...to HATE 'misery memoirs'

[rhirhirhirirhi]

Over the past four years or so I've seen memoirs' become increasingly popular, but surely I can't be one of the only people who thinks that there is something inherently weird and creepy about revelling in these tales of woe? I think it's completely acceptable to read them as a way of supporting yourself if you've been through something similar, but I cannot begin to understand why somebody would otherwise choose to read them. The other day I was in a big Tesco and they had a BOGOF offer on them- allowing some woman to eagerly scoop up 8 (!) with names like, 'Please Daddy No' and 'Our Little Secret' and put them in her trolley.

I was speaking to a friend about this recently and she admitted that she loves them, and said that it helps her to ''appreciate her life''. Worse still, she tried to justify it by saying that many of the ones she'd read were actually fiction, so technically she wasn't really 'experiencing a real person's misery''. Fictional misery memoirs?! Good God, if I were an author writing pretend tales of child abuse I would seriously be re-evaluating my skills! AIBU to think that most people should be perfectly capable of appreciating their life without having to delve into a book detailing the horrendous life of some poor person?

I read A child called It on holiday and cried all the way through the everglades!!! I wish i'd never read it.

I suspect this book started a string of carthartic expereinces for would be authors. perhaps some of them have fond some peace in sharing htier expereinces.

We are so used now to sharing expereinces (good and bad) that would normally never be made public. Look at the public obsession with things like big brother...people are drawn to watching or reading about others, the more cringe making or terrible the more the public seem to lap it up. I call this social voyeurism, and I reckon its unfortunately here to stay.

That said, fiction has always tckled awful subjects - even littery classics like Tess of the durbevilles (spello here I think) contains violence and rape.

Now I'm pregnant I can't watch anything distressing, bloody or that involves harm to others. We had to turn off david attenboroughs 'Life' the other day. Couldn't bear to see the killer whales circling the seal....awww

Notenough I am genuinely very pleased (not quite the right word) to hear that. I have an anthology of writings about the loss of a child. I dip into it often and gain comfort from it. So I do take what you are saying.

Im glad you get some comfort from your book too thefirstmrsdevere. Im so sorry for your loss.