Do you read a lot of misery lit?

[liaconn]

I was just browsing in a bookshop at the weekend and was really struck by the amount of memoirs by adults who were abused as children. I know its very important that this subject is aired, but I can't imagine who would want to buy book after book of true stories on the subject. Do people read them to relax after a hard day? Or read them on the bus on the way to work? Or bring them on holidays to read on the beach?? There really were loads of them so must be a large market for this kind of reading (I think its now known as misery lit.)

Just wondering if any of you enjoy these books and would be inclined to read more than one publication on the subject?

 

[micmclo]

I don't read many books

But this is a good one if we're talking about misery
[broken link removed]

A young girl was married off an elderly farmer in the seventies. Her family made some sort of deal, it might have involved farmland I don't remember exactly

The gardaí and local clergy and realy most locals stayed out of it and refused to get involved, small town Ireland

Years since I read it, just this thread reminded me



I listen to Liveline for my daily fix of misery.
I've heard his show described as misery porn.
Everyone screeching and crying and trying to one up the next caller with their tale of woe

Maybe those tradesmen crying they can't get work could contact me. I'm still getting let down by no show tradesmen
Let them emigrate so if they feel able to turn down work here

 

[Bubbly Scot]

I've read a few. Some intentionally and some accidentally. It wouldn't be my cup of tea really but I know someone who can't get enough of that type of book.

That said, my current reading material of choice are murder mysteries!

 

[truthseeker]

I used to read a good few of them but then I got a bit Mis Lit'ed out. The stories all seem the same after a while.

I did read one called Sold, and its follow up, A Promise To Nadia. Years later I still wondered what had ever happened to Nadia and I emailed the ghostwriter on a whim, and he replied and filled me in on what had happened after the books!! I truly felt like I got my moneys worth then

 

[horusd]

Don't like misery lit. unless there is some kind of point to it. I did read Emma Donoghue's "Room" coz it was Irish and short-listed for the Booker. Great story, and not really misery, kind of triumph in adversity story.

 

[micmclo]

Did any of you do Peig Sayers in school?

You want to jump off the cliffs of her island after going through that

 

[Bubbly Scot]

I did read Emma Donoghue's "Room" coz it was Irish and short-listed for the Booker. Great story, and not really misery, kind of triumph in adversity story.

Great book, wasn't it? My daughter gave it to me last Christmas which was a brave move because apparently I'm "difficult" to buy books for. She bought it for the same reasons you did and I loved it. Infact I saw Ms Donoghue has brought out another book recently so I made some not so subtle hints!

I really want to read "Boy in the Attic" but I think it might be too graphic for me...it's the back story I'm interested in...how did the kidnapper get away with it? why wasn't it reported?...put off by the price tag compared to number of pages as well.

There's a certain "sameness" to most of them after a while. Not to deflect from the obvious suffering and need to tell their story but as a reader, it's one reason I've moved on from sci-fi, chicklit etc...they get to all being the same.

 

[liaconn]

Re The Boy in the Attic: My parents know the parents of the little boy who was so horrifically killed. This book was written without their permission. In addition they heard it being discussed on the radio one day by a Guard who had been involved in the investigation but as the parents they had received no prior warning, were totally ill prepared and the shock was terrible. They are absolutely devastated that it's all being raked up again after so many years. They have received absolutely no consideration in all this, even though they were the people most affected and the people who lost their only child so tragically.