At the start of your video I thought, "Fun! I have three big books planned, so I might as well join the challenge too". Then you mention the page requirement and it made me laugh. I don't really consider it a big book until it's 600 pages long. 😆 I need to go through my tentative summer TBR now and tally up the "big" books. I think I have quite a few that are around the 400 page mark.
I defined a Big Book as 400+ pages to be inclusive - so that anyone can join the fun, even if they're intimidated by the REALLY big ones. But each participant sets their own goals, so you can read books as big as you like! I'm currently reading Lonesome Dove, which is about 850 pages :) Click on my channel or the link Nicole included above to join the challenge yourself!
I LOVED Drood. I have good memories of "Palace of Desire. "And Ladies of the Club" was a SLOG and I thought poorly written. I rarely DNF, but I made an exception in this case. I haven't gotten to "The Mysteries of Paris." I'd be happy to have you convince me that "And Ladies of the Club is worth reading.
yay! I think you're the first person to ever mention having read Drood. I can't wait!! You do have me worried about And Ladies. I read it ages ago and remember liking it but no strong feelings. I recall it being an easy read (which is why I figured it would work for summer). I also bought it cheap so I wouldn't feel bad if I abandoned it somewhere on the roadside. lol
The only big book I plan to read this summer is David Copperfield and that won’t be until August. June and July’s pile consists of queer books for Pride, Irish books because I am vacationing in Ireland in July, and books with “beach” in the title that I didn’t get to last summer. My usual reading method is to read one book start to finish before commencing the next book. However, I’ve read Dickens before using that approach and it put me in a slump. This time I plan on reading 30 pages of DC each day and then something light and fluffy to break it up. This should take a month to finish it instead of months and months and months like A Tale of Two Cities did.
Sounds like great plans for the summer! Clearly, I approve of David. I think your approach makes a lot of sense. 30pgs a day will get you a decent chunk of story without getting overwhelmed. I started that way with David and then eventually just couldn't put it down.
All the big books! I haven’t looked into this challenge, but I guess I’m participating, because I have Tale of Genji, Grapes of Wrath and some Brandon Sanderson planner this summer. I haven’t read any of the books you mentioned! I’m so intrigued by Drood.
lol. I was the same. I hadn't heard of it and then realized I was unintentionally participating anyway, so why not! I will definitely be saying more about Drood in the future. As soon as I read Dickens as told by Wilkie Collins I thought "yes please!".
I read And Ladies of the Club, years and years ago. Time for a reread. I'm not sure I still have the book. I moved a few years ago, and had to give away 90% of my books (we downsized).
I'm getting ready to move now, so I know the feeling! Hopefully, your library will have it if you don't. I'm might set up a casual buddy read on storygraph as it seems quite a few people are thinking about reading it this summer.
I finally finished David Cooperfield. Wasn’t bad. I think I’m going to take a break from a big book and read a few smaller ones. I will keep you posted on my next BIG read.
I’m having a big book summer too. Last year I had started Lonesome Dove and made it halfway before I got distracted by other things. So, I’m listening to the first half on audiobook now to refresh, and I’m going to finish it this time. I do like it, and the characters are a hoot. Then after our readathon Saturday I’m starting Genji! I’ve got the reader’s guide and I’m really going to try to focus since (as you know!) it’s over 1000 big pages. I’m scared!! 😂
Sounds like you've got lots of big books ahead of you! I'm sure you'll finish Lonesome this time, I can't wait for Saturday, and Genji is great. The reader's guide was really helpful, just don't rush the book. It's very episodic so there's natural moments to put it down, just make sure to keep picking it back up. You've got this!
I’ve had Drood on my TBR for so long; I need to get it out and read it (pretty) soon lol. I read And Ladies of the Club several years ago, and world like to reread it. It’s definitely a time commitment and some parts dragged a bit (as best as I remember), but I still want to reread it. I’m a huge fan of big books, too.
yay for big books! I've had quite a few people mention wanting to reread it, so maybe we all need to get a Ladies of the Club summer read along going. I think I'll start working on that for July!
I’m reading William Makepeace Thackery’s “Vanity Fair” which weighs in at 865 pages. It was published in 1848. It’s a delightful story of the scheming, duplicitous Becky Sharp and sweet Amelia.
I like the way the big book challenge inspires you to read 1200 page books. 😂 Like you, I'll be participating by default. Whenever I finally finish Possession,that counts. 😅 And I definitely plan to read Our Mutual Friend in July/August. I want to say I remember my mom reading And The Ladies of the Club when I was a kid...🤔
I have heard good things about And The Ladies of the Club and want to get to it at some point. It's so big!!! Drood looks interesting. We are making good progress on The Mysteries of Paris! 😀
I just got And Ladies of the Club from the library yesterday after recommendations from Booktubers I follow. I have the hard cover edition at 1176 pp. This will be really fun! I hope you read it! I am also reading Dissolution by C.J.Sansom, 443 pp. I think I have 2 great big books!
It's really interesting. Fascinating insight into Egypt families in early 1920s, but might not be for those who don't like unlikeable main characters. So, I guess it depends on your personal reading preferences. I have found book 1 in most libraries, so you could always check out yours if that's an option.
Oh! I have ...And Ladies of the Club. I've owned it forever and have yet to read it. LOL I'm surprised at how many books we have in common and yet our reading tastes are so different as well. 📚🤗 Sue Jackson said she's been doing this for year and this year it has just exploded. =) So much fun. Safe move and happy reading.
What great picks, Nicole! I still have to figure out my list. Four hundred pages is pretty reasonable. I think I tend to think of mammoths when I think “big books.” Four hundred pages-very manageable, right? Nicole, when is the move actually taking place?
I think 400 is very manageable, I believe that was Sue's intent. We get packed and moved out next week!! I have until Tuesday night to enjoy all my books.
Yes I'm participating. I actually DNFd my first book: The Jeffersonian. NF. 608p. Unfortunately, too statistical and dry. (I had won this on GoodReads.). My next three are from NetGalley. The Woman Back From Moscow HF 736p by Ha Jin. Wild Ground 432p by Emily Usher. Union Station p400 by David Downing. These are my starters. I will keep checking my shelves, gives me a good reason.
