# Recommend some books on the dark side of human nature **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 24, 2002, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-books-on-the-dark-side-of-human-nature/99880 "2002-03-24T19:09:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Koxinga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/4af34b/32.png) [@Koxinga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Koxinga)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2002, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-books-on-the-dark-side-of-human-nature/99880/1 "2002-03-24T19:09:24Z")
I just finished re-reading _Lord of the Flies_ and _Heart of Darkness_, and I’m eager to read more on the corruption of the human soul! What books (or possibly movies, poems, or other art forms) pop into your head when you think about falls from innocence, the corrupting influence of society, how individuals transform into a mob, and generally “why things go wrong”? ---
**Author:** ![FisherQueen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/58f4c7/32.png) [@FisherQueen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FisherQueen)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2002, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-books-on-the-dark-side-of-human-nature/99880/2 "2002-03-24T19:19:31Z")
Well, “A Clockwork Orange” sort of springs to mind. ---
**Author:** ![peepthis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/9d8465/32.png) [@peepthis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/peepthis)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2002, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-books-on-the-dark-side-of-human-nature/99880/3 "2002-03-24T19:55:28Z")
Crime & Punishment, though it focuses a lot on redemption from that fall from innocence. And I suppose 1984 will be atop most people’s list. ---
**Author:** ![Hosayf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/2acd7d/32.png) [@Hosayf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hosayf)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2002, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-books-on-the-dark-side-of-human-nature/99880/4 "2002-03-24T20:03:17Z")
I don’t know if many would consdider this one to fit, but Dan Simmons’ _Hyperion_ and more so the sequels certainly show the darkness of human nature in a future sci-fi setting. I would suggest these books to everyone even those who hate sci-fi. ---
**Author:** ![Drastic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Drastic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drastic)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2002, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-books-on-the-dark-side-of-human-nature/99880/5 "2002-03-24T20:20:50Z")
George Orwell’s **1984** is always a good choice to be chilled by, particularly the “education” of Winston. This might be considered more of a stretch, bu C.S. Lewis’ **Screwtape Letters** is another good one at digging into the dark side, regardless of how well you sit with Christian theology. ---
**Author:** ![Jabba](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/b5e925/32.png) [@Jabba](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jabba)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2002, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-books-on-the-dark-side-of-human-nature/99880/6 "2002-03-24T20:29:53Z")
Cormac McCarthy, _Blood Meridian_ I may well think of more later. ---
**Author:** ![Doctor\_Goo\_Fee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Doctor\_Goo\_Fee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doctor_Goo_Fee)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2002, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-books-on-the-dark-side-of-human-nature/99880/7 "2002-03-24T20:50:23Z")
the Bible it’s this fairy tale in which the authors dreamed up this mean, spiteful, jealous all-powerful guy who kills masses of people when he feels slighted. this book has also cause a lot of misery and deception since it was written several thousand years ago. if i believed in banning books, this title would be number one on my list._the Bible_ ---
**Author:** ![Doctor\_Goo\_Fee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Doctor\_Goo\_Fee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doctor_Goo_Fee)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2002, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-books-on-the-dark-side-of-human-nature/99880/8 "2002-03-24T20:53:53Z")
_the Bible_ it’s this fairy tale in which the authors dreamed up this mean, spiteful, jealous all-powerful guy who kills masses of people whenever he feels slighted (or sometimes just when he’s bored). this book has also caused a lot of misery and deception since it was written several thousand years ago. it’s the darkest, sickest thing you could ever read… if i believed in banning books, this title would be number one on my list. ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2002, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-books-on-the-dark-side-of-human-nature/99880/9 "2002-03-24T20:54:04Z")
**The Wasp Factory** by Iain Banks. Oooooh eeee. Also I found **Less Than Zero** by Brett Easton Ellis pretty disturbing. ---
**Author:** ![Koxinga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/4af34b/32.png) [@Koxinga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Koxinga)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2002, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-books-on-the-dark-side-of-human-nature/99880/10 "2002-03-24T20:59:08Z")
Thanks for the titles, folks. Some I have heard of, some I haven’t. Goo Fee, interrupting our conversation to flourish the chip on your shoulder isn’t very polite. Please take it to Great Debates or the Pit. ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2002, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-books-on-the-dark-side-of-human-nature/99880/11 "2002-03-24T22:25:54Z")
Goo Fee, perhaps you weren’t aware that the restriction on prostlytizing to only Great Debates included religion bashing as well. Consider yourself informed. Bookwise, Kathe Koja has written a few books about descent into insanity and corruption of the soul and that sort of thing. _Strange Angels_ and _Skin_ would be my two picks for you. Might have to hit up the library though as I think both of those are out of print. ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2002, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-books-on-the-dark-side-of-human-nature/99880/12 "2002-03-24T22:36:30Z")
_Mein Kampf–by Hitler_ self explainitory _The Prince–by Macciavelli_ {sp?} the real story of politics. ---
**Author:** ![bagkitty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7ab992/32.png) [@bagkitty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bagkitty)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2002, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-books-on-the-dark-side-of-human-nature/99880/13 "2002-03-24T22:44:11Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by jjimm \* > **The Wasp Factory by Iain Banks. Oooooh eeee.** I can hardly believe someone beat me to this. I have been trying to get people to read this for years. Good on ya jjimm ---
**Author:** ![ultrafilter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/3d9bf3/32.png) [@ultrafilter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ultrafilter)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2002, 11:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-books-on-the-dark-side-of-human-nature/99880/14 "2002-03-24T23:05:05Z")
_Native Son_ by (I believe) Richard Wright is a good one. ---
**Author:** ![Doctor\_Goo\_Fee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Doctor\_Goo\_Fee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doctor_Goo_Fee)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2002, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-books-on-the-dark-side-of-human-nature/99880/15 "2002-03-24T23:23:46Z")
ok… i admit i left my heart out on my sleeve with that one… but I really feel that the Bible is a book, in part, about the dark side of human nature. I didn’t realize that the OP meant “recommend some books OTHER THAN THE BIBLE on the dark side of human nature.” please don’t ask for recommendations and then tell me my recommendation is somehow wrong or unfair. The Bible is a book The Bible (IMO) contains a lot of stories on the dark side of human nature. ---
**Author:** ![Jeff](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e19b73/32.png) [@Jeff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jeff)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2002, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-books-on-the-dark-side-of-human-nature/99880/16 "2002-03-24T23:27:40Z")
I’d suggest **Brave New World** as a great companion piece to **1984** , and perhaps **Farenheit 451** as well. **Naked Lunch** is a possibility, if you can stomach Burrough’s substandard writing style. Alexander Pope’s **The Dunciad** and Jonathan Swift’s \*\* A Tale of a Tub\*\* both chart the corrupting influences of modern society, though they’re probably a little esoteric for the casual reader. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2002, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-books-on-the-dark-side-of-human-nature/99880/17 "2002-03-24T23:43:16Z")
_Silence of the Lambs_, Thomas Harris. _The Arrogance of Power_, Anthony Summers. _Hitler’s Willing Executioners_, Daniel Goldhagen. _A Simple Plan_, Scott Smith. _All the President’s Men_, Woodward and Bernstein. _The Talented Mr Ripley_, Patricia Highsmith. _In Cold Blood_, Truman Capote. _The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich_, William Shirer. _My Dark Places_, James Ellroy. _American Tabloid_, James Ellroy. Warning! Don’t read all of these in a row. ---
**Author:** ![Ukulele\_Ike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/df788c/32.png) [@Ukulele\_Ike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ukulele_Ike)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2002, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-books-on-the-dark-side-of-human-nature/99880/18 "2002-03-25T00:25:52Z")
The Comte de Lautreamont’s **Les Chants de Maldoror**. First published in 1868, it is a long narrative prose poem which celebrates the principle of Evil in an elaborate style and with a passion akin to religious fanaticism. [sub](description swiped from back-cover copy of the New Directions edition)[/sub] ---
**Author:** ![ResIpsaLoquitor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b3f665/32.png) [@ResIpsaLoquitor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ResIpsaLoquitor)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2002, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-books-on-the-dark-side-of-human-nature/99880/19 "2002-03-25T00:26:28Z")
Macbeth. It’s got kilts and claymores, to boot. ---
**Author:** ![vivalostwages](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/d07c76/32.png) [@vivalostwages](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vivalostwages)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2002, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-books-on-the-dark-side-of-human-nature/99880/20 "2002-03-25T00:37:57Z")
_Zombie_ , by Joyce Carol Oates–a novel told in the first person by a fellow based more or less on Jeffrey Dahmer; he wants to create a zombie via ice pick lobotomy so he can have them for sex whenever he wants. :eek: [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-books-on-the-dark-side-of-human-nature/99880.md?page=2)