Aussie Readers discussion

I'm just about to finish The Stand by Stephen King, which at 1325 pages long, is the longest book I've ever read.

What's the longest book you've ever read, and was it worth the huge number of pages inside?

NOTE: The book must have been printed in a single volume, not split into multiple - eg. the hardback version of A Storm of Swords would count, but not the two volume paperback version. Thanks.

Gone With the Wind, I think. And I enjoyed it. :-)

Kenneth wrote: "I'm just about to finish The Stand by Stephen King, which at 1325 pages long, is the longest book I've ever read.

What's the longest book you've ever read, and was it worth the huge number of pag..."

The Stand by Stephen King

Lynne wrote: "Gone With the Wind, I think. And I enjoyed it. :-)"

Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell

Can you link your titles please guys? Means we can check the books out! Thanks :)

The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien three books in one and loved every word of its 1216 pages. Would love to read it again one day.

Ayn Rand's Atlas Shrugged was a massive waste of my time.

I think mine is probably The Far Pavilions (1289pp), which I read a couple of years ago. It was ok, but felt like such a weight on my shoulders, I was willing it to end. It wasn’t boring though - being such a lengthy book, it switched genres a few times before the end!!

Probably War and Peace 1392 pages.

Ryan wrote: "Ayn Rand's Atlas Shrugged was a massive waste of my time."

Did you read it all Ryan? I'd imagine you'd figure out early in the 1198 pages that it wasn't to your liking?

A Suitable Boy by Vikram Seth 1474 pages, I think it took me a week... and I definitely did enjoy it.

Marianne wrote: "A Suitable Boy by Vikram Seth 1474 pages, I think it took me a week..."

Okay I have read that too so that may be my longest!

Brenda wrote: "Did you read it all Ryan? I'd imagine you'd figure out early in the 1198 pages that it wasn't to your liking?"

I hate not finishing books. I feel like a quitter, which is pretty stupid I guess.

Also, I've read books that were made better by their ending. This one was mildly interesting until the end when I realised there was nothing profound here. It was all just propaganda. And I say this as someone who doesn't reject Rand's point of view outright. I just don't like being lectured.

Ryan wrote: "Brenda wrote: "Did you read it all Ryan? I'd imagine you'd figure out early in the 1198 pages that it wasn't to your liking?"

I hate not finishing books. I feel like a quitter, which is pretty stu..."

Ha! I do know what you mean - but I figured that there are so many good books out there that it's a waste of my time to read something I'm not enjoying.

Jen wrote: "Under the Dome - Stephen King"

Under the Dome by Stephen King 1074 pages

Brenda wrote: "Ha! I do know what you mean - but I figured that there are so many good books out there that it's a waste of my time to read something I'm not enjoying. "

That would certainly be a better use of my time Brenda.

Ryan wrote: "Brenda wrote: "Ha! I do know what you mean - but I figured that there are so many good books out there that it's a waste of my time to read something I'm not enjoying. "

That would certainly be a ..."

That it would 😃

Phrynne wrote: "Marianne wrote: "A Suitable Boy by Vikram Seth 1474 pages, I think it took me a week..."

Okay I have read that too so that may be my longest!"

Oh I read that too!

The Wise Man's Fear by Patrick Rothfuss -- 1,107 pages.

I just googled what is the longest English language novel and it seems to be A Dance to the Music of Time, Complete Set: 1st Movement, 2nd Movement, 3rd Movement, 4th Movement at 2940 pages.
I have read it but today it is published in separate volumes.

Phrynne wrote: "Marianne wrote: "A Suitable Boy by Vikram Seth 1474 pages, I think it took me a week..."

Okay I have read that too so that may be my longest!"

I remember it because at the beginning Seth makes a joke apology for maybe breaking the reader's wrist with the weight of it.

Gone with the Wind - 1037 pages, War and Peace was longer 1300+ pages and then more recently The Passage by Justin Cronin which was a tiny 800 pages

Avoid such huge books nowadays. Don’t have the strength to hold them up - although eBooks certainly make things easier in that regard.

War and Peace, and loved it

Steve wrote: "War and Peace, and loved it"

War and Peace 1392 pages

Longest for me is A Fine Balance by Rohinton Mistry at 614p so modest compared to many of you.
I have The Passage by Justin Cronin lined up to read in my holidays in two weeks time. It weighs in at 963p.

According to my read list on Goodreads, the longest book I've read is A Breath of Snow and Ashes by Diana Gabaldon at 1410 pages, but the biggest in size would be my copy of The Sunne in Splendour although only a mere (LOL) 1080 pages it is a Hardcover and could easily pass for a doorstop or maybe a brick. It was very hard to read but I did love the story. One that definitely needs to be purchased on Kindle, so I can re-read one day without the physical exertion :)

That's the worst with the big/ger books Zoey - the weight!! Even 500 gets heavy lying in bed reading it!

Although it's really three books, I first read 'Lord of the Rings' in a single volume paperback version. I don't recommend reading it that way, - it was falling apart by the time I finished it.

Diana wrote: "Longest for me is A Fine Balance by Rohinton Mistry at 614p so modest compared to many of you.
I have The Passage by Justin Cronin lined up..."

I have the The Passage to read and have been putting off until I finished my yearly challenge. Aim to have it read by the end of the year.

Stella wrote: "Although it's really three books, I first read 'Lord of the Rings' in a single volume paperback version. I don't recommend reading it that way, - it was falling apart by the time I finished it."

The Lord of the Rings

Stella wrote: "Although it's really three books, I first read 'Lord of the Rings' in a single volume paperback version. I don't recommend reading it that way, - it was falling apart by the time I finished it."

The Stand started falling apart on me too! The last twenty pages started coming loose as I got close to the end.

I've read Les Misérables and War and Peace, and they're also my favourites.

War and Peace at 1392 pages but that was many years ago. In recent years, The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt (771 pages), and A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara (720 pages) have been both my longest, and MOST favourite, reads!!

I’m pretty sure it was Les Misérables

Anthony wrote: "Fiction: 'American Tabloid' by James Ellroy. Non fiction: 'Hitler: Volumes I and II' by Professor Ian Kershaw."

American Tabloid by James Ellroy
Hitler: 1889-1936 Hubris by Ian Kershaw

The Red Queen by Isobelle Carmody clocks in at 1108 pages and is definitely the longest I've read. Sadly, the entire first half of the book was very boring and unnecessary to the series arc, so it took me quite a while to read it.

You're to be commended then Niamh if the first half was boring! I wouldn't have bothered!

Anything by Dorothy Dunnett , but since I have to put a title The Game of Kings by Dorothy Dunnett - best book ever, read it three times so far.

I think War and Peace was the first book over 1000 pages that I read but A Suitable Boy by Vikram Seth is probably the longest I've ever read.

Virginia wrote: "Anything by Dorothy Dunnett , but since I have to put a title The Game of Kings by Dorothy Dunnett - best book ever, read it three times so far."

The Game of Kings by Dorothy Dunnett

Virginia wrote: "Anything by Dorothy Dunnett , but since I have to put a title The Game of Kings by Dorothy Dunnett - best book ever, read it three times so far."

Dunnett's Lymond chronicles are one of my favourite series too Virginia - although huge, the books were never long enough for me!

The longest, and my most favourite book of all time, at 776 pages would be The Hitch Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy: A Trilogy in Five Parts

If I dismiss books like LoTR which are omnibuses, then I'd have to say Words of Radiance by Brandon Sanderson.

I'm a bit late on the bandwagon here, but for me It - Stephen King. The version I read (and own) is 1,376 pages. I found it well worth the read!

Discounting omnibus editions of fantasy series books, and working from memory, probably James A. Michener books:
- 1136 pages
- 1104 pages
- 1056 pages

The man knew how to churn out a hefty book!

The longest books I have read more than once - Ken Follett:
- 973 pages (3 times I think)
- 1014 pages (twice I think)
- only once at 916 pages.
It is not impossible that I would one day read all three again :)

☼♄Jülie  wrote: "Phrynne wrote: "Marianne wrote: "A Suitable Boy by Vikram Seth 1474 pages, I think it took me a week..."

Okay I have read that too so that may be my longest!"

Oh I rea..."

I read that as well, when it first came out. It was a huge tome, and hardcover...the weight of it! But worth it.

I read War and Peace which, on kindle, was 1074 pages but, like you Ken, I also read The Stand in the unabridged paperback which was 1424 pages so this must be my longest so far - and I loved it!

The Stand (uncut edition) is under 500,000 words, making it shorter than War and Peace which is 587,287 words. (Without commentary, etc.)
A Suitable Boy has 591,552 words.
Les Miserables has 655,478 words.

À la recherche du temps perdu by Proust holds the Guinness World Record for the longest novel at 1,267,069 words, although it spans 7 original volumes.

Looks like I haven't hit the 1k mark yet, with my longest read ever being Kingdom of Ash by Sarah J. Maas with 980 pages. (Read Nov this year).

Now I have a challenge for next year!!