Anonymous
Post 08/21/2023 15:25     Subject: Best longish book that is worth the time
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:My husband really loved Winds of War. I've been too intimidated to start such a long book.

It's really good. Try it out and I bet you get into it and can't put it down.


It is not a dry book at all - great characters and a great retelling of the beginnings of WWII
Anonymous
Post 08/21/2023 15:07     Subject: Re:Best longish book that is worth the time
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Is there a certain genre you prefer? Classics? Literary fiction? Historical fiction? Mysteries? Romance? Fantasy?

It's hard to know where to start.



Where to start what? Reading "longish" books? Or just plain reading? Read what you like -- what I like (literary fiction and pop cnf) isn't necessarily going to be what you like.


I believe "where to start" referred to giving a recommendation, which I have asked for. I like all kinds of genres, though I have a bit of a harder time with science fiction. "Read what you like" is generally good advice, but I asking for a something a little more specific. The poster below noted that Demon Copperfield, which has received rave reviews, is a slog at 600 pages. It's a great example of exactly what I am trying to avoid. I am asking for a book that was worth the pages.

I'd consider medium to longish anything over 400 pages.


Since you don't like Sci-Fi (and I am assuming this encompasses fantasy as well) - these are my recs for page-turners/sink-in stories that are longer (and fwiw - I am the same re: Demon Copperhead - I just can't get into it) -

Love Songs of WEB Dubois - Honoree Jeffers
Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo - Taylor Jenkins Reid
Harlem Shuffle (only 300+ pages) - Colson Whitehead
Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow -Gabrielle Zevin
Discovery of Witches - Deborah Harkness (tips into fantasy territory - vampires/witches)
The Secret History - Donna Tartt
Life after Life - Kate Atkinson

And if you want to dip into scifi - you can't go wrong with:

All Our Wrong Todays - Elan Mastai - which is really a reflection on what it means to be human if you can get past the time-travel aspect of the story.







Hmm… all reading counts but this seem a little bit more fluffy reads than what I would consider a long book.


Btw, I am OP and did not post the message above. I appreciate all recommendations!!


Thanks for clarifying. I am the above poster and I was confused because I didn't see anything in your request that stated that a "long" book was anything other than page count. . Honestly, I've had "short" books that feel "long" if not considering page count.
Anonymous
Post 08/21/2023 14:45     Subject: Best longish book that is worth the time
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Anna Karenina


+1

Also, The Thornbirds and Where the Crawdads Sing


WTCS is not long, it doesn't even break 400 pages. Completely average


The OP said "long-ish" why are you policing everyone's replies? You're not the decider of what is "long-ish" or not.


Because less than 400 pages is AVERAGE

I read average books, and they are basically between 300-400 pages. Including them takes away from long books. They are just books. Your reply is rubbish.
Anonymous
Post 08/21/2023 14:42     Subject: Best longish book that is worth the time
+1 for Pachinko and The Rose Code.

Have you read The Radium Girls? Another good one.
Anonymous
Post 08/21/2023 14:33     Subject: Best longish book that is worth the time
Anonymous wrote:My husband really loved Winds of War. I've been too intimidated to start such a long book.

It's really good. Try it out and I bet you get into it and can't put it down.
Anonymous
Post 08/21/2023 14:20     Subject: Best longish book that is worth the time
Covenant of Water by Abraham Verghese is incredible. 775 pages.
Anonymous
Post 08/21/2023 14:14     Subject: Best longish book that is worth the time
Ken Follett’s Century Series is great if you like 20th century history (it’s fiction).

Cloud Cuckoo Land by Anthony Doer is magnificent.
Anonymous
Post 08/21/2023 14:08     Subject: Best longish book that is worth the time
Anonymous wrote:If you like nonfiction (and haven’t read it yet) I really enjoyed Guns Germs Steel and Collapse. Not sure how many pages but the audio books were 14 hours long each so I suspect they count as long. 😆


I enjoyed Guns, Germs & Steel, but I tried to reread it recently and a lot of the research it is based on is woefully out of date now (although it isn't as bad as it is with his book The Third Chimpanzee -- I swear half the theories discussed in that book have been disproved).
Anonymous
Post 08/21/2023 14:01     Subject: Best longish book that is worth the time
Anonymous wrote:The Unconsoled by Kazuo Ishiguro

A Heart Breaking Work of Staggering Genius by Dave Eggers



The beginning and ending are good. The middle SUCKS.
Anonymous
Post 08/21/2023 13:48     Subject: Best longish book that is worth the time
If you like nonfiction (and haven’t read it yet) I really enjoyed Guns Germs Steel and Collapse. Not sure how many pages but the audio books were 14 hours long each so I suspect they count as long. 😆
Anonymous
Post 08/21/2023 13:19     Subject: Best longish book that is worth the time
My husband really loved Winds of War. I've been too intimidated to start such a long book.
Anonymous
Post 08/21/2023 13:18     Subject: Re:Best longish book that is worth the time
+ 1 for Autobiography of Henry VII - I have read some of her others but this one is best.
+ 1 for Winds of War & War and Remembrance by Herman Wouk - have reread many times
Shogun, Tai-pan and Noble House by James Clavell - didn't like the other 3 of his "Asian series" as well.
Master of Rome series by Colleen McCullogh
And Ladies of the Club...by Helen Hoover Santmyer
+ 1 for Lonesome Dove
Anonymous
Post 08/21/2023 13:00     Subject: Best longish book that is worth the time
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Anna Karenina


+1

Also, The Thornbirds and Where the Crawdads Sing


WTCS is not long, it doesn't even break 400 pages. Completely average


The OP said "long-ish" why are you policing everyone's replies? You're not the decider of what is "long-ish" or not.
Anonymous
Post 08/21/2023 12:24     Subject: Best longish book that is worth the time
Anonymous wrote:The Autobiography of Henry VIII by Margaret George


I’d vote same author, Memoirs of Cleopatra
Anonymous
Post 08/21/2023 12:24     Subject: Best longish book that is worth the time
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Demon Copperhead
The Golem and the Jinni


The Golem & the Jinni is excellent. Fwiw, the audiobook has an outstanding narrator. I've read and listened to it repeatedly.


I loved it too but didn’t think it was that long!