I can't believe I've been so disturbed by a book!

[nkf]

I recently read One Half of a Yellow Sun and it has distressed me beyond belief. I wept buckets and was upset for days. An overreaction? I need to get certain image out of my head but I can't.

Sorry. This is a bit of a mad post but I was wondering if anyone has any suggestions of where to "park" horrible thoughts.

DP enjoyed AP but he's never read it again. Agree it wasn't well written either. Less Than Zero by the same author is really good though.

Tilly, thank you so much for tracking down the book I was referring too (ma bel oranger). I can't believe I now have the title & author after all these years. It almost made me cry again just seeing it It hasn't been translated in english though has it? I actually read it in greek (when I was a child).

The other book I want to mention- inspired by Tilly's nickname! - is a book called 'Tully' by Paullina Simons. It's an interesting book, a very moving story, and in a strange way very disturbing in parts (but not in a bad way, and not about children).

About 'american psycho'. I've read it too & yes, I completely agree with all of you, it's a sick & vile book, no point to it all, and very very disturbing. I have no idea why Bret Easton Ellis felt he had to write it.

I quite like Irvine Welsh - I've read Trainspotting and the sequel, Porno and I think Marabou Stork Nightmares (but can't remember it. However grim some of his subject matter, there is some kind of humanity there.

As I get older, I'm increasingly intolerant of "edginess" in literature - it's so often an excuse for juvenile attempts at shock value.

Last year I read a book called "Kill your friends" by John Niven, which had been highly praised and I was interested in because it was about the music industry in the late 90s. I also found it disturbing in the same way as AP - the violence (especially the misogynist violence) was completely gratuitous without there being any sense that the writer was trying to say anything. I lay on the beach thinking, "why have you written this? I'm not entertained, I'm not educated and not a single thought has been provoked, other than that this character is a twat".

I have never gone back to American Pyscho either, or read any of BEE's other work

Some scenes in that book I can still recall, although I did read the whole thing so it must have had something to keep me reading, if only unbelievable horror

I've enjoyed the Irvine Welsh novels I've read but I went to see his play 'You'll have had your hole' in Leeds when it premiered and it was awful - violence for it's own sake.

I recommend Nancy Mitford for frothiness - sheer escapism for me. We Need to Talk About Kevin upset me far more than One Half of a Yellow Sun, but maybe that's because I remember the Biafran War and have worked in Nigeria, so was aware of the atrocities.

american psycho
the road
grapes of wrath
james herbert one about rats, still think about it.

Found the bits in Birdsong where he is tunnelling underground in the trenches really hideous.
Really brought home to me the horrors of the First World War. It was very graphically written. its ages since I read it, vcertainly before children and I can hardly rememebr any of the storyline except the horrible scenes in the trenches. Didn't want to watch the film.

I read Mr Pip by Lloyd Jones whilst on a very tranquil holiday. It started well and I was really enjoying it but the last part ruined the last couple of days of the holiday as I couldn't get the images out of my head. I usually pass books on but I recycled this one because I found it so disturbing.

Policywonk - I was just going to suggest Pride & Prejudice - I always re-read it after I've read something horrible.

OP - I read Half a Yellow Sun a while ago now and still think about it. I know exactly which bit you mean and it was very upsetting. Beautifully written though. I think novels based on real happenings are so much more upsetting (dur, obviously), but especially when I had little or no knowledge of those events before reading them.

I loved American Psycho when I was in sixth form and thought it was really edgy. Now I'm not so sure. Couldn't believe it when they made a film of it; I definitely couldn't watch it.

American Pyscho film is very tame

no nail guns

TickaWicka I feel exactly the same about Maribou Stork Nightmares. I read it at least 10 years ago and am still sometimes visited by the central scene I've met Irvine Welsh and while he seemed an alright guy, I doubt very much that there was any kind of deeper motivation for him to write that scene than a pure adolescent desire to shock. Which is not enough IMO.

I'm such a wet end these days, loads of books are off the reading list I kind of need to read American Psycho for my dissertation - it's not essential but would really help - but I just can't bring myself to do it. Glamorama was hard enough. Having said that, I can heartily recommend Lunar Park to all those people who wonder whether BEE has any soul or talent.

I find this thing about 'lingering images thoughts or atmospheres happens to me a lot - caused by books and also by films, but it's not always the most graphic or hideaous things that do it to me- it can uggestions of shame or exposure of 'innocents' to depravity or violence that affects me. I find I can neither read nor watch Oliver Twist in any format - even if it's Lionel Bart's all singing all dancing number. The harshness of that period of life just disturbs me (will never be returning to the theatre to see Les Mis either for the same reason). Most recently the most unlikely book disturbed me beyond belief. I loved the autobiography of Liz Smith (Nanna in the Royle Family) so I bought her book of short stories called Jottings, thinkin it would be light hearted comedical little skits. There's a story in there called 'The Kid' that disturbed me to my very bones it was so dark. Have not read anymore and although the book is still on the shelf I may have to pass it on somehow. Always just thought it was brain being a bit weird and over sensitive so you guys have helped me feel a bit more normal!! I guess we are all deeply sensitive and caring souls. Happy reading!