Most Intimidating Books on My Bookshelves (so many big books...)

[@BookswithEmilyFox]

What’s the most intimidating book on your TBR?

[@MichelleP-t7o]

You need to read the stand if you haven't

[@becklebooks]

My reread of Robin Hobb. So many books. So thicc.

[@booksandali]

The Count of Monte Cristo...1276pgs...😬

[@meganellis9609]

Scarlet in Gone with the Wind is super racist. You might not like it. Maybe watch the movie but it’ll still be cringe.

[@doreene11]

Besides War and Peace and Count of Monte Cristo, I'm always afraid to pick up Ulyses even though I want to 😱😱 It's not bigger than the others, but its style is crazy to me, not to mention, my copy has very small print 😢

[@NebelungFlower]

Reading long books on an e-reader really helps with the intimidation factor! Also big books can be uncomfortable to hold for long, so it helps with that too

[@linabrhd3773]

That is so true. I just find the strength to discover the cosmere thank to this very light device. The ability to change the size of the font also helps a lot amongst other aspects.

[@thelitnerd]

For me, it actually has the opposite effect. When I read thick books on my Kindle, I feel like I don't have strong concept of "where I am" and the experience feels neverending 😂 so I always read thick books physically lol

[@Scottlp2]

I have a paper version of War and peace which has the book divided into 3 physical volumes and I do like it for that reason.

[@jenniferbngo]

So true! Got through the Mistborn trilogy on my Kindle quickly. Started reading The Way of Kings (paperback) January 2021, and up until now I’m still only 500 pages in 🤣

[@xmilax96]

in my head a small book is 0-299 pages, a medium one is 300-450 pages, larger is 500-699 and big books are 700+... but really i have clasified my books more by how harda they seem to read. Like you said: history-heavy books, clasics, books that are simly not as "easy" to read/ of topics ifindd intresing but "heavier" (this mostly includes clasics bc of how they are written, non fiction about race/ feminism/etc)... But tbh i find i have little time and brain power so those heavier books ae the ones i neglect most, they intimidate me the most too... i totally get the feeling And the book i think it would be cool to do sth like readinga book per month/ two months lke with patreon or a rading vlog attempting to rad as much as you can (24hs challenge type or chill)

[@nipiti]

I've been listening to War and Peace as an Audiobook and IS SO GOOD, some parts of it its just gossip and that makes it so fun as an audiobook, the war part not that much but not bad

[@BookswithEmilyFox]

Audiobook might be the way to go!

[@pandaseal1611]

@@BookswithEmilyFox war and peace is amazing you can essentially read it as 3 books as well with the 3 sections

[@laim8121]

For an Ursula K LeGuin short story I’d recommend The Ones Who Walk Away From Omelas it’s almost more of a thought experiment than a story but I really enjoyed it

[@becklebooks]

I definitely want to read thicker books more often! But yes like you said, we have LESS TIME NOW. I remember reading Oathbringer in 6 days when it came out, cos I was at uni I think. Now to reread it, it took me like three weeks. Good luck, attention span works against me too, but thick books are so much fun! :)

[@jadeduffy84]

With Middlesex, were you thinking of Middlemarch by George Elliot? That's definitely a classic.

[@jadeduffy84]

Also, my most intimidating single book is definitely Ducks, Newburyport. Series is probably Dandelion Dynasty. so many pages..😮

[@lisapickren6997]

I came down here to say the same thing. It was one I really enjoyed. 😀

[@Rank.Roundup]

Gone With the Wind is my favorite book of all time, and it’s not a difficult read at all! I have read it close to ten times. It’s not about slavery, but there is slavery in it. It’s about a VERY strong woman and survival during and after the American Civil War. That being said, you have to keep in mind the time it was written about and the time when it was written (1930’s). The depictions of slavery haven’t aged well, but if you can put that aside, the story is amazing. The movie is also incredible, but read the book first!

[@AD-qo8hh]

I'm really not sure how one is supposed to "put aside" the depiction of slavery in this book. It basically says that black people should have just stayed slaves, that would have been better for them. How can you "Put that aside"?

[@lilym.creative]

I’m a huge Ursula K. Le Guin fan and got immediate envy of that short story box set. But when I looked it up it’s like $500 😮 you got so lucky if you found it at a used book sale! If you don’t end up liking it, I’ll buy it off you 😂😂 but I do really hope you like it! I definitely recommend “The Ones Who Walk Away from the Omela’s” definitely one of my favorite short stories by her. And if you feel like retrying her adult sci-fi I would actually try “The Left Hand of Darkness”. It’s part of the same series, but it’s a better place to start in my opinion.

[@BookswithEmilyFox]

Wow! Each book is sold for $20... the box must be worth $460 XD

[@SuSi-zq8hw]

You could read one book a year from your list "books I want to read someday but not now" and make a special vlog out of it

[@natatatt]

The Count of Monte Cristo (about 1,200 pages) has sat on my shelf for years because of how huge it is. I've gotten way ahead of my reading goals this year though so I'm planning to take my time and read and finish it in December (so it stops haunting me ha).

[@bblodeuwedd]

The Count of Monte Cristo is super readable. Once you get into it, it flies by.

[@VM-wc4xp]

omg I've been wanting to read that for years now but I always struggle to find the perfect edition of classics since there are so many options!

[@Thetrilingualreader]

​@@bblodeuwedd not if you are reading it in french

[@AprilWolf_]

I was hoping to see Oathbringer on this list! No shame, but I strongly recommend finishing it. I won’t spoil you but the Sanderslanch is insane in this one, you won’t be disappointed ! Looking forward to have your opinions once you get around to it 😊

[@BookswithEmilyFox]

If everything goes well it will either be my last book of 2024 or my first of 2025!

[@alexisdeselms3201]

I have The Inheritance Trilogy on my list also, and I have it in this bind up. I am down for reading it with you! I can't wait. I actually just picked up The Broken Earth Trilogy and I'm loving it.

[@zachreads]

I'll take on The Inheritance Trilogy with you!

Hey Emily! Just letting you know that the odyssey is not intimidating at all 🤩 english is also my second language but her translation reads like a comic book, really approachable, very fun, highly recommend!!!

[@PagesInTheForest]

My most intimidating... Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell by Susannah Clarke. I have a mass market paperback version that has ittttttyyy bitttyyy print and is 1000 pages. I really want to read it, but every time I look at it I ask myself whether I'm in for that long of a ride...

[@BookswithEmilyFox]

Oh I never bought that one because I knew... I wouldn't pick it up lol

[@elenavillan13]

I highly recommend this one! I finished it last month and it’s the kind of book that’s meant to be read slowly, but it’s a lot of fun. It has a lot of humor and whimsy, and yet somehow it can get a bit creepy at times as well… it’s very unique, in the best way possible.

[@renakellner4448]

Reading the broken earth trilogy right now and enjoying it 😄

[@maryburke3607]

I just finished 11/22/63 by Stephen King a few weeks ago. It logs in a little over 800 pages. I had been wanting to read it for a very long time but was saving it for an October/November read. Turns out it's been my only 5 star read so far in 2024. It flew by. Loved it.

[@frugaled5187]

I just got that book!! Can't wait to start it. Glad to hear it was a 5 star

[@northwestrain]

I am slowly chipping away at The Iliad, a few chapters a week. I love mythology but really the only reason why I am reading now it is because I drew it out of my own TBR jar. 😄

[@kealathekoala2627]

The Inheritance Trilogy is my favorite trilogy, and I am very excited for you to read it. Its not for everyone, but NK Jemisin is such an incredible author and she made a gorgeous world in that book.

[@MsNikkyD]

I own that same Inheritance Trilogy bind-up and am planning to read it next year

[@LeaReads]

I recently read War and Peace and enjoyed it more than Anna Karenina! The show waters down the story a bit so there is more to appreciate :) also, no lengthy agricultural sections… just lengthy opinions on the war from Tolstoy where you’re like “ok but what about the characters” lol

[@evilgenius4213]

I've got an ebook bundle of Malazan Book of the Fallen, it's just under 10,000 pages (with my reader settings). I've slowly been making my way thru it and enjoying it. But it is a little bit of a cop out to count that, since it's like, 10 books in one file.

[@BookswithEmilyFox]

I have the first one on my shelf! I've heard it's quite dense

[@CharleyBSmith]

I don't know if it'll motivate you or will have the war and peace effect but for the odyssey I recommend the epic the musical soundtrack. It's not complete yet, there's still one saga to be released but it's made me hyped to read the illiad and odyssey soon

[@erinh7450]

You should watch Greg at Supposedly Fun's deep dive on Gone with the Wind, because you'll never feel guilty about not reading it after that...

[@defndaines]

Agreed. Why read a book that glorifies the founding of the KKK?

[@oana-mariauliu5828]

Gone with the Wind is very readable. No problem there. Just let it grip you.

[@katherinemajewski2846]

Powers of Darkness! I’m so excited for it but heck, it’s thick.

[@100sleeplessnights5]

I'm really here for you finally reading the Inheritance Trilogy, I've been meaning to reread it for a while, but I think you should finish some other series first 😅

[@BookReviewsWithBecky]

I just can't read thick books usually! 🤣 The thickest one I read recently was totally worth it though! It was Here One Moment by Liane Moriarty! It was a beautiful thought provoking story. I loved it so much!! Liane Moriarty has outdone herself with this new book!! Fantastic! There are many characters, yet she finds a way that makes it easy to remember them all! It is a thick book of 494 pages, but I never wanted it to end! She brought all the threads of the story together beautifully in the end!! My favorite!!!

[@kathleenbrashier2579]

Yes, I'd like to see you do the Longest Book vlog challenge! Those of us that want to read/re-read can join in! Just let us know when you're starting.😊(Edit: Lol! I had paused the video, typed/posted this comment, and when I restarted it you said my previous two sentences, almost exactly. 😂) For big books, I still have "IT" (I might just skip the end🤢), "The Stand," "The Found and the Lost," the 2nd and 3rd books of Jemisin's Broken Earth trilogy, plus so many more! A lot of them are classics, like "Jane Eyre," and "The Count of Monte Cristo," but I'm kind of afraid of some of the stories now because of your reviews. 😮😵 I did love "The Tenant of Wildfell Hall" a lot, so thanks for recommending it!

[@rebeckacelinder9871]

I’ve been reading the Wheel of Time series. I’m reading about one a month since they’re so long and I want to read others too. I’ve been enjoying it more than I thought. I’m starting 7th book soon.

[@holydingleberries2]

The Inheritance trilogy has been sitting on my shelf for years 🙃 i swear it’s laughing at me because i’m too scared to pick it up

[@tbirdxoxo]

I've read Middlesex twice on my e-reader and had no idea it was so long! I agree with other commenters saying that the e-reader makes it feel less intimidating. I really enjoyed the book and found that you just get sucked right into the Greek family dynamics and feel transported into the story. The characters are really well developed and interesting to follow as you progress through the years and the various family members. Although the book spans many decades, I didn't feel bored or confused with the timeline jumping back and forth as you do in many of these intergenerational family dramas. Honestly, I think it's worth the read!

[@imperfected6513]

I would love a video reading The Inheritance Trilogy. I would definitely join you!

[@littlebit1805]

Me too about Middlesex! I think I’ve always had it confused with Middlemarch lol

[@heatherm561]

My thickest book is The Lord of the Rings trilogy bind up. And it's intimidating, but I got the audiobook for the first one and thought if I do an immersive read with both formats, it would help. I'm down for reading The Inheritance trilogy. It sounds good. And I loved The Iliad when I had to read it at university.

[@nat6098]

I want to reread Oathbringer and then read Rhythm of War but I remember struggling with Oathrbinger the first time so I'm scared. I keep putting it off by reading all my library books instead. I also have The Will of The Many but I'm going to push that until after the second book comes out.

[@elenavillan13]

The most intimidating book I have is probably Don Quixote. It’s not so much the length that’s the problem, but the writing… Ironically, even though Spanish is my first language, I think I’d probably have an easier time reading an English translation, just because the original is written in a kind of Spanish that’s quite different from what we use today, and it’s a struggle to read so many footnotes to understand it fully. But I will get to it eventually! 😂

[@phyllisd3705]

I bought it back in college and finally read it during book. Club a few years ago. It’s so funny and good! Not at all as scary as I was expecting. But, then, I read it in English. Hope you try it at some point!

[@elenavillan13]

⁠@@phyllisd3705 You’re probably right! The fact that it’s supposed to be funny will probably make it easier and more enjoyable. I’ll definitely try it out some time soon, I always get around to reading everything I have at home :)

[@suzannemoore404]

Yes! Please do read The Inheritance Trilogy. I need to read it too, but it Is scary!

[@nonfictionfeminist]

I also have that copy of The Inheritance Trilogy. The ONLY reason I haven't read it is the size!

[@andreeablaj3414]

Yes, do the longest book in your collection challenge! 😊

[@imaginarycosmetics]

I read the Inheritance Trilogy back to back this year. It took me a while, but I also didn't have a lot of time to read. That being said, it was easy for me to dive right back into the story, even if I had to put down the book in the middle of a chapter. The books follow different characters, so it's definitely easier to take a pause in between books compared to other series. They were all solid 4-star books for me. I just read Fury of The Gods, it is a satisfying end to the series, but I liked Shadow and Hunger more. Hunger of The Gods is my favorite in the series.

[@lissavanhouten6628]

I loved the Inheritance trilogy. You could read each book of trilogy at a time. It's about a pantheon of gods. The main pantheon comprises two male gods and a female goddess and their original relationship with each other. There's "lesser" gods too I believe. The exiled daughter of the human emperor is called home to compete for her inheritance.

[@monikasiiliste]

"War and Peace" is good. I have actually read it twice, once in high school and second time decades later. It was enjoyable both times but it was amazing to notice how my perception had changed.

[@cmmosher8035]

I have that LeGuin collection but only read 5 or 6 stories. I have enjoyed her books in the past, especially Left hand of Darkness. But the most intimidating book I own is probably house of leaves because it's laid out an avant garde way.

[@lucillenighbor9467]

I never read large books like you did. Bravo if anyone can read those books.👏

[@EGaborovna]

I have owned the first book of the Stormlight Archives for like.. 3-4yrs now? Every year I want to read it, and every time I look at it I get scared and I don't read it. I knoooow it's amazing, I know I will love it. Yet just looking it at it makes me overwhelmed 😅 The Great Hunt was great though :) I liked it even more than the first book.

[@Tay-wj9et]

The way I get through very long books is I tell myself to read 100 pages a day. If the book is very slow, I'll drop it to 50 pages a day, but regardless, I find it *way* easier to keep that reading pace going if I have specific daily goals. I read 700 pages of A Day of Fallen Night in five days because of that (though I couldn't stick to just 100 pages a day, I kept going over the goal because I had to know what happened next!). For really, REALLY slow books, I'll read five pages and if I want to keep going, I'll read five more, etc. Most of the time I find myself forgetting to keep track and getting into the story!

[@phyllisd3705]

We read “The Found and the Lost” for book club earlier this year and it was excellent! Well, everything but a few of the last stories because they belong to the Earthsea book cycle I haven’t read.

[@AlexOnEarth777]

A lot of these are also on my "scary chunky book" list. The Odyssey/Iliad/Aeneid, Stormlight Archive, War and Peace, Anna Karenina, plus books like the Game of Thrones books, Atlas Shrugged, Shogun, and I'm sure some more. You're exactly right though, they would all be fine if I knew for certain I would love them but I have a hard time DNF'ing books and I don't want to waste my time. 14 year old me read Harry Potter #7 in a day and a half but current me has commitment issues over 400 pages haha.

[@Melissabella]

Read it like you read everything else, Emily. One page at a time! 😉

[@BookswithEmilyFox]

My wrists disagree. They’re too heavy 😭

[@pandaseal1611]

@@BookswithEmilyFoxebook

[@sofsofsof9338]

I made it a point to read more thick books this year, its going well. It's like going to the gym, you don't really want to but as soon as you start it's fine. So I tell myself I just have to read the first 100 pages, after that I usely want to read the rest.

[@erikkasea]

I’ve had the Inheritance Trilogy on my shelf for years and years and years and then some more years. Haven’t touched it. I think about it all the time though and want to pick it up

[@CaseyUnderCovers]

I'm also on book two of The Wheel of Time series. I just read book one in September, and while I did enjoy the story, it felt way too long. And I'm not one to shy away from long books, but that one just wouldn't end! I would love to have someone to read book two with!

[@CoreenMontagna]

5:16 in fairness, that edition is multiple books bound together!

[@Ziv2023]

My brain still reads omnibus editions as one big a$$ book 😂

[@craftybookdragon684]

The sanderlanche at the end of oathbringer had me SHOOK. Then RoW felt like it drug on so bad, but it was a necessary drag.

[@lorrainestreetman1223]

I loved Gone With The Wind and it does have slavery but it's more about the Civil War. You talked me into the Inheritance trilogy. I just ordered it. I'm 68 and trying new things. ( missed the cats today)

[@amritasengupta5251]

Do you have a goodreads account?

[@lorrainestreetman1223]

No​@@amritasengupta5251

[@lorrainestreetman1223]

@amritasengupta5251 I have one but I don't really do much with it

[@johnnacee-reads4119]

The civil war was about slavery. And the book is extremely racist.

[@kommissarpompsky465]

So funny (but not in a good way) how that seems to happen to so many readers. I definitely struggle with this as well. For me it is a mix of many pages and the size of font. I have some books that have small writing with next to no spacing. Often those are my German books though. I find that english books don’t necessarily have that issue. I also often think to myself, I could read that big book or I can read three smaller ones in the same time and that just seems to be more efficient at times. Does not help that I am a completionist and only rarely give up on a book, though I sometimes start skimming the pages to be faster if I really want to save time and just get the gist of the plot. Something I definitely need to work on 🥴

[@emilyreads5207]

Middles ex is so good! It’s also very readable. It reads as a history of Detroit.

[@aletachristopherson7847]

Are you thinking Middlemarch by George Elliot as the classic?

[@Winterknits]

Gone with the wind has not aged well in many ways. I would discourage reading it unless you are willing to consider the ways this story is harmful.

[@CasadaCoruja]

Gone With the Wind is just perfect!

[@elilena6088]

Oh I read War and Peace at around 18, so don't be too scared. I really liked it, but must admit I might have skimmed all the war passages...😊

[@iMichaelBrien]

I'll gladly read "The Inheritance Trilogy' along with you in 2025, it's been on my shelf for about two years and beckons to be read. I would also be happy to get through 'The Wheel of Time' and 'The Gods' series as well. What do I consider to be a large book? Well, I have many that I need to read that are on my shelf which I consider to be LARGE: Don Quixote, The Count of Monte Cristo, War and Peace, Les Miserables, David Copperfield, Oliver Twist, The Brothers Karamazov, East of Eden, Moby Dick, Anna Karenina, LoTR Trilogy, etc. There are so many classics that I want to read. Let's start a book club!

[@michaelacevelova7795]

Please read the War and Peace. It's actually one of the best and most enjoyable books I've read this year (and I've read over 400). It definitely has less agriculture than Karenina. And The Hunger of the Gods I've pretty much binged the entire series this fall and it's up on tom pod my fantasy list. I also have to/want to finish the Echo of Things to Come, but for some reason I don't feel like picking it up. (And I've definitely enjoyed the first book and liked the characters)

[@isabellajohnson956]

I own The Priory of the Orange Tree and the prequel, and I’m so intimidated by them. I genuinely believe I’ll love them, I’m just worried.

[@Dustyrosepetal]

I read Gone With The Wind when I was 15ish and remember really liking it, but that was over 20 years ago, I wonder if I'd still like it. Next year I think that I'm going to lower my book goal and concentrate on some of my larger books. I know that is one of the reasons that I haven't read many longer books this year is because I want to make my goal. I'm really close to beating it. I know that it doesn't really matter, but it still bothers me a bit especially since I'm so close. Some books that I want to get to next year: Ship of Magic- Robin Hobb, The Priory of the Orange Tree and A Day of Fallen Night -Samantha Shannon, The Shadow of What Was Lost-James Islington, Jade City-Fonda Lee, Black Leopard, Red Wolf and Moon Witch, Spider King- Marlon James.

[@booksandali]

Love your videos. Way off-topic, though, what hair products do you use? Your hair is always so beautiful!

[@BookswithEmilyFox]

I've been loving the Eva NYC leave-in cream amzn.to/3UKn9sD I recently tried their hair mask and I really like it too!

[@hopefulpolyglot3298]

The inheritance trilogy is really good (the first two are the best). It’s a lot less intimidating if you buy each book separately!

[@far5939]

I have that exact same copy of gone with the wind! I’m also intimidated by its huge size. That and I’m also scared by Count of Monte Cristo

[@katiesmithreads6981]

With Middlesex, you might have been thinking of Middlemarch by Gerorge Eliot which is a classic! That’s where my brain went anyway!

[@Marie45610]

I find certain authors are intimidating more than page length.

[@rhondasruminationsonreading]

The biggest one on my shelf is a classic - Don Quixote. It's over 1000 pages in my copy, but I've always wanted to read it. I'm just scared to start!

[@BookswithEmilyFox]

I've been meaning to read that one too!

[@julia.g.7878]

spanish native here, don quijote is sooo fun, like it's actually readable because of how funny it is. don't let its intimidating reputation scare you away!

[@rhondasruminationsonreading]

@@julia.g.7878 awesome! I'm going to put it on my reading goals for 2025!

[@NicoleACottageWitch]

War and Peace is basically the Russian Downton Abbey. The only tricky thinks are the number of named characters and how Russian names work, both of which are solved by a good character list. I looove N. K. Jemison.

[@sirgnome]

I read the first book of the Inheritance Trilogy and it was good! My most intimidating books: - The Way of Kings - Jade City - The Shadow of What Was Lost - The Children of Time - The last 20% of City of Brass

[@gemgerm]

Over half of what I read is in the 300-499 page range. Anything >700 is thick to me. I plan to read Les Misérables or War and Peace next year…or both…or none…send help haha.

[@oana-mariauliu5828]

Les Miserables 👍👍👍. It's disturbing, but beautiful (if you have a good translation).

[@heatherclemons1295]

I enjoyed both, but liked War and Peace more overall. But they are both pretty readable on the whole, and have sections where they get more essay-ish, philosophical or the history of sewers. Honestly, I just skimmed those parts. For me what helps with big books is just breaking it down into smaller chunks for my goals. Like 50 pages today, 150 over the weekend, etc.

[@Tokayd13]

I've read Gone With the Wind a few times. It's a great story. It's about the fall of a way of life (antebellum slavery American South) and reading it through a 21st century lens may make you feel problematic because it's sympathetic to its world. None of the plantation owners "mistreat" their slaves, for example, so the horror that was chattel slavery isn't acknowledged. Scarlett O'Hara is a vapid, vain, selfish heroine. She's also tough, determined, and relentless when her world and way of life crumbles away. And it's a great enemies to lovers romance novel. You may enjoy it, you may hate it. But it's worth giving it a shot. Most intimidating books on my TBR were chosen last year. I decided I wanted to read some of the most famously challenging books out there. I opted out of War and Peace or Crime and Punishment because after reading Anna Karenina and Dr. Zhivago I realized that Russian literature just isn't for me. So my most intimidating books TBR are....Les Miserables by Victor Hugo (somewhere around 1300 pages), Gravity's Rainbow by Thomas Pynchon (not too long, but notoriously difficult post-modern novel) and, of course, Ullyses by James Joyce (which is a retelling of The Odyssey BTW, only it takes place in a single day in Dublin). Love your channel.

[@sullivc5]

I read gone with the wind 5 years ago and it's for sure deeply racist. Slurs are everywhere and there is whole section during the reconstruction chapters just talking about how lazy black men are. The mammy trope was popularized by this novel. This was written during a peak period for the klan and it shows. It's a shame Margaret Mitchell was so racist, because there is some good writing. But all of the black characters who have names are there in service (literally and figuratively) of the white ones without real needs and wants of their own. Also I'm going to try to read Les Mis next year by reading 40 pages a week. I think it's the only way.

[@Scottlp2]

War and Peace is an easy read just have a list of characters to refer to since they go by several names.

[@user-qo6tz1oe1v]

Never cared for Gone With the Wind. Neither the movie nor the book. Middlesex is awesome. It goes fast. Have been wanting to read War and Peace since forever. Read Anna Karenina and loved it. Very intimidated by War and Peace

[@dorotyrizzo8059]

I loved Gone with the wind. It does have slavery and you will hate the main character but there’s something about that book that I couldn’t put down. I think it took me like two weeks (it’s a shot amount of time if you think about how thick it is) and I do want to reread it eventually. I would give it a shot if I were you

[@judithcakelover]

I'll join you with the big book challenge I also have lots of books over 500 pages that I want and need to read. I have Lord of the Rings and The Golden Compas on my shelves for years now. And I did start them once but just never continued. Why do we do that? 😂

[@andatodica]

I would like to join The Inheritance Trilogy challange :).

[@CVL59]

Gone with the Wind is actually really easy to read, and the topic of slavery is not the main thing in it. It's essentially a love story and a coming-of-age story about the main female character during the American civil war. It's very entertaining and not at all heavy. Highly recommend!

[@zachreads]

I read the Iliad and the Odyssey this year! Odyssey was fairly fast and fun and entertaining, but I had a hard time with the iliad. My edition of The Odyssey was translated by Emily Wilson and my edition of The Iliad was translated by Caroline alexander. Both translations were good but the story of The Iliad was much less interesting for me.

[@usskittymeow]

I agree. The Odyssey is much more of an adventure story; the Iliad is all about war and Greek political culture. Would definitely recommend people start with the Odyssey if they're trying out ancient Greek literature. Also, reading them aloud is helpful since they were supposed to be proformative.

[@Julia-ov7zy]

I've read a few intimidating books this year (first 2 books of "The Stormlight Archive", "The Pillars of the Earth", "Vanity Fair" and "The Grapes of Wrath"). On Saturday I even started "The Stand" by S. King. So I'm really proud of myself :) But there are still a lot on my shelf, like: "Lonsome dove", "War and peace" and the whole set of "A song of ice and fire". Maybe in 2025...

[@kristenkeys3273]

Ursula K. LeGuin is a legend. I'm surprised you didn't like A Wizard of Earthsea. Harry Potter basically ripped it off (not that that means it's good, I guess it's up to your taste). And I liked The Dispossessed as well. I'm planning on doing a class that is all LeGuin. She is one of our foundational science fiction and fantasy writers, like Tolkien.

[@laviestbelle3760]

I read The Count of Monte Cristo when I was 14, I got it from the library and I read it in three days, I absolutely loved it. Now at 29 I can't read a 400 page book? How did that happen?

[@roserobb]

The Inheritance Trilogy is really good if that helps at all - I liked it better than the Broken Earth trilogy!

[@mishelly]

I read gone with the wind last year. I feel like knowing your gate you may not care for it. I was happy I read it it’s an iconic piece of history. But the book should be thought of in 2 or 3 parts. Pre war- during war- post war. Pre-war the MC is insufferable. She’s annoying full of herself but the changes she goes through are illustrative. Yes there’s slavery but it’s because of the time period. But also it’s really educational. Eye opening on a lot of things. I do highly recommend it but be aware your supposed to like the characters. It’s a tale of of much more.

[@anacamargo5360]

I'm terrified of Anna Karenina but at the same time dying to read it

[@zachreads]

Hunger of the Gods was great! I was slightly disappointed by Fury of the Gods but I cut him some slack because his daughter died while he was writing it.

[@caburg93]

My big book series that I can’t seem to conquer is by Ken Follett. I love his writing. I started Pillars of the Earth when I was in college, over 1000 pages …. I finally reread and finished it decades later… but now there are 5 books in the series! 😅 And he has more series…

[@MichelleP-t7o]

Omg, love that series. Also the century trilogy by Ken Follett is awesome

[@1Ent.]

Damn i brought 'Fall of Giants' at a used book sale. Is Ken Follett worth Reading?

[@cynthiafialka]

@@1Ent.yes!

[@Amanda-kw2uq]

I read that copy of the Inheritance trilogy during lockdowns - the first two stories are great, didn’t enjoy the last two as much. My scary book was A Suitable Boy by Vikram Seth, it’s also over 1400 pages - I’m currently reading it, and it’s almost over 😅

[@hazelhood7456]

Gone with the Wind has a sequel written by a different author - Scarlett by Alexandra Riply. Also chunky but very good. I enjoyed it more than Gone with the Wind

[@smileycindy]

Moi aussi, je me sens intimidée lorsqu'un livre est très épais. On sait qu'on s'engage pour une longue période de temps à ne pas lire autre chose... J'étais curieuse, j'ai classé mes livres lus par nombre de pages sur Goodreads et en top de liste, j'ai Outlander de Diana Gabaldon (qui m'a d'ailleurs semblé interminable) (850 pages), les quatre derniers livres de la série Harry Potter de J.K. Rowlings (autour de 750 pages en moyenne) et la trilogie Le goût du bonheur de Marie Laberge (entre 615 et 758 pages) (que j'ai lu à deux reprises sans vraiment remarquer que c'était de longs livres). Je suis en train de lire The Winners de Fredrik Backman (dernier de la trilogie) et le livre compte 673 pages. J'ai lu 120 pages en une journée alors ça devrait bien se lire, mais je commence à regarder combien de temps il reste avant la fin de l'année et sentir qu'il n'en reste plus si long pour lire ce qui était sur la liste pour l'année.

[@Heidi-bp5jw]

I recommend you watch the BBC serie of The war and peace. They have kept the wonderful story and left out the rasist rages and war mongering of the actual book. Dostojevski was a raving mad loved by todays russian regime. If you are interested in russian classics, I warmly recommend Mihail Siskins essey book My Russia: war or peace. He gives great a contects to them. Other books you mentioned, I am currently reading short stories by Le Guin. Most are a bit odd, but some are wonderful. Jemisins trilogy is totally different to The Broken earth. I mainly remember the sex staff, since that seamed to be the main thing. The last history book you mentioned was hard to read but interesting. Good luck with you big book challenge😊!

[@4LifeNinja]

I'm finally listening to Blood over Bright Haven on Libby :D So far I like it :D (25% done)

[@BookswithEmilyFox]

Yeeeesss!!

[@kasturic-n1v]

The biggest book I read this year was Kafka on the shore 600+ pages..and after finishing it all I felt was "Why did I do this? Why?" 😂 No more Murakami for me...this was the first and probably the last....

[@fuzzymurdermittens]

When I was a kid, my mother bought a copy of The Lord of the Rings that had all three books in one, with a tiny font and really closely packed lines. I wanted to read LotR because I was obsessed with the movies, but could never manage it because of how awful that book's layout was. A few days ago I went to a second-hand book fair and found all three books in separate editions. They don't match, but I decided to get them and give it another try in this more accessible format.