Life in Holt, Colorado isn’t easy. Not for Ike and Bobby and their father, Guthrie, who watches as his wife becomes more enveloped in depression. Not for the McPheron brothers, two old cattlemen who run a ranch in the countryside. And especially not for Victoria Roubideaux, a sixteen-year-old girl who discovers she is pregnant and is immediately kicked out by her mother.

But not one of them gives in to self-pity. These are people with backbone, and they have a dignity that no circumstance can steal from them. The book is a Midwestern hymn to everyday kindness and the extraordinary impact it can have on the people who receive it.

The Great Fire – Shirley Hazzard

This is one of those love stories that makes you wonder if the characters will ever make it through the overwhelming circumstances they face. It’s set in Asia after WWII. Although Leith and Helen are separated by age at the beginning of the book, their lives are destined to be intertwined. The supporting characters are just as memorable as the lovers, and the writing itself is as beautiful as the story.

Wuthering Heights – Emily Bronte

You know how the title of this post includes love and hate? This is the hate part. Catherine and Heathcliff love each other, but it’s not the typical starry-eyed variety of love. What they share is an elemental bond that is stronger even than their pride and class hatred, the recognition that they are two halves of the same wild soul.

Jane Eyre - Charlotte Bronte

While Jane Eyre may appear to be gentler than its cousin Wuthering Heights, the true core of this novel is a woman who is strong enough to stand against not only the pressures of society, but her own emotions. The love between Jane and the tormented Rochester is so fierce that it can’t be stopped by time or distance.

The Death of the Heart - Elizabeth Bowen

Portia, a sensitive 16 year old girl, falls in love with the rakish Eddie. This novel isn’t so much a celebration of young love as a dirge. Not one adult relationship in this book is ultimately fulfilling, as the characters bicker, lie, and cheat on each other. Portia’s awakening isn’t to the wonders of love, but to the bitter disappointment of the adult world. Elizabeth Bowen examines the workings of the heart and shows it capable of purity and cheapness, deep loyalty and complete cowardice. This is one of my favorites.

Dark Fiction Booklist

The Lime Twig – John Hawkes

For the sheer beauty of language, this book is genius. It’s the story of a man and his wife who become embroiled in the British underworld when they help a con get his stolen racehorse into a race. The dire chain of events that follow ends in complete tragedy. This is one of those books that stick with you years later, thanks to its strange and moving imagery. As a side note, the title takes its name from a cruel bird trap – a twig coated in quicklime that glues the unwary bird’s feet to the branch. It’s a perfect fit.

A Canticle for Liebowitz – Walter J. Miller, Jr.

A sci-fi meditation on the nature of humanity, its tendency to destroy itself, and the possibility of salvation. There are some heavy chapters in the middle, and I nearly gave up. I’m glad I didn’t. The end is such a payoff that it would be criminal to stop reading. The characters play out a journey spanning generations, from primitive clan to educated monastery to high-tech civilization on the brink of self-destruction. A strange but worthwhile read.

Under the Volcano – Malcolm Lowry

At its core, this is a story of failed reconciliation. Geoffrey Firmin, an alcoholic journalist living in Mexico, spends time with his ex-wife and half-brother. These relationships, instead of becoming a source of comfort, instead serve only to highlight the terrible isolation of his life. It’s no coincidence that the story takes place on Dia de los Muertos. A strange dream of a novel.

The Cross and the Switchblade – David Wilkerson

This is the gripping story of a preacher who begins working with inner city youth in New York. I couldn’t put this one down. It is an eye-opening look at the world of street gangs from the perspective of a good man who did everything he could to help them, one gang member at a time.

My Name is Asher Lev – Chaim Potok

Asher Lev is an artist whose calling conflicts with some of the most deeply held beliefs of his family and his faith. His yearning to paint causes him to become estranged from his parents and the Jewish community, but he persists in using his God-given talent. This novel asks some interesting questions about how we use the gifts we have been given, and what happens when those gifts seem to go against everything we have been brought up to believe.

Pilgrim at Tinker Creek  – Annie Dillard

Annie Dillard carefully documents her year at Tinker Creek. That seems like a simple, even boring book, but not so fast. The attention she lavishes on the smallest of natural changes points to her greater theme: the possibility of being aware and living in the moment. Her writing alone – elegant, descriptive, passionate – is reason enough to read this book. Be prepared to witness the beauties and the horrors of the natural world in unflinching detail, and then, be prepared to ask “why”.

Peace Like a River – Leif Enger

Imagine that your father performs miracles – like healing the broken leather of a ruined saddle, or walking straight off the end of a flatbed pickup while praying and remaining airborne. Reuben has seen his father do these things and is in awe of his abilities. However, even Jeremiah’s faith seems like a poor defense against trouble when Reuben’s older brother is accused of murder. Reuben and his sister, Swede, are realistic, forming a typically childish prison break plan that ends when they both fall asleep. This book is part slow-moving family drama, part outlaw romance, part road trip.

Young Goodman Brown – Nathaniel Hawthorne

Even though Hawthorne is a bit old-fashioned, something about this story grabbed me. Maybe it was the Gothic trappings… the flaming twig that touches poor Goodman Brown, the creepy coven in the woods, or the amazing image of the man calling his wife’s name – “Faith! Faith!” - as his own faith in humanity slips away. It’s trite in some ways, and overwrought. But as a moody, guilty pleasure, it delivers.

Batman: Year One – Frank Miller

It’s a Gotham adventure packed with sleaze and grit. It’s the melodrama that saves it. Such exquisitely drawn darkness demands a hero willing to take on the bad guys on his own terms. The art is unsurpassed by any other comic I’ve read. The illustrations are so good that I hunted this book down after seeing only a few stillshots of the comic on a Batman Begins special.

Akira – Katsuhiro Otomo

If you’re in the mood for some cyberpunk action, this six-volume manga is the answer. Set in the post-apocalyptic Neo-Tokyo, the story follows two members of a motor bike gang named Kaneda and Tetsuo. When they have a run-in with a mysterious, psychically powerful child named Akira, they suddenly have problems far more serious than the rival gangs of the city. This is a gripping story if you’re willing to take some time to get into it. Be prepared for some whiplash-inducing twists as Otomo takes his characters through the ride of their lives.

The Emperor of Ocean Park – Stephen L. Carter

This murder mystery has its moments of suspense and paranoia, but the real reason it is on this list is that it is just a comfortable story about one man’s search for the truth about his father’s death. It’s not challenging, the final revelation is a bit strained and nearly impossible to guess from the scant clues given – but I couldn’t help but enjoy it. A well-known black judge dies, apparently of a heart attack, but his adult children are not convinced. Add some strange last wishes given to his son, and you have the makings of a mystery novel that will keep you entertained. One of the best parts of this book is Talcott’s interest in chess and the way it becomes an important plot element.

This list is dedicated to all things grim. If you read these books, take a flashlight. It’s dark in there.

The Road – Cormac McCarthy

No list of dark literature is complete without this masterpiece of misery. It asks the toughest of questions and doesn’t spoil its end-of-the-world mood with unrealistic cheer. The cannibals are real, the violence is ugly. So why read it? For the one speck of starlight that is the tender father-son relationship at the center of this black world.

A Prayer for the Dying – Stewart O’ Nan

This one’s got it all. A plague that turns ordinary townspeople into something just short of zombies. A dog that rots on the side of the street because nobody will move it. An undertaker who suffers losses that make him blur the line between the dead and the living. Add that to the second-person POV and prepare for some heartbreaking Gothic horror. This is one of those disturbing books that never quite lets you go. It all seems so likely.

The Silence of the Lambs - Thomas Harris

Yep, this one is a classic of the macabre. Clarice Starling is a heroine to root for, and Hannibal Lecter is a villain you can’t help but find fascinating. The amount of actual violence in this novel is slight; it’s the dread of what might happen that gets you.

The Man With the Chocolate Egg – John Noone

This is the Gothic novel that I wish more people knew about, so I’m putting it on this list. It’s a tour-de-force of uncanny events, with a main character who is part of a terrorist group and a supporting cast of freaks and dead bodies. It has one of the best dream sequences I’ve ever read, and one of the most take-your-breath-away endings.

Blueberries for Sal - Robert McCloskey

This little picture book is as sweet as the blueberries that the title character puts in her bucket. I remember the beautiful illustrations, the gentle giant of a bear. I still love this book. In a nice twist, I used to live in Texas and now live up North, near Maine, where Sal’s story takes place. It is the first book I thought of as I began this list.

Little House in the Big Woods – Laura Ingalls Wilder

This one is such a classic, what more can I say? My favorite memories of this book are of the maple syrup turned to candy on the snow and the description of how every part of a pig was used for food or fun – even the bladder was turned into a balloon for the girls to play with. I wanted to be Laura, to live in that tiny cabin surrounded by miles of forest.

Island of the Blue Dolphins - Scott O’Dell

This is one of my mother’s favorites, and she made sure I was introduced to it. Who hasn’t wondered how they would fare if left alone on an island? This novel, based on a true story, follows Karana as she loses first her people, then her younger brother. Her grit allows her to survive by using the resources available on the island. A great book for girls who long for adventure novels with strong heroines.

A Tale of Two Bad Mice – Beatrix Potter

I couldn’t get enough of this book as a child, and just thinking about it today makes me want to read it again. The charming dollhouse that falls prey to a pair of mousey burglars is vividly illustrated. The miniature plaster ham and the bowl of oranges that the dolls planned to eat were my favorite part.

Indian Captive - Lois Lenski

Mary Jemison really was captured by Indians in the 1700′s, and author Lois Lenski draws us into her story with a deft hand. Along with Mary, we learn that even a difficult experience can slowly metamorphose into an opportunity for joy and friendship. The details of the novel are outstanding and make for a gripping journey.

Little Women – Louisa May Alcott

Spoiler Alert! My most vivid memory of this novel also includes a spoiler. You have been warned.

My mother, my younger sister, and I took turns reading this book aloud. We followed Meg to a party where she acted like someone she was not and embarrassed herself. Amy coveted limes, and Jo wrote plays and befriended Laurie, the neighbor. Then we came to the part where Beth died. And none of us could read it. We sat on the bed and cried and then went back to the story when we were somewhat composed. I have never thought of Little Women without thinking of the three of us trying to get through that scene, which must be one of the most tear-jerking in juvenile literature.