I was going to get the book, A Little Life, after a lot of people recommended it to me. My favorite genre of books are dark fiction and non-fiction books that go into the psychological plagues trauma brings upon a persons mind. I read them too to examine how an author dissects a traumatic event or events and brings the characters into those situations and how the characters progress. What always shocks me is seeing how other people react to these books. I suffered severe childhood trauma in various different ways. So reading these books is sometimes comforting, sometimes I read them with the intent to relate to a character, in the thoughts of the character towards an event that others might not have thought one would even experience. But watching some peoples reactions to books like A Little Life, and becoming nauseous or being in disbelief, I find it shocking. What are the experiences of people who read books who did not read it with intent to relate to the character. Why did you pick the book up? Im interested to see the other side of the coin. Does the emotional experiences of the characters resonate with you? Do you see any parallels within your our own life and the characters?
I like to read about things beyond me. And while I also suffered quite traumatic past, I like to steer away such books. I tend to gravitate towards books that wake feelings of awe, love, compassion, intrigue.
I’m quite book tourist I guess, now that I think about it. I rather not visit my past, but like to go around exciting, beautiful places sight-seeing, getting to know interesting people, motives and places. I’m picky, I admit. I just feel that so many darker books take away something from me, rather than add something valuable to my life. I want to feel fulfilled of wonder when book ends, not hollow.
Mainly I read non-fiction.