Why do people read the "childhood abuse" books? I never look at them and think "oh I'd like to read that"

[MamaG]

so why do people read them?

I think there are too many of these books although I must admit I do own the original 'abuse story' as Ive heard it being called 'A child called it' and the other 2 follow ups and I must admit I do like these bboks but I would nt say Id like to go read all the others it's sad to say but it seems there is a buit of an 'IVE been abused so I'll make some money bandwagon' going on no offence to anyone.

I started reading a child called It many years ago when it first came out and after a few pages of shock it quite upset me and I just thought I didnt wanna spend my spare time and effort getting upset, so I stopped reading it.
I know its real life and these things really do happen but tbh I dont wanna read the gory details of it!
Nikki x

Cannot abide them myself. Have never read one though,and never will.
Gruesome.

I read a Child Called It. Found it really
I generally stay away - they're often recommended in my book club, oddly!

Oh gosh I have often wondered this

Asda has 80% of its book shelves covered with this stuff

I would absolutely HATE to read it, I don't understand why people do, it's AWFUL

I once picked up the one written by one of the Soham girls fathers (not sure which one wrote it) and felt my hand burn.
There is no way I could read that.
I think its worse now I'm a parent, you end up putting in into your own family context, and "what would I do if it were my DD..." etc.

I enjoyed Angela's Ashes, it was well written, and with humour and pathos.

The rest are shit.

There must be a huge audience for them though, otherwise the market wouldn't be flooded with them.

I have to admit just looking at the titles makes me feel horrible inside so I don't wish to go any further. My mum wasn't particularly nice growing up but I was such a daddy's girl, which made it worse for me in a way. I have no wish to read about someone else having a sh*t life.

I admit I walk through bookshops turning them to face the wall. Or covering them up with other books.

I too have seen row upon row of these books in the charity shop. Hmm wonder why they end up there?

But I am posting now to say

WTF

At the ad at the top of this thread? 'Wife in the North' about someone moving to the north where apparently you can't get a decent cup of coffee and 'running out of petrol can be a near death experience'

Who the fuck writes things like this? Piss off back down south thats what I say.

From flibberty in deepest Lancashire and loving it (and with car full of petrol).

We rented a cottage in West Wales and almost every book on the bookshelves was a mis-lit novel. I took them all down and put them in a cupboard.

I think it may be cathartic writing a book like that, but very strange to want to read them.

Here's an odd thing. The most compulsive reader of childhood abuse books is my DD. She is 10.

I would sincerely like some insights into why this is.

About a year ago, I caught her devouring a book called Ugly. WTF???? My daughter is BEAUTIFUL. Absolutely gorgeous. Everyone thinks so. Not just her infatuated mamma.

A month ago she saved her pocket money up to buy the sequel Beyond Ugly.

I'm actually quite worried about this. What is it that resonates here?

I read the series which begins with 'A Boy Called It'. A morbid curiosity drove me to read them i guess. It broke my heart that a mother could be like this, and shed a whole new light on mental illness. I've never read any others, they were quite enough.

I have read some of them but i did a law degree (didn't actually finish it though) and have done courses since in criminal psychology. I have had a very happy childhood and i will be forever in my grandparents debt for that. Yes the books are deeply saddening and I have shed many a tear over them, but to me its about trying to fathom why these awful people do the things they do. We will sadly never stop these things from happening, but at least by studying these cases, criminal profilers get to catch who thy are looking for by the type of crime they have committed - take for example, the soham murders, they knew it was him all the time because of the fantastic work of the criminal profilers. So, for me, I would like to eventually go into something like this, which is why i find the books fascinating. plus, these books do have... a happy... if you can call it that... no maybe ...successful is a better word, they have successful endings, which is nice to hear, that even though their lives were terrible, they have turned their lives around.

the last book i read wasn't a crime book, but it was a true story - "Call the midwife" which was a true account of what midwives had to put up with in the 1950's - now that was an excellent read - makes you think how lucky we are now ladies.

I have to admit when I was at school I had a morbid interest in these books, not because I like abuse or anything but find the stories insperational. I have read lots A child called It series, The Kid, Sick, Just a boy lots of them can't remember all of them but couldn't pick one up now would associate it with DS too much. They used to upset me so I dread to think what Id be like now.

I read them because I wanted to know the signs of someone being abused incase I looked after someone who had been. I also wanted to understand how it felt,how it comes about etc to prevent it happening to my children and hopefully be able to spot subtle changes in behaviour iyswim.

kerrymum - i just read your profile - i'd like to read your book when its finished

I also found the stories inspirational and was in awe that someone who had suffered so much in their early years could put it behind them and make a success of their lives. The courage they show puts my life and problems into perspective.

Mis mems out sold all other genre last year. They're seriously big business.
The worst review I ever got for one of my books was by someone who thought it was a mis mem and was incensed to discover it was fiction.

I don't get it either.

My hairdresser devours them by the shelf-full. I had to ask to stop telling me about them in the end. It was heart-breaking. There is also a bit of competitive misery isn't there? Who can retell the most awful tales of suffering and abuse.

Apparently this publishing trend has peaked. I read something about it in a newspaper a few weeks ago, rep of publishing co said "we now consider every mis mem on its merits"!!!!
I'm afraid I think most people read them out of prurient curiosity (like true crime books which I also loathe), although I do undertand some of the reasons people have given here.

I was in Smiths just this morning & saw 'Please Daddy, no' & was wondering how anyone could stroll in, look at the cover & think "Ooh, that'll be good for the beach!" [it was displayed with the holiday reads]

I would rather read Jane Green, & that's saying something!

(Actually, on reflection, maybe not Jane Green either...)

i read these. well, some of them. i find it fascinating how people work with abused children/adults who were abused as children. i don't read the ones where it's just detailing what went on, but more the ones like torey hayden writes (who was a care worker with 'problem children'). but then again, i'm massively fascinated with ways to relate with people full stop, so i equally devour books on body language and stuff.

also, a few of these books are on my reading list as a health and social care/counselling student, because as others have said, if you know what the signs are, it helps you prepare for how you would deal with it etc.

Read this thread a few days ago. Went to Borders yesterday and while passing the frankly MASSIVE section of ONLY this type of book, I was struck by the genre given by the shop as 'Real Lives'.

No wonder we have such a squewed view of what really life is like. No wonder we are terrified that there are paedophiles on every corner and that our children are at risk from harm 24/7.

Real lives? I'm not so sure. Extraordinary lives, extraordinarily tragic and sordid at times maybe, but real lives? - I don't think so.