Friday 16 April 2010

Top Ten Picks; Books that make you cry

This week Random Ramblings are hosting a 'top ten books that make you cry'. Chris this week has only submitted one book to the list, because men don't cry don't you know ;)

Marley & Me by John Grogen

Its about a dog, and the dog eventually gets old and dies. How could you not cry at that unless you have a heart of stone. Its quite a good book about a typical American family trying to live with a mad dog in the household which makes it funny, and then the dog gets old and dies which makes it sad.

The Road by Cormac McCarthy

I cried loads after reading this. The whole time reading this book I was terrified something bad was going to happen to the nameless man and boy in the book (but of course something bad had happened) I think it was the right ending for this book but even if the ending had been different by that time I had been on such an emotional journey I would have cried whatever the ending.

Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes

You know when you start reading a book and you know your going to be crying at the end of it? It was like this for me. Just because man can, doesn't mean he should.

The Book Thief by Marcus Zusak

I suspect this will be on many peoples list, even though you know its coming because the narrator has told you (had in fact given you plenty of notice) its still devastating. Chris will completely deny this now but he got a bit wet around the eyes when he read it.

The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath

In Chris's words

The Bell Jar' resonates very deeply with me on a personal level too. I can appreciate (to a lesser degree) what Esther is going through. I find the best kinds of literature most deserving of praise are always those that people can personally relate to.

The Bell Jar made me cry. This has happened to me before with films but never with a book. It's the first time I've fully realised what a profound effect literature can have on a human being. I cannot recommend The Bell Jar highly enough.

There you have it, oh yes and there are only five this week. Well even with putting our heads together this is all we came up with. We did think of adding books which had also 'made us a little sad' but even then the list only came to seven.

We can use the 'oh but we're English we don't cry' excuse but that's not gonna cut it. Maybe we haven't read enough tragic love stories (I do have the time travellers wife on my TBR list) or maybe because we were never subjected to 'Where the Red Fern Grows' as children. I don't know.

12 comments:

  1. I have only read The Book Thief, but had to grab a box of Kleenex at the end.

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  2. That is still good you have five, I guess. I usually avoid the 'crying' books so I'm not doing this top ten-- I think my co-bloggers will-- they are cryers.

    Don't get the wrong idea-- I don't have a heart of stone-- I tear up when 'Old Yeller' dies and Sara Crewe is orphaned and Anne's uncle dies-- I just don't read intentionally emotional books that require buckets for the tears like Jillian requested. Though I am curious about the Book Thief-- People are raving about it all over the book blogosphere.

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  3. I cried over Year of Wonders by Geraldine Brooks. By the way, I highly recommend that book (and not because it made me cry). You ought to try it--then you might be able to increase your list from 5 to 6. ;)

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  4. I've read all of these but Marley and Me and cried over all but The Bell Jar and Flowers for Algernon. No way am I going to read Marley and Me. No way.

    Not after what I went through with Old Yeller.

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  5. I've only read two of these: Flowers For Algernon and Marley & Me, and I agree that they are tearjerkers. The other three books are on my wish list. I've head off on reading The Book Thief because I've heard it's a haunting read and I want to be in the right mood to appreciate it.

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  6. Agreed on The Road and The Time Traveller's Wife... both excellent. I cried with relief during The Road when they found the stash... what an amazing book.

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  7. Agree with TTW and F for A, cried buckets. I was able to remain stoic with The Road though. Another that made me cry was 'If I stay' by Gayle Forman - a superior teen family drama in the Jodie Picoult mode but better.

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  8. I was only able to come up with five too.

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  9. Oh, The Book Thief...so good.

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  10. Lesa - I know what you mean about avoiding emotional books. I dont avoid them but I do need to be in the fight mood for them sometimes.

    C.B.James - yes please avoid Marley & me thats a good decision ;)

    Aylees - I fear we may have all built up The Book Thief too much, your probably wonder what all the fuss is about when you do read it.

    Kathy & Gaskella - thankyou for the recommendations. I have added those both onto my wish list.

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  11. Oh goodness, I actually was debating between Flowers for Algernon or Bridge to Terabithia.. Glad to know I wasn't the only one cried when reading Marley and Me, The Road, and The Book Thief -- they really are such tearjerkers. I have yet to read The Bell Jar. Thank you for participating again this week!

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  12. by the way i have an award for you on my blog! :)

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