Task 10: Read a Book Over 500 Pages Long

[Miz]

The Corrections. Since I can't remember another books above 500 pages on my tbr pile.

[Bonnie G.]

Kate wrote: "Current shortlist:

The Blind Assassin
The Brothers Karamazov
Americanah"

Brothers Karamozov feels like 2000 pages, but it is generally considered among the most important novels ever written, so I guess its a good choice. (Can you tell it did not work for me?) I just finished The Blind Assassin, and enjoyed it. The prose is gorgeous. I loved Americanah, just loved it. Super smart and funny and painful and authentic. It challenged me in ways a book has not done in a long time.

[Kate]

Bobby wrote: "I have some long books scheduled for several other categories, but for this one I would like to finally get around to reading Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy. Now I jus..."

This one: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1...

(Yes, the one Oprah chose for her book club.)

It's the one I use when I teach it.

[Kate]

Bonnie wrote: "Kate wrote: "Current shortlist:

The Blind Assassin
The Brothers Karamazov
Americanah"

Brothers Karamozov feels like 2000 pages, but it is generally consid..."

I'm a huge Dostoevsky fan, but somehow have never gotten to Brothers. I'm leaning towards Americanah for this one, though, especially with your description!

[Bonnie G.]

Kate wrote: "Bonnie wrote: "Kate wrote: "Current shortlist:

The Blind Assassin
The Brothers Karamazov
Americanah"

Brothers Karamozov feels like 2000 pages, but it is g..."

I know I am missing something with Dostoevsky, I know it. I need to try harder. Here is my review (spoiler free) of Americanah if it is of interest https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Kate]

Bonnie wrote: "Kate wrote: "Bonnie wrote: "Kate wrote: "Current shortlist:

The Blind Assassin
The Brothers Karamazov
Americanah"

Brothers Karamozov feels like 2000 pages..."

Thanks!

Crime and Punishment is one of my favorite novels, but don't feel bad if he isn't your thing. I teach Russian literature and I strongly dislike Tolstoy (ugh). Everyone likes different things. Have you tried Lermontov or Gogol? Or Bulgakov?

[Bobby]

Kate wrote: "This one: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1...

(Yes, the one Oprah chose for her book club.)

It's the one I use when I teach it. "

Thanks! I own that one and one or two other translations, but that is the one I was tentatively going with.

[Bonnie G.]

Kate wrote: "Bonnie wrote: "Kate wrote: "Bonnie wrote: "Kate wrote: "Current shortlist:

The Blind Assassin
The Brothers Karamazov
Americanah"

Brothers Karamozov feels ..."

I LOVE The Master and Margarita. Insane and propulsive and funny and tragic and just great. I actually like Tolstoy. The Death of Ivan Ilyich is one of my go to suggestions when people are looking for novellas. I have not tried Crime and Punishment, but maybe I will do that. Gogol is also on my list. We were actually talking about it the other night because we were watching The Namesake (great movie better book) and Gogol is central to the story. I have never even heard of Lermontov. That is what I get for going to a state school :)/ Off to investigate. I will look for any other suggestions from you.

[Rokkan]

The Luminaries is on my TBR list so... hey-ho?

[Daena]

Going with The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle. It will overlap with another 2 challenges, which is great!

[Chickadee]

I'm going to read , which also takes care of the book originally published the decade I was born.

[Astrid]

Since it's been sitting on my nightstand judging me, I am going with The Goldfinch

[Kathy]

I've wanted to read The Name of the Rose by Umberto Eco but felt pretty intimidated by it. Now's my chance to get through it and hopefully enjoy.

[Leslie]

Over 500 pages
Custer's Trials: A Life on the Frontier of a New America - by T.J. Stiles

A Suitable Boy (A Suitable Boy, #1)-by Vikram Seth (1,474 pages) I will give myself credit even though I will be rereading because of large size of book and very small size of print. Loved this book.

SPQR: A History of Ancient Rome
by Mary Beard - looking forward to this one very much, (606 pg)

[Jessica]

I'm reading Seveneves by Stephenson, though the Goldfinch is tempting me.

[Carrie]

I think I'm going to read The Thorn Birds for this one, been on my to-read list for years!

[Lucy]

I'm currently reading The Crimson Petal and the White by Michel Faber, and it's fantastic. It also counts for another category as its historical fiction- do any of you count the same book twice? It kind of feels like cheating, though I'm only cheating myself!

[Lucy]

Daena wrote: "Going with The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle. It will overlap with another 2 challenges, which is great!"

Oh, this is my favourite book ever :)

[Loreen ☕️]

I found one that has been languishing in my borrowed book and TBR piles for a couple of years. And since it is someone else's book and I've had for two plus years I may start with it this week! Which makes me so happy. The Crimson Petal and The White by Michel Faber. My paperback copy clocks in at 900 pages.

[Joan]

I will be reading The Passage by Justin Cronin. I have been wanting to read this one for a while and am excited to get started.

[Krisha]

My library happened to have A Brief History of Seven Killings on it's recommended reads shelf so I picked that up for the challenge. I don't think it'll be the only 500+ page book this year since I'm also waiting for A Little Life from my holds list.

[SibylM]

Leslie wrote: "Over 500 pages
Custer's Trials: A Life on the Frontier of a New America - by T.J. Stiles

A Suitable Boy (A Suitable Boy, #1)-by Vikram Seth (1,474 pages) I will give myself credit even though I w..."

A Suitable Boy is probably my all-time favorite!

[Marie]

Possibilities: A Little Life, Carry On, All the Light We Cannot See, The Goldfinch

[Sarah]

I'm a fifth of the way through A Brief History of Seven Killings - Marlon James, my first book of the year.

But I do also have the Chernow biography of Alexander Hamilton and Mary Beard's SPQR...

Gonna be a busy year...

[sarah]

A beautiful book I received for Christmas: The Lake House

[Kristal]

Kate wrote: "Rainey wrote: "Kate wrote: "Current shortlist:

The Blind Assassin
The Brothers Karamazov
Americanah"

Oh Americanah. I really liked that book. Her writing ..."

Would definitely recommend Americanah!

[Katy]

Just started The Signature of All Things by Elizabeth Gilbert for this one.

[Babs]

I've just finished I Am Pilgrim by Terry Hayes for this challenge. An absolutely brilliant book weighing in at 900 pages!

[Rainey]

Babs wrote: "I've just finished I Am Pilgrim by Terry Hayes for this challenge. An absolutely brilliant book weighing in at 900 pages!"

That was such an excellent book. It was long but read very quickly. My book club read it last year. It reads like a screenplay.

It is supposed to be made into a movie.

[Babs]

Rainey wrote: That was such an excellent book. It was long but read very quickly. My book club read it last year. It reads like a screenplay.

It is supposed to be made into a movie. "

I can believe it. The author is an ex-screenwriter, which is probably why it's so movie-like. But it's still a great read. I loved it!

[Miranda]

I finished The Three Musketeers yesterday for this challenge and it was such an entertaining read that I highly recommend it for people who find big books scary. The time just whizzes by and I kept picking it up constantly over 2 days to the neglect of my responsibilities!

[Kathleen]

I read City on Fire, and it was amazing! Highly recommend. It's 900+ pages, but it's so engrossing.

[Jen]

The Diviners by Libba Bray was well over 500 pages, but still a quick read!

[Dhruv]

I'm already planning to read Alan Turing: The Enigma so I could potentially count it as a 500- book. But I don't want to cheat and All the Light We Cannot See sounds too amazing to miss.

[Kristine]

Life After Life, by Kate Atkinson.

[Betsy Marden]

I read "Citadel" by Kate Mosse. Loved it!

[Joan]

I just started The Passage by Justin Cronin

[Jennifer]

I just finished reading All the Light We Cannot See for this challenge, an incredible book, highly recommend to all.

[Karin]

I'm about 35 pages in to City On Fire and I'm really interested so far. The length is intimidating but I'm just going to keep plugging away!

[Jules]

Little Star, by John Ajvide Lindqvist ... thought it would take at least a week, but I couldn't put it down ... very compelling, psychological horror, and a chilling winter read.

[Bianca]

I am reading The Bone Clocks

[[deleted user]]

I am reading DRAGONFLY IN AMBER by Diana Gabladon-Book 2 in the Outlander series.

[Lorna]

Thinking about these:

Brief History of Seven Killings
City on Fire
We Are Not Ourselves

[Karen]

I've already completed this challenge because the first book I read in 2016 was Winter by Marissa Meyer! It was nice to (unintentionally) knock this one out right away so I don't have to stress about it later. :)

[Jacquelyn]

I just finished "The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay," by Michael Chabon. It's a very dynamic and engaging read.

[Alayna]

I'm going to tackle Jim Butcher's The Aeronaut's Windlass. I read his Codex Alera series and loved it. I have had several friends recommend his Dresden Files series as well, but the first one isn't long enough to fit the bill for this task. I'm not exactly straying far from my comfort zone with this one, but I figure if I'm going to read a long book, it's going to be a genre I love.

[Julia]

My RL book group and I are reading Someplace to Be Flying by Charles de Lint. For me, it's a reread, every time I read or reread Charles de Lint he makes me happy to be a reader. The mmpb copy I own is 544 pages. If you haven't read Charles de Lint before, it's an excellent entry point to his work and its length makes it feel like an entrée.

[Barbara]

I was in the middle of The Secret History over new year's, and it's 600-some pages, so I'll probably count that.

[Jules]

Lorna wrote: "Thinking about these:

Brief History of Seven Killings
City on Fire
We Are Not Ourselves"

Hi Lorna, I checked out Brief History, it looks very good -- added to my list :-)

[Trina]

The Aeronaut's Windlass is on my Book Club list, so I'm glad to know it will count. I haven't picked it up yet.