They often deal with themes of loss. For example, in many memoirs about war, people lose their loved ones, their homes, and their sense of safety. This creates a sense of sadness throughout the book.
One such book is 'A Child Called It' by Dave Pelzer. It's a harrowing true account of a child's experience of abuse at the hands of his mother. The book is extremely sad as it details the inhumane treatment the author endured as a young boy.
Another is the movie '12 Years a Slave'. It tells the true story of Solomon Northup, a free black man who was kidnapped and sold into slavery. The movie depicts the inhumane treatment and the long - suffering of slaves, which is truly heart - wrenching.
They usually have complex characters. In 'Persepolis', the main character Marjane is complex. She experiences different emotions like confusion, anger, and sadness as she faces the changes in her country. These complex characters make the sad stories more relatable. And the art style in such cartoons is often simple yet powerful. It doesn't need to be overly fancy. In 'Barefoot Gen', the simple drawings enhance the rawness of the story of the atomic bombing.
Some murder books are indeed based on true stories. Authors might be attracted to real - life murder cases because of their complexity and the human drama they involve. By writing about these true events, they can explore themes like justice, morality, and the darker side of human nature. For instance, Ann Rule, a true - crime writer, has written many books based on real murder cases she was personally involved in as a former police officer. Her books not only tell the story of the crime but also often provide psychological analysis of the perpetrators.
One of the top books based on true stories is 'The Diary of a Young Girl' by Anne Frank. It gives a first - hand account of a young girl's life in hiding during the Holocaust. Another is 'Unbroken' by Laura Hillenbrand, which tells the incredible story of Louis Zamperini, an Olympic athlete who survived the horrors of World War II. 'Into the Wild' by Jon Krakauer is also on the list. It follows the journey of Christopher McCandless who ventured into the Alaskan wilderness.
Well, 'The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks' is a great one. It's about Henrietta Lacks, whose cells were used for medical research without her knowledge. 'A Long Way Gone' by Ishmael Beah is also in the list. It tells the true story of Beah's life as a child soldier in Sierra Leone. And don't forget 'The Glass Castle' by Jeannette Walls, which is her memoir about her rather chaotic and impoverished childhood.
Definitely. 'In Cold Blood' by Truman Capote is also a horror book based on a true story. It recounts the brutal murder of a family in Kansas. Capote delved deep into the minds of the killers and the victims, painting a vivid and disturbing picture of the events. The book is not only about the physical horror of the murders but also the psychological horror of what led the killers to do such a thing.
One common theme is loss. For example, in stories about war, people lose their loved ones, their homes, and their sense of security. In the true story - based movie 'Hacksaw Ridge', the main character witnesses a great deal of loss as he tries to save his comrades in the brutal battle.