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You are here: Home / Books / Top 39 Books About Dysfunctional Families

Top 39 Books About Dysfunctional Families

November 24, 2015 By Germaine Taylor Leave a Comment

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Whether they present modern times or past, historical times, or even things that happen in the future, many authors have approached in their works the theme of the family. The most successful such books are the ones that depict different, unique cases.

Readers tend to devour the lives of characters that are much different from their own, even more if the story is sad. Here you can see the top 39 books about dysfunctional families.

1. Beloved

Beloved is one of the  top 39 books about dysfunctional families.

Toni Morrison writes about a woman and her daughter trying to start anew, while being haunted by the past.

2. The Corrections

The Correction definitely belongs among the top 39 books about dysfunctional families.

Jonathan Franzen presents the transformation of the life of a family, from order to chaos, while approaching themes such as dementia, alcoholism, depression and adultery.

3. Sharp Objects

Sharp Objects is written by Gillian Flynn.

After being released from a psychiatric facility, a woman returns to her hometown to get in touch with her sister and mother who also suffer from psychological disorders, as recounted by author Gillian Flynn.

4. Fun Home

Alison Bechdel wrote Fun Home.

Alison Bechdel writes a sour tragicomedy, narrating the events in the life of a woman who finds out her father is gay. However, before finding out more, he dies and leaves her to find out the mysteries herself.

5. Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim

Another one of the top 39 books about dysfunctional families is Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim.

David Sedaris approaches many family issues, all in the setting of a failed vacation trip.

6. Game Of Thrones

The Game of Thrones series is one of the most popular at the moment.

The beloved series written by George R.R. Martin fascinates millions of fans with its dark themes like adultery, incest, pedophilia and gory deaths.

7. Push: A Novel

Push: A Novel is about the hardships of teenage life.

The author, Sapphire, recounts the sad events in the teenage life of Precious Jones.

8. The Secret History

The Secret History is part of the top 39 books about dysfunctional families.

A group of students form their own family, gathering all their defects and addictions in one place, as presented by Donna Tartt.

9. This is Where I Leave You

This is Where I Leave You is written by Jonathan Tropper.

Jonathan Tropper writes about the unorthodox and nasty discussions between people during a funeral.

10. The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao

The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao presents another dysfunctional family case.

Junot Diaz presents the life of Oscar Wao, whose family members are rebels and runaways, as narrated by his friend and roommate.

11. The Glass Castle

The Glass Castle is another book in the top 39 books about dysfunctional families.

Jeanette Walls presents her own childhood with her alcoholic father and artist mother, trying to highlight the good things among the bad ones.

12. Delicious Foods

Delicious Foods is written by James Hannaham.

A widow tries to reunite with her son while being trapped on a weird farm, as narrated by James Hannaham.

13. Middlesex

The top 39 books about dysfunctional families includes Middlesex.

Jeffrey Eugenides recounts the story of Callie who discovers the history of her family and her identity.

14. White Teeth

White Teeth includes two dysfunctional families.

Zadie Smith shows the lives of two Second World War veterans and their dysfunctional families.

15. Running With Scissors

Running with scissors is another story about the weird events in the life of a family.

A 12 year old has to go through harsh events in the Victorian mansion of the psychiatrist of his mother in this book written by Augusten Burroughs.

16. The Liars’ Club

The Liars' Club is Mary Karr's memoir.

Mary Karr’s memoir presents her childhood in East Texas, something that can be defined as a true wild ride.

17. We the Animals

We the Animals can definitely be considered one of the top 39 books about dysfunctional families.

Three children have to grow up on their own and take care of each other, being neglected by their young parents in this book by Justin Torres.

18. The Patrick Melrose Novels

The Patrick Melrose Novels are written by Edward St Aubyn.

Edward St Aubyn’s novel deals with dark and deviant matters, such as adultery, child abuse, suicide and addiction.

19. Salvage the Bones

Salvage the Bones is another book in the top 39 books about dysfunctional families.

Threatened by Hurricane Katrina, a 14 year old pregnant girl has to make it through life, supported only by her brothers, in this book by Jesmyn Ward.

20. Random Family

Adrian Nicole LeBlanc wrote Random Family.

Adrian Nicole LeBlanc’s book revolves around the life of a community in Bronx, a result of a 10 year research.

21. Geek Love

Geek Love, a book about dysfunctional families, is written by Katherine Dunn.

Katherine Dunn marvellously creates a freak circus, where family relations are undoubtedly formed.

22. Silver Sparrow

Silver Sparrow is written by Tayari Jones.

Tayari Jones recounts the story of man with two families, focusing on the meeting of his two daughters.

23. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

One of the top 39 books about dysfunctional families is The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo.

Acclaimed by both critics and readers, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson shows the events in a perfect example of a dysfunctional family.

24. The Color Purple

Alice Walker wrote The Color Purple.

Alice Walker depicts the story of two sisters in Africa who however live in completely different worlds.

25. One Hundred Years of Solitude

One Hundred Years of Solitude is one of the book by famous Gabriel Garcia Marquez.

Gabriel García Márquez, winner of the Nobel Prize, pictured the events in a family happening over seven generations.

26. As I Lay Dying

As I Lay Dying is written by William Faulkner.

Another perfect example of a book approaching the theme of dysfunctional families on a road trip is As I Lay Dying by William Faulkner.

27. The Prince of Tides

Pat Conroy wrote The Prince of Tides.

Pat Conroy’s book includes a combination of unlikely themes, such as abusive or absent parents, guerilla warfare and a pet tiger.

28. The Descendants

The Descendants is a book by Kaui Hart Hemmings.

Kaui Hart Hemmings recounts the story of a man who searches for his wife’s lover in order for her to say goodbye before she is taken off life support.

29. The Ice Storm

Rick Moody wrote The Ice Storm.

In this novel by Rick Moody, two families are stranded by an ice storm during Thanksgiving and must cope with each other.

30. The Family Fang

The Family Fang is another book part of the top 39 books about dysfunctional families.

Kevin Wilson presents two artists as they make a family and paint their lives.

31. The Darkest Child

Delores Phillips wrote The Darkest Child.

The book by Delores Phillips revolves around a dark child and what she has to go through in the 1950s.

32. Flowers in the Attic

Flowers in the Attic belongs to V.C. Andrews.

V.C. Andrews presents the lives of four siblings trapped in an attic by their cold hearted grandmother.

33. I Know This Much is True

Wally Lamb wrote I Know This Much Is True.

Two twins attempt to reconcile their past with their present in this book by Wally Lamb.

34. We Need to Talk About Kevin

Lionel Shriver wrote this popular book which has also received a movie adaptation.

The book by Lionel Shriver deals with a very actual problem of children who become shooters.

35. The God of Small Things

The God of Small Things is a book by Arundhati Roy.

Arundhati Roy presents the hardships a single mother has to go through during 1969 in India.

36. We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves

Karen Joy Fowler wrote We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves.

The story of a chimpanzee raised as a human is approached in this book by Karen Joy Fowler.

37. Breath, Eyes, Memory

Breath, Eyes, Memory is a book by Edwidge Danticat.

Edwidge Danticat recounts the story of a woman from Haiti who goes to New York to meet her biological mother.

38. The Poisonwood Bible

The Poisonwood Bible is written by Barbara Kingsolver.

The story of Barbara Kingsolver follows a family who moved to Belgian Congo in 1959.

39. Anna Karenina

One of the most beloved books ever written, Anna Karenina, is written by Leo Tolstoy.

One of Leo Tolstoy’s most popular books follows the degradation of a woman in society.

 

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