to read, may I recommend Ellis Peters’ classic Brother Cadfael series of mysteries? Brother Cadfael is a thirteenth-century Welsh monk living in England, a kind of pre-Quincy Quincy. You can start with  the very first book in the series, A Morbid Taste for Bones, or you can skip to the book in which Cadfael’s best friend and partner in crime-solving is introduced: One Corpse Too Many. Either way you’ll find yourself in a slower-paced, gentler, more peaceful, much more bloodthirsty world.
Enjoy!