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Original poster

Books that are painful to read, but EVERYONE should!

95 replies

expatinscotland · 28/03/2006 10:13

I'll start:

Schindler's List

All Quiet on the Western Front

The Colour Purple

OP posts:
mymama · 03/04/2006 04:50

Shock whingers!! I don't like whingers either, but forcing a child to eat his own vomit on a regular basis would be classed as a little more than whingeing to me. I would be interested to hear moondog's version of cruelty.

PutAPeachyInYourSimnelCake · 02/04/2006 16:52

Misdee, I had to go order that now- Angry at you for making me spend money!

Wink

Shall nick it back from DH Grin

But at least Amazon tells you the ending

misdee · 02/04/2006 16:45

yup, i finished it just before the holiday. i really thought it would be a happy ending.

mieowscintillant · 02/04/2006 16:42

oi misdee, can I have that back??

misdee · 02/04/2006 16:16

between two eternaties.. a story written like it was by the prem baby and his fight for life. oh its so sad.

moondog · 02/04/2006 16:07

second worst mymamma?
How does one measure such things, ray??

Pruni · 02/04/2006 14:33

Moondog doesn't like whingers, mymama. Smile

Primo Levi, definitely - 'If This Is A Man', certainly, but also 'The Drowned and The Saved' for some of the more harrowing details of how the killing was carried out and one incredible chapter where he details his feelings towards Germans.

The Handmaid's Tale, Atwood - read post-children, I wept at nearly every paragraph. Also, somehow, though I haven't thought through how, it seems important to have read it given today's political climate.

MadameDeMars · 02/04/2006 14:21

\link{http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/0747538328/qid=1143983960/sr=1-1/ref=sr_1_2_1/202-2131963-1022257#product-details\here's one for you Issymum. The Color of Water - a black man's tribute to his white mother}

mymama · 02/04/2006 14:08

moondog - can't believe any human being with an ounce of feeling could say such a thing. His case is the 2nd worst case of child abuse documented in California. If he is "whingeing" I would be interested to hear what you deem as child abuse. I am stunned Shock

Senorcod - his brothers probably dispute it because they were upstairs enjoying a "normal" life and didn't half of what went on.

moondog · 01/04/2006 22:22

God that Dave Pelzer is a man who has elevated whingeing to a fine art isn't he??
Just watch while he churns out even more self obsessed crap

'Dave:a mid life crisis'
'A semi retiree called Dave'
'Dave deals with depression after a prostate scare'
'Dave,Dementia and Demons;the fight goes on'
'Goodbye Dave'

What an arse he is.....

lockets · 01/04/2006 22:17

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Message withdrawn at poster's request.

lionhearted · 01/04/2006 22:13

The Joy Luck Club -- nearly lost it when she leaves her babies 'cos she can't carry them anymore ...

PandaG · 01/04/2006 14:35

Agree re Never Let Me Go, we are discussing it at book group later this month. Also love Goodbye Mr Tom, makes me cry every time I read it. I find Tess of the D'urbervilles painful, but love Hardy.

mieowscintillant · 01/04/2006 14:30

Hannah's gift, so so sad.

Blackduck · 01/04/2006 14:24

Store up the anger - Wesssl Ebersohn. - South African book written about the apartied years. Has a harrowing description of the death of a young black man in police custordy (very Steve Biko). I can remember shaking with anger whilst reading it....

If this is a man.

One day in the life of...

Kiss · 01/04/2006 13:42

In Cold Blood
Tuesdays with Morrie
The Kiterunner
La Voz Dormida - The Sleeping Voice

Senoracod · 01/04/2006 12:53

yes but its a ll a pile of crap isnt it? think he made it up
his borthers duspute it

mymama · 01/04/2006 12:52

collision - agree with A Boy Called It. Found it very difficult to read. Helped to then go on and read a Man named Dave.

canadianmum · 31/03/2006 19:11

Wild Swans - 3 daughters of china by Jung Chang

amazing and true book about 3 generations of women growing up in china before and during the cultural revolution.

A great read, and highly recommended!!

Also loved Primo levi, as mentioned :)

LIZS · 31/03/2006 18:23

Lucky/The Lovely Bones

Blandmum · 31/03/2006 18:12

A day in the lie of a man who is a prisoner in a Soviet work camp....a Gulag. From the moment her gets up to the time he goes to bed. Very harrowing but an exceptional read and political important for its time.

Uhuru · 31/03/2006 17:53

What's One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovitch about - there is no synopsis on Amazon.

TIA
x

rumtumtigger · 31/03/2006 17:46

Kazuo Ishiguro NEver Let Me go

Ironmaiden · 29/03/2006 23:24

Roots - Alex Haley

Majorca · 29/03/2006 21:14

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.