Books that made you cry?

[jamiesam]

I've just re-read Birdsong and really enjoyed having a good sob. Am keen to read another weepy and looking for recommendations (ps am pg so inclined to be more emotional than normal )

Small Island by Andrea Levy was incredibly moving.
I read Birdsong the weekend before DD2 was born early - I think my sobs must have helped to get things going. DH read it on holiday this Summer and I saw his eyes fill on more than one occasion.
Time Traveller's Wife was poignant and sad but didn't reduce me to tears.

I'm a sucker for real life stuff. The three big ones for me were 'Expecting Adam' (cant remember author), 'Because Cowards get cancer too' by John Diamond, and 'When did you last see your father?' by Blake Morrison. all of them will have you howliong but are all uplifting too (I think).

suggest ignore the above recommendations if prone to depression or hypochondria, otherwise tuck in and get some Michael Frayn books in as humour antidote..

Oh yes whiffy, John Diamond's "C" is a brilliant book, so moving and honest.

Fiction -Time Traveller's Wife - Absolutely brilliant, sobbed and sobbed.
Non Fiction - One and Two Halves to K2 by James Ballard. The journey of Alison Hargreaves' family to K2 following her death - heartbreaking and uplifting.

The Lovely Bones, bought to take on hol but read it before in one afternoon, sobbed for ages, didn't dare buy her other book (which was true)

I can truthfully say I have never read a book that made me cry - films are a completely different matter

A child called it, read it in a day could not put it down, and cryed the whole way through.
Then just hugged my DSs

Brothers by Bernice Reubens, made me sob out loud, rather embaressing on a tube!

the 5 people you meet in heaven

or something like that, can't be bothered to get up to look at the title and author. but still made me cry which is a first for a book.

My best friends girl by Dorothy Koomson

I sobbed from start to finish
two friends who had a big falling out reunited when one of them is about to die but needs her to adopt her daughter and then the story from there - I defy anyone not to sob whilst reading it!!

An Evil Cradling - Brian Keenan
Oscar and Lucinda - Peter Carey.

I can't help thinking about The Collector, after that poor girl was locked in a cellar.

I agree, An Evil Cradling made me cry too.

Have just bought 'We need to talk about Kevin' - it looks tio be quite harrowing.

jamieson I've been into that for an entire winter (before I had DD of course and cried almost daily, even on the tube believe it or not - without shame even, but I am shameless when iit comes to books anyway!)

if you're interested 'All quiet on the western front' is a must and if you like it get the next which is 'A time to love and a time to die'. You will cry yourself dry!

don't make me started

I would also recommend my friends girl-and- the island---
both from richard and judy's book club,
I read them recently and cried alot at both.

The island I could not put down and although a bit hard going in places it was a one afternoon read.
The time travellers wife is brilliant too I would love a sequel.

Message withdrawn

A Tree Grows in Brooklyn - now out of print (I believe)

'We Need to Talk about Kevin'.

Cuz it was so bad, I wept for the time I wasted trying to muddle through it.

'The Lovely Bones' should come w/a box of matches, b/c it's best used as kindling.

lovely bones has been on my shelf for yonks - is it no good then?

what book made you cry expat?

Sunset song, angela's ashes, captain corelli's mandolin....

Have just finished 'Private Peaceful' by Michael Morpurgo (teaching it next week, thought it might be an idea to have a quick gander in advance - bloody last minute timetable changes...)

I can definitely recommend it, jamiesam, if you're going thro' a WW1 phase! A weepy & beautifully written - really looking forward to year 8 classes now.

never got all the fuss about Corelli - thought it was pants!

Captain Corelli's mandolin - Louis de Berniere

Takes a while to get going but so, so, beautiful.

I thought it was pants, too, Jools.