Disturbing Books I’ve Been Avoiding 😱
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- Опубликовано: 13 янв 2022
- Here's some books of an unsavory nature that I have been putting off for far too long. They have been rotting on my shelf for a minute. Help me pick out the next one that I should read!
The books in question:
1. 2666 by Roberto Bolaño
2. In Cold Blood by Truman Capote
3. Try by Dennis Cooper
4. The Cremator by Ladislav Fuks
5. La Bas (The Damned) by Joris-Karl Huysmans
6. The Complete Drive-In by Joe R. Lansdale
7. The Torture Garden by Octave Mirbeau
8. The Man in My Basement by Walter Mosley
9. Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov
10. Tampa by Alissa Nutting
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Intro footage by David Gallie:
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Artist: Futuremono | Track: New Horizons
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I had that exact copy of Lolita for college. The newspaper blurb on the back describing it as romantic really rubbed me the wrong way. Did they even read the book? Do they know Humbert’s the bad guy...?
Or maybe it means that this is the essence of romance as a literary tradition… This gross, obsessive, abusive thing. I’ve read enough classic romances to vouch for that! 😂
Hi Juan, I can highly recommend Lolita. I was on the fence about it too but trust me, given the subject matter, the content is handled very well. Any sexual content is suggested or implied and not explicit. Nabokov's prose is beautiful. The most unsettling thing about this story is that the narrator makes no apologies for what he is.
Agreed on all counts. Probably my favorite book of all time.
Well, Lolita won, my friend, and I am halfway through! Still too early to tell, but I will agree, the writing is hypnotic.
Lolita, please! The most disturbing aspect is that the protagonist makes a case for why one must be more refined to appreciate the “nymphette,” so the book is weirdly beautiful, and there aren’t really any gratuitous or pørñøgräphïç scenes.
Lolita won, so Lolita it is! So far I’m halfway in and I get it now. Beautifully ornate, but why about this? I guess such is the human mind.
@@PlaguedbyVisions The better he justifies his perspective, the more it disturbs us. It’s challenging to sympathize with someone like Humbert.
My vote is going to be 2666 for sure, one of the most incredible things I've ever read. I have such a vivid memory of when I finished it, I was working at a kiosk selling Crocs in a mall in the suburbs. I was 20. My girlfriend had recently dumped me. I had just started going to community college. It was one of the worst periods of time in my life. I just remember standing there at the little POS counter at the kiosk, reading the end of 2666 and crying in front of all the suburban moms and then sort of sitting down on the little foam block we had to help people try on the shoes and just had the thousand yard stare for awhile. I am going to be trying to reread a lot of my favorites this year and that is high on my priority list, and I wish I was fluent so I could read it in the original spanish so count me jealous on that respect!
While it didn’t win the vote, I definitely have to get to 2666. I do recall you sharing this anecdote in one of your videos, and you’ve definitely contributed to my desire to read it. It’s been a while since a book has brutalized me like that. I need that in my life.
So glad you're reading End of Alice! Reading the back and forth between 2 people who are...into the same depraved thing (if you know what I mean) corresponding just really took me for a loop. When I finished it, I felt a little dead inside so it did it's job well of disturbing me lmao.
Hate to put you through it, but you gotta give Tampa a try if you can stomach it. It has to be one of my all time favs from how well it made my stomach twist! Couldn't put it down. Lolita masks the act as pretty purple prose, but Tampa is just down and dirty straight up.
Hey, congrats on winning the giveaway! Don’t forget to email to me! The End of Alice promises to get much worse, and I await to see what reaction it draws from me.
If Tampa wins out, I’ll definitely read it next, but also will end up reading it regardless. I am curious just to see what I can make of it.
@@PlaguedbyVisions Just emailed you! I'm so sorry about the wait!
I have read Lolita, and I just finished Tampa. I would suggest you read Lolita, and then delve into Tampa. Tampa is more graphic than Lolita, but it is really well-written, and definitely a salacious, quirky novel. I think in both cases, Lolita and Tampa, their reputations have proceeded them. My choices for disturbing novels that I avoided but eventually read are The Girl Next Door, and Let's Go Play At the Adams'. These two titles were much more disturbing than Lolita or Tampa, in my humble opinion.
Thank you, Shawn! I agree now that Lolita isn’t really shocking or visceral, but painfully thought-provoking, I guess in a good way! I’m definitely going to have to dive into Tampa as well! The Girl Next Door is a favorite of mine, just such a scorching work of pain, and Let’s Go Play at the Adams’ definitely left me feeling pummeled.
The Drive In books are really fun but not what I’d call disturbing. My vote would go to Walter Mosley. I’ve not read that book but I love the Mosley I’ve read (especially the Socrates Fortlow books which are AMAZING).
That’s what I figured with the Drive-In, but I thought they still looked cool! I’ve read two Eazy Rawlins mysteries (Devil in a Blue Dress and Black Betty) and loved them, so I’m convinced of Mosley’s writing prowess. A vote for him it is!
My vote is for _Try_ by Dennis Cooper. I read _I Wished_ a couple of weeks ago without fully understanding what I was getting myself into. I loved it though, even without having read any of the George Miles Cycle.
Everything by Dennis Cooper is worth reading. Highly recommend starting the George Miles cycle and reading them in sequence too, the cumulative effect of reading the novels is amazing
Highly recommend starting on the George Miles Cycle, as well as his novel, the Sluts! His work is grossly hypnotic.
Most of In Cold Blood is more of a mystery/crime story, but the ending is genuinely one of the more disturbing things I've read. That being said, I would love to see this channel's story arc come full circle with a Tampa review.
Just for you, Levi, I’m going to read Tampa after I finish Lolita, and we’re going to come full circle with these visions! 😤
Back to send some love! Thanks for continuing to cover these challenging reads. I am impressed by your willingness to return to a book you COMPLETELY avoided... I remember seeing the video where you said you put Tampa down. I am glad to see The End of Alice here... I have it, but haven't read it yet. Obviously, your videos rock... that's why we are here. Cheers always. Did you read all of the "Jack Caffrey" series by Mo Hayder? I read "The Devil of Nanking" and it was brutally tragic and amazingly beautiful in its resolution... wondering if I should get started with Birdman>The Treatment or keep trying other authors... I'm still such a newbie to this all. Thanks again! In keeping with the spirit of the channel.. I vote for Tampa. I think it will have the most meaning for you... once you have conquered the challenge of reading the things you previously wished to not confront. PEACE and BEST OF LUCK!
Thank you so much, John! I definitely recommend Birdman and the Treatment. They are incredible works. And Lolita won the vote, but I’m most definitely going to have to read Tampa eventually!
looking forward to your review of the end of Alice (I was one of the people who recommended it).
I haven't read any of these books but the cremator sounds pretty disturbing. will have to check it out.
Ah, you were that person! Thank you so much and so sorry I forgot to mention your comment in the video! I really appreciate the recommendation. I think back then I said I would never read it… but here we are lol!
Missed you brother! Glad your back. Thanks for the upload dude.
Thank you!
The Cremator has my vote. Especially it was based on a dark period of czech history. Ladislav Fuks had focused on the german occupation of Czechoslovakia which includes the period of time which Reinhard Hydreich had been assassinated in Operation Anthropod and the resulting reprisals and massacres. The story is pretty interesting and I might have to buy it and watch the film
Thank you so much for this comment! It has certainly upped my interest in tackling this work. This period of history definitely deserves more attention on this channel.
Awwww man! I wish I knew you were reading The End of Alice… I’m going to read that one! Olive and I both vote for Lolita (that’s two votes). I actually thought you already read it. Two reasons…. First, Lolita is probably my favorite book of all time. Two, I want to read Tampa too, so maybe we can buddy read that one later. I’m actually reading My Dark Vanessa right now… oh boy, are we sensing a common theme? 😳
I actually did count it as two votes. 😂 Honestly, kudos to you for handling these constant gut punches in literary form. I’d be lying, however, if I said I’m not curious to read Tampa after this. 👀
Have not read The Cremator but the Juraj Herz adaptation of it is incredible! One of my favorite horror movies.
It is indeed quite great! Morgiana by Herz is also excellent!
@@PlaguedbyVisions Oh cool! yeah, I have Morgiana and am excited to watch it but haven't got around to it yet.
you are totally right, i wanted to say 2666! but not because it's a long book, rather that i would love to hear your experience when you go back to reading in Spanish! i just recently got back to it and it was a challenge but i love Latin American literature so it was totally worth it. if you're interested, i would highly recommend "nuestra parte de noche" by Mariana Henriquez (an Argentinian author), it's dark, gruesome and beautifully written
I’ve read that book! I thought it was pretty good. The last book in Spanish I read was El obsceno pájaro de la noche I think March of last year. I think I still have the skills but definitely feel a bit rusty. I do find that the best approach is to just jump right back into it.
@@PlaguedbyVisions oh cool!!! i didn't know you had already read it haha I'm still struggling through it but you're right, it's all about jumping right in and just keep going
I gotta vote for Lolita, king. I've read My Dark Vanessa which people seem to compare to Lolita, so I'm curious what you'll think of it. I want to read that eventually as well as The End of Alice.
Well, that was a kingly vote because Lolita won and I am now suffering. It’s definitely not as bad as My Dark Vanessa seems or as End of Alice was, but still, the creeping feeling that this beautiful prose is really about taboo… I don’t know what to do with myself. 😰
2666 sounds interesting but damn it is long! I'd say go with the drive in, I also picked that up but haven't gotten to it yet, I'd be curious to know your thoughts! I also struggle with that type of subject matter, just please be careful if you do go with Lolita or Tampa!
As I’m sure you saw, Lolita won, and it hasn’t given me any trouble! It’s just… pissing me off. 😂
Hey Juan, I know you thought The Slob was just meh, but Son of the Slob came out in December and it is a much better book than The Slob. The book focuses on the psychology of Vera, Daniel, and Vera's son Daniel. I would recommend reading Son of the Slob. Also, I just finished reading The End of Alice, I really enjoyed it.
Yeah, the Slob didn’t work for me, but I keep hearing this about the sequel. I honestly wouldn’t be opposed to reading it, but it’ll have to wait until after the book buying ban!
I read 2666 a few years ago by accident when I was getting back into reading, I just heard about it being good so brought it and read it, even though if I had heard about it a bit later I probably would have been too intimidated to read it d: but even though its so fat it didn't feel too difficult to read because it was really easy to dip in and out of and read when you feel in the mood for it because its split up into 5 parts. Some sections took longer than others and sometimes I had quite long breaks between reading them but I really enjoyed it (if you can really call a book like that enjoyable).
I've also been curious about Tampa and The End of Alice for a few years but I get worried I'm gonna be put on some sort of watch list for reading them d:
2666 definitely deserves a read soon enough! I’ve heard nothing but praises, and the fact that it’s divided in 5 parts really does it make it sound more… digestible.
And yes, I’m definitely on some kind of list since starting this channel. 😂
I really love your longer videos, so I'm going to cast my vote very selfishly--please read 2666!! Though I will enjoy your review of whatever is chosen 😁
P.s. I cannot wait for you reviews of Hogg and Tampa. I can't read them myself
Haha, one day I’ll read 2666! And I’ve been slowly drafting my thoughts on Hogg… There’s a lot to say. 😂
Keep up the good work man! Read a ton of hidden gems because of your suggestions!
Glad to hear it! Thank you so much. Hope I can continue to provide the disturbing goods. 😎
I love this type of video, it's part game and part a look into the dark side of reading. Those books you bought holding the excitement of when they were found have been sitting for so long. Makes me look at my books and ponder about how I have books sitting for decades unread. So many unread.
Even after reading 100 books of the ones I already owned before buying any new ones, I only managed to read two from this list (Lolita and Tampa), so the rest await! And you’re absolutely right. More and more, I realize I already have more than enough to last a lifetime on my shelves. I’ve certainly learned to appreciate them more!
Hello! this video was randomly in my recommendations, so I'm not familiar with your taste and interests exactly. but I thought I'd mention some things. I've seen the film adaptation of The Cremator (1969) and it was fantastic! I love the style of it, which I thought worked well for the story. And I didn't know about the connection of it having to do with the Holocaust in some way so I was really shocked by that, especially with the way the story is presented. I've only ever heard the title The Torture Garden but it's interesting the book cover you have there is a still from the film Belle de Jour (1967) which is based on an entirely different novel... I wonder why that was used. (also, Belle de Jour happens to be one of my favorite films.) Lolita is the only book you mention that I've actually read and it's one of my favorite books! I like the layers of it and the way it makes you feel conflicted as the reader. I tried reading it in high school, got a little more than halfway through, and needed a bit of a break. that break ended up lasting a couple weeks, then a couple months, then a number of years. but I think I needed that time to mature and read other books. when I picked it up again, starting it from the beginning and reading the entire book, I had such a different opinion. I went from thinking Nabokov was wordy to loving his writing and recognizing more he was putting into the work. in reference to the book I always come back to how there's one chapter that was relatively short but all I got out of it was that they checked into a motel or hotel, but upon that second (and full) reading I realized more happens within that chapter, and that part of it (and the book overall) went over my head that first try reading it. I hope all goes well with your reading!
Hey, thank you so much! I really appreciate you giving my video a chance, and am happy to read your assessments! I believe the connection is that the Torture Garden, in some indirect way, was the inspiration for Belle de Jour, although I agree, odd and misleading choice for a book cover! 😂 I also love that film, and Buñuel is my favorite director! Lolita won the vote and I’m currently two thirds of the way through it. It has been a confusing ride, of course beautifully ornate and heavily perfumed, but I just… don’t know what to make of it ultimately. I’m going to have to let it simmer in my brain!
Again, really appreciate your words!
So excited to know your Hogg opinions. There are quite lot of fans of it and I really enjoyed the The Book Shore’s review on it. He is a straight man, as are quite a few positive reviewers, so I’m so curious to know how you will see things from your perspective. I haven’t read it myself though, I avoid coprophilia at all costs lol but my morbid curiosity makes me interested in reviews. Especially comparing opinions of gay and straight readers.
Personally, I know I read things much differently because I’m a lesbian. I noticed a lot of straight women raving about The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo and I just didn’t have the same emotional reaction at all. It’s real hard to hit five stars in lesbianism for me when I’ve read such heavy hitters like Patience and Sarah or anything by Sarah Waters.
Ah, I’ll be very happy to share my thoughts on Hogg! This is definitely an angle from which I hope to approach it. Lots to say about normativity, the abject, and fringe sexualities. It was an unignorable work!
This is mostly unrelated but I spotted The Treatment on your shelf. What did you think of it? I just watched the film and I thought it was really good, but I have so many thoughts on it and no one to talk to about it! If you ever do a review of the book or anything, I’d be super stoked!
2666! Has some very unsettling vibes, unlike anything I've read, really. It took me months to get through it, but I think it's sooo worth it. Saludos desde Argentina!
Muchísimas gracias! 2666 didn’t win the vote, but it is still high on my priority list!
Hey Juan, love your content! I vote for Torture Garden by Octave Mirbeau
PD: Un libro en español más corto y también de temática perturbadora es El Monstruo Pentápodo - Liliana Blum
Muchísimas gracias! Jamás había escuchado de este libro, pero siempre estaré dispuesto para algo perturbador. Se te aprecia. 🙏🏽
Try is my pick, even though it's probably my least favorite of the Cycle. It's interesting to see how people react to it, because it's probably also the most polarizing of the Cycle, based on Goodreads reviews (the most universally beloved, btw, seems to be Guide and I agree, Guide is phenomenal). Try isn't so much disturbing to me as just... grimy.
I also agree with other commenters that In Cold Blood isn't as much disturbing as just depressing. It's one of my favorite nonfiction books ever, and a must-read for any true crime fan, but it left me feeling drained. I also highly recommend watching Capote afterwards, it's a masterfully done movie.
“Grimy” is good enough for me! The one I tend to hear most about is Frisk, and it definitely was intense, but I’m curious to learn more about the later installments.
Depressing can certainly be its own brand of disturbing, so In Cold Blood remains something I must experience. I shall watch the film as well!
The only author I’ve even read from this list is Lansdale and it was like… fine. Ok but I need to hear more on your thoughts about reading in multiple languages??
I’m gonna count this as a Lansdale vote cause I don’t think he’ll win anyway lol. Reading in Spanish is always a bit difficult to get into since I mostly experience Spanish in verbal form, and even the written Spanish I’m exposed to tends to be less formal than what’s in literature. It’s akin to being used to riding a bike, but then having to ride it in different terrain? Idk lol.
I liked In Cold Blood. I liked how he tried to get into the psyche of the killers. I wouldn't call it disturbing though. But I do vote for it!
I’m going to have to get to it eventually!
I'd love to see your opinion on The Cremator!
As far as choosing between Tampa and Lolita...Lolita has beautiful writing and you feel yourself being manipulated by the author, which was so disturbing to me...I wanted to fight back against the invisible force! I just read Tampa and it didn't have the same effect on me. The author just went THERE and it was wildly graphic. I had to keep stopping because it made me feel gross. Lolita didn't do that to me.
This dynamic between Lolita vs. Tampa is precisely what I’m hoping to explore!
I have been curious about the George Miles cycle but honestly have to clue what to expect.
They are unconnected novels unified by themes of sexual transgression, perversity, emotional turmoil, all inspired by Dennis Cooper’s IRL relationship with his first love, George Miles. They are brutal, but also weirdly beautiful and tender works, or at least the ones I read have been.
Have to restart the video cause the music had me vibing too hard lmaooo
I admit the music did go hard in this video lol.
I vote for The Cremator! But I have a penchant for that topic.....
One vote for the Cremator! Thanks, Pax!
Okay, to help you out, or make you go through something effed up? That is the question. 🤣 I guess I vote for the Torture Garden because the title sounds awesome! And if it’s a seminal work of transgressive fiction then it sounds essential!
Lol my life is in your hands, king! A vote for the Torture Garden it is!
Haven't even finished this full video yet but Try by Dennis Cooper, hands down. I attribute this book with being one of the most important and personally affecting works I have ever read and it is certainly my favourite of the George Myles cycle
While it didn’t win the vote, I do plan to eventually finish the George Miles Cycle. It’s much too tempting to resist!
Wow I cant believe you're reading The End Of Alice! I read that well over 10 years ago and STILL think about it. There's a scene that still makes me gag if I think too hard about it. I cannot wait to hear your thoughts. In Cold Blood was a great book. I'm not sure if its disturbing on the same level some of those others seem to be though. Although the fact thats its a true story does make it that much scarier.
I finished it! It was… it was definitely a book, with things in it. 😶😂 I hated it, but that’s the point, etc. etc.
I definitely want to get to In Cold Blood sooner rather than later!
@@PlaguedbyVisions Oh it was definitely book with things in it lol. It was so long ago I dont even remember if I "liked it" but I definitely never forgot some parts. Have you seen the movie 'Capote'? Its the true story of Truman Capote's journey writing 'In Cold Blood'. He formed a strange bond with one of the killers, its fascinating. I definitely recommend it if you're going to read that book.
Gonna have to be In Cold Blood for me G.
Bet.
I read The End of Alice. It didn't stick with me, tbh. I remember the basic outline and some cringey alliteration. Tampa had more of an impact.
I've also been holding off on 2666 even though I long to read it. Mostly because of the length.
I finished the End of Alice and agree with you completely. It was a daring pushing of taboos… but not much else. It did leave me just kind of… meh. I definitely still want to give Tampa another chance!
I read La Bas and don't remember anything at all about it, so I'm thinking it's not as disturbing as it's cracked up to be or it would've left some kind of scar. In Cold Blood is decent but not really disturbing. I've started reading Torture Garden about half a dozen times and been bored out of finishing it every time. I've skimmed it and still didn't find anything overly upsetting. Haven't read that Walter Moseley book but he's a great writer... Always Outnumbered Always Outgunned is a masterpiece.
Congratulations to Romeo! I think you ought to tackle Lolita. Disturbing for sure.
Well, here we are now! 😂 So far, nothing too traumatic.
Haven't read Lansdale?! Someone's in for a treat!
Still haven’t! Man, I suck! 😂
So good to see you back. My vote goes to In Cold Blood.
Even though it didn’t win the vote, I’ll have to get to it eventually!
Regarding those books I’ve only read Tampa and The end of Alice , the last I haven’t completed because I found it to be dragging too much and boring , Tampa is a far superior book and worth finishing (once you get over the the first abuse scene it becomes much more easy to read) , an excellent book.
If you accept my recommendation, I strongly recommend Requiem for a dream by Hubert Selby jr , forget about the movie the novel is much better deeper than the adaptation, it’s Selby’s best book and my all time favorite one.
I finished The End of Alice and actually completely agree with your assessment. It was just… meh? It was an exploration of the most extreme taboos… and not much else. Tampa I will definitely have to finish. Hubert Selby Jr. is incredible! My favorite of his is the Room, but everything I’ve read by him has been amazing.
You featured my comment about Tampa before so I'd definitely pick that... However, since you're currently reading End of Alice then maybe it might be too much of the same disturbing thing. I've heard about 2666 and I am interested to find out what you think of it. oh boy, choose your poison.
Well, now I’m reading Lolita and will probably get to Tampa soon enough. Funny how life works! I figured, I need to get through this while my mood allows. It is a harrowing journey.
Ooo I liked The End of Alice when I read it a few years ago. Hmmm I'm really interested in Bolano!! But I'm gonna vote Lolita (I LOVED lolita when I read it but it's been a while. Dnf'd Tampa tho ) Siân ❤️
I finished End of Alice and I was a bit underwhelmed, but can obviously recognize its taboo-breaking power. I’m halfway through Lolita now and it is perplexing and polarizing-I guess everything it promised to be!
A lot of wonderfully vibe-killing picks here. 😉Tbh, I think it would be sort of poetic to finally finish Tampa, the book you mentioned in your very first video. But if you're not ready for that, then Try, The Complete Drive-In, The Torture Garden, or The Man in My Basement sound most interesting to me. Don't worry, I won't subject you to 2666, I'm not that cruel. 😆
I AM indeed quite enamored with the idea of coming full circle and reading Tampa. Just, Lolita, then Tampa, then, I don’t know… Babyf***er?! Just annihilate my vibe.
My initial reaction was to vote for 2666 (which, I think, is said like the year; twenty six sixty six). It's one of my very favorite books I've ever read. It's comprised of 5 parts and only one part I would say is disturbing, but YMMV.
I'm voting for The Cremator by Fuks. Sounds nightmarish and bizarre and I want to know if it's good.
2666 and the Cremator are definitely still on the menu! The Cremator, specifically, I haven’t heard anyone else cover, so I’m curious!
Gemma by Meg Tilly - holy shit! Enough said.
I bought 2666...no i have not finished it 😂. The End of Alice was one of the most uncomfortable, unpleasant books I've read (or The Painted Bird). I think I scrubbed it from my brain, I dont really remember it.
Go for Tampa! I haven’t read it but I’ve heard enough to know that I’d love to hear you talk about it. Throw down homie!
Well, the votes led me to Lolita, but obviously now I have to read Tampa afterwards, right?
I’m curious about “The Man in My Basement”. I tried reading Lolita a couple of times, but just gave up. I don’t like stories about that, and also the main characters not only is disgusting but he’s also so annoying!
I’m still curious about the Man in My Basement! I’m two thirds of the way through Lolita, and… let’s just say, I agree with your assessments here.
I haven’t read any of these so i don’t feel qualified to leave a recommendation. Still wanted to leave a comment though :-) hope you are all having a good day!
Thank you so much! Always good to hear from you, Shelby. 🙂
The Complete Drive-in cover looks like Ghostbusters. That one's my choice. And considering your troubles recently, I wouldn't dive into Lolita and Tampa just yet.
Haha, yeah, I see what you mean about the cover!
If you do La-Bàs you better let me buddy read it with you! I love Bluebeard so I’m ready to dive into some Gilles de Rais mythology!
I’ll definitely let you know! In fact, might just make a vision of the month out of it!
Good to see you back here. My humble opinion: In Cold Blood is more depressing than disturbing; it's an excellent book. La Bas is not disturbing but it is very well written and stylized; it is 19th century Gothic/French decadent style, not scary or anything by 21st century standards. Lolita is not disturbing; its more of a literary exercise, maybe even a little pretentious and has nothing explicit. The Torture Garden is graphic with lots of violence & the most disturbing book on the list I have read but it's not entirely clear to me what the author was trying to say. I did like all of these books and found all of them memorable. If I could recommend one for you to read next it would be The Torture Garden.
Thank you so much! I guess it just fascinates me how extensive and far-reaching the term “disturbing” can be. Lolita won the vote and so far I feel highly unsettled, mostly by how such an untenable subject is being so profusely massaged with beautiful prose. What even is this?! 😂
@@PlaguedbyVisions It's a unique book. I've read it twice. The first time I hated it because of the subject matter but the second time it was like the story was less important than the word play and at that level it seemed creative but not so horrifying. It's definitely a book that is hard not to react to.
In Cold Blood!
Wow...these all sound like amazing reads...I am SO tempted to say 2666 just for throw down's sake 😂
But I am very intrigued by The Damned.
I heard about The Torture Garden years ago and has been on my TBR since, gotta get to that one...
Haha, 2666 didn’t win but I’m still down to throw down. 😤 The Torture Garden and The Damned are definitely gonna get read eventually!
Hello Juan, 2666 isnt that disturbing. The part of the crimes is a catalog of the murders. Its an impressive novel, but im intrigued by The Damned cause ive have heard of it for two decades and i myself havent been able to read it. My vote is The Damned. A classic that must be read. Glad that youre back man!
Thanks for the vote! I do still plan on reading all of these eventually, but for now, Lolita has won.
I haven't read any of these.....So I really don't have a take on any of them. Will be interested in what Your thoughts are on them. 👍😁👍
Aw, still, thanks for giving it a watch, James! I appreciate it.
@@PlaguedbyVisions 👍😁👍
2666 por favor, aunque sea un armatoste y casi cuenta como arma contundente :) Bueno digo por favor, pero es más algo que creo que te brindará una experiencia única.
Jajaja, curiosamente hice un video en el que hablo sobre como un libro puede matar si es utilizado como arma. 😂 Entonces un voto para 2666! Aunque no gane el voto, igual tengo planes de leerlo. 🤙🏽
I definitely vote for Tampa! I read it recently on my kindle & really enjoyed it.
It didn’t win, but now that I’m reading Lolita, can I really resist finishing this harrowing journey?
omg you make me wanna read more but i don't have any books that interest me. i need disturbing books like these. i want my skin to crawl while i read.
We all need skin crawling reads! If you ever want recs hit me up!
My vote goes to In Cold Blood!
Still very interested in reading it!
That’s crazy! I just picked up a copy of 2666 today and was immediately intimidated
Haha, same! Still haven’t read it. One day…
Just to let everyone know, there's a connection between Nabokov's work and the Sally Horner case explained by Sarah Weinman's "The Real Lolita".
😱😱😱 def gotta look into that!
Lolita, please!
That was the winner! And I’ve since read it, and yeah! 🌝
Tampa is actually a pretty funny book, check out some Peter Sotos if you really want to ruin your day! I absolutely recommend Selfish Little.
Oh boy, are you going to love my next video, then!
Read Tampa. that's my vote
Even if it didn’t win the vote, it’s on my priority list!
I had trouble getting through Lolita; Humbert was So. Damn. Whiny. I guess my vote would be either In Cold Blood or the Mosley book. I really liked the former and the latter sounds very interesting/potentially disturbing.
Agree Lolita was so strange and meandering. Basically a creepy guy that just had bad thoughts about young girls. I gave up 1/2 way as it was going nowhere. In Cold Blood is a great book.
Lolita has been giving me trouble (it won the vote)! And I agree with your assessment. I just… I’m so angry. 😂 But I guess it’s effective in that regard.
Yes, the *album* Torture Garden by Naked City is great. I have a copy on CD, the full uncensored album cover is ridiculous
I knew it! I listened to that in high school and hated it. Maybe now that I’m not an idiot I should give it another shot!
@@PlaguedbyVisions If you're not acostumed to bizarre jazz/grindcore then I'd really hold on to your butt (jurassic park) but it's really absurd and bizarre, definitely worth relistening to.
In retrospect, I just hope you finish THE END OF ALICE. I've been wondering if you had.
So glad to see you! I vote for The Man in the Basement
Thank you! I’m glad to be back!
@@PlaguedbyVisions I was wondering if you ever read The Tin Drum by Gunter Grass? I never hear anyone talk about this book (or movie) and I find it quite disturbing.
2666 is excellent (in English translation )
In Cold Blood is excellent
The Cremator is good (as far as I can remember from the 90s)
Lolita is magnificent
I think 2666 is a great and complicated novel in English translation and would be my first choice, but if your Spanish is rusty, that might be a mitigating factor. You can always read it as five short novels, dipping your toes in a little at a time.
Second would be Lolita. One of my favorite novels.
Thanks, Greg! My Spanish is not necessarily rusty. It just takes me a bit longer to get into the groove of reading in that language, although I find the best way to go about it is to just jump right into it. Lolita won the vote, and I’m now two thirds of the way through it, and I will be sharing my thoughts eventually!
I’d go with Mosely.
I’ll definitely be giving that a read in the coming months!
The Complete Drive-In! Joe R. Lansdale is great.
Lord Michael! What are you doing here? Ha ha! We both voted for The Complete Drive-In!
While it didn’t win the vote, I definitely still need to read Lansdale!
@@PlaguedbyVisions Savage Season is a great one to start with.
@@michaelk.vaughan8617 Michael KING Vaughan has spoken!
Funny, I plan to start reading Lolita soon--but definitely do In Cold Blood.
I’m reading Lolita. 😭
@@PlaguedbyVisions Is it as stressful as all that? Lol, I can't wait to get started on my copy!
It is… polarizing, unwieldy. I don’t know why it exists. 😂
Everything that Juan is scared to read it's a must hahahahaha
“Juan couldn’t finish it” should be the new sticker they put on disturbing books, like a disturbing “winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature” 🤣
Si Juan dice que no lo leas, ¡léelo de inmediato!
Lolita is my vote. I have wanted to read it but still haven't got round to it.....
Well, I’m doing it so you don’t have to!
@@PlaguedbyVisions awesome you can let me know if it's worth reading for mysel. Looking forward to your opinions!!
The Man In My Basement sounds really good....
OKAY EDIT!!!! TAMPA IT IS hahhahha
I will be reading Tampa eventually. ENOUGH IS ENOUGH.
I know you have talked about books that are disturbing and that have unsettled you. I was just wondering if you have ever read anything that has actually SCARED you. Maybe it is all part of the same category. I know that, as an adult, it is hard to be truly scared by a work of fiction, whether it be a book or a movie. I can't remember being a grown adult and being utterly scared by either. Are there any works that have scared the boo-boo jeebies out of you? Keep up the fantastic work! Peace, brother!
I think the reason I focus so much on disturbing fiction is precisely because I miss that childhood sensation of being scared by stories. Sadly, there haven’t been any books that have scared me, but I’m always searching! The Secret of Ventriloquism by Jon Padgett came closest! There was a story in it that made me go, “Oh wow, that’s freaky.”
Thank you so much for watching and commenting, Josh!
Lolita. It's one of my favourite books.
Yes!
Well, it won!
I vote for The Complete Drive-In!
I shall read it one day, I promise!
You have to read Lansdale!
I know! Michael has said the same over and over.
Lolita is a masterpiece. Hogg made me want to fucking puke. Not saying it isn't good, it just made me sick in a way Lolita did not.
If you said that Hogg isn’t good, I wouldn’t hold it against you at all. 😂
Try!
Dude. You're reading the End of Alice and are hesitant to read Lolita? Read it! Yes, it's messed up but also extremely beautifully written. Weirdly enough some of my favourite bits from the book are just the descriptions of the environment, being on the road etc.
I have now finished the End of Alice and am two thirds of the way into Lolita. I will say, Nabokov has laid out a world that feels vibrant and also askew, perhaps appropriately so. This really does feel like a birth of postmodernism, and it’s coming out screaming and kicking! I still don’t know what to make of it. The End of Alice was honestly not as bad as I thought it would be, either!
@@PlaguedbyVisions I've not read End of Alice but I've HEARD things which is why I thought it was funny that you were hesitant to read Lolita. Might check End of Alice out still! I agree with you on the feel of Lolita. To me it seems like the prose is shimmering, like air on a hot summer's day. You can kind of see things but it's also blurred and constantly moving and it's also a bit overwhelming. Which I think is why it was one of my favourites for so long because the writing feels warm and beautiful (and also kind of full of itself, let's be honest) while the subject matter is so heinous. There's a real feeling of cognitive dissonance going on for me.
If you really haven't read In Cold Blood, you should. The book holds up well.
You could try listening to Lolita with the Jeremy Irons audiobook.
Ah, I AM having a bit of trouble consistently reading Lolita. An audiobook might indeed help! Thank you!
@@PlaguedbyVisions The reading is so brilliant too. One of the greatest audiobook performances I have heard.
I saw The Cremator it’s in black and white and subtitles I found it very Very VERY Boring! Just an afterthought have you seen any extreme horror cinema? A Sibean Film, 120 days of Salo , Necromania1&2 , Cannibal Holocaust and the like? Please excuse my spelling!
If by Necromania you meant Necromantik, then yes, I’ve seen all of those! I actually started with extreme cinema before I jumped into literature. I could do a video on this in the future!
The Walter Mosley.
Thank you for voting!
Tampa *fucked* me up. Unlike Lolita, it develops into something very pornographic and the author does not shy away from details. My vote would be for The Damned!
I tried reading it back in June of 2020. The scene of her and her student in the car… I literally tossed the book aside. I’ll have to give it another chance, though! I must see how uncomfortable a book can make it. The Damned remains in my priorities!
Adorable intro lol
That’s a word I’ve never heard around here! 😂
Torture Garden is a personal favorite, but honestly, it’s TOO good. It’s like saving the masterball to catch mewtwo. I think you should try to save it for when you need it: wait for a bad breakup and then let it do what it does best as it gives a kiss of death to your former romantic life.
I’m going to be waiting a long time then! 😂 But your description has definitely intrigued me more now…
@@PlaguedbyVisions I don’t mean to be overly presumptuous, but you seem like a genuinely lovely fellow, so my guess is that it’s mostly your choice to try and find a guy who makes you feel safe and appreciated. And because only the vicissitudes of life can grant it that final-stage catharsis which makes finding someone to bind souls-with feel so incredibly rewarding, it’ll statistically take heartbreak to find that special someone (like most of us, I’m still stuck in that painful white-water 0-G pirouette downstream until I find my alcove).
I believe that ‘the Torture Garden’ is best explored in that churning tempest devoid of oxygen (plus the hardcover Citadel printing is the only version I actually trust to be unexpurgated), because the book hides an opium-soaked hope within its sardonic allegory and political commentary, one which can deconstruct “love” in order to find the beauty and horror within the chemical phenomenon, all while elevating the beauty of the world to the same overwhelming heights that its horror reaches.
So if you read it, maybe just read the first half, and save the 2nd half (if you can stop reading, the prose is exquisite and resonant to me that it honestly has me wondering if Mirbeau could be my father, long-lost by 200 years or-so) for the lost love it was written-in.
Then again I’m a purist the the degree that procrastination can conflate-with, in order to peculate, process; so maybe take my words with a pinch of salt. 🤷♂️
I’m very interested in “The Man in my Basement”. My vote goes towards that one
Ah, I definitely still want to get to it even though Lolita won the vote!
@@PlaguedbyVisions just got my copy in the mail! I also recommend “let’s go play at the Adams’” by Mendal W Johnson. I don’t hear that one talked about often, and it’s quite disturbing.
I’ve read it! I reviewed it in my May Wrap-Up video if you’re interested in my thoughts!
@@PlaguedbyVisions oh cool! I’ll go give it a watch!
@@PlaguedbyVisions Here’s another one I don’t hear talked about often. The Collector by John Fowles. It’s admittedly my favorite book, however it did inspire the serial killer duo Leonard Lake and Charles Ng, and also another serial killer Robert Berdella.
Hey I’ll read it with yah man i got 2666 for Christmas
Ah man, Lolita won, but I’ll definitely let you all know when I dive into 2666 so you can join along!
2666 is literally the most godawful book I've ever read. I urge you to save yourself the time and hassle and not bother with that pile of crap. And it's not even disturbing because you're literally just reading the same damn thing over and over again. Trust me, 2666 sucks. In Cold Blood is actually a pretty good book, but it's too dry and removed to really be disturbing, I think. And Lolita is just flat out too funny to be disturbing. I know the comedy is in sharp contrast to the subject matter, but seriously, Lolita cracked me up! XD
I hope you know your indictment on 2666 has only made me want to read it more! 😂 Polarizing books are my bread and butter.
I guess I’m not necessarily looking to be disturbed, but rather appreciate different facets of “the disturbing,” hence this varied list. I am relieved to hear there’s humor in Lolita, however! That should definitely make it an easier read.
The man in my basement
Thanks you for the vote!
Walter mosley
Thank you for the vote!