1. Zeitoun (Eggers): Probably the saddest book I've read in awhile, not only is this story a source of despair, it also enraged me. This story defines heartbreak, and outlines serious problems in our country.
2. A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier (Beah) : An account of the life and mind of a 12-year-old boy soldier trying to survive in Sierra Leone's civil war.
3. The Time Traveler's Wife (Niffenegger): The love story that gets me every time. I've read it 4 times and without fail, I'm a mess upon completion. A mess.
4. The Diary of a Young Girl (Frank): I'm in love with Anne Frank's story. In college I took a class that was devoted to studying her diary and it's historical implications. Then when I was in Amsterdam I went to see her annex. It's so heartbreaking and heartfelt I can't help but cry.
5. Of Mice and Men (Steinbeck): Lennie!
6. What Is the What (Eggers): Based on the life of a boy soldier and the hardships he faced after moving to the US.
7. Les Misérables (Hugo): Both the book and the play are quite depressing. I mean the title says it all.
8. Cry, the Beloved Country (Paton): A moving and tragic fictional account of apartheid in South Africa.
9. Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close (Safran Foer): I just finished this yesterday. It's amazing - making me laugh out loud and cry. The descriptions at the end are so beautiful but utterly heartbreaking. I want to give Oskar the biggest hug.
10. Frankenstein (Shelly): No, this book did not make my Top Ten Scariest Books list. It didn't scare me at all. Rather, it made me feel awful. The poor monster, he's so misunderstood. No, I didn't actually cry, but I was really upset.
Honorable Mentions: The Bluest Eye (Morrison), For One More Day (Albom)
There it is; racial injustices and children getting hurt get me every time.
Congratulations to Dave Eggers, who has made me cry twice so far. Two for two isn't bad, hence my hesitation to start A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius (it's been sitting on my nightstand TBR for ages).
Zeitoun looks amazing. I really do need to pick it up and just remember to read it at home and not on the subway.
ReplyDeleteRed, It is really good but yes, I would suggest reading it at home.
ReplyDeleteI’ve read all but #2 of your list (including honorable mentions) and it’s like you picked the saddest books I could think of! All of your choices are brilliant. I tear up just thinking of some of them, poor Claire, Oskar, Lennie, geez. Tragedy makes for great plots.
ReplyDeleteAvid Reader, You're right. Tragedy does make for great plots and is probably the most common device.
ReplyDeleteI know what you mean about Frankenstein. I felt bad for the Creature the entire time!
ReplyDeleteSeveral of Toni Morrison's could have made my list...I took a graduate class where we read all of her books at that point...I was so sad all semester.
ReplyDeleteFrankenstein also made me sad...I was not in the least scared either!
I forgot about Anne Frank...such a heart wrenching story
I always felt so bad about Victor's creature. All he wanted was a little love and acceptance.
ReplyDeleteLoni, Me too!
ReplyDeletePeppermint, Of the Morrison I've read they are all quite sad, but none have made me cry.
Leica, I know! It's so sad. I just wanted to give him a hug the whole time.
I hadn't thought of Steinbeck as a tear-inducing author. He's worth checking into again, I think.
ReplyDeleteI'm overdue for another reading of The Time Traveler's Wife. Time to stock up tissues. :)
ReplyDeleteFabulous list! Cry the Beloved Country! One of the most beautiful books ever written, and truly heartbreaking. Now that I think of it, I think The Grapes of Wrath made me cry. Steinbeck is one of my favorite writers. I like your non-fiction choices too...
ReplyDeleteSmellincoffee, I've only read Of Mice and Men, but I've hear The Grapes of Wrath is also quite sad.
ReplyDeleteJoy, TTW is one of my favorite books to reread! I get something new every time.
bibliophiliac, Thanks! I should really read more Steinbeck.
I never read Of Mice and Men, but I totally teared up when I watched it as a performance.
ReplyDeleteI have A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier sitting in a pile of books waiting to be read. I think I keep putting it off because I know that it's going to be such a sad book.
ReplyDeleteeek. I've only read two out of ten. Remind me to put my YA reads down, although Suzanne Collins is fab, and go for the adult choices.
ReplyDeleteDanya, I'll bet!
ReplyDeleteJen, It is very sad but it is really really good.
Samantha, Maybe you can give yourself some sort of trade off. For every 2 adult books you get to read 1 YA! That could help :)
I thought about putting Les Mis on my list too, but since I haven't actually read the whole book I thought I shouldn't. The musical has me crying every time.
ReplyDeleteThe Time Travellers Wife and Anne Frank made me cry too. Frankenstein didn't move me though - it was all a bit too silly to get me emotional. I love books that affect my emotions - I think I'll have to get a copy of Zeitoun
ReplyDeleteI've only read TTTW off your list but I have wanted to read Of Mice and Men for a while now and I think I definitely want to check out Zeitoun.
ReplyDeleteI have Zeitoun and I'm really looking forward to reading it. The Time Traveler's Wife made me cry so much! A Long Way Gone was sad, I agree. The only other one on your list I've read is Frankenstein - I didn't feel sympathetic for Dr Frankenstein at all, I rather hated him and felt sorry for the monster! Frankenstein was so judgemental, the way he decided his creation was evil because he looked so horrendous! That's how I read it anyway. ;)
ReplyDeleteSeveral on your list I've planned to read, but have not yet tried....
ReplyDeleteHere's my list:
http://readerbuzz.blogspot.com/2010/11/top-ten-books-that-made-you-cry.html
MJ, I feel like both are equally depressing.
ReplyDeleteFarmlame, You've got to read Zeitoun. It's my favorite non-fiction I've read... ever.
1girl, You should!
Shannon, You know what it's been awhile since I read Frankenstein and I totally meant the monster. I felt awful for the monster! He didn't scare me, he made me sad.
readerbuzz, Thanks for sharing!
I'm so with you on 3, 4 and 9. And I think I should read some of the others, especially the two Eggers books.
ReplyDeleteI vividly remember crying while reading The Time Traveler's Wife (on an airplane) and For One More Day (on a crowded tour bus). I think the book that made me cry the most was The Pact by Jodi Picoult (also on an airplane - I was inconsolable). For some reason I never seem to read the tear-jerkers in private...
ReplyDeleteYeah...the patterns (child soldiers etc.) is certainly evident hehe. I've heard great things about many of the books on this list (The Bluest Eye is one of my favorite books.
ReplyDeleteI don't believe a book has ever made me cry...although I have to confess that Franzen came a little close with Lalitha in Freedom (I hope thats not a spoiler).
What a fantastic list although I have not read Zeitoun yet...must get that one!
ReplyDelete