The genre really took hold with the book 'A Child Called It' by David Pelzer. Since then, there have been many similar books all covering similar themes. The cynic in me says they are all just trying to cash in on a currently popular genre, rather than catharticaly describing a terrible chapter in their lives.
Yes, I read that series. But I guess they're all of similar ilk, so haven't read any other "Misery" books.
I think it's just human nature to look at other people's misery. Just like the rubber neckers at a car crash. Public executions used to be a big family occasion. They even made toys of execution devices for the kids to play with.
Maybe we're all too sanitised from hardship sufferring and misery these days?
Many people cringe when they see animals being slaughtered and the meat production process. It all goes on behind closed doors now, but only a few generations back, we were doing it ourselves.
I heard an old aged woman talking on the radio about her childhood when she was buggered by the local, "Dirty old man" as they were called then.
In those days, they just got on with it. She said she never suffered for all her life because of it. It was just an unpleasant thing that happened to her and others. But because nobody made a big deal out of it, they just dusted themselves down and got on with it.
Dave Peltzer went through some pretty horrific stuff though. He's lucky to still be alive, so probably worse than getting buggered a few times by the local perv?
There's a lot of nasty stuff happening every day, so no surprise that there are a number of books about it. I guess it's just compelling reading. Which of course, makes it very marketable. It must be selling well if they are advertised so much and so readily available.
