Saddest book you have read?
Discussion
CoupeKid said:
Golden Gate by Vikram Seth.
I haven’t read it since I was a teenager but as I recall it’s about a lonely engineer in Silicon Valley who eventually loses all his friends in a car crash.
The crazy thing is that it’s written entirely in verse.
All in rhyming couplets, including the title. I haven’t read it since I was a teenager but as I recall it’s about a lonely engineer in Silicon Valley who eventually loses all his friends in a car crash.
The crazy thing is that it’s written entirely in verse.
I loved that too. Really impressed me as a twentysomething. But I don't remember it being especially sad at all. Funny how different people can have such different memories of the same book;)
dontlookdown said:
JapanRed said:
perdu said:
In fiction the saddest, most desolate book ever.
"On The Beach" Nevil Shute.
I know I will never read that book again although some of his others are inspirational such as "Trustee From The Toolroom".
I’ve ordered this book from Amazon. Had never heard of it until you mentioned it but the synopsis reads brilliantly. "On The Beach" Nevil Shute.
I know I will never read that book again although some of his others are inspirational such as "Trustee From The Toolroom".
For Whom the Bell Tolls - Hemingway
Started this on holiday one year and three pages in (having recently read Iain M Banks), thought "this isn't for me". Way too descriptive, emotive and drawn out. Somehow I was hooked before I knew it, and was so absorbed nearly missed my flight home reading in the departure lounge. A love story centred on the Spanish Civil War, brutal and touching in equal measure. An extraordinary read, but also exhausting.
Started this on holiday one year and three pages in (having recently read Iain M Banks), thought "this isn't for me". Way too descriptive, emotive and drawn out. Somehow I was hooked before I knew it, and was so absorbed nearly missed my flight home reading in the departure lounge. A love story centred on the Spanish Civil War, brutal and touching in equal measure. An extraordinary read, but also exhausting.
popeyewhite said:
For Whom the Bell Tolls - Hemingway
Started this on holiday one year and three pages in (having recently read Iain M Banks), thought "this isn't for me". Way too descriptive, emotive and drawn out. Somehow I was hooked before I knew it, and was so absorbed nearly missed my flight home reading in the departure lounge. A love story centred on the Spanish Civil War, brutal and touching in equal measure. An extraordinary read, but also exhausting.
I read it when I was about 20. I thought it was excellent. I've not found any other Hemingway books as good. Started this on holiday one year and three pages in (having recently read Iain M Banks), thought "this isn't for me". Way too descriptive, emotive and drawn out. Somehow I was hooked before I knew it, and was so absorbed nearly missed my flight home reading in the departure lounge. A love story centred on the Spanish Civil War, brutal and touching in equal measure. An extraordinary read, but also exhausting.
What's the Thomas The Tank engine story where they brick one of the trains up in a tunnel?
I remember thinking that was a pretty dark tale for children when I read it to my son.
OK, they're trains, but they're all personified in the books, so bricking one up, forever, in a tunnel seemed a very grim tale!
My son didn't really seem to care at the time, so I guess kids just don't see it the same way.
Just reading back, I'd have to agree the saddest novel I've ever read was 'On The Beach', the complete absence of hope really bought home how real the fear of nuclear holocaust was in the 50s and 60s.
M
I remember thinking that was a pretty dark tale for children when I read it to my son.
OK, they're trains, but they're all personified in the books, so bricking one up, forever, in a tunnel seemed a very grim tale!
My son didn't really seem to care at the time, so I guess kids just don't see it the same way.
Just reading back, I'd have to agree the saddest novel I've ever read was 'On The Beach', the complete absence of hope really bought home how real the fear of nuclear holocaust was in the 50s and 60s.
M
tribalsurfer said:
My 4 year old brought a book home from school called Chicken Lickin', absolutely brutal. Loads of farm yeard birds get together and then they meet a family of foxes that eat them. 4yo FFS
Haha. that takes me back. Children's stories are/were often quite brutal. We have tended to sanitise things a little in recent times.
Milkyway said:
The Plague dogs : Richard Adams.
( a VERY long time ago, I hasten to add).
A story with a twist... it told as from the animals viewpoint.
Yep, even better than his more well known 'Watership Down'. Was made into a good film, too. ( a VERY long time ago, I hasten to add).
A story with a twist... it told as from the animals viewpoint.
Edited by Milkyway on Wednesday 1st September 19:26
Edited by Milkyway on Wednesday 1st September 19:27
Edited by Milkyway on Wednesday 1st September 20:13
This might make a few eyes roll, but I've always been moved by 'Wizard and Glass', a Dark Tower book by Stephen King.
Lots of depressing ideas - I've read a lot of them. I think that the image of the runaway train at the end of "La Bete Humaine" by Emile Zola is pretty sad, as are so many of his books. Just make sure that they are modern translation as older versions were censored - not some thing I knew until I tried some comparisons with online versions.
Former People by Douglas Smith.
A factual historical view into the Russian psyche of unrelenting oppression, torment and violence of its own people and perhaps why they treat all human beings so poorly.
There are nuggets of hope and small moments of human brightness in there that make it extremely readable - I’m about to set off into it for a third time.
A factual historical view into the Russian psyche of unrelenting oppression, torment and violence of its own people and perhaps why they treat all human beings so poorly.
There are nuggets of hope and small moments of human brightness in there that make it extremely readable - I’m about to set off into it for a third time.
MC Bodge said:
popeyewhite said:
For Whom the Bell Tolls - Hemingway
Started this on holiday one year and three pages in (having recently read Iain M Banks), thought "this isn't for me". Way too descriptive, emotive and drawn out. Somehow I was hooked before I knew it, and was so absorbed nearly missed my flight home reading in the departure lounge. A love story centred on the Spanish Civil War, brutal and touching in equal measure. An extraordinary read, but also exhausting.
I read it when I was about 20. I thought it was excellent. I've not found any other Hemingway books as good. Started this on holiday one year and three pages in (having recently read Iain M Banks), thought "this isn't for me". Way too descriptive, emotive and drawn out. Somehow I was hooked before I knew it, and was so absorbed nearly missed my flight home reading in the departure lounge. A love story centred on the Spanish Civil War, brutal and touching in equal measure. An extraordinary read, but also exhausting.
Brooksay said:
Yep, even better than his more well known 'Watership Down'. Was made into a good film, too.
This might make a few eyes roll, but I've always been moved by 'Wizard and Glass', a Dark Tower book by Stephen King.
I read that many years ago. I have recently discovered that I like audiobooks more than I expected and am most of the way through bingeing the series again. I did not really remember that one, or how grim it was. Is the revelation about what happened to Roland’s mother the end of that or the start of the next one? This might make a few eyes roll, but I've always been moved by 'Wizard and Glass', a Dark Tower book by Stephen King.
A Fine Balance-Rohinton Mistry
Set in India from the 70s a story of 4 people dealing with the cruelty and corruption of India. "A Fine Balance" between hope and despair.
While fiction it's historically accurate. I became quite angry with the author(silly I know) for what he put his charges through
Set in India from the 70s a story of 4 people dealing with the cruelty and corruption of India. "A Fine Balance" between hope and despair.
While fiction it's historically accurate. I became quite angry with the author(silly I know) for what he put his charges through
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