After suggesting several titles for some of my favorite books, one of my sisters pointed out that I seem to appreciate sad, depressing stories.  

Probably two of my all time favorites are "The Dollmaker" by Harriet Arnow, and "The Grapes of Wrath" by John Steinbeck.  Both are very sad stories.  I've liked everything I've ever read by Amy Tan, and hers are often sad.

Does anyone have any suggestions for sad books that I can look for??

Mary in KY

Angela's Ashes by Frank McCourt.  Absolutely tragic story, but you'll find yourself laughing, too (at least we did -- maybe it's the Irish Catholic thing). 

Also Still Alice by Lisa Genova.  That was a heartbreaker.

Ange;a's Ashes - I'd forgotten!  I will look for "Still Alice" - thanks for the tip!

Mary in KY

Night by Elie Wiesel is probably the saddest thing I've ever read. 

A Child Called It by, I think, Dave Pelzer (child abuse)

Sophie's Choice by Wm Styron -- also has funny moments but overall heartbreaking

The Road by Cormac McCarthy - about as bleak as it gets, but also On the Beach by Neil Shute

Ethan Frome by Edith Wharton

Flowers for Algernon by I think Daniel Keys - something like that. 

[ETA: How could I forget House of Sand and Fog?] 

Be sure to put on your Leonard Cohen albums. 

These are off the top of my head, so I may be slightly wrong on exact titles or the spelling of the author's name. Holler if you need more. Or if you can't holler, a single choked sob might do. 

The Lovely Bones which is a very good book, and while it wasn't depressing, it definately had sad.

Peace Like A River meloncholy is how I woudl describe it

The Kite Runner , and if that isn't depressing enough by the same author, A Thousand Splendid Suns- set in Afganistran, really really good books

Pretty much anything by Ann Tyler

A Map of the World

The Black Flower  from Amazon: Howard Bahr compresses this moving Civil War novel into 48 hours--two short days filled with grim deaths and the prelude, at least, to a love story. (really it is a good book, but grim, very grim)

I think Steinbeck's most depressing book was "Of Mice and Men" - that book made me cry my eyes out!

I guess I like sad books too - but happy ones as well!

try They Shoot Horses, Don't They? by Horace McCoy

WHERE THE RED FERN GROWS

OLD YELLER,

SHE SAID YES; THE UNLIKELY MARTYRDOM OF CASSIE BERNALL BY MISTY BERNALL

Swaine Wolfe - The Lake Dreams The Sky   ( A Love Story)

I wrote a review, the very first one, because it impressed me so much.  Even though it is subtitled as a Love Story, it is actually a picture of the socio-economic realty in post-war America in a small town, that is shared by Native Americans and White People.  An absolute stunner, it took my breath away. But very sad indeed.

I like certain sad stories, in particular those written by Stephen King.  Some of them are especially heart-wrenching:

Pet Sematary
Bag of Bones
Lisey's Story
Duma Key

Don't like them so much anymore.  That said, I read A Tale of Two Cities in January and loved it.  Even though I was mad it made me cry...

I absolutely agree with you Matt.

The Stephen King books you mention are sad, especially  Duma King and Bag of Bones. 

Lisey's Story was sad too, but in a different way.

Thanks everyone - I'm gonna check these out!

Mary in KY

I just finished reading Alice I Have Been by Melanie Benjamin.  The whole book is sad and rather melancholy.