Discussion: A few "most disturbing books" lists from around the web...

[prettyh]

Well, hi! Long time no "talk," disturbingbooks! I notice we've gained a lot of new members since I finally got back to posting to Twitter on a reasonable basis, so welcome to the madhouse. And please feel free to post something anytime - we love reading your reviews & recommendations

Comments

[fixnwrtr]

I've read Naked Lunch and American Psycho, but not the others on this list. However, I'd say both are very disturbing and that American Psycho, in movie and book form, were equally disturbing and make the next to the top of the list. I'd add The Exorcist, the movie after the book, since there were plenty of disturbing scenes that became even more disturbing after seeing the movie. The evil/disturbing parts were subtle at times and snuck up on me when I read the book, but when I tried to read the book after seeing the movie, I couldn't get through it at all.

[prettyh]

Ahh, you've reminded me to add "The Exorcist" to my must-read list. I saw the movie when I was little, and I thought it was silly. Then my best friend and I went to see it when it was re-released in theatres a few years back for its 25th (?) anniversary...and wow, what a little age and experience added to the entire thing. We kept glancing at each other, like, "Uh...this is actually freaky." I think I'd been too young to understand a lot of the finer points when I first watched it (I was about 7 or 8), and I just thought it was some kid spewing pea soup and using bad words. It's a weeeeee bit different NOW!

I wouldn't rank it up there on my list, but I had a similar experience to what you describe with "The Amityville Horror." The movie(s) = kind of laughable. But when my father gave me his copy of the book? I had a tough time sleeping for a few nights.

[uzbekpk]

Perfume was one of my favourite books of all time for many years...which reminds me that I have to read it again to see if it is still up there. Highly recommended.

[carabosse]

I thought that "American Psycho" as a movie was really funny, because it was so clearly satirical. "The Girl Next Door" as a film was upsetting, but "An American Crime" was much much more disturbing to me because it was the closest to the real story.

[punkbawkchicken]

Agreed---The Girl Next Door was a pretty vicious movie---that said, I can't wait to read the book!

I thought both American Psycho and Naked Lunch were weak movies at best. I can think of a dozen or so other movies that came off as far more disturbing.

[prettyh]

I have yet to see this version of "The Girl Next Door," but I'm in agreement with carabosse: I actually couldn't even get through watching the Ellen Page version, and that was AFTER I'd struggled to get through the book!

I love "American Psycho" as a film, but only if treated as an entirely separate entity to the book; as you say, if comparing the two, the movie comes out weak. Or, at least, not particularly upsetting. Again, carabosse's mention of the hilarious satire rang true with me, too, whereas with the book I found it really tough to appreciate the irony and dark humour. I was just...yeah, that scene with the homeless man and his dog? I still can't read it. The movie version was child's play in comparison to THAT.

"Naked Lunch" in movie form is what has stayed with me, not any of what I read of the book, which is just WRONG (despite my love of Cronenberg!). I need to try again. But yeah, neither of those movies disturbed me at all. Which...may say more about me than it does about the films... o.O

[prettyh]

As I was just saying to punkbawkchicken, I've only seen "An American Crime" (and I returned it to the video store before I got more than halfway through; I couldn't handle it). I've never picked up the other film version. I think the book did enough damage to my psyche! Not surprised that it made #1 on so many lists. I've yet to meet anyone who's read it that came out on the other side with a shrug. Eugh.

And yeah, I laugh every time I watch "American Psycho." It's awesome satire. I did NOT laugh at the book.

[anonymissity]

That Popcrunch list is REALLY tame, erm, compared to what I like to read. What a bunch of babies.

[snotty]

I don't really understand why The Road by Cormac McCarthy is on so many lists. Yes it was sad and depressing but I didn't really find it to be creepy..