This morning as I was checking what was being posted at some of the blogs I frequent, I caught a post of Amanda’s from The Zen Leaf that made me stop and think about my reading habits. Amanda (who if you do not pop in and check out her posts – you should…. she is a fun to read blogger and reads some pretty amazing books!) was talking about the pace she reads and brought up some interesting points that started me thinking about my own reading habits.
I tend to read books between the 200 – 375 page range. I admit as much as I am drawn to the look of the large chunkster books (I like big books and I will not lie!) I like them on my shelf – and rarely take the time to read them.
WHY?
Honestly – because the 200-375 page book can be read in a few days. That keeps my moving because I always seem to have other books waiting in the wings that I just can not wait to get to. Ridiculous reasoning? Probably… but that is the way my reading habits have turned to. I want to gush about books, but as Amanda pointed out, the book that can be read in a few hours, can probably be forgotten just as quickly. Can a book touch your very soul within the page count I prefer? Absolutely…. but the large books of my past that I have invested the time into reading over a week or more… can also make a huge impact on me. (Harry Potter of course are the first that come to mind that I still treasure and these books average around 700 pages each.)
My point today – is that I went and looked at the chunksters that currently grace my shelves unread. The only reason I have not read them is because I know they will require an investment of time from me. I think it is time I put on my big girl pants and rise to the challenge of the larger book.
Looking at these books, the page count is not out of control – these average right around the 550 mark.
As of this week, I plan to break into one of these big boys…. I am not sure which one yet, but I would like to commit to a chunkster and take my time with it, allowing myself two months to get it finished if I need to.
Book Journey 
We must be twins, because I’m exactly the same way. I think I fear that I’ll invest all of that time in a chunkster and then be let down. Plus, I get a great sense of satisfaction clearing another book from my TBR pile.
I am that way too Kathy… I think if I invest into a chunkster that is not coming through as a book I enjoy I will have to put it in the “tried and not for me” pile 😀
LOL Me too! My reasons are the same as yours. It’s true though about not forgetting a longer book. Gone With the Wind is my favorite book and it was over a thousand pages. I will never forget it. I have Drood by Dan Simmons and Edgar Sawtelle by David Wroblewski and a few others still sitting on my shelf.
Carol – I have never read Gone With The Wind.
*rip my readers badge from my shoulder – LOL*
I need to invest the time in that one…. 😀
That’s the 1000 page book I mention further down in the comments…Loved Gone with the Wind. Wonder if I’d still love it now?
Gone with the Wind is really not one to be intimidated by; I remember it being an easy read.
I honestly believe that size doesn’t matter when it comes to books. I’ve read some stunning short stories (e.g. written by Tobias Wolf, Elmore Leonard and, Agatha Christie to name a couple) and read sprawling tomes that I can barely recall (The Far Pavilions by M.M. Kaye comes to mind immediately.) I have been shying away from chunksters though, mostly because my mood can change in the middle of reading one. If I start to lose interest for whatever reason or I get busy IRL, then there’s “that” book lingering in the background. When I get back to it, I need to re-read and that’s *more* time that I need to invest in the book! Sooo, chunksters tend to go unfinished.
Chunksters in my stacks:
War and Peace (by Leo Tolstoy) – The most likely that I will pick back up as everyone seems to be doing a read-along with this title these days and it’s sitting right here. I actually started it back in September and read the first of 5 parts before life happened. This may nit involve too much re-reading as it’s pretty straight-forward and I’ve got a diagram of who’s who 🙂
Wolf Hall (by Hilary Mantel) – I’m supposed to discussing part of this in an audiobook group. Unfortunately both my reading and listening schedules are way backed up and I don’t see this happening.
Anna Karenina (by Leo Tolstoy) – though technically that would be a re-read, sorta. I’ve read most of this book twice before, once in high school and once about ten years later. I have no idea why I lose interest 90% of the way in
Sacred Games (by Vikram Chandra)
Moby Dick (by Herman Melville)
Infinite Jest (by David Foster Wallace)
The Canterbury Tales (by Chaucer)
Don Quixote (by Miguel de Cervantes)
Democracy in America (by Tocqueville)
Atlas Shrugged (by Ayn Rand)
Excellent points… some of my favorite books hit in the range of my normal reads. 😀
War and Peace, Anna Karenina, and Atlas Shrugged are all books I read years ago, and thought nothing of their size. In fact, I probably LOVED that they were long and that my relationship with the characters would last for awhile.
I don’t think I always thought of the size of the book either Laurel until I started reviewing and then it seemed with so many books I keep finding…. harder to read the BIG ones 😀
I definitely don’t avoid chunksters, though I haven’t read too many yet. I love a book that has a LOT to say. I hate it when I love a book, and it’s over too quickly.
Right now I’m reading War and Peace (1,224 pages) and Michel de Montaigne’s essays (1,344 pages.) My favorite novel is Gone With the Wind (1,037 pages.)
Jillian I hate that too when a book seems to end to soon…. I also hate it when they go on about 300 pages too many (A book I read last year comes to mind LOL)
I think that if a books story needs to be told in 700+ then let it be so – but if it is just words to make the book bigger (overly descriptive, etc…) well that I do not like.
😀
I read GWTW when I was twelve. My mom gave it to me. If you like a good, historical romance you will love it. The movie is very good but the book is better! 🙂
Thanks Carol – I know it is one I need to get to 😀
I love long books, but I definitely hesitate to read my chunksters, too. It takes me so long to read an average sized book that I worry about starting a chunkster because I chance having, like, zero meaningful content for my blog for, oh, a month or so. (Yikes!) I can get past that, but then I hit the roadblock of how I do a lot of my reading on my lunch break and who wants to be hauling a huge tome, regardless of its quality, to work every day?
Someday soon I’m going to put my big girl pants on and read my chunksters, too. Really. Maybe? 😉
When I was still working, I used to take smaller books to work for that reason. Nowadays, we can put them on our Kindle or Nook!
I was thinking about chunksters today too! I’m starting War and Peace soon as part of a read-along, but that’s going to take a long, long time to read. I have a few other fiction and nonfiction chunksters on my shelves that I want to be reading, but tend to do the same thing as you — put them off for more low-hanging fruit. One I’m most excited about reading is called Badasses, and it’s about Oakland Raiders football in the 1970s.
Great description Kim “low hanging fruit”. 😀
I actually prefer much longer books. I rarely will purchase a short book as it will only take an hour or two for me to read. I look for books of at least 400 pages, preferably more if I am going to invest in it.
Sorry I forgot to recommend some:
In the First Circle by Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn
Anna Karenina by Tolstoy (one I re-read in many languages)
The Gulag (all volumes) by Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn
Ooh, I’ve read (and enjoyed) one Solzhenitsyn, but it wasn’t one of these (it wasn’t a chunkster). I really should read more of his!
When I was in junior high, it took me a whole summer to read “War and Peace’. I was granted a extra extension than usual by a sweet librarian.
I love historical fiction which is often a chunster but some of the shortest books are among the bet so I go with ‘Size doesn’t matter”. The bad thing is that I signed up to read 100 books this year! I am not seeking out the slim volumes on my shelf for balance and I may still not reach my goal. It all comes down to ‘A good book is a good book”.
Carol Wong
I love historical fiction too Carol and sadly have not read much of that genre for quite a while.
Do you listen to audio? They count in the challenge and I find they help me “read” when I am to busy to sit with a physical book.
I agree Sheila that we Shouldn’t be intimidated by the larger books but it seems we are. I prefer my book size 300 to 375 pages. I am only a little uncomfortable when they reach 425. But when they get over 500 I think twice before selecting that book for review. Most of the Historical Fiction books I have chosen are over 500. I have tried to think of them as two books so its still okay to read them. LOL But when they come up in my reading queue I still take a deep breath.
Martha, I am drawn to the sheer size of a large book – almost more for the look of it…. I just think they look incredible on the shelf…. of course, reading them would probably be more impressive…LOL 😛
Another great discussion! I tend to shy away from chunksters. Not because I’m prejudiced against fat books, but probably because I don’t want to make the commitment. 😉
I have so many books covering every available space in my house that I’m afraid to commit to one humongous book, when I could probably read an entire shelf of skinnier books in the same timeframe! And there’s the weight factor as well, because who wants to lug a giant book back and forth to work so they can read during lunch?
You are right – they are a commitment when they get to be that size…. you are really making an investment of time into the chunkies and I think that would cause me to be less patient with them if they are not cutting it for me.
Oh – My next chunkster is due for March 2nd: To Defy a King by Elizabeth Chadwick. I plan to start it by next weekend.
OOH enjoy the read Martha!
Sheila: lol Loved this post!! And I totally agree, chunksters intimidate me too.
LOL Cheryl – Amanda stimulated this post…. I just thought why of why am I scared of these books? 😀
Heh. I’m almost to that half-way mark of Middlemarch, which is 800+ pages in my edition. I also have Les Mis on my list for this year. 550 seems very doable to me! :p
Of course, War and Peace is one of my all-time faves, and it was ~1000 pages.
Hannah that is awesome – how do you read a chunkster like Middlemarch? Do you set goals of chapters or page numbers or do you just read it when you can and pick it up when you can?
I’d rather read it straight through, but it hasn’t worked out that way. So yeah, I’ve been setting it aside when I’ve got review/other reading commitments and then picking it back up. Middlemarch was actually originally published in pieces, as 8 separate books, so there are some natural dividers along the way. 🙂
I like the thought of natural dividers. I have not had time yet to pick up Wolf Hall but hopefully the next few days will be quieter for me and I can at least get into a bit of it.
I read books that are between 300 and 450 pages or so. I do have some chunksters on my shelf right now that I will eventually get to. I actually participate in the Chunkster Reading Challenge as well…..
I forgot about that challenge Julie! Probably becuase I feared it! 😛
I have to say it is one of my things also – they look so nice on my shelf but actually opening them up and getting into them takes a lot of effort which i haven’t given previously. I entered the chunkster challenge and haven’t even started yet so i think it is time!
My chunksters at the moment though are still quite light hearted i think i will go in slowly and work my way up to the serious stuff!
So to start i think ill go for a Marian Keyes.
My other half bought me two books i really wanted today so i am delighted to put them up on the shelf and cannot wait to get into them!
Enjoy your books and good luck with the “biggie!” 😀
Thank you so much – can i just say it may sound cheesy but you are one of the nicest bloggers i have come across and getting your meanderings in the morning really cheer me up and wake me up! 😀
Thank you! I just love to talk books ad finding fellow book lovers has really opened my eyes to more books and more bookish experiences then I could have ever dreamed. 😀
Glad you enjoy the meanderings… I enjoy writing them.
That title and picture of you are hilarious!
I used to avoid chunksters, but now (if I feel the book really is a winner), I’ll go ahead and crack the spine knowing I’ll most likely devote the time it would take to read two others.
LOL Beth – I just had this vision of me being frightened of the books so grabbed what I could off my shelves – the ones I thought would be so cool to read… but have yet to do so. 😀
I love, love chunksters! Granted I do not read them one after another. But I try to get to at least one a month or maybe one every other month. I am currently reading Fall of Giants by Ken Follett. Loving it.
I am reading a couple of chunksters (War and Peace and Villette by Charlotte Bronte) as read-a-longs, so the breakdowns are easily managable.
Just finished the chunkster, The Distant Hours, great book. The only chunkster sitting on my stacks at the moment is Kraken by China Mieville. Will have to be on the look out for others. ;o)
Go for it girl!
I love them, but haven’t read too many lately because of trying to whittle my stacks down and also have something to blog about.
But one solution….read a little of the chunkster each day, while working on the smaller ones, too. That’s how I read Barbara Walters’ “Audition.”
I recall loving War and Peace and Anna Karenina, among others.
Nice job on the chunksters Nise! I see you do really enjoy them by the list you have here! I would love to read Fall Of Giants!
Fall of Giants is on my shelf, too. So.Many.Books!
Chunksters can be so intimidating!! I love that you’re doing this project. 🙂
Thanks Amanda – you inspired it! 😀
I’m reading War and Peace right now so I guess I’m joining you!!!
YAY Staci! Someone to grumble with about the BIG books LOL! 😀
One of my very favoritest books ever! Enjoy.
vikram seth…a suitable boy
stephen king…under the dome
i could fit 3-4 books in the space that those 2 take up
such an investment of time though!!! and at least with stephen king….the story could have been told in 1/2 that amount with no loss in storytelling…editors seem to be afraid of him!
strangely enough i don’t put gwtw in that category…maybe because i just know it will be a faster mammoth read! (at least i hope so)
That’s what bugs me Diana – books that are big because they are filled with thousands of additional not needed wording. If it is a BIS story -t hats fine – just don’t force the BIG! 😀
I do not avoid huge books…I love them…I relish them…have you ever seen the size of The Glass Books Of The Dream Eaters? It was before I had a Kindle and I could barely lift it!!! I am going to read A Discovery Of Witches and I think that is a huge book…so that will be my next big one.
OOH Patty I have not seen that book – is it really big??? I do like the looks of the big ones… so powerful… so scary! 😀
I love big books!!! But since I read almost all of my books on my Kindle…there is no real way to tell so the size of the book doesn’t really matter. The next huge one I am going to read is The Discovery Of Witches.
My longest book on my Kindle so far was The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, which had over 480 pages (in the print book).
Another good thing about Kindle…it’s easy to carry the books around!
I want to read Discovery Of Witches too!
Sorry about the duplicate comment…it said my comment was lost so of course I commented again…
LOL Pattty – I responded to both…. err….. all three 😀
Just like you, I avoid thicker books because there’s a lot to read on my shelves! But big books for me are 750 pages and up… I must have a little over a dozen of them and for some they have been waiting for a few years!!!
Jules 750 is GIGANTIC! 😀 Pull one down… read it… come on….. you can do it! 😀
I actually don’t mind chunksters, but have noticed that my reading of them has dwindled in the past couple of years, and I’m not sure why that is. I do have several chunksters waiting on my shelves – and I am definitely planning to read some of them this year!
Carrie I know for me it is because of the review books… a chunkster is three review books which could be a week or more of reading for me. Its hard to put everything aside for one book.
Agreed. I’ve seen that some in my own reading, too, which is why I stuck a couple on my must-read list for 2011. I’ve always loved them, so I shouldn’t avoid them now!
That is a great idea Hannah – make them must reads. There are so many wonderful ones out there I keep putting off…
That’s what it came down to for me. Pre-blogging I wasn’t taking a book’s page count into consideration when it came time to pick one, unless I was calculating how many volumes to take out from the library at once. But even then, not much of a factor.
I think you’re right – it is the review factor. I think that’s why my classics reading has dwindled in the past year or so – as so many of them are huge books. I’m really enjoying the Villette read-along, though since it’s less than 500 pages, not sure it really counts as a chunkster. 🙂
I think I started to read shorter books when I started blogging because I wanted something to post about. Sometimes short books can be meaningful too, plus as I tend to force books to exit my house after I read them (unless they are a favorite) Iknow if I read the shorter ones I am closer to conquering my clutter.
Jill yes there is always that feeling on accomplishment when you can dig into the TBR pile and actually see a dent 😀
I must admit I like to keep a certain “pace” with my reading. Two to 3 days per book is good. But… there are so many Great books I’ve read that are just gonna take long than that…. I must make myself do it. At least once in a while. It’s usually worth it — if not, then maybe I just don’t finish that chunkster. “The Passage” is a good example of a really long book that I absolutely thought was totally worth it.
That is where I am at Annette – I do not want to miss out on an incredible read just because it was so big! 😀
I read Amanda’s post, too, and I did do some thinking about my recent reading habits.
I do love big books, and being able to savor them. In my younger years, I thought nothing of reading a book with 1000 + pages. I loved Russian novels, which are fat and wordy, with often difficult names to recall. But I devoured them!
I have a 562 page book waiting now…Freedom, by Jonathan Franzen. I loved his first book, also a chunkster.
I blame blogging for my recent tendency to grab the shorter ones. I want to feel like I’m whittling my stacks down quickly so I can blog about my progress, and what better way than reaching for the smaller ones first.
I know that when planning my reading for the week, I’m going to want to finish the ones I list…and listing only one or two books (because they’re BIG) feels…well, less than productive.
These are ridiculous thoughts, since the books I’ve written have ranged from 365-600 pages. I must admit that in my current manuscript I’m aiming for a shorter book…hoping to capture those readers who don’t want to linger too long with a book.
Yes, let’s all start reading those FAT books!
I am glad to hear about Johnathon Franzen from you Laurel – seems that I have heard mixed thoughts on his books so I have not really pursued his writing as of yet.
And yes, I would say blogging makes me reach for the “smalls ” as well however currently I am back logged with reviews ready to go live so this may be a good time to pull out the BIG GUNS!
I’m reading Ulysses right now, which is 783 pages. And I’m supposed to be reading War and Peace, which is just ginormous…that’s not going so well, though.
Jill I am in awe of you reading those books especially when I hear how hard they are to read… I don’t think I could do it… if the book is not enjoyable I would have to stop…. especially in monster size books like those. I do enjoy reading your updates! 😀
Hmm … me too. I bought Pillars of the Earth and World Without End several months ago but I’d been putting it off and reading newer books simply because they were “shorter”. To give myself that extra push, I signed up for The Chunkster Challenge and finally finished Pillar of the Earth after 2 weeks … and now I’m working on World Without End. Still, I’m thinking that after this I won’t be reading huge books for a while … 🙂
Kah that is awesome that you are at least reading two great books. That is an accomplishment!
I rarely give much thought to the length of a book, and do not find longer books intimidating in the least.
However, this year, I’ve set a goal to read 100+ books (50 states, 42 European countries, and some others) so the longer books will be sitting on the shelves collecting dust until next January.
Some of the chunksters that await my attention: Atlas Shrugged (1069 pages of tiny type); Vanity Fair (812 pages), East of Eden (608 pages), Romola (736 pages), Dr. Zhivago (561 pages), The War of the Flowers (816 pages). And the Abhorsen Trilogy which adds up to 1714 pages in three books.
Yeah. That’ll keep me busy for awhile. 🙂
Wow you have great goals! I have had a really good start in January and have not updated recently to see where I am at but feel as thought I am cruising along on the reading 😀
Holy smokes… those are some BIG books.
I definitely avoid larger books while I’m in school because I know it will take me quite awhile to get through them. During the summer I know I’ll have more time so I’m a little more open to reading the long books. That being said, I’m reading a 500 pager right now and I usually read 2-3 of the course of a normal semester.
Wow – thats a lot of BOOK Ash! I hoe theya re enjoyable reads 😀
Sheila, you looks so cute in that picture 😉
As long as they are interesting, big book is not that frightening. What I need is a big focus. And say no to all tempting distraction 😀
LOL Aleetha….. 😀
I am going into a big book this week!
I love your title for this post. I don’t avoid chunksters. I’m more likely avoid certain genres (I have plenty of non-fiction and classics I’ve been meaning to get to). Unfortunately, sometimes (not always) chunksters go hand in hand with those genres. Like Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee and Anna Karenina, both of which I mean to read … someday.
Bury My Heart At Wounded Knee was one my book club tried years ago for our classic read. I did not survive it…. it was so heavy and sad…. it was probably about 6 years ago so maybe I should try again now that my reading palette has grown. 😀
There’s also the whole heft-factor. It’s not always comfortable to hold and carry huge books, especially for extended periods of time. An ereader is a good fix for that, but since I don’t have one, it’s still an excuse for me. :p
Right! I think it would be a “stay at home book” just due to heft and I think the possibilities of damaging the book are greater if I travel with a big one. I have an e reader but think I would like to see my progress on the large ones discussed here. i think seeing that bookmark inch its way though a large book would be gratifying. 😀
Yeah, it probably would be a nice incentive.
I also avoid those chunksters! It’s funny because usually once I get into them I love them and never want them to end…I guess it’s just getting started.
That is exactly it Jo Jo…. really when I look at it most are the size of two books I normally read…. and I obviously like the story line as it is in my house… on a shelf. 😀 I just need to open the book!
Your thoughts in this post fit me to a tee! and I thought it was only me who felt this way. 🙂 I read the whole Harry Potter series last year and those were the first chunksters I had read in quite a while.
*smiles*
When I originally read the Potter books I was thrilled with their size Kim…. the bigger they were the more story I was going to get! I hated it when they ended. Last year though, I pulled one off the shelf to do a re -read before the movie came out and I couldnt do it…. too big. Good grief. 😛
Wow. I am exactly the same way! I’m less likely to read a book if it’s more than 350 pages or so. I blame the fact that I’m constantly reading more than one book at the same time. It’s easy to set aside the book that taking longer for something shorter.
I’ve noticed that having an e-reader helps. I forget that a book I’m reading is a chunkster and slowly make my way through a book without worrying about page numbers.
I read a few books at once too Vasilly – I like to see the progress being made on them! 😀
I don’t mind Chunksters at all if they are a good read. I reread Pillars of the Earth and World Without End last year, finishing WWE right before Christmas. I did take a break between the two though, reading a few shorter lighter reads between the two.
I don’t have a list of books to read, though I should start making one from all the great reviews here and participating readers!
Good point… this discussion here is not helping my reading pile at all because they more certain titles are being raved about, the more I want to try them too. 😀
Ah, you’ve touched on a tough topic for me, too. I currently have several very big books awaiting my attention on my shelf. I often read books in the 400-500 page range, but these are REALLY big books: Under the Dome by Stephen King (which my husband has bravely jumped into last week), The Passage, and Ken Follett’s Pillars of the Earth. I want to read all 3 of these, but never seem to have enough “free” time in between book group books (yes, I know I’m in too many book groups already, but now I want to do yours, too!)
I’m currently reading a big book for one of my book groups – The Hour I First Believed by Wally Lamb (about 730 pages) – big but not quite as big as another Lamb book, I Know This Much Is True. It’s excellent, but I may not finish in time!
Sue
See now there is another title I want to read Sue! GAH! They are multiplying! 😀
I read The Hour I First Believed soon after it came out. I Know This Much is True is in my top 10 favorites of all time!
When book lovers say certain books are on their favorites list that really draws my attention! 😀
Eek I feel a lot of pressure now!! Have you read The Glass Castle by Jeanette Wells? It is probaly my absolute favorite, but then it reminded me so much of my own childhood without the alcohol!
LOL – I have read that one! Actually our book club did.
The only place I like to carry chunksters is to the airport. So that people can see me and assume that I am well-read. Hahahaha! Seriously?… I have chunkophobia! I literally shudder with fright when I get a chunko-arc! Man, no excuses will work there!
Chunkophobia? LOL Aths – that is awesome! 😀
I love the title of this post! I agree with you that long books make me remember a book for the long haul, probably because it becomes like a friend for awhile. I don’t read a lot of chunksters but last year I probably read 10 out of 70 in the year.
10 out of 70 is pretty good! I don’t think I read any books over a 500 page count last year.
Intersting! In fact I do not really consider the number of pages when I read a book. It really is the story and the quality that concern me not the length. As a matter of fact I avoid short stories, as a genre. I have just finished The Return at nearly 600 pages, but have no idea what percentage of the books I read are as you refer to them ‘chunksters’
That is a great rule of thumb – rely on the story bot the page number. 🙂
Even in book club if it is a new title that is being suggested we will as for a page count… of course in that case we have a month to read it so that is sometimes important 😀
I have not historically avoided chunksters but last year pretty much shied away from them. I have so little time to read that I want to feel like I am accomplishing something by reading a whole book and chunksters just don’t give me that pay off quite so quickly.