What is the saddest book you’ve ever read?

[Anonymous]

Native Son

[Anonymous]

"A Fine Balance"

It was a fairly popular book about 5-10 years ago about India that included a number of intertwining stories about a young male student, an older man, and a middle-aged woman. It was the most depressing book ever. I read it over five years ago and it still depresses me to think about it.

[Anonymous]

I recently read Every Last One by Anna Quindlen and found it to be sad and tremendously affecting. I didn't expect the story to go in the direction it did, so perhaps that's why it was so powerful. It's surely not the saddest book ever written (there is happiness at the beginning and hope at the end), but I highly recommend it.

Everyone should read If This Is a Man by Primo Levi. The definitive memoir of the Holocaust.

[Anonymous]

A thousand splendid suns. I had to put the book down every other chapter to cry.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Bastard out of Carolina by June Allyson

or

The Book Of Lost Things by John Connolly

I agree about Bastard out of Carolina (by Dorothy Allison). Parts of that book made me so upset/angry I had to put it down for a few days.

Also, Sophie’s Choice.

I saw bastard out of Carolina and can't imagine reading it. I was devastated.

[Anonymous]

Sarah's Key. I can't even think about it.

[Anonymous]

I have cried reading Interpreter of Maladies by Juno’s Lahore.

The Remains of the Day was extremely sad to me too, especially how it deals with regret and defining what is important in life.

Cloud street by Tim Winton is also sad.

[Anonymous]

I know it’s a movie and not a book, but One True Thing by Anna Quinlen had me bawling. (And appreciating my mom more. )

[Anonymous]

The Book of Ruth by Jane Hamilton (?) I gasped and sobbed with that one

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Where The Red Fern Grows

agree

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have cried reading Interpreter of Maladies by Juno’s Lahore.

The Remains of the Day was extremely sad to me too, especially how it deals with regret and defining what is important in life.

Cloud street by Tim Winton is also sad.

Seriously? It’s Jhumpa Lahiri! My favorite author. Try Namesake, it’s beautiful.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:"A Fine Balance"

It was a fairly popular book about 5-10 years ago about India that included a number of intertwining stories about a young male student, an older man, and a middle-aged woman. It was the most depressing book ever. I read it over five years ago and it still depresses me to think about it.

+1.

[Anonymous]

I read Alex:The Life of a Child years ago and I remember crying while reading it. It’s a true story about a girl with cystic fibrosis.

[Anonymous]

I lot of the books here made me sad, but The Outsiders made me cry for an hour. Maybe it was the right age right time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I read Alex:The Life of a Child years ago and I remember crying while reading it. It’s a true story about a girl with cystic fibrosis.

I remember this too. I sobbed uncontrollably as he described her funeral.