Discover new books on Goodreads
Meet your next favorite book
Sign in with Facebook
Intimidating books I long to read/finish
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?
Score
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
by
4.17 avg rating — 359,245 ratings
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
| 2 |
|
Les Misérables
by
4.21 avg rating — 834,133 ratings
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
| 3 |
|
Don Quixote
by
3.91 avg rating — 299,372 ratings
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
| 4 |
|
Ulysses
by
3.77 avg rating — 139,073 ratings
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
| 5 |
|
The Count of Monte Cristo
by
4.32 avg rating — 1,000,354 ratings
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
| 6 |
|
Anna Karenina
by
4.10 avg rating — 913,205 ratings
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
| 7 |
|
Crime and Punishment
by
4.28 avg rating — 1,039,058 ratings
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
| 8 |
|
The Divine Comedy: Inferno - Purgatorio - Paradiso
by
4.08 avg rating — 168,598 ratings
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
| 9 |
|
Gone with the Wind
by
4.31 avg rating — 1,248,072 ratings
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
| 10 |
|
The Lord of the Rings
by
4.54 avg rating — 720,280 ratings
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
| 11 |
|
Moby-Dick
by
3.56 avg rating — 606,404 ratings
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
| 12 |
|
The Canterbury Tales
by
3.52 avg rating — 235,484 ratings
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
| 13 |
|
Gravity’s Rainbow
by
4.01 avg rating — 47,234 ratings
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
| 14 |
|
Middlemarch
by
4.03 avg rating — 176,197 ratings
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
| 15 |
|
Infinite Jest
by
4.25 avg rating — 99,427 ratings
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
| 16 |
|
The Complete Sherlock Holmes
by
4.51 avg rating — 215,070 ratings
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
| 17 |
|
The Brothers Karamazov
by
4.39 avg rating — 374,238 ratings
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
| 18 |
|
A Game of Thrones (A Song of Ice and Fire, #1)
by
4.45 avg rating — 2,689,354 ratings
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
| 19 |
|
Atlas Shrugged
by
3.69 avg rating — 403,950 ratings
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
| 20 |
|
The Fountainhead
by
3.89 avg rating — 334,882 ratings
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
| 21 |
|
The Scarlet Letter
by
3.44 avg rating — 905,573 ratings
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
| 22 |
|
The Pillars of the Earth (Kingsbridge, #1)
by
Ken Follett (Goodreads Author)
4.35 avg rating — 815,050 ratings
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
| 23 |
|
Finnegans Wake
by
3.68 avg rating — 13,490 ratings
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
| 24 |
|
The Faerie Queene
by
3.58 avg rating — 17,185 ratings
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
| 25 |
|
2666
by
4.22 avg rating — 47,298 ratings
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
| 26 |
|
House of Leaves
by
Mark Z. Danielewski (Goodreads Author)
4.09 avg rating — 193,680 ratings
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
| 27 |
|
The Arabian Nights
by
4.03 avg rating — 80,637 ratings
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
| 28 |
|
Paradise Lost
by
3.85 avg rating — 179,017 ratings
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
| 29 |
|
Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell
by
3.87 avg rating — 251,300 ratings
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
| 30 |
|
Bleak House
by
4.02 avg rating — 112,834 ratings
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
| 31 |
|
Dune (Dune #1)
by
4.29 avg rating — 1,586,019 ratings
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
| 32 |
|
Vanity Fair
by
3.81 avg rating — 132,335 ratings
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
| 33 |
|
Great Expectations
by
3.80 avg rating — 861,805 ratings
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
| 34 |
|
The Forsyte Saga (The Forsyte Chronicles, #1-3)
by
4.18 avg rating — 20,560 ratings
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
| 35 |
|
A People’s History of the United States: 1492 - Present
by
4.08 avg rating — 261,356 ratings
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
| 36 |
|
1Q84 (1Q84, #1-3)
by
3.95 avg rating — 334,907 ratings
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
| 37 |
|
In Search of Lost Time
by
4.34 avg rating — 13,793 ratings
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
| 38 |
|
The Complete Works
by
4.48 avg rating — 57,609 ratings
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
| 39 |
|
The Gormenghast Novels (Gormenghast, #1-3)
by
4.03 avg rating — 9,833 ratings
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
| 40 |
|
Cloud Atlas
by
4.01 avg rating — 264,096 ratings
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
| 41 |
|
Frankenstein
by
3.89 avg rating — 1,789,107 ratings
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
| 42 |
|
The Satanic Verses
by
3.71 avg rating — 70,749 ratings
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
| 43 |
|
Dracula
by
4.02 avg rating — 1,427,631 ratings
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
| 44 |
|
Le Morte d'Arthur
by
3.92 avg rating — 39,117 ratings
score: 836,
and
9 people voted
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
| 45 |
|
The Tale of Genji
by
3.72 avg rating — 14,466 ratings
score: 742,
and
8 people voted
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
| 46 |
|
A Confederacy of Dunces
by
3.89 avg rating — 293,464 ratings
score: 730,
and
8 people voted
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
| 47 |
|
V.
by
3.97 avg rating — 24,907 ratings
score: 663,
and
7 people voted
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
| 47 |
|
Gödel, Escher, Bach: An Eternal Golden Braid
by
4.29 avg rating — 51,890 ratings
score: 663,
and
7 people voted
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
| 49 |
|
The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle
by
4.14 avg rating — 309,014 ratings
score: 648,
and
7 people voted
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
| 50 |
|
The Republic
by
3.97 avg rating — 221,680 ratings
score: 642,
and
7 people voted
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
| 51 |
|
Against the Day
by
4.05 avg rating — 10,076 ratings
score: 582,
and
6 people voted
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
| 52 |
|
The Pickwick Papers
by
3.85 avg rating — 31,637 ratings
score: 556,
and
6 people voted
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
| 53 |
|
Watership Down (Watership Down, #1)
by
4.09 avg rating — 500,965 ratings
score: 555,
and
6 people voted
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
| 54 |
|
The Three Musketeers
by
4.10 avg rating — 346,402 ratings
score: 551,
and
6 people voted
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
| 55 |
|
The Red and the Black
by
3.86 avg rating — 81,795 ratings
score: 547,
and
6 people voted
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
| 56 |
|
A Clockwork Orange
by
really liked it 4.00 avg rating — 757,688 ratings
score: 543,
and
6 people voted
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
| 57 |
|
The Idiot
by
4.21 avg rating — 210,345 ratings
score: 540,
and
6 people voted
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
| 58 |
|
The Wings of the Dove
by
3.78 avg rating — 17,434 ratings
score: 532,
and
6 people voted
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
| 59 |
|
The Shock Doctrine: The Rise of Disaster Capitalism
by
4.29 avg rating — 52,422 ratings
score: 482,
and
5 people voted
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
| 60 |
|
Shōgun (Asian Saga, #1)
by
4.41 avg rating — 208,400 ratings
score: 470,
and
5 people voted
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
| 61 |
|
Doctor Faustus
by
4.08 avg rating — 13,566 ratings
score: 454,
and
5 people voted
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
| 62 |
|
The Chronicles of Narnia
by
4.28 avg rating — 697,768 ratings
score: 450,
and
5 people voted
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
| 63 |
|
The Once and Future King (The Once and Future King, #1-5)
by
4.07 avg rating — 116,829 ratings
score: 448,
and
5 people voted
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
| 64 |
|
Critique of Pure Reason
by
3.96 avg rating — 41,278 ratings
score: 446,
and
5 people voted
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
| 65 |
|
The Way of Kings (The Stormlight Archive, #1)
by
Brandon Sanderson (Goodreads Author)
4.67 avg rating — 637,707 ratings
score: 439,
and
5 people voted
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
| 66 |
|
The Man Without Qualities
by
4.19 avg rating — 7,236 ratings
score: 388,
and
4 people voted
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
| 67 |
|
A Fine Balance
by
4.38 avg rating — 157,755 ratings
score: 380,
and
4 people voted
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
| 68 |
|
The Pale King
by
3.97 avg rating — 19,556 ratings
score: 376,
and
4 people voted
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
| 69 |
|
The Recognitions
by
4.20 avg rating — 6,212 ratings
score: 373,
and
4 people voted
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
| 70 |
|
The Life of Samuel Johnson
by
3.80 avg rating — 5,315 ratings
score: 371,
and
4 people voted
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
| 71 |
|
Joseph and His Brothers
by
4.44 avg rating — 2,162 ratings
score: 369,
and
4 people voted
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
| 72 |
|
Kushiel's Justice (Imriel's Trilogy, #2)
by
Jacqueline Carey (Goodreads Author)
4.28 avg rating — 19,748 ratings
score: 354,
and
4 people voted
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
| 73 |
|
Mary Queen of Scots
by
3.99 avg rating — 17,370 ratings
score: 341,
and
4 people voted
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
| 74 |
|
East of Eden
by
4.43 avg rating — 611,799 ratings
score: 332,
and
4 people voted
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
| 75 |
|
Possession
by
3.90 avg rating — 83,481 ratings
score: 331,
and
4 people voted
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
| 76 |
|
The Unbearable Lightness of Being
by
4.11 avg rating — 530,285 ratings
score: 328,
and
4 people voted
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
| 77 |
|
The Ambassadors
by
3.63 avg rating — 12,898 ratings
score: 327,
and
4 people voted
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
| 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
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
| 79 |
|
Leviathan
by
3.70 avg rating — 51,770 ratings
score: 288,
and
3 people voted
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
| 80 |
|
Little Women (Little Women, #1)
by
4.17 avg rating — 2,409,971 ratings
score: 286,
and
3 people voted
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
| 81 |
|
Master of the Senate (The Years of Lyndon Johnson, #3)
by
4.42 avg rating — 23,803 ratings
score: 278,
and
3 people voted
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
| 82 |
|
Holy Bible: The New King James Version
by
4.41 avg rating — 8,029 ratings
score: 271,
and
3 people voted
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
| 83 |
|
Kushiel's Dart (Phèdre's Trilogy, #1)
by
Jacqueline Carey (Goodreads Author)
4.02 avg rating — 83,524 ratings
score: 265,
and
3 people voted
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
| 84 |
|
Under the Dome
by
Stephen King (Goodreads Author)
3.93 avg rating — 319,528 ratings
score: 261,
and
3 people voted
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
| 85 |
|
Anne of Green Gables (Anne of Green Gables, #1)
by
4.32 avg rating — 1,088,335 ratings
score: 260,
and
3 people voted
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
| 85 |
|
Life: A User's Manual
by
4.18 avg rating — 9,934 ratings
score: 260,
and
3 people voted
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
| 87 |
|
The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire (Allen Lane History, 3 Volume Set)
by
4.02 avg rating — 15,311 ratings
score: 238,
and
3 people voted
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
| 88 |
|
Walden and Civil Disobedience
by
3.94 avg rating — 38,726 ratings
score: 235,
and
3 people voted
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
| 88 |
|
The Anatomy of Melancholy
by
4.11 avg rating — 1,859 ratings
score: 235,
and
3 people voted
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
| 90 |
|
Lucifer's Hammer
by
really liked it 4.00 avg rating — 45,130 ratings
score: 197,
and
2 people voted
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
| 90 |
|
Of Grammatology
by
3.97 avg rating — 5,304 ratings
score: 197,
and
2 people voted
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
| 90 |
|
It
by
Stephen King (Goodreads Author)
4.24 avg rating — 1,236,804 ratings
score: 197,
and
2 people voted
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
| 93 |
|
O Lost: A Story of the Buried Life
by
4.36 avg rating — 193 ratings
score: 194,
and
2 people voted
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
| 94 |
|
The Man in the Iron Mask (Le vicomte de Bragelonne, #4)
by
3.99 avg rating — 66,646 ratings
score: 193,
and
2 people voted
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
| 95 |
|
J R
by
4.32 avg rating — 3,711 ratings
score: 188,
and
2 people voted
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
| 96 |
|
The Toilers of the Sea
by
4.06 avg rating — 4,919 ratings
score: 187,
and
2 people voted
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
| 97 |
|
Fear and Trembling
by
really liked it 4.00 avg rating — 30,357 ratings
score: 183,
and
2 people voted
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
| 98 |
|
Camilla
by
3.75 avg rating — 2,899 ratings
score: 182,
and
2 people voted
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
| 99 |
|
Ethics
by
4.10 avg rating — 20,530 ratings
score: 180,
and
2 people voted
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
| 100 |
|
Kushiel's Chosen (Phèdre's Trilogy, #2)
by
Jacqueline Carey (Goodreads Author)
4.30 avg rating — 41,568 ratings
score: 179,
and
2 people voted
|
Error rating book. Refresh and try again.
Rate this book
Clear rating
|
Tags:
intimidating
Comments Showing 1-7 of 7 (7 new)
date
newest »
newest »
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!!
reply
|
flag
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)
Anyone can add books to this list.
How to Vote
To vote on existing books from the list, beside each book there is a link vote for this book clicking it will add that book to your votes.
To vote on books not in the list or books you couldn't find in the list, you can click on the tab add books to this list and then choose from your books, or simply search.
