Sad.

All this joyful crying at the Olympics got me thinking: why not take a tearful look back at the last seven months to see just how many books have made me cry?  It’s only three so it won’t be too painful.

I should preface this by saying that I’m not a big crier while reading.  So 2012 has been a particularly productive year thus far.

Why We Broke Up by Daniel Handler.  Illustrations by Maira Kalman

Did this book make me cry out of sadness?  No.  Oh no. This book made me cry out of pure, unfiltered rage.  Is there anyone I hate more in this world than Ed Slaterton?  Probably not.

To counter the sadness and rage blackout, this Amazon interview with Handler and Kalman brings the LOLs.  I love how awkward the whole thing is with the interviewer and am especially tickled by their description of the “working process” that starts around 5:10.

The Fault In Our Stars by John Green

Who doesn’t cry reading this book?  I mean, really.  The interesting thing about TFIOS is that it has a major Charlotte’s Web effect on me.  That means that I can be anywhere, doing anything, and reading the last line of the book will put tears in my eyes.  I was trying to pester our Summer Reading Club assistant into reading TFIOS and actually got damp peepers in front of her when I flipped to the back page.  And it convinced her to check out the book!  Note to librarians: teary eyes sell books.  And make you look like a crazypants.

A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness. Inspired by an idea from Siobhan Dowd. Illustrations by Jim Kay.

Hoo boy, I have never, never cried so hard reading.  I literally had to put down the book, take off my glasses and put my head in my hands and sob.  That was followed by crying steadily for the last 40 pages.  It is such an exquisite, articulate, seemingly effortless portrayal of loss and self-doubt and fear.  Brilliant.

And you know, while we’re on this whole sad theme, let me also share the only book trailer to ever make me cry.  This is the trailer for Pussycat, Pussycat, Where Have You Been? by Dan Bar-el with illustrations by Rae Maté.

WHAT IF THE CAT NEVER CAME BACK!?! Oh, it makes me so sad.

And just for good measure, the movie that has made me cry the most is a bit of a shocker so I’ll throw it in here too.  It’s completely ridiculous, but I bawled through most of District 9.  I was so, so, so concerned for that little alien baby!  Thank goodness for the internet, because someone has made a bad quality clip montage of the alien baby with “Dust In the Wind” in the background! YES!