Uploaded April 2023 | Updated September 2026, 2 days ago

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Hello! It's been a while but here is another video essay, this time exploring How Dark is Too Dark? An exploration of trauma in a little life. I've been reading about trauma theory, sentimental literature and the trauma plot and it got me thinking about the well known "saddest book ever", A Little Life by Hanya Yanigahara. I hope you enjoy, and don't hate me too much if it's your favourite book!

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References
A Sentimental Education by Hannah McGregor
blackwells.co.uk/bookshop/product/A-Sentimental-Education-by-Hannah-McGregor/9781771125574
lrb.co.uk/the-paper/v37/n18/christian-lorentzen/sessions-with-a-poker
nytimes.com/2015/10/01/books/review-a-little-life-hanya-yanagiharas-traumatic-tale-of-male-friendship.html
nybooks.com/articles/2015/12/17/too-hard-take
nybooks.com/articles/2015/12/03/striptease-among-pals
washingtonpost.com/entertainment/books/book-world-a-little-life-by-hanya-yanagihara-inspires-and-devastates/2015/04/09/de04604c-d573-11e4-a62f-ee745911a4ff_story.html
theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2015/05/a-little-life-definitive-gay-novel/394436
blgtylr.substack.com/p/emotional-support-trauma-plot
latimes.com/books/jacketcopy/la-ca-jc-hanya-yanagahira-20150322-story.html
npr.org/2015/03/19/394050118/a-little-life-an-unforgettable-novel-about-the-grace-of-friendship
nytimes.com/2015/04/05/books/review/hanya-yanagiharas-a-little-life.html?_r=0
wsj.com/articles/fiction-chronicle-jude-the-obscure-1425679732
newyorker.com/magazine/2022/01/03/the-case-against-the-trauma-plot
newyorker.com/books/page-turner/the-subversive-brilliance-of-a-little-life
vulture.com/2015/04/how-hanya-yanagihara-wrote-a-little-life.html