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Original poster

Is it wrong that the only book to ever make me cry proper real tears . . .

136 replies

TheCountessOlenska · 28/06/2012 18:26

is Black Beauty Blush

However many times I read it! And also, at several different points in the story!! (Ginger off to the knackers yard, Black Beauty's ruined knees, when James says "why it's our old Black Beauty from Orchard Farm, I'd know that star on his forehead anywhere" etc etc)

I don't even like horses that much Confused

OP posts:
Arana · 29/06/2012 22:25

Jennie by Paul Gallico. Wonderful book.

Idontknowhowtohelpher · 29/06/2012 22:16

Has anyone ever read "I heard the owl call my name"? I was given it as a teenager and have read it every few years since then. I cry every time... www.amazon.co.uk/Heard-Call-Name-Picador-Books/dp/0330247654/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1341003934&sr=1-1
I have never met anyone else who has read it.

And what about "I am David"? another sobfest!

grimblesmother · 29/06/2012 22:15

Oh lordy yes, The Diddakoi.

LittleFriendSusan · 29/06/2012 22:14

God yes, what is it with children's books? The Diddakoi's another that springs to mind.

Not read Marley & Me but the film had me in floods of tears - same for the Bridge to Terabithia...

grimblesmother · 29/06/2012 22:12

Michael Morpurgo gets right on my nerves, all that relentless dying and loss.

I recently re-read Charlottes Web and realised that it's actually beautifully written.

Snow Goose, Paul Gallico, anyone mentioned that yet?

RhinestoneCowgirl · 29/06/2012 22:11

Matthew dying in Anne of Green Gables used to make me sob when I was younger, not read it recently (sure it's free on Kindle)

We watched the film of Charlotte's Web recently with DS (5). When it started he asked me suspiciously 'does it end well for the pig?'. I blithely said 'oh yes, don't worry the pig is fine...'

He was so upset when Charlotte died, proper sobbing :( Blush

Original poster
TheCountessOlenska · 29/06/2012 22:07

Ooh yes forgot about Jennie! Also Charlotte's Web (cannot wait to read that to DD, such a lovely book).

And yes to His Dark Materials trilogy - when Lyra has to leave her daemon behind Sad Sad

I love love love Anne of Green Gables but for some reason it's animal related suffering/death that makes me well up!

OP posts:
smugmumofboys · 29/06/2012 22:06

Oh God! Black Beauty is a sure fire sobfest. In fact, anything to do with animals.

Recently, I read Witch Light (aka Corrag) and the part where her brown mare dies had me sobbing convulsively.

Elfontheedge · 29/06/2012 22:02

Oh oh oh "Gobbolino is a witches cat"! Cried every single chapter and could never read it again. As for Watership Down, the film traumatised me so much as a child I shudder to even think about it.
Mind you, I cried at a centerparcs advert this week!

Kalypso · 29/06/2012 21:54

Jennie, not Jenny!

Kalypso · 29/06/2012 21:51

I am now in tears thinking about Black Beauty, Watership Down and Goodnight Mr Tom. The one book that had me all-out sobbing, and devastated for weeks after, was the ending of 'Jenny' by Paul Gallico (also the author of Thomasina). I'm still not over that book!

TheOriginalSteamingNit · 29/06/2012 21:18

Matthew dying in Anne of Green Gables, surely? 'my girl, that I'm proud of...'.

Ormiriathomimus · 29/06/2012 21:15

Minipie! I have never met anyone who had read 7 little australians! I loved that book as a child and yes, a real tear jerker. When the father looks out at the orchard at the end of the book and imagines he sees his daughter who had died....

Brices · 29/06/2012 18:29

Another children's animal story, Charlotte's Web

Original poster
TheCountessOlenska · 29/06/2012 18:17

Thanks for the accurate quote ithaka - I didn't manage to dig out BB for my OP, so I just made it up! Birtwick not Orchard Farm!!

OP posts:
SilkieChicken · 29/06/2012 17:38

The Emma books by Sheila Hocken. I never recovered from Emma dying.

ExitPursuedByABear · 29/06/2012 16:52

Stop it now!

ExitPursuedByABear · 29/06/2012 16:52

But then I used to cry at the Baked Bean adverts.

I still haven't finished reading Black Beauty to DD as I kept crying.

On a discussion here a while ago about War horse (nope, never going near that one), someone quoted a piece from a book about a soldier and his horse who were both injured and the horse clung on to life until he knew his master was gone. That has left me emotionally scarred for life.

ithaka · 29/06/2012 16:51

"My ladies have promised that I shall never be sold, and so I have nothing to fear; and here my story ends. My troubles are all over, and I am at home; and often before I am quite awake, I fancy I am still in the orchard at Birtwick, standing with my old friends under the apple-trees".

Sob

ExitPursuedByABear · 29/06/2012 16:50

I'm in floods now.

Chubfuddler · 29/06/2012 16:41

I'm so glad I'm not the only one who cries over James Herriot books. The farmer who killed himself when his dog died had me in floods.

PandaG · 29/06/2012 16:09

I think it is fantastic that books can move me to the point of tears.

Tarka the Otter had me crying so hard as a child that I could not see to read, took the book to my mum for her to read it aloud to me!

Suziskylark · 29/06/2012 16:03

I can't read gobbalino the witches cat without crying my eyes out, I know it has a happy ending but I just can't get there, I've tried about 6 times and still cry then she gets turned away all the time. Hubby thinks I'm mad, and laughs.

Condensedmilk · 29/06/2012 16:02

I've been reading Harriet the Spy to DD and couldn't get through the part where Ole Golly leaves.

It made me sob as a child, but I thought at the age of 36, I'd be ok.
Nope.
DD had to read that page, while I bit my knuckles and tried to take deep breaths.

BBisTitanium · 29/06/2012 15:58

I shall only admit this here but the last or is it second to last book in louise rennisons georgia nicholsons series, where angus gets run over.... I sobbed my bloody heart out. Its a series aimed at young teenagers!!