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The saddest book you've ever read . . .

308 replies

expatinscotland · 27/05/2005 13:51

or didn't finish b/c it was just too depressing?

'White Oleander' by Janet Fitch

OP posts:
GentleOtter · 01/04/2011 19:46

Jude the Obscure.

Don't read it. That is how gutting it is.

stripeywoollenhat · 01/04/2011 19:51

bringbackgoingforgold - i agree about home, it made me cry and books don't usually - i think i like it better than gilead, but both are absolutely brilliant, and if anybody is looking for an incredibly thoughtful, gorgeously written book, i think they should go out and get them both.

MoChan · 01/04/2011 20:13

Norwegian Wood by Haruki Murakami. Utterly depressing. But then, it is about depression.

PlanetEarth · 01/04/2011 20:43

Agree about Jude. But I love it - I like tragic books!

Greythorne · 05/04/2011 14:33

The Secret History by Donna Tartt, the bit when Richard is hospitalized and Henry stays with him and looks after him and Richard writes (from memory):

"Of course Henry is dead now, but I like to think that somewhere there's a gold star by his name."

"Searching For Shona, children's book about two girls evacuated in Ww2 from Edinburgh. Ending is shocking and sad.

"What falls away" by Jay McInerny when Jeff dies of AIDs.

"Restoration" no majorly sad bits but just poignant throughout. The bit about having a tabard made for the King made me so sad.

"Year of Wonders" when the children die of plague. Happy and totally -unrealistic ending.

Year of Magical Thinking, Joan Didion about the year after her beloved husband died.

City of Thieves by David Banioff when the aspiring writer who has been so overly-confident throughout gets shot and dies.

I don't know how she does it by Allison Pearson, the bit where the mother who is dying writes a long "family manual" for her husband, entitled, "Your Family. How it works" and her funeral scene.

shefliesthrutheair · 05/04/2011 14:35

Captain Corelli's Mandolin had me in tears on the tube several times.

QuickLookBusy · 05/04/2011 21:35

Tess of the D'urbervilles

A Thousand Splendid Suns

Grapes of Wrath

Of Mice and Men [I cried and cried and cried]

Birdsong

frazzled74 · 05/04/2011 23:29

jude the obscure and sophies choice

daimbardiva · 06/04/2011 16:21

After You'd Gone, by Maggie O'Farrell. Can barely think of it without welling up

cilldara · 10/04/2011 22:18

We were the Mulvaneys by Joyce Carol Oates broke my heart.

Spudulika · 11/04/2011 11:41

War and Peace.

The bit where whassisnames' brother dies of TB.

I sobbed for hours.

Birdsong. Used and excerpt from it for my GCSE retake boys. Always had a problem reading it without my voice going wobbly......

wildkittydeer · 26/06/2011 22:13

I think Gone with the Wind is pretty sad really, full of loss opportunity.

Popbiscuit · 26/06/2011 22:22

The Bridges of Madison County and Sarah's Key (wish I could unread the part about the little brother in the cupboard). Angela's Ashes...when one of the twins dies and his brother is looking out the window for him Sad

Scootergrrrl · 26/06/2011 22:41

Family Life by Elisabeth Luard. It's her memoir and her description of her miscarriages and still births are heartbreaking. And I made the mistake of reading the final chapters, where her beloved daughter dies, just before the school run. Cried like a baby for 10 minutes then had to pick the children up wearing sunglasses..... In February. Lots of uplifting bits too but the ending is so beautifully written and devastatingly sad Sad

IHeartKingThistle · 26/06/2011 23:09

When I was doing Tess of the d'Urbervilles for GCSE our teacher told us not to read Jude the Obscure until we were a bit older. What did I go and do? It destroyed me. Seriously, it made me realise things about the world that I just wasn't ready for.

Dammit, Mr Young was right.

Nefret · 30/06/2011 22:06

"Remember Me" by Lesley Pearce made me cry so much. I have also just finished "The Greek for Love" by James Chatto and I creid at that too.

Ruthie32 · 01/07/2011 18:49

The Book Thief - I was bawling my eyes out for the last 30 pages or so

Lara2 · 04/07/2011 21:40

The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas

Sophie's Choice

The end of A Tale of Two Cities.

ThisMomentusDay · 06/07/2011 22:33

Suzanne's Diary for Nicholas by James Patterson

Read this before i had DS and honestly don't think i could read it now that i'm a mother! Just thinking bout it brings a lump to my throat, wonderful wonderful book!!

acsec · 06/07/2011 22:38

The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini

First they Killed my Father by Loung Ung - about the genocide in Cambodia. I sobbed my way around Cambodia reading it!

Madondogs · 07/07/2011 19:33

All quiet on the Western Front. Incredibly sad, the loss of a whole generation. Beautifully written.

SecretSpi · 07/07/2011 21:14

The final chapter of "The House at Pooh Corner" - sorry!

limitedperiodonly · 12/07/2011 17:03

After You'd Gone by Maggie O'Farrell. I had sad dreams about it afterwards.
Cold Mountain Charles Frazer
Possession AS Byatt - well, one of the strands.

limitedperiodonly · 12/07/2011 17:05

Madondogs Never read All Quiet on the Western Front but saw the film the other day. Incredibly sad and still modern for a film made in 1929

McDreamy · 12/07/2011 17:05

I am David

The Boy in the Striped Pjamas

My Sister's Keeper

Jude the Obscure

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