Fiction author Robin Brande talks about writing, reading, and other vital matters

It’s such a relief when sweeps season arrives, because it means I can almost reclaim my life. Just two more episodes of Lost, Alias is ending, Grey’s Anatomy had its cliff-hanger Monday night–soon families will go back to playing Scrabble and throwing the football in the back yard. Hypothetical families.

I had such a good cry watching the season finale of Grey’s Anatomy. First they kill the sweet dog, then Izzy curls up in bed next to her dead fiance–come on, spare us, will you? But there’s something so therapeutic about sobbing over fiction. Much better than having to cry over reality.

Which leads me to today’s question: What’s your favorite saddest book? What book hurt you so badly you think you can never read it again, or hurt you so badly you return to it over and over again for that big throat-aching sob?

For me, hands down, it’s got to be Where the Red Fern Grows. Oh my gosh. You know what’s coming (or at least I do, since I’ve read it more than once), and you can’t bear to keep reading because you’re in such agony, but you owe it to the dogs and the boy to press on, and it just hurts and hurts and hurts.

Sometimes you’re just in the mood for a really sad book. Not depressing–there are plenty of those–but truly, weepy sad. I’d love some recommendations in case the mood strikes me this summer. There’s a theory that tears cool you down . . .

Technorati Tags: Reading, Books, Fiction, Grey’s Anatomy

Posted on Wednesday, May 17th, 2006 at 12:04 am under Guilty Pleasures, Movies & TV, Reading . Subscribe to responses: RSS 2.0 Comment Feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.