Please tell us about the books you have read that made you cry. Let us know what it was about the book (without divulging any spoilers) that made you cry? Were they tears of anger, sadness or joy?

I decided to start this thread because I just read A Dog's Purpose by W. Bruce Cameron and I cried like a little baby at least four times while reading the book!  And the tears were for different reasons; sadness, anger and also for joy.

I teared up reading The Help but I am not sure any actual tears fell. It was the loss of a loved one that made me tear up.

I cried pretty hard while reading the third novel in the Josephine Bonaparte trilogy. I cried because my heart broke with Josephine's heart.

Interestingly, all of these books rank in my top 10 books of all time!

Recently this one did, funny because I don't really like "true stories".

The Art of Racing in the Rain was enjoyable, and I probably did shed a few tears as animal stories get me every time.  If you liked that one you will absolutely LOVE A Dog's Purpose.

While I didn't actually shed tears while reading or after finishing the novel by Brian Moore, The Lonely Passion of Judith Hearne, that book certainly did a thorough job of saddening me.  It was such a portrayal of how a mean and selfish person can blight the life of another human being, who in no way deserved such treatment.  The hope for love from another person dashed, the lifelong binding to servitude with never a 'thank you' of any kind . . . the grinding poverty that forced Judith into those dreadful life circumstances.  And yet, it is a book that touches the reader . . . .

A child called it.

:(

The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane--I have read it several times and cry each time I read it like it's the first time.  Just think what I would do if I was the age for which it was intended!

I can really only remember one book that made me cry and that was If I Die in Juarez.  It's a book about four young women growing up in Juarez, Mexico and how their lives intertwine with each others' and with a prominent drug cartel.  I cried for one of the main characters who unknowingly befriends the leader of the cartel.  She gets herself into a bad situation as a result of her naivete and trust in him.  I cried for her, but also out of fear for my own young daughter who may or may not have to defend herself in a situation like the one presented in the book.  All that being said, this actually turned out to be one of the best books I've ever read!

I am on the WL for A Dog's Purpose.

I remember years ago being on the playground with my children reading the ending of The Notebook and crying!

I had to read the last three Harry Potter books in seclusion.  I was not fit to be seen in public while I read them, the tears were embarassing.

sevenspiders, I did that with the last HP.

Les Miserables is one that made me boo hoo. In a good way, since it's such a story of redemption.

When I was young Plague Dogs by Richard Adams had me bawling as did Where the Red Fern Grows.  And Sounder.   

The Bell Jar was brilliant but personally jarring experience to read.   

The Sojourner and The Yearling by Marjorie Rawlings had such sadness but beauty in them too.

More recently, I've been haunted by The Road.

Holocaust by Gerald Greene - I read it many years ago and it's the only book that I've actually sobbed while reading.  It tells the story of the Holocauset from two different perspectives - a Nazi officer and a Jewish survivor.  It was made into a TV movie with a very young Meryl Streep..   

A Tale of Two Cities and  the last Harry Potter book, the whole selfless-love thing gets to me!  Also, The Last Sin Eater by Francine Rivers had me sobbing uncontrollably, that was a God thing, but along the same lines.  I really don't like to be moved to tears by books or movies and right or wrong, I try to avoid things I think will make me cry.

I've had tears in my eyes for several books, but only one caused them to roll down my face for ... 10 minutes or more.  Killer Angels by Michael Shaara.

Heaven Is for Real

Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro - I started weeping at the end, the full impact of this amazing book just hit me.

Hi Kathryn,

I second 'Never Let Me Go'.  It was a real good book and heavy reading, but the end hit me like a brick.  I was so shocked and saddened.

Angie

I just finished Blind Your Ponies by Stanley Gordon West and it made me shed lots of tears.  Lots.

You all must have hearts of stone.  If a book doesn't make me cry, it's probably no good.

Crossing Oceans

The Help made me cry more than once.

Also The Art of Racing in the Rain and Marley & Me (Note: reading books about dogs when your own dog has just died is a colossally bad idea).  

I think I might be the only person that gets choked up reading The Lorax though.

Sin Killer by Larry McMurty.

After reading about 1/3 of the book I broke down in sobs and couldn't read any more.... because I knew that literature was dead, publishing houses were now being run by idiots, and that any jerk could put meaningless words down on paper and get paid handsomely for it as long as the words described sex and violence, especially if it included children. 

Now I'll get serious... read The Candy Bombers  by Andrei Cherny.   http://www.thecandybombers.com/

The only book that has ever made me cry was Where the Red Fern Grows in the 5th grade.  It is still one of my favorite books of all time.  Oh, and one that always makes me emotional, but no crying, is The Giving Tree.

It might be easier for me to list what books DIDN'T make me cry as the tears can flow pretty easily for me!

Most of the books by Richard Paul Evans will make me cry.  There is a kids book called "Love You So Much" (I think) by Robert Munsch that someone gave to me when my first child was born.  For gosh sakes I can't even glance through that book without crying.

To Nancy - I also get teary-eyed when reading the Lorax.

Wendy - Love you forever!  I thought of that one too, always makes me cry!  So sad for a childrens book!