If you want to read a very sad and touching novel, I'd recommend the beautiful (in the the sense that noone ever gets what they want and that is beautiful) book: "A Fine Balance" by Rohinton Mistry
(http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0679776451/o/qid=934478258/sr=8-1/002-0723401-0645003)
Its light in the sense that its a lot easier to pick up than to put down, but its heavy on the heart.
-Edwin