What are the most shocking and disturbing books you've ever read?

[Philhfc]

Here are some of mine, in no particular order -

American Psycho - Bret Easton Ellis
A Place of Dead Roads - William Burroughs
Salo - Marquis de Sade
Girl Next Door - Jack Ketchum
Story of The Eye - Georges Bataille
Journey To The End of The Night - Louis-Ferdinand Celine
Hogg - Samuel R. Delany
Crash - JG Ballard
Wasp Factory - Iain Banks
Exquisite Corpse - Poppy Z. Brite

[A Sound Mind]

Not too much shocks me (been reading Garth Ennis comics for too long) but Crooked Little Vein by Warren Ellis has some pretty crazy things in it. The kind of stuff where you just stop and go "Wow. That's fucked up." and keep reading. Good book. Ending is a little weak though.

[Philhfc]

Originally Posted by A Sound Mind

Not too much shocks me (been reading Garth Ennis comics for too long) but Crooked Little Vein by Warren Ellis has some pretty crazy things in it. The kind of stuff where you just stop and go "Wow. That's fucked up." and keep reading. Good book. Ending is a little weak though.

Just Googled Crooked Little Vein, sounds interesting, thanks man. I'll be checking it out for sure. I've never been big on comic books/graphic novels, but i'd be happy to dip into the darkest and most extreme ones. Garth Ennis has so much work under his belt, i wouldn't know where to start! What would you recommend? You can throw me in at the deep end, i don't mind!

[MrBearIsNekromantik]

Mai Chan's Daily Life has to be a disturbing manga.

Spoiler Below

A pregnant woman has her child ripped out of her stomach and the guy then rapes the baby in front of her and then puts the baby in a blender and blends it up and pours it out in front of her.

Really intense shit.

[maynardmorrissey]

[Philhfc]

Originally Posted by MrBearIsNekromantik

Mai Chan's Daily Life has to be a disturbing manga.

Spoiler Below

A pregnant woman has her child ripped out of her stomach and the guy then rapes the baby in front of her and then puts the baby in a blender and blends it up and pours it out in front of her.

Really intense shit.

Sick!!!

Think i might be able to find it online. Thanks for the heads up dude, keep 'em comin!

[The DeadlySpawn]

There was a short story I read years ago that really stuck in my mind, but I just can't remember what it was called. In it, two rival crime syndicates, both of which produce messed up porn, are involved in a shoot-out. One guy wakes up seriously injured in what he initially believes to be a hospital, but soon realises he has been taken hostage by the other syndicate. He is then told that this is where they make the really fucked up porn. The last paragraph has a couple of beefy guys come in, pull his pants down and flip him over as the stitches across his belly start to pop open.

[Creepy Crawler]

Are we just discussing fiction? or can we stray into non fiction?

[Philhfc]

Originally Posted by Creepy Crawler

Are we just discussing fiction? or can we stray into non fiction?

Non-fiction titles are more than welcome! I should've made that clear from the start. Hitlers Mein Kampf, Solanas' SCUM Manifesto, serial killers, crime scene clean-up, it's all good...

@Maynardmorrisey - Is that book available in English?

[A Sound Mind]

Originally Posted by Philhfc

Just Googled Crooked Little Vein, sounds interesting, thanks man. I'll be checking it out for sure. I've never been big on comic books/graphic novels, but i'd be happy to dip into the darkest and most extreme ones. Garth Ennis has so much work under his belt, i wouldn't know where to start! What would you recommend? You can throw me in at the deep end, i don't mind!

For Garth Ennis check out Preacher. It's his magnum opus. You'll never look at anything the same. His run on Punisher MAX is awesome too. You really can't go wrong with him, especially if you have a completely deranged sense of humor. He did a one shot called The Pro about what happens when you give a hooker super powers.

I'd also recommend Warren Ellis' comic book work, particularly Transmetropolitan.