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These are books that I want to read but intimidate me for some reason. Either the length, subject matter, complexity or even print size causes me to avoid these books for easier reads. What about you?
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A book’s total score is based on multiple factors, including the number of people who have voted for it and how highly those voters ranked the book.
| 1 |
|
War and Peace
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4.17 avg rating — 359,555 ratings
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| 2 |
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Les Misérables
by
4.21 avg rating — 834,594 ratings
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| 3 |
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Don Quixote
by
3.91 avg rating — 299,679 ratings
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| 4 |
|
Ulysses
by
3.77 avg rating — 139,175 ratings
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| 5 |
|
The Count of Monte Cristo
by
4.32 avg rating — 1,001,479 ratings
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| 6 |
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Anna Karenina
by
4.10 avg rating — 914,064 ratings
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| 7 |
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Crime and Punishment
by
4.28 avg rating — 1,041,014 ratings
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| 8 |
|
The Divine Comedy: Inferno - Purgatorio - Paradiso
by
4.08 avg rating — 168,774 ratings
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| 9 |
|
Gone with the Wind
by
4.31 avg rating — 1,248,552 ratings
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| 10 |
|
The Lord of the Rings
by
4.54 avg rating — 720,813 ratings
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| 11 |
|
Moby-Dick
by
3.56 avg rating — 606,868 ratings
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| 12 |
|
The Canterbury Tales
by
3.52 avg rating — 235,583 ratings
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| 13 |
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Gravity’s Rainbow
by
4.01 avg rating — 47,277 ratings
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| 14 |
|
Middlemarch
by
4.03 avg rating — 176,359 ratings
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| 15 |
|
Infinite Jest
by
4.25 avg rating — 99,523 ratings
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| 16 |
|
The Complete Sherlock Holmes
by
4.51 avg rating — 215,152 ratings
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| 17 |
|
The Brothers Karamazov
by
4.39 avg rating — 374,952 ratings
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| 18 |
|
A Game of Thrones (A Song of Ice and Fire, #1)
by
4.45 avg rating — 2,691,349 ratings
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| 19 |
|
Atlas Shrugged
by
3.69 avg rating — 404,107 ratings
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| 20 |
|
The Fountainhead
by
3.89 avg rating — 335,017 ratings
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| 21 |
|
The Scarlet Letter
by
3.44 avg rating — 906,173 ratings
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| 22 |
|
The Pillars of the Earth (Kingsbridge, #1)
by
Ken Follett (Goodreads Author)
4.35 avg rating — 815,760 ratings
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| 23 |
|
Finnegans Wake
by
3.68 avg rating — 13,497 ratings
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| 24 |
|
The Faerie Queene
by
3.58 avg rating — 17,191 ratings
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| 25 |
|
2666
by
4.22 avg rating — 47,380 ratings
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| 26 |
|
House of Leaves
by
Mark Z. Danielewski (Goodreads Author)
4.09 avg rating — 194,020 ratings
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| 27 |
|
The Arabian Nights
by
4.03 avg rating — 80,669 ratings
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| 28 |
|
Paradise Lost
by
3.85 avg rating — 179,162 ratings
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| 29 |
|
Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell
by
3.87 avg rating — 251,507 ratings
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| 30 |
|
Bleak House
by
4.02 avg rating — 112,887 ratings
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| 31 |
|
Dune (Dune #1)
by
4.29 avg rating — 1,588,083 ratings
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| 32 |
|
Vanity Fair
by
3.81 avg rating — 132,388 ratings
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| 33 |
|
Great Expectations
by
3.80 avg rating — 862,373 ratings
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| 34 |
|
The Forsyte Saga (The Forsyte Chronicles, #1-3)
by
4.18 avg rating — 20,567 ratings
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| 35 |
|
A People’s History of the United States: 1492 - Present
by
4.08 avg rating — 261,555 ratings
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| 36 |
|
1Q84 (1Q84, #1-3)
by
3.95 avg rating — 335,144 ratings
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| 37 |
|
In Search of Lost Time
by
4.34 avg rating — 13,805 ratings
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| 38 |
|
The Complete Works
by
4.48 avg rating — 57,613 ratings
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| 39 |
|
The Gormenghast Novels (Gormenghast, #1-3)
by
4.03 avg rating — 9,839 ratings
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| 40 |
|
Cloud Atlas
by
4.01 avg rating — 264,304 ratings
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| 41 |
|
Frankenstein
by
3.89 avg rating — 1,791,841 ratings
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| 42 |
|
The Satanic Verses
by
3.71 avg rating — 70,807 ratings
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| 43 |
|
Dracula
by
4.02 avg rating — 1,429,474 ratings
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| 44 |
|
Le Morte d'Arthur
by
3.92 avg rating — 39,139 ratings
score: 836,
and
9 people voted
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| 45 |
|
The Tale of Genji
by
3.72 avg rating — 14,474 ratings
score: 742,
and
8 people voted
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| 46 |
|
A Confederacy of Dunces
by
3.89 avg rating — 293,710 ratings
score: 730,
and
8 people voted
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| 47 |
|
V.
by
3.97 avg rating — 24,935 ratings
score: 663,
and
7 people voted
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| 47 |
|
Gödel, Escher, Bach: An Eternal Golden Braid
by
4.29 avg rating — 51,923 ratings
score: 663,
and
7 people voted
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| 49 |
|
The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle
by
4.14 avg rating — 309,340 ratings
score: 648,
and
7 people voted
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| 50 |
|
The Republic
by
3.97 avg rating — 221,882 ratings
score: 642,
and
7 people voted
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| 51 |
|
Against the Day
by
4.05 avg rating — 10,083 ratings
score: 582,
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6 people voted
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| 52 |
|
The Pickwick Papers
by
3.85 avg rating — 31,659 ratings
score: 556,
and
6 people voted
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| 53 |
|
Watership Down (Watership Down, #1)
by
4.09 avg rating — 501,223 ratings
score: 555,
and
6 people voted
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| 54 |
|
The Three Musketeers
by
4.10 avg rating — 346,583 ratings
score: 551,
and
6 people voted
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| 55 |
|
The Red and the Black
by
3.86 avg rating — 81,887 ratings
score: 547,
and
6 people voted
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| 56 |
|
A Clockwork Orange
by
really liked it 4.00 avg rating — 758,208 ratings
score: 543,
and
6 people voted
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| 57 |
|
The Idiot
by
4.21 avg rating — 210,727 ratings
score: 540,
and
6 people voted
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| 58 |
|
The Wings of the Dove
by
3.78 avg rating — 17,436 ratings
score: 532,
and
6 people voted
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| 59 |
|
The Shock Doctrine: The Rise of Disaster Capitalism
by
4.29 avg rating — 52,486 ratings
score: 482,
and
5 people voted
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| 60 |
|
Shōgun (Asian Saga, #1)
by
4.41 avg rating — 208,667 ratings
score: 470,
and
5 people voted
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| 61 |
|
Doctor Faustus
by
4.08 avg rating — 13,588 ratings
score: 454,
and
5 people voted
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| 62 |
|
The Chronicles of Narnia
by
4.28 avg rating — 698,279 ratings
score: 450,
and
5 people voted
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| 63 |
|
The Once and Future King (The Once and Future King, #1-5)
by
4.07 avg rating — 116,890 ratings
score: 448,
and
5 people voted
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| 64 |
|
Critique of Pure Reason
by
3.96 avg rating — 41,341 ratings
score: 446,
and
5 people voted
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| 65 |
|
The Way of Kings (The Stormlight Archive, #1)
by
Brandon Sanderson (Goodreads Author)
4.66 avg rating — 639,361 ratings
score: 439,
and
5 people voted
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| 66 |
|
The Man Without Qualities
by
4.19 avg rating — 7,244 ratings
score: 388,
and
4 people voted
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| 67 |
|
A Fine Balance
by
4.38 avg rating — 157,871 ratings
score: 380,
and
4 people voted
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| 68 |
|
The Pale King
by
3.97 avg rating — 19,569 ratings
score: 376,
and
4 people voted
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| 69 |
|
The Recognitions
by
4.20 avg rating — 6,227 ratings
score: 373,
and
4 people voted
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| 70 |
|
The Life of Samuel Johnson
by
3.80 avg rating — 5,317 ratings
score: 371,
and
4 people voted
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| 71 |
|
Joseph and His Brothers
by
4.44 avg rating — 2,162 ratings
score: 369,
and
4 people voted
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| 72 |
|
Kushiel's Justice (Imriel's Trilogy, #2)
by
Jacqueline Carey (Goodreads Author)
4.28 avg rating — 19,752 ratings
score: 354,
and
4 people voted
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| 73 |
|
Mary Queen of Scots
by
3.99 avg rating — 17,375 ratings
score: 341,
and
4 people voted
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| 74 |
|
East of Eden
by
4.43 avg rating — 613,168 ratings
score: 332,
and
4 people voted
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| 75 |
|
Possession
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3.90 avg rating — 83,541 ratings
score: 331,
and
4 people voted
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| 76 |
|
The Unbearable Lightness of Being
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4.11 avg rating — 531,007 ratings
score: 328,
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4 people voted
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| 77 |
|
The Ambassadors
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3.63 avg rating — 12,901 ratings
score: 327,
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4 people voted
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| 78 |
|
The Last Cavalier: Being the Adventures of Count Sainte-Hermine in the Age of Napoleon
by
3.66 avg rating — 841 ratings
score: 291,
and
3 people voted
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| 79 |
|
Leviathan
by
3.70 avg rating — 51,838 ratings
score: 288,
and
3 people voted
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| 80 |
|
Little Women (Little Women, #1)
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4.17 avg rating — 2,412,167 ratings
score: 286,
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3 people voted
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| 81 |
|
Master of the Senate (The Years of Lyndon Johnson, #3)
by
4.43 avg rating — 23,822 ratings
score: 278,
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3 people voted
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| 82 |
|
Holy Bible: The New King James Version
by
4.41 avg rating — 8,035 ratings
score: 271,
and
3 people voted
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| 83 |
|
Kushiel's Dart (Phèdre's Trilogy, #1)
by
Jacqueline Carey (Goodreads Author)
4.02 avg rating — 83,572 ratings
score: 265,
and
3 people voted
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| 84 |
|
Under the Dome
by
Stephen King (Goodreads Author)
3.93 avg rating — 319,731 ratings
score: 261,
and
3 people voted
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| 85 |
|
Anne of Green Gables (Anne of Green Gables, #1)
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4.32 avg rating — 1,089,580 ratings
score: 260,
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3 people voted
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| 85 |
|
Life: A User's Manual
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4.18 avg rating — 9,940 ratings
score: 260,
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3 people voted
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| 87 |
|
The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire (Allen Lane History, 3 Volume Set)
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4.02 avg rating — 15,319 ratings
score: 238,
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3 people voted
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| 88 |
|
Walden and Civil Disobedience
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3.94 avg rating — 38,749 ratings
score: 235,
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3 people voted
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| 88 |
|
The Anatomy of Melancholy
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4.11 avg rating — 1,861 ratings
score: 235,
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3 people voted
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| 90 |
|
Lucifer's Hammer
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really liked it 4.00 avg rating — 45,147 ratings
score: 197,
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2 people voted
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| 90 |
|
Of Grammatology
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3.96 avg rating — 5,310 ratings
score: 197,
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2 people voted
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| 90 |
|
It
by
Stephen King (Goodreads Author)
4.24 avg rating — 1,238,150 ratings
score: 197,
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2 people voted
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| 93 |
|
O Lost: A Story of the Buried Life
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4.36 avg rating — 193 ratings
score: 194,
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2 people voted
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| 94 |
|
The Man in the Iron Mask (Le vicomte de Bragelonne, #4)
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really liked it 4.00 avg rating — 65,999 ratings
score: 193,
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2 people voted
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| 95 |
|
J R
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4.32 avg rating — 3,717 ratings
score: 188,
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2 people voted
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| 96 |
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The Toilers of the Sea
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4.05 avg rating — 4,922 ratings
score: 187,
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2 people voted
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| 97 |
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Fear and Trembling
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really liked it 4.00 avg rating — 30,428 ratings
score: 183,
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2 people voted
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| 98 |
|
Camilla
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3.75 avg rating — 2,900 ratings
score: 182,
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2 people voted
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| 99 |
|
Ethics
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4.10 avg rating — 20,554 ratings
score: 180,
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2 people voted
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| 100 |
|
Kushiel's Chosen (Phèdre's Trilogy, #2)
by
Jacqueline Carey (Goodreads Author)
4.30 avg rating — 41,588 ratings
score: 179,
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2 people voted
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Tags:
intimidating
Comments Showing 1-7 of 7 (7 new)
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message 1:
by
[deleted user]
(last edited Feb 11, 2010 11:22AM)
(new)
Feb 11, 2010 11:19AM
Oh no! The Count (of Monte Cristo) is just plain fun!! don't be intimidated... now Moby Dick on the other hand gives me the jim jams!!
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The Count may be quite thick, but he really does read fast. Promise!
I may take you up on that. I'm currently reading Pickwick Papers by Dickens. I figure 800+ pages on the tiniest type is the least daunting reason for not finishing the 'intimidating' books on my list. Perhaps Count will be next.
What is said of the Count applies equally to Gone with the Wind! Only daunting in size, not matter. It is pretty heartwrenching (in my opinion) which makes its re-read daunting, but I still love it, and would recommend it to anyone, not just avid readers. All those pages fly by fast and are completely worth it!
Don Quixote is not hard to read at all. It's an extremely funny and intriguing text. Everyone should take a closer look at it.
Excellent List. How can i save this list on my computer.
War and Peace is long, slow paced at times and may be a bit boring but amazing. I hope you'll give it a chance. (I was scared of the size, too, so I bought it in 3 or 4 poket sized books)
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