Finished: Lie Down In Darkness (Styron). One of the most depressing books I've read, but what should I have expected from the author who wrote Sophie's Choice? The book tells the story about the Loftis family, a 1940's fairly well-to-do, but very dysfunctional southern family. It opens with the father, Milton Loftis traveling to pick up the body of his 23 year old daughter, Peyton, who has committed suicide. Milton, a promising young lawyer and hopeful judge when married to Helen years before, has basically ruined his family by becoming an alcoholic. Milton and Peyton have always been exceptionally close, especially since first daughter, Maudie, was born with mental and physical disabilities, and Helen has devoted most of her time and emotion to Maudie. Milton has spoiled the beautiful Peyton terribly. Helen, resents the relationship between Milton and Peyton, and is pretty cold to Peyton all her life. Basically, it's just a sad story of two very selfish parents completely wrecking a young life. Peyton could have been a great human being, but she pretty much didn't stand a chance with her mother ignoring her in favor of Maudie, blaming her for anything that went wrong with Maudie, and her father doting on her, and at times even slathering all over her. We see flashbacks of their "family" life, and spend time in the present, seeing how each parent is dealing with Peyton's death. One of the last chapters is done from Peyton's stream of conscience viewpoint on the day that she desperately tries to reconnect with her own husband, Harry, who has left her because of her own drinking, sleeping around and otherwise outrageous behavior, and when failing to reconnect...commits suicide. Such a sad, tragic story. Sigh.