What book traumatized you as a kid? - Page 4

JSWolf · 03-04-2020, 05:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Deskisamess

I don't recall any books scaring me when I was young. I do remember being disturbed by The Pearl when I was 13 or so. Never really got over it...

I read Helter Skelter when I was 14 or so. It was certainly appalling, but I think at that age I was very removed from that kind of horror, and hadn't seen enough of the real world yet to really get it.

As an adult, it's much harder for me to read such things. I had to put For a Song and a Hundred Songs: A Poet's Journey Through a Chinese Prison aside because it was so brutal.

I was 13 when I saw Helter Skelter on TV. Didn't disturb me at all.

hobnail · 03-04-2020, 06:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JSWolf

I was 13 when I saw Helter Skelter on TV.

That explains it.

ZodWallop · 03-10-2020, 01:05 PM

As a kid (and as an adult) I loved creepy stories and they didn't really disturb me at all. I remember loving The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, Rip Van Winkle and Tailypo as a kid.

The book that really disturbed me was a copy my grandmother had of Babes in the Wood. The story of two children sent to the woods to be murdered, escape that and wander in the woods until they die of exposure. That messed with me.

Another book that I'd love to find again was a children's book, written from the perspective of a kid, laying in bed with his face to the wall. He senses a monster creeping into his room and up to his bed to eat him before it abruptly leaves. Finally, the kid rolls over, the room is empty, he goes to the window and sees the tail of the monster as it heads down the street. The whole book was based on hearing the creak of the stairs, door, floorboards, the hot breath on his back. It was creepy and inappropriate and I loved it.

Poppaea · 03-11-2020, 03:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ZodWallop

(...) It was creepy and inappropriate and I loved it.

Are you sure you are talking about a book? Because this sounds like my ex-boyfriend.

SeaBookGuy · 08-17-2020, 04:46 PM

Johnny Tremain - his hand being crippled by molten silver!

Fbone · 08-17-2020, 10:32 PM

Brave New World traumatized me as an adult!

I don't recall any books but there were a few movies.

curtw · 08-21-2020, 12:26 PM

Nope. I guess I just loved reading so much that nothing disturbed me. My mom gave me an illustrated, annotated collection of Poe stories for my 8th birthday, and I gobbled 'em up. Tell-Tale Heart, Pit and the Pendulum, Murders in the Rue Morgue. Great stuff!

haertig · 08-21-2020, 12:44 PM

The only traumatic childhood book I remember was the textbook for Government class (now called "Political Science") back in Junior High (now called "Middle School").

ekbell · 08-24-2020, 10:51 AM

I remember a book of Canadian Folklore and legend that included a section of urban folktales (cars and hands and aaarrrggghhh).

JSWolf · 08-25-2020, 07:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fbone

Brave New World traumatized me as an adult!

I don't recall any books but there were a few movies.

Have a watch of the TV series and let us know if it's as traumatizing as the book.

Apache · 08-25-2020, 09:04 PM

For my son it was the Bible. Specifically, the one the Nun used to hit him over the head with.

True story.
Apache

theducks · 08-29-2020, 03:26 PM

Edger Alan POE <pick almost any title

>

Mikou · 08-29-2020, 06:30 PM

I only recall 2 books that traumatized me as a child:
1) Swiss Family Robinson. The snake scene (eating the donkey) was extremely disturbing. Up until then, I didn't know snakes could get that big and I was horrified by the idea of the donkey being slowly digested (and the idea that the same could possibly happen to a human.) I don't know how old I was when I read it, but it was before I turned 9.
2) In middle school (10 to 12 years old) I read a lot of Stephen King. Obviously, many of his stories are creepy/scary. But the one that disturbed me the most was "The Apt Pupil", because the "monster" was a human and I found that scarier than anything that was obviously imaginary.

Dr. Drib · 08-30-2020, 01:08 PM

"Stranger Than Science," by Frank Edwards.

One event about spontaneous combustion scared the living crap out of me. The book is fascinating.

Winkelschraube · 10-04-2020, 11:13 AM

No trauma, but the beginning of a lifelong love for an author: As a child in school, I was 11-12 years old when the teacher told us to borrow a serious big book from the school library and read it through during the long summer vacations. I took "Stephen King - Pet Sematary". I didn't know anything about it and neither did the teacher, otherwise it was not allowed. I was scared but could not stop.

A world opened up to me. I am eternally grateful to the teacher.

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03-10-2020, 01:05 PM	#48
ZodWallop Gentleman and scholar Posts: 10,987 Karma: 108309641 Join Date: Jun 2015 Location: Space City, Texas Device: Clara HD; Nook ST w/Glowlight, (2015) Glowlight Plus, Paperwhite 3	As a kid (and as an adult) I loved creepy stories and they didn't really disturb me at all. I remember loving The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, Rip Van Winkle and Tailypo as a kid. The book that really disturbed me was a copy my grandmother had of Babes in the Wood. The story of two children sent to the woods to be murdered, escape that and wander in the woods until they die of exposure. That messed with me. Another book that I'd love to find again was a children's book, written from the perspective of a kid, laying in bed with his face to the wall. He senses a monster creeping into his room and up to his bed to eat him before it abruptly leaves. Finally, the kid rolls over, the room is empty, he goes to the window and sees the tail of the monster as it heads down the street. The whole book was based on hearing the creak of the stairs, door, floorboards, the hot breath on his back. It was creepy and inappropriate and I loved it.

08-17-2020, 04:46 PM	#50
SeaBookGuy Can one read too much? Posts: 2,015 Karma: 2487799 Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Naples, FL Device: Kindle PW 3, Sony 350 and 650	Johnny Tremain - his hand being crippled by molten silver!

08-17-2020, 10:32 PM	#51
Fbone Is that a sandwich? Posts: 8,189 Karma: 100500000 Join Date: Jun 2010 Device: Nook Glowlight Plus	Brave New World traumatized me as an adult! I don't recall any books but there were a few movies.

08-21-2020, 12:26 PM	#52
curtw Outside of a dog Posts: 863 Karma: 4457646 Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Houston, TX Device: Kindle Voyage	Nope. I guess I just loved reading so much that nothing disturbed me. My mom gave me an illustrated, annotated collection of Poe stories for my 8th birthday, and I gobbled 'em up. Tell-Tale Heart, Pit and the Pendulum, Murders in the Rue Morgue. Great stuff!

08-21-2020, 12:44 PM	#53
haertig Wizard Posts: 1,738 Karma: 26006874 Join Date: Sep 2017 Device: PW3, Fire HD8 Gen7, Moto G7, Sansa Clip v2, Ruizu X26	The only traumatic childhood book I remember was the textbook for Government class (now called "Political Science") back in Junior High (now called "Middle School").

08-24-2020, 10:51 AM	#54
ekbell Guru Posts: 603 Karma: 12345678 Join Date: Jan 2015 Location: Canada Device: none	I remember a book of Canadian Folklore and legend that included a section of urban folktales (cars and hands and aaarrrggghhh).

08-25-2020, 09:04 PM	#56
Apache Readaholic Posts: 5,137 Karma: 89858112 Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: South Georgia Device: Surface Pro 6 / Galaxy Tab A 8"	For my son it was the Bible. Specifically, the one the Nun used to hit him over the head with. True story. Apache

08-29-2020, 03:26 PM	#57
theducks Well trained by Cats Posts: 29,795 Karma: 54830978 Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: The Central Coast of California Device: Kobo Libra2,Kobo Aura2v1, K4NT(Fixed: New Bat.), Galaxy Tab A	Edger Alan POE <pick almost any title >

08-29-2020, 06:30 PM	#58
Mikou Zealot Posts: 148 Karma: 5052779 Join Date: May 2007 Location: Long Island, NY Device: Kobo Libra, Amazon Fire 10, Kobo Clara, Kobo Aura One	I only recall 2 books that traumatized me as a child: 1) Swiss Family Robinson. The snake scene (eating the donkey) was extremely disturbing. Up until then, I didn't know snakes could get that big and I was horrified by the idea of the donkey being slowly digested (and the idea that the same could possibly happen to a human.) I don't know how old I was when I read it, but it was before I turned 9. 2) In middle school (10 to 12 years old) I read a lot of Stephen King. Obviously, many of his stories are creepy/scary. But the one that disturbed me the most was "The Apt Pupil", because the "monster" was a human and I found that scarier than anything that was obviously imaginary.

08-30-2020, 01:08 PM	#59
Dr. Drib Grand Sorcerer Posts: 44,743 Karma: 55645321 Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Peru Device: Kindle: Oasis 3, Voyage WiFi; Kobo: Libra 2, Aura One	"Stranger Than Science," by Frank Edwards. One event about spontaneous combustion scared the living crap out of me. The book is fascinating.

10-04-2020, 11:13 AM	#60
Winkelschraube Connoisseur Posts: 98 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jul 2020 Device: The (orly) amazing Kindle Oasis 3	No trauma, but the beginning of a lifelong love for an author: As a child in school, I was 11-12 years old when the teacher told us to borrow a serious big book from the school library and read it through during the long summer vacations. I took "Stephen King - Pet Sematary". I didn't know anything about it and neither did the teacher, otherwise it was not allowed. I was scared but could not stop. A world opened up to me. I am eternally grateful to the teacher.