Disturbing Reading Material.

[Mechabloby]

Recetly I've been wanting to read as much as I can and I prefer what I read to be something of a disturbing nature: maybe something grotesque; maybe something that makes you think; whatever. I'm posting here to see what NG would suggest reading that is considerably disturbing.

I'm already looking into Naked Lunch by William S. Burroughs and Fear And Loathing by Dr. Hunter S Thompson is on my christmas list.

So, NG, what's a good disturbing read?

[Blush]

There was a short story by the author of fight club called "guts". It was incredibly nasty, and I felt sick after a couple paragraphs.

[Vidaria]

While not really disturbing per-se, Freakonomics is definately an interesting read. Makes you think.

[Mechabloby]

At 11/8/09 12:05 PM, Blush wrote: There was a short story by the author of fight club called "guts". It was incredibly nasty, and I felt sick after a couple paragraphs.

I've heard good things from Chuck Palahniuk so I'll probably look into that, actually.

I've also heard good things about House Of Leaves which is meant to put the reader in an uncomfortable disposition - would anyone suggest it?

[Dropkicked]

At 11/8/09 12:05 PM, Blush wrote: There was a short story by the author of fight club called "guts". It was incredibly nasty, and I felt sick after a couple paragraphs.

I was going to recommend this as well, it's contained in a book called Haunted, all with rather unsettling stories by Chuck Palahniuk.

Definitely, definitely what you're looking for.

[Tonsil-Hockey]

At 11/8/09 12:02 PM, Mechabloby wrote: I'm already looking into Naked Lunch by William S. Burroughs and Fear And Loathing by Dr. Hunter S Thompson is on my christmas list.

There not really that disturbing, more obscene in a fun way. Naked Lunch has a worldwide violnent gay orgy chapter in it if you find that disturbing.

[WritersBlock]

At 11/8/09 12:05 PM, Blush wrote: There was a short story by the author of fight club called "guts". It was incredibly nasty, and I felt sick after a couple paragraphs.

Lmao that's a great read. I just finished a novel called "Breath" which draws lightly on parallels with the story, as it starts out with a paramedic driving out to a house where a mother and father have found their son accidentally suffocated himself as a means of increasing his pleasure. It didn't really feel particularly intense for me until the last probably quarter of the book. It digresses a lot and it doesn't really shock so much as the material could, but it hits home hard and it was a damn good read. That's Breath, by Tim Winton.

And I guess in a similar sense, The Road, by Cormac McCarthy is also a good read. It's very uneventful for most of the book, but there's a couple of pages that fuck shit up that it's truly, deeply disturbing. Other than that, maybe a bit of H.P. Lovecraft or Stephen King, typical horror stuff.

[ryanson209]

Twilight.
Freaked me the fuck out.

Um, I'm not into disturbing reading. Sorry I can't be of more use to you than a bad joke.

[Mechabloby]

At 11/8/09 12:14 PM, Dropkicked wrote: I was going to recommend this as well, it's contained in a book called Haunted, all with rather unsettling stories by Chuck Palahniuk.

Definitely, definitely what you're looking for.

Done, I've looked it up and it sounds great.

Is there any more books or novellas that people have found disturbing? I like to read a lot so if I can order a few books soon then it'll be great.

[sandmanstaysawake]

The Old Testament.

[Orange-Jews]

Check out Clive Barkers work.

He's one of my favourite authors, and is one of the greatest horror writers. Even in his more 'fantasy' books.. there's still a bunch of fucked up shit.

[Digital-Terror]

Bioshock can be a disturbing game if you look into it far enough, and I would say its more entertaining than a book.

[Mechabloby]

At 11/8/09 12:15 PM, WritersBlock wrote: "Breath" and "The Road"

They sound rather good, actually. I'll check them out. I don't need to weorry about H.P. Lovecraft as I've got the commemorative edition of the Necronomicon.

At 11/8/09 12:20 PM, Orange-Jews wrote: Check out Clive Barkers work.

He's one of my favourite authors, and is one of the greatest horror writers. Even in his more 'fantasy' books.. there's still a bunch of fucked up shit.

Someone's been suggesting some of his stuff to me, actually. Doesn't sound too bad so I'll definitely have a look at some of his books.

[MrShankly]

At 11/8/09 12:17 PM, sandmanstaysawake wrote: The Old Testament.

Agreed

[Sizzlebuzz]

I can't stand reading things like that. Why are you wanting this anyway?

[WritersBlock]

At 11/8/09 12:17 PM, Mechabloby wrote: Is there any more books or novellas that people have found disturbing? I like to read a lot so if I can order a few books soon then it'll be great.

Remembered another one: Anthony Burgess's 'A Clockwork Orange'. Despite being one of the strangest books I've ever read (along with The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time), it's totally intense with the brutal polar opposites of free-willed violence and torture-driven peace, a bit of a 'stuck between a rock and a hard place scenario', it's disturbing in the whole tone and coolness that it's told, real horrorshow.

[TylerDurden121]

Anything by Chuck Palahniuk, all of his books are quite disturbing but they are full of dark humor which makes them a good read. I also heard that american psycho is very disturbing.

[Mechabloby]

At 11/8/09 12:24 PM, WritersBlock wrote: Remembered another one: Anthony Burgess's 'A Clockwork Orange'. Despite being one of the strangest books I've ever read (along with The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time), it's totally intense with the brutal polar opposites of free-willed violence and torture-driven peace, a bit of a 'stuck between a rock and a hard place scenario', it's disturbing in the whole tone and coolness that it's told, real horrorshow.

I read both of those books when I was 14 and loved them. Some of the vocabulary used for A Clockwork Orange - although can be baffling - is great as it leaves you to think for yourself with what it could possibly mean. The fact that I prefer the book's ending over the movie's means that I believe it to be a must-read since that movie is actually one of my favourites of all time.

And while I'm at it: I loved the charm to The Curious Incident With The Dog In The Night-Time - the basic language usage is highly relevant to a child/teenage with asperger's syndrome and same with some of the behaviours of the main character, too - the ending actually nearly had me in tears. Powerful book - well researched - and from a skilled author. I need to get Mark Haddon's book about the mid-life crisis too since both of my parents are near to it, I could compare them and the book to each other. :P

At 11/8/09 12:22 PM, Sizzlebuzz wrote: I can't stand reading things like that. Why are you wanting this anyway?

Ever since I was about 9, I loved anything that was remotely disturbing. I guess you can say that I desensitized myself at such a young age, too (definitely after freely watching Last Measure). So, I guess you could say I get my jollies from reading something that pushes the envelope.

At 11/8/09 12:24 PM, TylerDurden121 wrote: I also heard that american psycho is very disturbing.

I've read extracts from that and it really is quite grotesque in parts - I've been meaning to buy the book for some time.

[WritersBlock]

At 11/8/09 12:32 PM, Mechabloby wrote:

At 11/8/09 12:24 PM, WritersBlock wrote: Remembered another one: Anthony Burgess's 'A Clockwork Orange'. Despite being one of the strangest books I've ever read (along with The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time), it's totally intense with the brutal polar opposites of free-willed violence and torture-driven peace, a bit of a 'stuck between a rock and a hard place scenario', it's disturbing in the whole tone and coolness that it's told, real horrorshow.

I read both of those books when I was 14 and loved them. Some of the vocabulary used for A Clockwork Orange - although can be baffling - is great as it leaves you to think for yourself with what it could possibly mean. The fact that I prefer the book's ending over the movie's means that I believe it to be a must-read since that movie is actually one of my favourites of all time.

<SPOILER WARNING>
Absolutely, yes. I read the book before I watched the film, and I think the ending just ties off the whole message of the book real well. As for the movie, it captured the vibe of the book really well, although I thought the attempted suicide scene was signposted with way too obvious remarks such as "when I listen to Beethoven's symphony I want to kill myself". In the book the music was something to avoid, and a suicide attempt was the only outlet, and while it was much the same in the movie, him mentioning that before he gets locked in the room just sucked the spontanaety of the moment from the film. Other than that, I thought it was brilliant.
<END SPOILERS>

And while I'm at it: I loved the charm to The Curious Incident With The Dog In The Night-Time - the basic language usage is highly relevant to a child/teenage with asperger's syndrome and same with some of the behaviours of the main character, too - the ending actually nearly had me in tears. Powerful book - well researched - and from a skilled author. I need to get Mark Haddon's book about the mid-life crisis too since both of my parents are near to it, I could compare them and the book to each other. :P

The book was brimming with so much character, and I loved the fact that the book is apparently about one thing, but through the narrator (being in the condition that he is), another, more relevant story is inadvertently told, and that's where the whole thing gets its impact. It was a really beautiful story. I can't even begin to imagine how much effot Haddon must have invested in order to write that book.

[Chymeraxe]

John Dies At The End.

Shit's amazing.

[ZOMGALIENS]

I would just look through some horror books that you can find.
I don't have any to recommend, but if I were in your position i would just do that.

[Mechabloby]

At 11/8/09 12:44 PM, Chymeraxe wrote: John Dies At The End.

Shit's amazing.

I've heard about it, but it sounds a bit too gimmicky, really.

[thekingofmadness]

3 words. Fucking Blues Clues.

[Leo625]

You could always give Flowers in the Attic a go... It's about this brother and sister who get locked up in an attic and he starts raping her and eventually she starts to like it.

[Mechabloby]

Is there any disturbing books that aren't just in the horror genre that people know of? Maybe something quite profound, that would be delicious.

[doberman7]

The satanic verses.

[FUNKbrs]

Read my blog.

Be disturbed.

I've got a novel and a half rough drafts of lesbian bloodsex.

[Mechabloby]

At 11/8/09 01:24 PM, FUNKbrs wrote: Read my blog.

Be disturbed.

I don't find you to be a disturbing person at all, though, and I've seen you try to freak people out on the BBS.

[yurgenburgen]

At 11/8/09 12:02 PM, Mechabloby wrote: So, NG, what's a good disturbing read?

I was going to recommend Naked Lunch. If you haven't read it, be prepared for some extremely bizarre reading. The "story" is hard to follow because of the non-linear narrative, but it's one of my favourite books.

Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas is fantastic as well.

If you like Naked Lunch, Burroughs did a book entitled Junky which is basically an account of his heroin-addicted life, and is a lot more easy to grasp than Naked Lunch, and still contains a good dose of madness for you.

Essentially, Burroughs is the way to go.

[BrianEtrius]

What's good is American Psycho, by Bret Easton Ellis.

The thing about it is the pacing of the book, because it goes 0 to 60 then back to 0 in a matter of paragraph, or even in some cases sentences.

But overall, very good book, but very disturbing.