Any "Buddy Tragedies"

[GlenBarrington]

I thought of this when reading a post in the Self promotion folder. And "cracking wise", as I often do, I was tempted to ask about buddy tragedies there. but I controlled myself and decided not to hijack that post.

The only "Buddy Tragedy" I can think of is "Of Mice and Men", but surely there are more! Got any ideas what might qualify?

I'm thinking to qualify, it has to be two people not romantically involved, but who have an ongoing commitment to each other. "Thelma and Louise"? Was that a book?

I guess you could have a mixed gender relationship, but would we even perceive it as something other than a potential romance? People are pretty traditional in things like that no matter what they SAY about it!

[John K]

War stories are frequently tragic but rarely involve less than a squad and both your examples focus on two people. If the number two isn't that important I would suggest:

The 13th Valley
by John M. Del Vecchio

Matterhorn: A Novel of the Vietnam War
by Karl Marlantes

The New Leaf Book Club selection for September could be considered tragedy and involves friends beginning as young children until early twenties I think.

Never Let Me Go
by Kazuo Ishiguro

As far as tragedies involving two people, all I can think of is a couple farther and son stories that I liked very much.

Wintering
by Peter Geye

Medicine Walk
by Richard Wagamese

Now that I think of it, Medicine Walk has a story within the story of the father's buddy bond with a friend that begins in late adolescence in a north woods lumber camp and involves tragedy.

One other that, with a big enough hammer, might fit, sort of, is:

Thirteen Moons
by Charles Frazier

The primary tragedy here is the 1830 Indian Removal Act's impact on the Cherokees from Appalachian North Carolina. Much of the story takes place prior to 1830 as white people begin moving into the area. The buddy aspect is between a white man and a Cherokee man. Reading a few reviews, I see people referring to that as father/son but I'm recalling it as more of an equal but different relationship. It's only a small portion of the book but, well, it's by Charles Frazier who I rank up there with Steinbeck.

[hildea]

Sarah Rees Brennan: "The Demon's Lexicon", about two brothers.

Sixteen-year-old Nick and his brother, Alan, are always ready to run. Their father is dead, and their mother is crazy—she screams if Nick gets near her. She’s no help in protecting any of them from the deadly magicians who use demons to work their magic. The magicians want a charm that Nick’s mother stole—and they want it badly enough to kill. Alan is Nick’s partner in demon slaying and the only person he trusts in the world. So things get very scary and very complicated when Nick begins to suspect that everything Alan has told him about their father, their mother, their past, and what they are doing is a complete lie. . . .

[curtw]

Brian's Song?

[GlenBarrington]

Originally Posted by John K

War stories are frequently tragic but rarely involve less than a squad and both your examples focus on two people. If the number two isn't that important I would suggest: . . .

I'd take my cues from the buddy comedies. Most consist of two people (Laurel & Hardy), sometimes 3 (The Three Stooges), and very rarely four (the Marx Bros - I know there was 5 - but no one pays any attention to Karl)

[issybird]

How about Brideshead Revisited? The first half qualifies as a buddy tragedy although the second half would be a romantic tragedy.