The Most "Screwed-Up" Book/Story You've Ever Read?

Personally torn between J. G. Ballard's Crash and George Bataille's The Story of the Eye.

[miguel1984]

American Psycho by Bret Easton Ellis and Guts by Chuck Palahniuk. Both absolutely disgusting.

[Nemonymous]

One of them must be 'Mr. Suicide' by Nicole Cushing, a TLO member.
I mean that in a good way.

	TLO THOMAS LIGOTTI ONLINE

[waffles]

Quote Originally Posted by Nemonymous

One of them must be 'Mr. Suicide' by Nicole Cushing, a TLO member. I mean that in a good way.

I just finished The Sadist's Bible which one ups Mr. Suicide.
I recommend it highly.

	TLO THOMAS LIGOTTI ONLINE

[ToALonelyPeace]

The most screwed up book I ever picked up was The Heart is Deceitful Above All Things. It's from the perspective of a 5-6 years old boy who was taken away from his foster family to live with his real mother. His mother got pregnant in high school so she never got anywhere near a job; she wouldn't be allowed to take him if not for her dad 'not wanting any social worker take care of his grandchild'. His mother couldn't feed herself, lest alone taking care of a child. She abused the kid whenever he cried because of her negligence. Later on (from a summary I read online) after a series of rape by his mother's boyfriends and abandonment, he eventually became a prostitute. The tone of the book adds to its brutality; at times I feel it's narrated from the eyes of a real child-one who cannot see the rocks falling down his head, and who does not run because he accepts pain for life.

Fortunately for my sanity, I only got through 10 pages and quit. Unfortunately, the book is still stuck with me.

This book also has a movie.

[In A Dark Light]

Quote Originally Posted by miguel1984

Guts by Chuck Palahniuk. Both absolutely disgusting.

Thanks for reminding me about Guts. I really needed that story back in my head. :P haha

[Cnev]

What kind of screwed up are we talking about here? I still have major WTF memories of reading Amos Tutuola's The Palm-Wine Drinkard back in college. I need to revisit it because I remember finishing it and having no idea what I actually read.

I have secured an inter-library loan of The Obscene Bird of Night by José Donoso. This one will probably be a doosie.

[Auditor]

The Painted Bird stuck with me for quite a while.

[Kevin]

Quote Originally Posted by ToALonelyPeace

The most screwed up book I ever picked up was The Heart is Deceitful Above All Things. It's from the perspective of a 5-6 years old boy who was taken away from his foster family to live with his real mother. His mother got pregnant in high school so she never got anywhere near a job; she wouldn't be allowed to take him if not for her dad 'not wanting any social worker take care of his grandchild'. His mother couldn't feed herself, lest alone taking care of a child. She abused the kid whenever he cried because of her negligence. Later on (from a summary I read online) after a series of rape by his mother's boyfriends and abandonment, he eventually became a prostitute. The tone of the book adds to its brutality; at times I feel it's narrated from the eyes of a real child-one who cannot see the rocks falling down his head, and who does not run because he accepts pain for life. Fortunately for my sanity, I only got through 10 pages and quit. Unfortunately, the book is still stuck with me. This book also has a movie.

That's alot of takeaway for 10 pages. You have an excellent memory!