The BIGGEST books on the list

[NancyJ, Moderator]

Is anyone planning to read one of the longer books on the list this summer? Would you like to pick one to read together?

Here are the 10 biggest books on the list.

Title, author, #pages, avg rating

Don Quixote by Cervantes Saavedra, Miguel de - 940 pp 3.86
Lonesome Dove by McMurtry, Larry - 945 pp 4.48
Swan Song by McCammon, Robert R. - 956 pp 4.28
The Pillars of the Earth by Follett, Ken - 973 pp 4.30
Gone with the Wind, by Mitchell, Margaret - 1 ,037 pp 4.28
The Stand, by King, Stephen - 1,153 pp 4.34
Atlas Shrugged, by Rand, Ayn, - 1,168 pp 3.68
The Lord of the Rings (#1-3) by Tolkien, J.R.R. - 1,216 pp 4.48
The Count of Monte Cristo, by Dumas, Alexandre - 1,276 pp 4.23
War and Peace, by Tolstoy, Leo - 1,392 pp 4.11

[Julie]

I've read 4 of these.
Pillars of the Earth is one of those "can't put it down" books.

Atlas Shrugged is also very good until the last 100 pages or so, which is almost 100% "speechifying". Having read that one several times, I kind of skim all that.

The other two I've read are LOTR and GWTW.

I'd be willing to give any of the others a shot - except for The Stand.

I'm not up for over 1000 pages of dystopia, especially since I just finished Handmaid's Tale and my DH's favorite TV shows are 12 Monkeys, Westworld and Colony.

I get depressed just typing that sentence!

[Tammy]

I have Pillars on deck to read this year. I've read Gone with the Wind, The Stand, War and Peace, Atlas Shrugged, and 1/2 of Don Quixote (twice...which kind of equals the same # of pages)!

[Linda]

I have read "The PIllars", "Don Q( in bits and pieces, never as one long haul), GWTW, LOTR and The Stand.
The only long ones I could take on this summer, with other things going on, is "Count of Monte Cristo" or "War and Peace", both of which I own, in one form or another.

[Joy, Your Obedient Servant]

NancyJ wrote: "Is anyone planning to read one of the longer books on the list this summer? Would you like to pick one to read together?

Here are the 10 biggest books on the list.

Title, author, #pages, avg rat..."

I'm willing to read any of these on the list. I have lonesome dove checked out and i have already read LOTR several times.

[Pam]

I wanted to read Don Quixote but I don’t own it and there’s a big wait on the Hold list. I own Lonesome Dove so I may tackle it instead. (I can’t believe there are 55 holds on the audiobook!) I’ve thought about also watching the tv series from 1989. It’s On Demand right now and airs in July on the STZWS channel. Maybe that will encourage me to start the book!

[Ella]

The Stand is the only Stephen King book I really really liked. Now, for about a year after reading it, every time I coughed I got freaked out, but it was a very speedy read because it literally kept me on the edge of my seat. I'm guessing that's how these big books end up on the list -- people have to be able to get through them without pain and suffering. It's a much faster read than some of these other books.

It's actually a book I'd like to reread, but I honestly don't think I could handle the neurosis about illness right now, personally. I never thought I'd want to try any of his novels. I hate horror movies and stay far away from them. The Stand is something slightly different though.

[Kirsten]

Ella wrote: "The Stand is the only Stephen King book I really really liked. Now, for about a year after reading it, every time I coughed I got freaked out, but it was a very speedy read because it..."

I used to read Stephen King... and I thought this was one of his best. As to his others, they started to pall on me around the time of The Tommyknockers. I just got tired of the overuse of profanity.

But when he came out with Joyland, I read that and loved it. I also really liked Revival. I just wanted to mention that not all of his horror novels are the same.

[Ella]

Kirsten wrote: "Ella wrote: "The Stand is the only Stephen King book I really really liked. Now, for about a year after reading it, every time I coughed I got freaked out, but it was a very speedy re..."

Thanks Kirsten. I'm really trying to broaden my reading these days in multiple ways, and one of those is reading more in genres that I typically shy away from. So I'll definitely put these two oh my big giant to be considered list!

[Linda]

Pam wrote: "I wanted to read Don Quixote but I don’t own it and there’s a big wait on the Hold list. I own Lonesome Dove so I may tackle it instead. (I can’t believe there are 55 holds on the audiobook!) I’ve ..."

Ella, do you have a Kindle? I'm almost positive that there has to be a free public domain download.

With King, I'm the opposite. I like the horror more.......so many of his books aren't horror........The Green Mile, Duma Key, Firestarter, Gwendy's Button Box, Under the Dome. The sequel to The Shining was supposed to be scary. It was more creepy/violent than scary, but I can't see an RV parked at a Walmart without getting a creepy feeling!

[Linda]

Yes, the ones that Kirsten mentioned, as well.

[NancyJ, Moderator]

[Gretchen]

NancyJ wrote: "Is anyone planning to read one of the longer books on the list this summer? Would you like to pick one to read together?

Here are the 10 biggest books on the list.

Title, author, #pages, avg rat..."
Hmm. None of them. I don't really have the attention span I guess

[[deleted user]]

Pam wrote: "I wanted to read Don Quixote ..."

If you want the ebook you can download it free from http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/searc...

[[deleted user]]

Pam wrote: " Lonesome Dove. I’ve thought about also watching the tv series from 1989. ."

The series is free on Amazon prime, if you have that ... otherwise your local library might have a copy.

I am currently reading Lonesome Dove so I plan to watch the series when I've finished the book.

[[deleted user]]

Besides currently reading Lonesome Dove, Gone with the Wind is the only other book I've read on that list. The rest of them don't interest me.

[Zoe]

I've read six of them and I really enjoyed 3 of those. The Count of Monte Cristo I've reread last summer actually.

I started Pillars of the Earth, which is the only one I plan to read this summer from those big books and hopefully I'll also see the mini series.

[NancyJ, Moderator]

Zoe wrote: "I've read six of them and I really enjoyed 3 of those. The Count of Monte Cristo I've reread last summer actually.

I started Pillars of the Earth, which is the only one I plan to read this summer ..."

Which 3 did you like? I loved Pillars of the Earth. When the management gurus started talking about a sense of purpose, I thought of this book. I started to watch the series, but I never finished it.

[Zoe]

NancyJ wrote: Which 3 did you like? I loved Pillars of the Earth. When the management gurus started talking about a sense of purpose, I thought of this book. I started to watch the series, but I never finished it.

I actually liked all 6 but I truly enjoyed Lonesome Dove, Gone with the Wind and The Count of Monte Cristo. LOTR was always a favorite but something happened that I cannot explain. About three years ago I tried to reread it and just felt off. Sure, the Tom Bombadil part was always going to be a weak point I just don't know how something I loved when young, somehow changed now. Maybe it was the movies that somehow changed the books for me. I wish I knew what it was. Maybe I just got older and more anchored in a different type of literature (?). Not sure. Still love it though.

[Atlanta]

I’ve read swan song and the stand , I’m
Listening to/reading fellowship of the ring and I stared listening to/reading pillars of the earth. I intend to read /listen to lonesome dove and atlas shrugged as well and I’m looking for a copy of gone with the wind.

[Heather]

I've read Swan Song, The Stand, Lord of the Rings (all three), and The Count of Monte Cristo.

The Count of Monte Cristo it seems many of you have not read. It really is good if you like period pieces...probably one of my favorite books.

I feel like Swan Song and the Stand have a lot of similarities but I think The Stand is a little less weird and therefore preferred.

I have listed to and read LOTR several times but when reading I skip the songs and skim fight scenes.

[NancyJ, Moderator]

Bruyere wrote: "I've read Swan Song, The Stand, Lord of the Rings (all three), and The Count of Monte Cristo.

The Count of Monte Cristo it seems many of you have not read. It really is good if you like period pi..."

I read Count of Monte Cristo when I was young and I loved it. I'd like to read it again this winter, maybe for our first quarter read.

I think when I read LOTR I'll skim over the fight scenes too. I often like the strategy part of war, but the fighting is boring. (I used to be bored by car chases in movies too, but I saw Baby Driver last week, and I really enjoyed it.)

[Heather]

LOTR audiobook, they actually sing the songs, which is cool. I just feel like the fight scenes are too extended in the books and the songs don't add any information.