I’ve had a lot of loss and hardships in my life and I recently started reading, however most books I am reading that seem to have a darker/grittier tone have made me cringe and appear edgy for edgy sake or they seem detached from the reality of certain situations in my opinion.
I’ve seen and experienced some of the following: suicide, drug addiction, moral injustice, SA, career loss, abusive relationships, abandonment, psychosis (from psychedelics), health scares and surgery, various natural deaths, car accidents, family tension and intense arguments and falling out, alcoholism, violence, etc
I just want to read something I can relate to in some way. Reading has been very therapeutic but it loses effect when the feeling of authenticity fades in some books for me.
by syndicatesin
9 Comments
* Friends, Lovers and the Big Terrible Thing – Matthew Perry (will cover most of the above)
* Know My Name – Chanel Miller (SA and the aftermath)
The topics covered are hard, but both are relative easy reads.
Sorry about your hardships. Hope you find peace 💛
Ducks by Kate Beaton about sexual harassment and loneliness, abuse, being away from home, social injustice.
Needle in a haystack, Casey Jordan. Lots of heartache, addiction, loss, etc. But you would also have to be into paranormal as the author also shares some personal experiences throughout.
She’s come undone – Wally Lamb
*Crying in H Mart* by Michelle Zauner – memoir; explores how the author dealt with her mother’s death due to cancer, tensions in their family, and issues of identity
*Prozac Nation* by Elizabeth Wurtzel – memoir; very real, raw image of depression and the battle with such mental issues. It also speaks about addiction to opioids.
*Trainspotting* by Irvine Welsh – fiction; gritty, dark story centred around a group of young drug addicts, showcasing the worst sides of addiction
*I’m Glad My Mom Died* by Jeanette McCurdy – memoir; the authors talks about her toxic relationship with her mother and her alcoholism (among other themes)
*Small Things Like These* by Claire Keegan – fiction; it’s diffult to sum up without spoiling, but it certainly deals with themes like abuse and injustice
*Big Little Lies* by Liane Moriarty – thriller; while it’s centred around an engaging mystery it also showcases a very authentic representation of domestic abuse and sexual abuse.
*Nomadland* by Jessica Bruder – non-fiction; the author is a journalist who writes about the community of nomads in the US. Definitely has themes of job loss, injustice and hypocrisy.
*A World Apart* by Gustaw Herling-Grudziński – memoir; speaks about the author’s experiences as a prisoner of a Soviet labour camp. You’ll find many topics you’re looking for, including death, abuse, violence and all sorts of injustice.
These are all quite different books, but they’re all worth reading. I hope you’ll be able to find peace and feel better soon.
You might like “No Home for you Here” by Adam Theron-Lee Rensch. I grew up rural and very not rich and this book has a lot of tragedy related to being poor in America that I think would resonate with you.
*The Opposite of Butterfly Hunting*
*Crying in H Mart*
*Small Things Like These*
*What My Bones Know*
*What Happened to You?*
I hope these suggestions help you find some resonance:
Someday, Maybe by Onyi Nwabineli
Love in the Big City by Sang Young Park
I didn’t enjoy reading this book but it is pretty raw and unflinching, so I do recognize it felt pretty honest: Detransition, Baby by Torrey Peters
Non fiction: Thick and Other Essays by Dr. Tressie McMillan Cottom
Go as a River by Shelley Read