The Most Depressing Book You've Ever Read

[Enemy Of The State]

Lord of the Flies, Of Mice and Men (just the hopelessness of knowing their dream would not come true, and the ending), and Tears of a Tiger.

 

[Denamic]

Hitchiker's guide to the galaxy.
It made my sides hurt from laughter, but the ending made me sad.

 

[AspiringPotato]

I second the opinion that All Quiet on the Western Front is the most depressing.

 

[googleit6]

The Book Theif. I was so shocked at the ending.
If I recall correctly (I read the book a few years ago, so the details are foggy) the book itself was a little bit boring, but, good God, that ending. I ended up sobbing.

 

[vivalahelvig]

*sniff* 1 fish 2 fish red fish blue fish *sniff*

 

[Paddin]

Private Peaceful by Michael Murporgo. God-damn thats a sad book, when I finished it I just sat in silence for about 10 minutes crying.

Also, The Boy in The Striped Pajamas. Thats a baw-worthy book.

 

[Gamegirl22]

I'd say Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka. It just really sucks to be the main character. You're not appreciated by your family so when you wake up as a giant bug it's pretty much over for you. Now if he was turned into something cute as a kitten this might have been a different story...

 

[Marter]

Probably The Road. That book wasn't all that cheerful.

 

[Dr Snakeman]

A child called "It".

I've read that. Was a long time ago so I don't remember exactly what happened. I remember the jist of it though.

I read some of it. Messed up stuff in there.

However, The Green Mile takes the cake for me. It's even worse than the movie, since

Spoiler

Mr. Jingles dies at the end.

 

[Tdc2182]

The Demonata books have pretty depressing endings for their characters. Basically, at least 3 or four close friends will die in every single book.

 

[foxlovingfreak]

Personaly I thought The last book of the dark tower series was pretty depersing but it's still probally one of the best books In the serise becuase of it.
(Not to metion one of the best books I have ever read ever)

 

[Vuljatar]

The Road.

 

[UberMore]

The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini.

That shit is bleak...was a "really" fun 6 months of English lessons...

 

[runedeadthA]

A lot of Short story books do, mostly because a lot of them seem to enjoy downer endings ( I find about an 80-20 ratio), and ambiguously sad endings. It pisses me off after a while though
Parts of Fragile Things by Neil Gaiman depressed me (I don't read depressing books if I can avoid them >.<) Errrrmm I can't think of much else apart from maybe Metro 2033.

 

[gary the red shirt]

either "of mice and men" or "the grapes of wrath". Steinbeck just has a way with making bad stuff happen to good people.

[http://dragcave.net/view/jNC1]

 

[occrats]

"The Road" and "First They Killed My Father" I have done both for school book reports and just finished the "First They Killed My Father" today, its at true story about the Khmer Rouge take over Cambodia and it almost made me cry.

 

[ModReap]

The Road - Cormac McCarthy

 

[The Grim Ace]

Farenheit 451. When I finished it I realized we're a good two paces away from the society he envisioned, that entirely ruined my month.

 

[Wilderbeast]

My mother is adamant that the most depressing book in existence is 'The Giving Tree'. I'm inclined to agree.

My elementary teacher's favorite book. The man flew helicopters in Vietnam...but when they made him quit, he killed himself. Saddest book on multiple levels.

 

[theComposer]

Childhood's End by Arthur C. Clarke.