I want a very depressing book

Greenfinch

Have you read Jude the Obscure by Thomas Hardy?

One of the most depressing books ever! Or Misery by Stephen King.

Anna Karenina.

ViceVersa

Oh I loved Shuggie Bain, but I wouldn't have thought of it as depressing. Same with To Kill A Mockingbird.

Agree. Subjects are sad but definitely not depressing. I’ve read To Kill a Mockingbird about 20 times, and I’ll read it again.

A Little Life - Hanya Yanigihara - very long and depressing.

I’m listening to The Third Reich at War, the final book in Richard J Evans’ trilogy. It is fascinating, horrific and definitely depressing. It’s worth reading though, people need reminding of the evil that their fellow men are capable of. It’s now describing how they began discussing of “the handicapped “. I would definitely have been on the list!

I think one of the most depressing books I have ever read is dark Matter by Michelle Paver. Set in 1937, a young man is part of an expedition in a remote, uninhabited Arctic bay. As the sun sets for months, he realizes he is not alone and that something is waiting in the dark.
This is not straightforward ghost story. One feels the sense of complete isolation and loneliness, but there is also a back story of the terrible cruelty and murder that can happen in remote places where there is no comeback. As the well known quote says. "where no-one can hear you scream."

Pass the sick bucket, can’t stand them.

Any of Catherine Cookson books. Arghhhhhhhh!

ochia03

Ive always loved reading really depressing books, since I'm a rather happy-go-lucky person, so most of the ones I read don't make me feel very sad. So that's where I employ all of you great people, to find me a book that will make me rethink why I created this post. Please and thank you

Ive always loved reading really depressing books, since I'm a rather happy-go-lucky person, so most of the ones I read don't make me feel very sad. So that's where I employ all of you great people, to find me a book that will make me rethink why I created this post. Please and thank you smile. 100001.onl/

I got this,..

At present I'm reading "The School of Night" by Karlove Knausgaard, translated from Norwegian. A Christmas present - very long, no chapters and very depressing.

Greyduster

Luckygirl I agree with you about Margaret Attwood’s books, but I bought a book of her poems recently and they were a complete surprise - clever, insightful and not at all depressing.

Interesting as I noticed that she was also a poet and have suggested her for our next poetry group meeting. Good to have an endorsement.

Well, there's a nice list of books to avoid!

Birdcage Walk
Had it on audiobook, can't recall author
Very much regretted the hours spent listening

Demon Copperhead - it's even worse than Shuggie Bain.

every time I see this thread in active conversations I have a little chuckle to myself

The boy in the striped pyjamas.

Luckygirl I agree with you about Margaret Attwood’s books, but I bought a book of her poems recently and they were a complete surprise - clever, insightful and not at all depressing.

There’s a Scottish saga, covering three generations - brilliant but bleak - A Scots Quair by Lewis Grassic Gibbons.

Oops! Sorry posted twice on same books

My vote would be for A Little Life.
I thoroughly enjoyed what was a depressing and sad book. It was however quite an epic and would recommend.

Anything by Margaret Atwood - makes you lose the will to live.

A few years ago I finally read Anna Karenina and understood why it is so very highly regarded - it is brilliant! So I then read War and Peace (missing out some of the accounts of battles) and having at last discovered Tolstoy went on to read Resurrection which is very depressing but deserves to be better known.

Jude The Obscure by Thomas Hardy.

I too would nominate Tess of the D'Urbevilles. Also Remains of the Day, though I would probably describe it as sad, rather than depressing.

Sophie’s Choice.