Some of the great stories are just a few pages long - think Alan Bennett's The Uncommon Reader (ok, so maybe it's more than 'just a few' pages long but what I'm trying to say here - rather early on a Monday morning I might add - is that some of the best things come in small packages).
But a bookshelf needs variety, and some great big books to make it complete. So here's my Top 10 for this week - the biggest books on my bookshelf! Whether or not I've read them is another story!
1. 2666, by Roberto BolanoA total of 898 pages!
2. The Complete Works of William Shakespeare
Well, there's no surprise there. A whopping 1436 pages in length and that includes the glossary!
3. Shantaram, by Gregory David Roberts
936 pages - and I've read all of them!
4. London: The Biography, by Peter Ackroyd
820 pages and I got it for all of about £5. Bargain!
5. Consuelo & Alva, by Amanda MacKenzie StewartA story of two Vanderbilt women! Yet to read the almost 600 pages of this one, but it sounds very interesting!
6. War and Peace, by Leo Tolstoy
Yep - it's on my bookshelf. All 1392 pages of it - and no, I haven't read it.. yet! If I make it through my challenge this year, it might well be the 111th book for 2011!
7. On a Grander Scale, by Lisa Jardine
Quite a fitting title for this600 page book on the career of Sir Christopher Wren, designer of St Paul's Cathedral!
8. An Utterly Impartial History of Britain, by John O'FarrellOtherwise known as 2000 year of Upper Class Idiots in Charge! This is only 500 pages!
9. The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest, by Steig Larrson
The third book in the Millennium Trilogy - and all 600 pages were worth reading!
10. White Gardenia, by Belinda Alexandra
This 500-page book has been on my TBR pile for ages - I think I'm going to have to knock it off soon!
Dedicated to every person's compulsive list-writing. Ten Good Things on a Monday is a weekly meme hosted by Nina and Argh.
Holey Moley!! I didn't realize the 3rd book in the Millennium Trilogy was 600 pages! I would totally read it though because I've read all the Harry Potter books without batting an eyelash...is that the saying, batting an eyelash? Well what i'm saying is! I would totally read it! heheh :) Nice list !
ReplyDeletehmm - haven't read any of the big books but I really enjoyed 'The Uncommon Reader'. Wonder what that says about my reading habits?
ReplyDeleteI've been thinking of picking up the Millennium Trilogy but am still debating whether I should read or just wait for it to be shown in theatres so I could just watch them. I haven't read any of the books you listed, but I did go through 960 pages of Anna Karenina back when I was just starting to love the classics (I was sixteen).
ReplyDeleteThis post got me thinking that I should go find some 'bigger' books to read, so I wouldn't have to constantly spend money on books since I wouldn't exhaust my TBR that fast :D
Thank you for sharing your really big and loooong Good Things, Ann! Have an awesome week!