[Ankatje]

How do you feel about big books?

Are you a fan of big books?
Want to read them, but get intimidated by the size?
Just prefer short books?




A few well known big beauties:

[Ankatje]

Hi everyone I wanted a place to talk about big books, because I sometimes love them and sometimes get very intimidated by them, so here it is.

Currently reading a very big boy: War and Peace. I've owned it for maybe eight years, but was too intimidated to start reading it. Now that I've finally picked it up I'm really enjoying it.

[LilMouse]

thread is started.

The only one I read in the OP is The Secret History.

I do like big books, but I also get intimidated. I haven't tackled Les Mis yet because of it's size and because I've heard Hugo spends a long time describing the sewer system.

Currently reading a very big boy: War and Peace. I've owned it for maybe eight years, but was too intimidated to start reading it. Now that I've finally picked it up I'm really enjoying it.

Is is easy to understand or is the language difficult?


I wonder what is considered a big book? For me:
short books = anything under 300 pages
medium books = 300-500 pages
large books = anything over 500 pages

[Ankatje]

I've read few big books before, but definitely not every book in the OP. The ones I've read in the last few years are the ASOIAF books, A Little Life, The Priory of the Orange Tree, The Name of the Wind and 11.22.63.

I find the classic big books the most intimidating, because the writing is often more difficult, so it takes even longer to read them. With War and Peace that isn't too bad, the writing isn't super complicated. There are tons of characters though, so that gets pretty complex.

Originally Posted by LilMouse (View Post) I wonder what is considered a big book? For me: short books = anything under 300 pages medium books = 300-500 pages large books = anything over 500 pages

I follow pretty much the same logic, although I differentiate between pretty big books and really big books. To me it's like:
Under 300 pages = short
300-450 = medium
450-600 = pretty big
600+ = really big

That's what so intimidating about a few of those 1000+ page books, there are like twice the size of an already pretty big book

[LilMouse]

The ones I've read in the last few years are the ASOIAF books, A Little Life, The Priory of the Orange Tree, The Name of the Wind and 11.22.63.

This one is waiting in my audible library.

I find the classic big books the most intimidating, because the writing is often more difficult, so it takes even longer to read them. With War and Peace that isn't too bad, the writing isn't super complicated. There are tons of characters though, so that gets pretty complex.

Sometimes you wish they'd give a glossary or a list of characters so you can keep it straight.

h I differentiate between pretty big books and really big books

That's a good way to break it up.

500-700 = pretty big 700+ = really big

That's what so intimidating about a few of those 1000+ page books, there are like twice the size of an already pretty big book

And I always think with those books, there's so many smaller books you could've fit in the same amount of time.

[BehrItAll]

I read big books, but not often because they are intimidating and time consuming.

I love The Count of Monte Cristo.

Lord of the Rings and The Secret History are on my TBR.

This thread makes me think of the meme, I like big books and I can not lie.

[LilMouse]

Lord of the Rings

You need to tell me if that book really does go off on tangents. I think big books are good if they don't go off on tangents.

This thread makes me think of the meme, I like big books and I can not lie.

https://bookriot.com/i-like-big-books-and-i-cannot-lie/ To be sung to the tune of “Baby Got Back” by Sir Mix-a-Lot (Intro) Oh, my, god. Becky, look at those books. They’re so big. They look like one of those book nerd’s fantasies. But, you know, who understands those book nerds anyway? They only read because they’re like total dorky intellectuals. I mean that book, it’s just so hefty, it’s like, a door-stopper, I mean – gross. Look! They’re just so… THICK! (Reader aka Book Nerd) I like big books and I cannot lie you other people can’t deny that when a book sits there with a crazy bunch of pages full of a plot for the ages you get sprung; wanna pull out your glasses cause you notice that book’s got mass(es). Deep in the pages you’re reading – you’re hooked and you can’t stop needing. That book… you wanna get with it just keep reading and never quit. My bed time tries to warn me but that plot it’s got makes me just wanna squee. Ooh, Rumpelstiltskin your story is just too thin! So, read on, read on cause this ain’t your average Don Juan. I’m tired of the lyin’ there’s no denyin’ – it’s big, it’s thick got it going like a magic trick! I’m tired of short book flings big book commitments are the things. Tolstoy, Bronte: would tell you that – books gotta be real fat. So, book nerds (yeah!) book nerds (yeah!) Has your big book got the weight? (hell yeah!) Then flip ’em (flip ’em!) flip ’em (flip ’em!) Flip those fat book pages; Big Books got game!

[Ankatje]

I almost used that meme as the title of the thread I have a tote bag with the quote on it - it's my bookshop/library bag

[LilMouse]

I love that it was put on a tote bag.

We can always use the meme for future thread titles

[Ankatje]

Exactly! Besides now the thread is also a place to post about disliking big books or never wanting to pick them up

Found this on bookriot:

50 MUST-READ BOOKS OF MORE THAN 500 PAGES

I'm gonna have to see which ones I can cross off of the list.

[LilMouse]

I read this book and really liked it

ALL THE LIGHT WE CANNOT SEE BY ANTHONY DOERR

I didn't realize it was considered a long book because I flew through it.

Also read:

A DISCOVERY OF WITCHES BY DEBORAH HARKNESS THE NIGHT CIRCUS BY ERIN MORGENSTERN THE SECRET HISTORY BY DONNA TARTT

Lots of books on that list I never heard of. It's good to discover new things.

[BehrItAll]

THE NIGHT CIRCUS BY ERIN MORGENSTERN

I disagree here. Not the page count part but that it doesn't feel long. It doesn't feel like a big book. I felt like The Starless Sea is way longer.

I would like a tote that says that

Dark Age by Pierce Brown is a door stopper!

[LilMouse]

I think the Starless Sea feels longer because it did get a little repetitive towards the end, and drawn out. I don't feel like Night Circus repeated itself.

Dark Age by Pierce Brown is a door stopper!

A roach killer.

[BehrItAll]

I think the Starless Sea feels longer because it did get a little repetitive towards the end, and drawn out. I don't feel like Night Circus repeated itself.

Yeah, but Starless Sea is thicker than TNC.

A roach killer.

Yea.

[LilMouse]

I loved the story asides in Starless Sea.