There are many reasons to decide on what book to pick from a shelf. Sometimes the plot sounds amazing. Others, the topic is close to home, or it’s something we want to learn about. Sometimes, the cover is too striking to ignore – yes, it’s okay to judge a book by its cover. Or we just love an author and would read anything from him (Stephen King, this one’s for you).
During summer reading, one other significant aspect of the decision making process in choosing a school or beach read is, how many pages in the book?
And I get it. Who wants to drag a brick in their beach bag? Or have to calculate how much to get through in order to finish before the end of the holiday?
But fear not the 600 pagers! Below is a list of out of this world huge books that you will be sorry to finish, and you will ask for more when done.
Cloud Cuckoo Land by Anthony Doerr
637 pages of wonder! I don’t want to attempt to describe this book, because I can’t do it justice. Everything about it is wonderful: the writing, the story, how the author weaves in several threads. I highly recommend it for book clubs, as you might discover different interpretations, depending on the reader. You cannot literally put this book down until you are done. It won’t let you.
A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara
737 pages of harrowing beauty. I wouldn’t recommend it for a beach read, as it is not exactly light. But you should definitely read it, at some point. Just be ready for a sad, and beautiful (and sad) story. Six stars out of five, for sure.
The Lincoln Highway by Amor Towles
588 pages of quick, fast, colorful adventures – the exact opposite of “A Gentleman In Moscow”, by the same author. I admire writers who can create completely different characters and stories, and excel in all. And although I didn’t get “A Gentleman In Moscow” until we discussed it during a book club meeting (which is also why I love book clubs, but that’s a conversation for another post. . . ), “The Lincoln Highway” transported me on the first page. Reading it was like going on a road trip. It is a very enjoyable story, with a beautiful rhythm to it.
I am Pilgrim by Terry Hayes
800 pages . . . no, just kidding.
It’s 801!
If you have been in my store and asked for a good mystery / thriller, there is no way you walked out without this book. It is the best in its genre. Period. It’s got everything: the plot, the writing, the characters, the “don’t-know-where-this-is-going” aspect. And the end wraps it all perfectly. I Am Pilgrim was written in 2014, and I have been waiting for years, for the second book. It looks like the wait might be over this fall . . . to be continued.
So there you have it. n case you were wondering what to read next, here are 2,763 pages of literary bliss. I hope you enjoy every single one of them!