Books have a really unique way of being able to tunnel under your stoutest defences and tear your heart asunder just when you least expect it. From that inevitable dog death, to the sadness of losing a much loved character, to those happy tears shed when the ending is a truly lovely one, here are 40 Books That Made you Weep.
The results are taken from our poll question which can be found on our facebook page and are chosen by our followers thereby reflecting what a truly eclectic group we readers really are.
Me Before You – Jojo Moyes
Jojo seems to have got the tearjerker down to perfection and her Me Before You is destined to be one of those books that will always be smudged with tear stains if ever bought second hand.
The Book Thief – Markus Zusak
In second place is a book that made me well up, Markus Zusak tale of a childhood lived in wartime Germany is narrated by a surprisingly affable Death and has the makings of a modern day classic.
The Fault in Our Stars – John Green
Coming in at a surprising third (for me anyway as I expected it to win by a long way) is John Green’s tale of teenage love and loss.
A Man Called Ove – Fredrik Backman
This is a book that I’ve not read but if all of your comments are anything to go by, this is a book that requires an entire box of tissues to be present before being tackled.
The Shepherd’s Crown – Terry Pratchett
Ahhh a book that makes our list for a very different but equally valid reason. As readers came to the end of The Shepherd’s Crown it was with the realisation that it was the end of Terry Pratchett’s amazing writing career and a genius’ swan song and that is without doubt a worthy reason for tears.
The Nightingale – Kristin Hannah
The story of two sisters Viann and Isabelle and the heartrending tale of their lives during WWii is next on your list, read our review and you’ll have some idea of what you are in for when you brave the pages of this gem of a novel.
The Art of Racing in the Rain – Garth Stein
In seventh place is a dog book which pretty much guarantees tears at some point during reading and Enzo’s story is no different. A lovely book that will bring a lump to your throat and ruin any make up being worn.
The Art of Racing in the Rain US
The Art of Racing in the Rain UK
Of Mice and Men – John Steinbeck
If this classic didn’t make you sob uncontrollably then you have no heart. I’ve read it so many times and I still cannot make it to the end dry eyed.
Angela’s Ashes – Frank McCourt
Frank McCourt’s sad, funny, bittersweet memoir of growing up in New York in the 30s and in Ireland in the 40s is our penultimate pick for our featured top ten.
My Sister’s Keeper – Jodi Picoult
And completing our top ten is the story of two sisters and their complicated relationship whereby one is destined to be the provider of spare parts for her sister and with little to no care given to how she feels about it. An emotive read for even the strongest of souls.
11. The Green Mile – Stephen King
12. War Horse – Michael Morpurgo
13. Looking for Alaska – John Green
14. Outlander – Diana Gabaldon
15. The Raven King – Maggie Stiefvater
16. HP Deathly Hallows – JK Rowling
17. To Kill a Mockingbird – Harper Lee
18. Mandy – Julie Edwards
19. Voices from Chernobyl – Svetlana Alexievich and Keith Gessen
20. Never Let Me Go – Kazuo Ishiguro
And after the featured top 20, here we take the list to the top 40 books:
My Grandmother Sends Her Regards and Apologises – Fredrik Backman and Henning Koch
Sophie’s Choice – William Styron
11/22/63 – Stephen King
The Storyteller – Jodi Picoult
Twelve Years a Slave – Solomon Northrup
Cry no More – Linda Howard
My Dog Skip – Willie Morris
Between Shades Of Gray – Ruta Sepetys
House Of Sand And Fog – Andre Dubus III
The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas – John Boyne
A Prayer For Owen Meany – John Irving
A Thousand Splendid Suns – Khaled Hosseini
The Kite Runner – Khaled Hosseini
Eragon – Christopher Paolini
The People at Innhaug – Anne Karin Elstad
Boys and Girls Together – William Goldman
The Shadow Of The Crescent Moon – Fatima Bhutto
The Choice – Nicholas Sparks
Black Beauty – Anna Sewell
The Horse Whisperer – Nicholas Evans
I feel completely and utterly emotionally wrung out now. Such a lovely list of very sad books from you all.
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as the 50 year old daughter of a woman who was completely in denial, Angela’s Ashes is not a tear jerker, Angela is stupid, her husband won’t hand over his pay when he works at the end of the road, why is she so stupid that she believes he will send it from 500 miles away, this book made me furious, no, Angela made me furious, the sheer stupidity
You should try reading Tuesdays with Morrie… It made me cry at the end…
The only book that has ever really made me weep is Rilla of Ingleside, the eighth book in the Anne of Green Gables series. It’s so good
Yes! Such a beautiful book, disappointing we didn’t hear more from the Blythe family after this one……
I would add Where the Red Fern Grows – my go-to book when I need a good cry.
I would add A Monster Calls. Never wept so openly upon reading raw emotions that are so instinctual.
I would add “The Time Traveler’s Wife” by Audrey Niffenegger.