Which long book would you recommend?
Manish Patwari
GREAT EXPECTATIONS by Charles Dickens
Billie McHam
The Chronicles of Narnia
Julie Siemek
The Thorn Birds
Kathy
WORLD WITHOUT END by Ken Follett
Celia Arnaud
Assuming that 500 pages counts as long, I would recommend THE POST BIRTHDAY WORLD by Lionel Shriver and FREDDY AND FREDERICKA by Mark Helprin.
David Rudy
The Bible! It only took me a couple of months to read it. Of course, I was at Air Force Basic Training at the time, and what else could keep me awake while on guard duty.
Sandra Stiles
LIZZI & FREDL by Dr. Robert Stanton
Ann
Any of Penny Vincenzi's books. They are all long and all very good.
Kathryn Andrews
I have enjoyed all of James A. Michener's books, as if I'm learning as I go. Also, I like Wilbur Smith's books and am reading a William Martin now, CAPE COD.
Sharon W
Ken Follett's THE PILLARS OF THE EARTH, followed by WORLD WITHOUT END
Any of James A. Michner's books as well.
Ann
The Count of Monte Cristo
Monica Jordan
I would recommend THE PILLARS OF THE EARTH and WORLD WITHOUT END by Ken Follett. I would also recommend theOutlander series by Diana Gabaldon.
Christi King
THE SOURCE by James A. Michener
Bob Hartzo
War and Peace
Nancy Hollis
THE STAND by Stephen King
Olivia
THE STAND by Stephen King
Linda M. Johnson
THE COUNT OF MONTE CRISTO
(I could name more, but I'm following directions)
Judie
"...AND LADIES OF THE CLUB" by Helen Hooven Santmyer
Jane
Two favorite books come to mind --- GONE WITH THE WIND and THE AMAZING ADVENTURES OF KAVALIER AND CLAY....both well worth the time it takes to read them!
Peggy Kincaid
WAR AND PEACE by Leo Tolstoy
Cheryl Kraus
The Story of Edgar Sawtelle
Debbie Miller
Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell
The Count of Monte Cristo
Linda Wagner
"...And Ladies of the Club"
Terri Loeffler
"...AND LADIES OF THE CLUB" by Helen Hooven Santmyer
Ed
Any of Colleen McCullough's Masters of Rome series. They are all about 1000 plus pages long.
Marion Peterman
The Pillars of the Earth
Karen Terry
I KNOW THIS MUCH IS TRUE by Wally Lamb
Marsha Moore
WINTER'S TALE by Mark Helprin
(the copy I have is 673 pages.)
Tanya
ATLAS SHRUGGED by Ayn Rand
Rita Castorena
i would recommend THE HISTORIAN. It's fantastic and long! I wish Elizabeth Kostova would write another book!!
Fran Schulman
SONGS IN ORDINARY TIME by Mary McGarry Morris
Robert E Brown Sr
I recommend THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF KING HENRY VIII. It is fiction, however, it has many historical facts all through the story.
Debi
1. PEOPLE OF THE BOOK by Geraldine Brooks
2. The Inkheart3. CUTTING FOR STONE by Abraham Verghese
Brenda Moak
The Poisonwood Bible
Jean Kruse
Any of Penny Vincenzi's books. When you finish reading them you feel like you lost your best friend.
Ellen
The only "long" book (853 pages) I've ever read twice is FIVE SMOOTH STONES by Ann Fairbairn, 1966. Unfortunately it is out of print, but it's a great story dealing with civil rights issues. I cried both times.
Barbara
Ken Follett - THE PILLARS OF THE EARTH and WORLD WITHOUT END.
Megan
THE PILLARS OF THE EARTH by Ken Follett
Jennifer Zacharyasz
Pope Joan
Fran
Penny Vincenzi"s No Angel series
THE STAND, Uncut version by STephen King
Jean Hogue
I KNOW THIS MUCH IS TRUE by Wally Lamb
Diana Raabe
Aside from the obvious (MOBY DICK), I recommend JONATHAN STRANGE & MR. NORRELL by Susanna Clarke. Although it is a fast read, I think 800 pages qualifies as long.
Linda Hastings
KRISTIN LAVRANSDATTER by Sigrid Undset
Cathy Doyle
The Stand
Swan Song
Noble House
Kristy
Gone with the Wind
Andrea
SHANTARAM by Gregory David Roberts
Vickie
Anything by Richard North Patterson. His books tend to be long, but well worth reading!
Annie
TEAM OF RIVALS by Doris Kearns Goodwin. Excellent!
Bill
LES MISÉRABLES by Victor Hugo
ANDERSONVILLE
GONE WITH THE WIND by Mitchell
RABBIT ANGSTROM by John Updike
UNTO THIS HOUR by Tom Wicker
JOHN ADAMS by David McCullough
BATTLE CRY OF FREEDOM by James M. McPherson
Beverly Rowe
GENGHIS: BIRTH OF AN EMPIRE --- in fact, the whole three-book series.
Lindsey Hedrick
Any book by Penny Vincenzi, most recently SHEER ABANDON.
Joan Cady
I would recommend OUTLANDER by Diana Gabaldon and the rest of her series. In fact, I reread her series as a summer project.
Melissa
OUTLANDER by Diana Gabaldon
Sandi Lewis
OUTLANDER by Diana Gabaldon
Rosalie Sambuco
ATLAS SHRUGGED - Ayn Rand
Sandra Hughes
One of the best long books I've read lately was THE STORY OF EDGAR SAWTELLE but there are lots of long books that are well worth the time it takes to read them.
George Waggoner
TRINITY by Leon Uris
Jennie Femec
Every Man Dies Alone
Connie Fischer
Although I read this many years ago, I still would recommend James A. Michener's ALASKA as the history is fascinating. One of those books that you just don't want to end.
Connie
The classic novel, GONE WITH THE WIND by Margaret Mitchell is one with spellbinding depth that once you start reading it, you simply cannot put it down. I feel everyone owes it to themselves to read this outstanding book. In doing so, I think many people would have a better understanding of early slavery in this country and how it was shown to be wrong and finally abolished.
Sandra Baltazar
THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO by Steig Larsson
Anna
WORLD WITHOUT END by Ken Follett
It is wonderful!!
Cori Stanley
THE STAND by Stephen King
Richard Bartels
CrRYPTONOMICON by Neal Stephenson. Or anything by Noel Barber or Wilbur Smith.
Carol Pirtle
THE WOMEN by T.C. Boyle. Though not as long as others at 451 pages, it's very dense reading. And, it's a wonderful book for anyone interested in Frank Lloyd Wright and "his women."
Michelle-Leigh
I would recommend:
1) GONE WITH THE WIND by Margaret Mitchell
2) THE PILLARS OF THE EARTH by Ken Follet
3) WORLD WITHOUT END by Ken Follet
4) THE STAND by Stephen King
5) IT by Stephen King
6) NEEDFUL THINGS by Stephen King
7) THE FOUNTAINHEAD by Ayn Rand
8) ATLAS SHRUGGED by Ayn Rand
Ruby Steeele
THE GIVEN DAY by Dennis Lehane
Lea Ann in Seattle
"...AND LADIES OF THE CLUB" by Helen Hooven Santmyer
Debby
Centennial
Janie Etherton
The Traffickers by W. E. B. Griffin
Sarah Horwitz
THE STAND by Stephen King
Trez
The Pillars of the Earth
Susan Roberts
SOUTH OF BROAD by Pat Conroy
BEACH MUSIC by Pat Conroy
THE STAND by Stephen King
Lesley Scher
THE STAND by Stephen King
SWAN SONG by Robert McCammon
SARUM by Edward Rutherfurd
THE PILLARS OF THE EARTH by Ken Follett
Carol Peters
I would highly recommend OUTLANDER by Diana Gabaldon, as well as the entire series.
Ruthie Bloszinsky
THE STORY OF EDGAR SAWTELLE --- looks intimidating but is a wonderful story!
Bea Thompson
James A. Michener:
HAWAII
CENTENNIAL
TEXAS
ALASKA
Dani Berke
THE PILLARS OF THE EARTH by Ken Follett and CITY OF DREAMS by Beverly Swerling
J.R. Monahan
THE PILLARS OF THE EARTH by Ken Follett
Sheila Kahn
A Prayer for Owen Meany
Angela
The Pillars of the Earth
A Fine Balance
jo b
LONESOME DOVE --- it's amazing
Debbie
Just to name three:
I KNOW THIS MUCH IS TRUE
:...AND LADYIES OF THE CKUB"
GONE WITH THE WIND
Cynthia Baxter
Recently I read Jonathan Littell's THE KINDLY ONES and thought that it would be a very discussable book for reading groups if folks can get past the graphic descriptions. Secondly, Roberto Bolano's 2666 greatly deserves recognition.
Marcia Cook
The Pillars of the Earth
Steven Schwindt
THE WILDERNESS WARRIOR by Douglas Brinkley
Jim Dermody
The Devil's Punchbowl
Victoria Shrader
Ahab's Wife
Hedi Hopwood
THE STAND by Stephen King
Barbara Clark-Greene
Anything by Edward Rutherfurd.
Janet Cross
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
Sue Spencer
BLEAK HOUSE by Charles Dickens
Bonnie Gluhanich
ATLAS SHRUGGED by Ayn Rand
Mary
Sarah's Key
Little Bee
The Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet
Julie Abbott
Island of the World
Geri Bennett
CENTENNIAL by James Michener and almost any of his books. If you get bogged down in the beginning, skim a little to the story. They're always page turners.
Betty Stern
FIND ME by Carol O'Connell
Betty Stern
THE DEFECTOR by Daniel Silva
Lynn
The Lord of the Rings Trilogy
L aura Ann Adams
Gone with the Wind
Helen Brady
ANNA KARENINA by Leo Tolstoy
Shannon Benna
SARUM by Edward Rutherford
Clarice Stasz
Thomas Mann's BUDDENBROOKS, which is about three generations of a Hanoverian wealthy family on its decline. It transports one back to that period of German history, and the force of events on private lives. To my surprise (and pleasure) the women characters dominate the plot, and are the strength of the family. And the best passage on playing music I've ever encountered. Most writers don't capture that sensual experience well.
Pat
THE STAND by Stephen King. It's always been my favorite of all his books.
Patricia Van Es
SHANTARAM by Gregory David Roberts or THE HOUR I FIRST BELIEVED by Wally Lamb
Lynda East
Definitely, THE PILLARS OF THE EARTH by Ken Follett --- and Oprah has loads of information about this epic novel on her website.
R. Honey
THE HELP by Kathryn Strockett
Barb
War & Peace
Marsha
THE STAND by Stephen King
Ro
Acheron
Nicole
I would recommend I KNOW THIS MUCH IS TRUE by Wally Lamb. It's a very good, painfully realistic take on two brothers and one with a mental illness. It's worth reading and is very touching.
Nancy Katz
THE SOURCE by James A. Michener
Nancy Katz
A FINE BALANCE by Rohinton Mistry
Bob Wigdor
GONE WITH THE WIND by Margaret Mitchell; THE GIVEN DAY by Dennis Lehane; WORLD WITHOUT END by Ken Follett
Bob Wigdor
GONE WITH THE WIND by Margaret Mitchell
THE GIVEN DAY by Dennis Lehane
WORLD WITHOUT END by Ken Follett
Anna Andres
THE STAND by Stephen King or HARLOT'S GHOST by Norman Mailer
Lorraine M. Larose
Definitely WAR AND PEACE
Marsha M. Creter
Gone with the Wind
Jill
One of my all time favorites --- POSSESSION by A.S.Byatt --- takes a lot of dedication. There are many sections where it is easy to skim and skip, but the whole thing is worth reading in detail the second time around.
Jan Atkins
The Pillars of the Earth
Lynne Perednia
POSSESSION by A.S. Byatt combines several stories and wonderful poetry into one long, enchanting tale.
Lynne Perednia
STONE'S FALL by Iain Pears is a fascinating story of the rise and fall of an industrialist and the woman he loves.
Susan Graben
Penny Vincenzi has a trilogy, The Spoils of Time, made up of 3 books, each 600-700 pages: NO ANGEL, SOMETHING DANGEROUS and INTO TEMPTATION.
Susan Graben
Penny Vincenzi has a trilogy, The Spoils of Time, made up of 3 books, each 600-700 pages: NO ANGEL, SOMETHING DANGEROUS and INTO TEMPTATION.
Kathryn Hemstead
The Pillars of the Earth
Myrna Pennisi
I strongly recommend THE PILLARS OF THE EARTH!
Jill Fortner
GONE WITH THE WIND by Margaret Mitchell
Jerri Patton
"...And Ladies of the Club"
Appetite for Life
Healing and the Brain
John Adams
kattykathy
THE STAND by Stephen King
Kaye DeMaio-Hays
WORLD WITHOUT END is even better than THE PILLARS OF THE EARTH by Ken Follett. Read PILLARS first, as WORLD takes place about 200 years later. Both are fascinating glimpses into the Middle Ages with a captivating plot and well-developed characters.
Aileen
The Hour I First Believed
Caroline
Anything by Wally Lamb
Sheila Badolato
TEAM OF RIVALS by Doris Kearns Goodwin
Kelly Fordon
WAR AND PEACE --- Worth every minute invested! Also, THE PILLARS OF THE EARTH by Ken Follett
Steve Cone
300 +/- pages seems like a good length although longer books, if well written, are just fine. That sounds like a universal answer, doesn't it?
What has made the biggest difference to me has been the use of very short chapters . . . one or two pages.
Sandra Greathouse
FIERY CROSS by Diana Gabaldon or any of her books.
Lisa
THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO and THE GIRL WHO PLAYED WITH FIRE, both by Stieg Larsson
Phyllis
I would definitely recommend CUTTING FOR STONE by Abraham Verghese!
Patricia Mead
THE HISTORIAN by Elizabeth Kostova and THE BRONZE HORSEMAN by Paullina Simons
Renee
THE PILLARS OF THE EARTH by Ken Follett
Julia
THE PILLARS OF THE EARTH by Ken Follett
A wonderful read!
Debbie Maskus
Gone With the Wind
Linda
WORLD WITHOUT END by Ken Follett
Lee
BY LOVE POSSESSED by James Gould Cozzens
Sue Rooney
The Pillars of the Earth
Dale Lucier
THE PILLARS OF THE EARTH by Ken Follett
Jennifer Baker
OUTLANDER by Diana Gabaldon. I fell in love with the characters.
Beth Cummings
The Toss of a Lemon
Shirley Walsh
War and Peace
Arielle
The original BATTLEFIELD EARTH --- it's long but when you got to the end, you missed the characters.
THE HISTORIAN by Elizabeth Kostova --- it is also long but the last 200 pages are worth it.
Anna
THE PILLARS OF THE EARTH and WORLD WITHOUT END by Ken Follett
Sarah Thorn
Lonesome Dove
Bonnie Markiewicz
The Pillars of the Earth
Nancy
THE PILLARS OF THE EARTH by Ken Follett
Gail B
THE PILLARS OF THE EARTH and WORD WITHOUT END by Ken Follett and CATHEDRAL OF THE SEA by Ildefonso Falcones
Karen Bernier
My first thought was GONE WITH THE WIND. But to be more contemporary, I would have to chose THE CRIMSON PETAL AND THE WHITE by Michael Faber.
nmcclain
Shantaram
Ilene
THROUGH A GLASS DARKLY by Karleen Koen
Jean V.
THE SHELL SEEKERS by Rosamunde Pilcher
Lisa Vira
THE CLAN OF THE CAVE BEAR by Jean M. Auel
Ellen
The Stand
Barbara
THE FORGOTEN GARDEN by Kate Morton
Judy Hess
Cold Mountain
Jean Robbins
Shantaram
Peggy
THE PILLARS OF THE EARTH and WORLD WITHOUT END, both by Ken Follett
Frankie
MIDDLEMARCH by George Eliot
Frankie
BLEAK HOUSE by Charles Dickens
KT Mower
This is All: The Pillow Book of Cornelia Kenn
Kevin Unglesbee
The longest book I've read was THE RISE AND FALL OF THE THIRD REICH by William L. Shirer, well over 1000 pages and a fantastic history of the events leading up to and through World War II.
Marie Smith
THE SOURCE by James A. Michener
Marcia Cook
THE PILLARS OF THE EARTH by Ken Follett
Sherri Fisher Staples
"...And Ladies of the Club"
Mary Schreiner
The Pillars of the Earth
Renee Soriano
BERAKING DAWN by Stephenie Meyer
Lisa
The Pillars of the Earth
Benita Sirkin
TEAM IF RIVALS by Doris Kerns Goodwin
Linda Smith
SOUTH OF BROAD by Pat Conroy and SING THEM HOME by Stephanie Kallos
Julie
The Outlander series by Diana Gabaldon
Donna
The Brothers Karamazov
Brenda
JONATHAN STRANGE & MR. NORRELL by Suzanna Clarke...wonderfully imaginative.
Thomas Ray
THE GATE HOUSE by Nelson DeMille
Marjorie Langohr
TRUMAN by David McCullough
Julie Carter
THE PILLARS OF THE EARTH by Ken Follett was fascinating the whole way through! Also, the long books in the Outlander series by Diana Gabaldon are unputdownable! Oh, and LONESOME DOVE by Larry McMurtry! And ANNA KARENINA is so much easier to read than you think it is. Give it a try!
Carolyn Sundberg
Any of Diana Gabaldon's Outlander series. Be sure to read them in order.
Abbi
THE DEVIL'S PUNCHBOWL by Greg Iles
Marie
Atlas Shrugged
Joyce
I had this "long book" recommended to me and I loved it: I KNOW THIS MUCH IS TRUE.
Chris Bush
STONES FROM THE RIVER by Ursula Hegi
Toy Thomas
THE HISTORIAN by Elizabeth Kostova
Debbie D.
THE HISTORIAN by Elizabeth Kostova
Donna
ANCIENT EVENINGS by Norman Mailer
Marcia Pullin
Some books have stories that will stay with us always; that put us in touch with our deepest emotional issues, and that cause us to reexamine our strongest-held opinions. When we read such books, we come away as better people. I cannot help but wonder if the longer format gives a writer the better opportunity to convey the profound lessons learned in his life as opposed to choosing to leave off at the telling a great story. Sometimes it seems that way. And so it is with THE POISONWOOD BIBLE by Barbara Kingsolver and "...AND LADIES OF THE CLUB" by Helen Hooven Santmyer --- heavy volumes that I heartily recommend to all.
Frank Nigro
THE HISTORIAN by Elizabeth Kostova
Patricia Schrot
SARUM by Edward Rutherfurd
Lee
THE FAR PAVILIONS by M. M. Kaye
Gayle Weiss
Shantaram
Sunnie
DROOD by Dan Simmons
Sally Gawne
The Story of Edger Sawtelle
Ann Vitale
The Thorn Birds
Elizabeth Sultherland
A Tree Grow in Brooklyn
Not as a Stranger.
Ellen
GONE WITH THE WIND, The Chronicles of Narnia series, THE WINDS OF WAR, and THE NAKED AND THE DEAD.
