The Literature of Cruelty.

[Mark Cooper]

Sarah Palin's autobiography 'Going Rogue' is, at least in my opinion, a real tour de force and an essential contribution to the literature of cruelty. Her technique of sugar-coating the sadism and cruelty is quite fresh and original.

Also, I'd highly recommend the Bible. Children being torn to pieces by bears at the command of the Lord Jehovah are only the tip of the iceberg.

[Waffiesnaq]

Quote Originally Posted by Coa

Cruelty and Sadism in literature is a very interesting topic, I believe that even most simple examples - almost complete mannerism, could still be good for your imagination from time to time. It really doesn't get any better than Marquis de Sade, I rate him among those like Shakespeare and Po and I would even say one day they will be forgotten and Marquis will still be considered modern, almost everything pales compared to him, but sadly most dismiss him as simple pornographer which is of course bull####.

Coa, I've never dared taste a single fragment from the excremental works of the salubrious Marquis, but I cannot say I haven't always found the odor of his persona to be a musky, appetizing fragrant (and Quills is really an awesome play and film). Which of his works would be most suitable for a newcomer to his cuisine?

Joko's Anniversary by Roland Topor has some really cringe-inducing scenes of torture and humiliation, but I think the most cruel and sadistic work I've read is Lautréamont's diabolical masterpiece already mentioned by luciferfell:

Quote

I shall set down in a few lines how uptight Maldoror was during his early years, when he lived happy. There: done. He later perceived he was born wicked: strange mischance! For a great many years he concealed his character as best he could; but in the end, because this effort was not natural to him, each day the blood would rush to his head until, unable any longer to bear such a life, he hurled himself resolutely into a career of evil … sweet atmosphere! Who could guess whenever he hugged a rosycheeked young child, that he was longing to hack off those cheeks with a razor and would have done so often had not the idea of Justice and her long cortège of punishments restrained him on every occasion.

The scene where the animals of the earth find God inebriated on the side of the road and then proceed to have their way with the defenseless drunkard always leaves me in stitches sweetened with schadenfreude.

[luciferfell]

Quote Originally Posted by Waffiesnaq

Quote Originally Posted by Coa Cruelty and Sadism in literature is a very interesting topic, I believe that even most simple examples - almost complete mannerism, could still be good for your imagination from time to time. It really doesn't get any better than Marquis de Sade, I rate him among those like Shakespeare and Po and I would even say one day they will be forgotten and Marquis will still be considered modern, almost everything pales compared to him, but sadly most dismiss him as simple pornographer which is of course bull####. Coa, I've never dared taste a single fragment from the excremental works of the salubrious Marquis, but I cannot say I haven't always found the odor of his persona to be a musky, appetizing fragrant (and Quills is really an awesome play and film). Which of his works would be most suitable for a newcomer to his cuisine? Joko's Anniversary by Roland Topor has some really cringe-inducing scenes of torture and humiliation, but I think the most cruel and sadistic work I've read is Lautréamont's diabolical masterpiece already mentioned by luciferfell: Quote I shall set down in a few lines how uptight Maldoror was during his early years, when he lived happy. There: done. He later perceived he was born wicked: strange mischance! For a great many years he concealed his character as best he could; but in the end, because this effort was not natural to him, each day the blood would rush to his head until, unable any longer to bear such a life, he hurled himself resolutely into a career of evil … sweet atmosphere! Who could guess whenever he hugged a rosycheeked young child, that he was longing to hack off those cheeks with a razor and would have done so often had not the idea of Justice and her long cortège of punishments restrained him on every occasion. The scene where the animals of the earth find God inebriated on the side of the road and then proceed to have their way with the defenseless drunkard always leaves me in stitches sweetened with schadenfreude.

The best place to start with de Sade is Philosophy in the Bedroom. Its not as overlong as his other books. It gets right to the good stuff.

[Frater_Tsalal]

I second the recommendation of Dennis Cooper and Peter Sotos. I would also add Bret Easton Ellis, Alain Robbe-Grillet's A Sentimental Novel, pretty much all of David Peace's Red Riding Quartet as well. Oh, and Guyotat's Eden, Eden, Eden (one of the most difficult texts I've ever come across).

[Druidic]

This thread may prove invaluable; I now have a list of writers I shall never read. Some obvious choices are missing. Blood Meridian, for one.

[bendk]

I don't really care for this type of literature but I have read my share. A few more that could be added: Maurice Level, Charles Birkin, and Jack Ketchum. Not favorites of mine.

I remember enjoying De Sade's irreverence more than his cruelty. "Philosophy in the Bedroom" and "A Dialogue between a Priest and a Dying Man" were entertaining. ( at least they were 20 years ago) You can read them for free on the net. Other than that I have read Justine and a few other shorter works. I started 120 Days of Sodom but never progressed too far. It seemed like more of the same with a bit more disgust thrown in.

I've read a few others mentioned on this thread: Maldoror, Ballard's Crash, Kalich's Nihilesthete, Joko's Anniversary by Topor, Geza Csath's Opium and Other Stories, (about half of the stories) The Painted Bird and Steps by Kosinski, The Consumer by Gira, Bataille's Literature of Evil, and Blood Meridian by McCarthy. Everything that I have read by McCarthy would qualify, but Blood Meridian is the best. Some of these I liked, some not.

I still want to read Endore's novel. It's around here somewhere.

Quote Originally Posted by Mark Cooper

Sarah Palin's autobiography 'Going Rogue' is, at least in my opinion, a real tour de force and an essential contribution to the literature of cruelty. Her technique of sugar-coating the sadism and cruelty is quite fresh and original. Also, I'd highly recommend the Bible. Children being torn to pieces by bears at the command of the Lord Jehovah are only the tip of the iceberg.

Palin always made me sick. I might take a look at her book if it is at the library. And I echo your sentiments about the Bible.

[Coa]

Waffiesnaq -

There is a nice collection of early stories by Oxford University Press called - The Misfortunes of Virtue and Other Early Tales. It contains thirteen or so stories and its a nice starting place, also The Mystified Magistrate and Other Tales... and there is of course juggernauts like Justine and Philosophy in the Bedroom.
Les Crimes De l'Amour was my first book by Marquis and many would recommend it as good starting place but that's only because its most "cuddly" and tame of all he's books, avoid it.
Also, stay away from "The Complete Marquis De Sade" edition translated by Paul J. Gillette, you can find much better translations than that.

[ramonoski]

On a light-hearted note, there's Spencer Holst. His stories tend to be rather humorous and whimsical (he's often described as some hybrid of Franz Kafka and Gabriel García Márquez), but an argument can be made that he was exceptionally cruel to a good deal of his characters, as he more often than not put them through rather awful ordeals, though the cruelty was always more sardonic than sadistic.

If I may recap one of his tales for reference: in "The Blond Bat" the protagonist is a chubby and somewhat ugly-looking bartender. One day after work he gets on the subway and sees this beautiful girl dressed with a mask that covers most of her face and a black velvet costume. It's the most beautiful girl this bartender has ever seen. Over the course of the brief ride he falls in love and musters the courage to say something to her. (At this point Holst makes a point of saying he realizes he might seem like a sadist for throwing such a scenario towards this poor bartender, with a girl who'll probably end up breaking his heart, but he argues along the lines of "yes, after tonight the bartender will have many months of horror and many years of sadness, but he'll always be thankful for this magical night of love. He won't be unhappy because unhappiness is not having the courage."

The story then proceeds. The girl stands up anticipating her stop. The bartender stands up and says what he has to say to her. She looks at him for a moment, then laughs. But it's a playful, inviting laugh. When the subway door opens she runs, and the bartender chases after her. When they exit the subway, there's some kind of huge party going on with music, parades, and everyone is wearing costumes. The blond bat turns around, grabs the bartender, kisses him, takes his hand, and leads him through the celebrations until they reach a table with some judges in it and she signs them up for some sort of contest. They win the contest on the spot and the judges usher them to this heart-shaped chair and crown them king and queen of the night. Then the crowd starts going wild. The raucous celebration increases. Somewhere a bell begins to chime. The blonde bat takes off her mask... and she's even prettier than the bartender imagined.

The story ends there, in the chair. The maskless girl points towards the clock on the side of a building, leans closer to the bartender and says: "It's midnight! Take off your mask!"

[Druidic]

"Miss Gentibelle" by Charles Beaumont is one of the cruelest stories I've read. It was filmed, rather well, for a British anthology television series and reaction from the public was so negative the series was soon dropped from American TV.
I hated that story, still do, but Beaumont was a good writer and , if I remember correctly, Ray Bradbury said it was the first story Beaumont wrote.

Was Leonid Andreyev mentioned? I was thinking of him when I mentioned obvious choices. I enjoyed "Lazarus" but he's not one of my favorites though I intend to read The Red Laugh one of these days.

For cruelty, I'm not sure many could match the writers of the old Weird Menace pulps. Dreadful stuff!

[Waffiesnaq]

Many thanks, Coa. The Marquis is just one of those colorful rascals I've never gotten around to. But I have gotten round a few.

Quote Originally Posted by Hell-Ghost

Heavens above! So many fine choices and recommendations. I do not like cruelty for its own sake but if it is integrated into the narrative with a decent purpose. Hence, the renegades who call themselves the Splatterpunks hold no interest for me. They are not so much 'This is what happens when Man goes too far.' as 'I have mutilated a child beyond all recognition! Now I have aesthetic value!'

You're talking a lot of sense. I remember reading Ligotti in an interview stating he can't handle real-life violence, news violence, it's just too heartbreaking. I feel him. Some true crime non-fiction I've read, on the Snowtown killings for example, is more harrowing than any weird fiction, including Ligotti (who doesn't fixate on physical suffering in his stories, thankfully).

I like the existential and meaningful stuff, like this:

Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day: Judith Viorst, Ray Cruz: 9780689711732: Amazon.com: Books

 

Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day: Judith Viorst, Ray Cruz: 9780689711732: Amazon.com: Books

No irony intended.