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39 Doorstopper Books to Spend Some Time With
It's a good time of year for big plans. You’ve got most of 2023 ahead of you. Why not dream big?
In this spirit, we’ve collected below our semi-annual listing of “doorstopper” books – massive tomes with big page counts for the truly intrepid reader. In fact, this year we went really big. All the books below have official counts of more than 500 pages. You’ll find new releases up top, and a comprehensive collection of classic doorstoppers below.
Pro tip: If you’re participating in the 2023 Goodreads Challenge, this is a great way to earn style points. Big books get big respect in the Challenge arena. But if you’re going to finish them in time, it’s best to start early.
If you see anything below that seems do-able—or if you’re in the market for an actual doorstop—just add the title to your Want to Read list.
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Your turn! What's a favorite doorstopper that you'd recommend to your fellow readers? Let us know in the comments!
Be sure to check out more recent articles.
Be sure to check out more recent articles.
Comments Showing 1-50 of 59 (59 new)
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Kimberley
(last edited Jan 25, 2023 12:09AM)
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Jan 25, 2023 12:09AM
The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt, one of my favourites!
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Les Miserables, a masterpiece. It’s in 365 short chapters, so not too late to start at one per day and finish within the year if you’re daunted.
Definitely Umberto Eco´s "Pendulum". One of my alltime favourites and never dull! and please: add more Neal Stephenson! How about the "The Baroque Cycle" or "Rise and Fall of the D.O.D.O:"?
The The Last Chairlift by John Irving (haven't read it yet, but it sits dauntingly fat on my bookshelf).
Les Mis — so long, so beautiful. Definitely worth the hefty page count.
This list is missing one of my favorite authors, James Michener. Most of his books fit this catagory and I've read many of them.
Virginia wrote: "This list is missing one of my favorite authors, James Michener. Most of his books fit this catagory and I've read many of them."Agreed! Sometimes it seems the world has forgotten him.
From the list above:-Loved 'Life After Life'!
-'The Luminaries' was also an interesting read
Other suggestions:
-Bleak House
-The Count of Monte Cristo
The Goldfinch is my favourite. It can be a slog to get through at time but the story is amazing.
I know that Outlander is here, but ALL of the series are big books. I think the shortest one I read (depends on the version) was just under 600 pgs and that was one of the companion books. The books 1-9 are a minimum of 627ish...and I read 1-8 over the course of a year several years ago.
Have read several from the list! A Gentleman in Moscow is also a favorite! I’m not sure how many pages in regular print as I read it in large print!
Glad to see this blog post - one that is about reading rather than pushing the latest releases.Normally I like my fiction to be around 350 pages, but I thought I would try a couple of door stoppers this year. I'm currently reading Angelique - Marquise of The Angels (Complete and Unabridged): 1 - Childhood which is 535 pages. Some questionable attitudes which I am looking forward to discussing with friends after I finish.
I didn't care for A Secret History or The Luminaries, haven't read any of the others that Cybil has listed.
What you doing, Goodreads? 😫 I promised not to read any beast of a book this year
The Woman They Could Not Silence by Kate Moore. It is based on diaries, documents, medical records, court records, and other first-person accounts. It is hard to read as this woman endured oppression that is unthinkable today. However, Elizabeth Packard was unstoppable, and made our country a safe place for women to live.
The Witching Hour by Anne Rice. 1200 pages and the audiobook is 50 hours!
The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides
Kathy wrote: "The Witching Hour by Anne Rice. 1200 pages and the audiobook is 50 hours!"This is the "scariest" book I've ever read because it starts generations earlier than the present and shows a slow progression of magic and power that made it almost plausible. I love it so much that I've read it several times. (Didn't much care for the sequels though, especially Lasher.)
How was the audiobook?
The Invisible BridgeThe Weight of Ink
A Suitable Boy
The Love Songs of W.E.B. Du Bois
American Gods
Wolf Hall
Midnight's Children
A Discovery of Witches
The Moonstone
Middlesex
Oscar and Lucinda
The Famished Road
A Gathering of Shadows
aaaaah, I clearly enjoy doorstoppers!
Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell—the worthiest slog of a book I ever endured. Boys Life by Robert McCammon (skip Swan Song).
I just finished up Priory of an Orange tree. The prequel coming in at a whopping 840+ pages, will be released in February. I’m wondering if I can conquer both this year. I did love the world so much.
Crescent City, House of Sky and Breath by Sarah J. Maas! ❤️
Clarissa, or, the History of a Young Lady stares at me from my bookshelf wondering when I will ever find time to read her.
11/22/63 is the longest book I've ever read at around 850 pages. It's also one of my all-time favorite novels!
Dani wrote: "The Brothers KThe Winners"
Dani, a friend stationed with me on our naval ship recommended The Brothers K and I loved it!
Am I the only one who thinks 500 pages is kind of low for a doorstopper? 800 is a better number.
Wanderers by Chuck Wendig. It's an 800 page tale of a near future pandemic that leads to an apocalypse, that leads to a strange new future. Wanderers
Mike wrote: "Am I the only one who thinks 500 pages is kind of low for a doorstopper? 800 is a better number."100% agreed!
Demon Copperhead is soooooo good.One of my favourites that I read every few years is Needful Things by Stephen King. It's a long book but it feels like 300 to 400 pages.
Leanne wrote: "Shantaram, Fayne, 11/22/63"I have read both Shantaram and 11/22/63. Both excellent!
Agree with delta Dawn. Priory of the orange tree. Great book.
The Goldfinch has a wonderful narrator on audiobook, great story too
Not a huge fan of it, but I don't see Stephen King's It on here. Glad to see people recommending Les Misérables - it's so long, but absolutely beautiful. The later Harry Potter books are definitely a little doorstop-y.Also Winter by Marissa Meyer and the Eragon series
Jasmine wrote: "Leanne wrote: "Shantaram, Fayne, 11/22/63"I have read both Shantaram and 11/22/63. Both excellent!"
I'll second "Fayne"
Any of the epic novels by Wilbur Smith, especially River God and Blue Horizon.
Virginia wrote: "This list is missing one of my favorite authors, James Michener. Most of his books fit this catagory and I've read many of them."I agree! Hawaii is one of my favorites.
Loved those! Also Clive Barker’s “The Great & Secret Show,” and “Imajica,” both dauntingly big but very deep and rich, as his are wont to be. Very high-concept but still accessible.
