From My Bookshelf: 800+ Club
I don’t have a lot of huge books on my bookshelves, but as I was brainstorming ideas for this month’s From My Bookshelf post, I became curious as to how many books with 1,000 pages or more are in my personal library. Turns out there are just two (unless there are more hiding somewhere), so I decreased the page number “requirement” to 800+ so I would have enough books to talk about in this post. 😉
Under the Dome Stephen King – 1,072 pages
I believe I read this beast when it first came out, and I finished it within a week. I say “believe” because while I know my mom purchased it for me, I think she gave it to me around the week in the summer we (as a family) were on vacation, so I had all of the time in the world to read it. Otherwise, I think I’d still probably be reading it. Anyway…
…I enjoyed this book immensely, because it’s a ginormous character study. If you haven’t picked this book up because you haven’t heard of it, aren’t into Stephen King, and/or the page number makes you turn away; but you’re interested in psychology and/or sociology, isolated or end-of-the-world scenarios, and love character-driven novels, I recommend giving Under the Dome a shot. Don’t hold out too strongly for the end though (the ending is my least favorite part about this novel).
The Count of Monte Cristo Alexandre Dumas – 1,243 pages
This is my perpetual “I’ll read it next year” book. 2019 is the year, baby!
The Canterbury Tales Geoffrey Chaucer – 821 pages
Long-form Middle English poetry is my least favorite thing to read, so why did I buy this book? I will never know.
(It’s a Barnes & Noble Classics edition, AKA my favorite floppy paperbacks, and the spine is green – my favorite color).
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix J.K. Rowling – 870 pages
I suppose it makes sense that that the turning point for this series is the longest book. I almost decided not to continue reading the series because of how overwhelmingly dark and heavy Order of the Phoenix is in relation to the previous four books. When it was published in 2003, I was eleven years old and had never really experienced direct and soul-crushing hardship or tragedy. So moving through the world with Harry, Ron, and Hermione as they were going through changes, including the grieving process, realizing the oppressive nature of unreliable authorities, and an evolving danger, was a lot to take in. Truthfully, I couldn’t really handle it. I’ve only reread it once (the same goes for the final two), because I never could get away from that overwhelming feeling. Now that I feel like that all the time about the real world, though, I think I’m better equipped to handle it. I recently listened to the Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone audiobook, and plan on reading Chamber of Secrets this month (December), so hopefully that will put me on track for another reread of the series, because I would like that very much.
What are the longest book (or books) on your shelves? And do they sit on your TBR or READ pile? Let me know below.
12 Comments
April Munday
I’m reading a 1,000 page book at the moment. It’s St. Augustine’s City of God, which I’m reading as part of a Goodreads challenge. It’s quite hard-going. Next year I’ll be having a go at The Canterbury Tales in Middle English.
Kelsey
Wow, that is an undertaking! I read St. Augustine’s Confessions in college, and that felt like a task at around 300 pages. Will next year’s read of The Canterbury Tales be your first?
April Munday
I read an abridged translation about 30 years ago. So I’m looking forward to reading the whole thing.
Kelsey
I hope you have a great time with it!
FictionFan
Good grief! I just added The Count of Monte Cristo to my TBR the other day without looking at the page count, and now I’ve fainted in horror… *reaches for emergency chocolate*
Kelsey
Haha I hope your emergency supply is well-stocked! 😆
candidkay
The last book I read that was that long was for book club–and I moaned and groaned through it:). But the one before that was almost two decades ago, before I had my first child. I squeezed in a book on Alexandra, the Last Tsarina. It was good–but looooong:).
Kelsey
Wow, your book club sounds hardcore! 😃 Was the book about Alexandra non-fiction? I’m always so intimidated by huge works of non-fiction.
candidkay
It is:). It’s non-fiction. But I remember it being completely accessible. The author was a historian who tends to do a really good job with these things :-).
Kelsey
Love it when an author writes like that!
Diana
Great post! I am afraid to even think about my TBR pile of 800 page books. The one that scares me the most is Quincunx by Palliser and it is 1221 pages and counting. Every time I glance in its direction, I get a shiver down my back lol 🙂
Kelsey @ There's Something About KM
Haha I totally understand that feeling! 😆