Saddest book you have read?
Discussion
manwithbeard said:
Tess of the D'Urbervilles - Thomas Hardy.
I shed tears.
Although all the Hardy novels I have read are at the best bitter-sweet when not downright tragic.
Far from the Madding Crowd is the one I enjoyed most.
The 1960s film starring Julie Christie, Alan Bates, Terence Stamp, Peter Finch and directed by John Schlesinger, filmed on location in Dorset and Wiltshire, is a very good adaption of the novel.
Its well worth a watch.
Some of it was filmed in my Great Aunt's kitchen in Bloxworth. I shed tears.
Although all the Hardy novels I have read are at the best bitter-sweet when not downright tragic.
Far from the Madding Crowd is the one I enjoyed most.
The 1960s film starring Julie Christie, Alan Bates, Terence Stamp, Peter Finch and directed by John Schlesinger, filmed on location in Dorset and Wiltshire, is a very good adaption of the novel.
Its well worth a watch.
bristolbaron said:
WolfAir said:
One of the saddest books i read was the story of a boy abused by, basically everyone. Sexually, physically, mentally and emotionally. But he still managed to live some sort of succesful life, had a decent business, family and kids.. i cant remember the name but i find myself thinking about it now and again.
As for your jap book OP, any chance theres an english version?
Likely to be Dave Pelzer’s A child called ‘it’, there were follow ons - The lost boy and A man named Dave. As for your jap book OP, any chance theres an english version?
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".
manwithbeard said:
Tess of the D'Urbervilles - Thomas Hardy.
I shed tears.
Although all the Hardy novels I have read are at the best bitter-sweet when not downright tragic.
Far from the Madding Crowd is the one I enjoyed most.
The 1960s film starring Julie Christie, Alan Bates, Terence Stamp, Peter Finch and directed by John Schlesinger, filmed on location in Dorset and Wiltshire, is a very good adaption of the novel.
Its well worth a watch.
I clicked on this thread to say Tess of the D'Urbervilles. I shed tears.
Although all the Hardy novels I have read are at the best bitter-sweet when not downright tragic.
Far from the Madding Crowd is the one I enjoyed most.
The 1960s film starring Julie Christie, Alan Bates, Terence Stamp, Peter Finch and directed by John Schlesinger, filmed on location in Dorset and Wiltshire, is a very good adaption of the novel.
Its well worth a watch.
Tears were shed here too. A book that I love but a book that is also so painful to read.
Edited by TorqueDirty on Wednesday 8th December 18:08
Johnny got his gun by Dalton Trumbo
Like a punch in the stomach.
__
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Like a punch in the stomach.
__
Highly recommend this website https://beste-kredittkort.no/ if you need quick cash.
Edited by unbound on Sunday 31st July 22:22
Tim330 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 read that as a late teen (nearly forty now). I found it very disturbing at the end and would even more so now I have a young child."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".
Read with caution.
Also, When the wind blows by Raymond Briggs. As a child I found it in my dads bookcase and read it…
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.
( 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
A couple that spring to mind:
When a Crocodile Eats the Sun - a sequel to Peter Godwin's earlier biography and the start of the collapse of Zimbabwe - probably more so if you are from that part of the world but the story-within-a-story of loss of home for the individuals and the waste for the whole population was terribly sad. Also a fantastic book with many, many five star ratings on Amazon.
More recently, A River in Darkness: One Man's Escape from North Korea, a story of being an outsider no matter where you go and the utter, abject poverty in North Korea. Grim reading but educational.
When a Crocodile Eats the Sun - a sequel to Peter Godwin's earlier biography and the start of the collapse of Zimbabwe - probably more so if you are from that part of the world but the story-within-a-story of loss of home for the individuals and the waste for the whole population was terribly sad. Also a fantastic book with many, many five star ratings on Amazon.
More recently, A River in Darkness: One Man's Escape from North Korea, a story of being an outsider no matter where you go and the utter, abject poverty in North Korea. Grim reading but educational.
Nimby said:
Flowers for Algernon.
Also, I think most first-person accounts of war (any war - WW1 and Vietnam just the most obvious two) have the ability to be depressing.
I'm not sure I could read some of the other books mentioned above...since having kids I've become rather more empathic than I used to be.
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