We all enjoy reading, but there is a tinge of disappointment when the book we want to read is the size of a brick. Long books are also considered the best gifts for your bookworm daughter or son. Many readers choose books based on their length and how long it will take them to finish them. Although many people would enjoy reading a book with more than 1000 or 1500 pages, you should think twice about beginning books that fall into the category of the world’s longest books.
It’s amusing to consider how many voracious readers will avoid one long book if they can read the same number of pages in a month by reading several short books. Some readers explain that they do this because they have a certain number of books they want to read each year. One long book may disrupt their schedule, making them less likely to include it in their book collection. Aside from the longest-running book series, there are also the longest books written ever. Another consideration is that longer novels tend to rely heavily on telling rather than showing. Users who responded to similar questions on various forums said that reading long classic books in school, such as War and Peace, “scared” them away from trying again. In general, it appears that readers have a psychological problem with long novels.
The Longest Books Written
Because page count can vary depending on formatting and the publisher’s or printer’s standards, the books were ranked based on word count.
1. The Blah Story by Nigel Tomm
Word Count: 3,277,227
The Blah Story is the world’s longest book, consisting of 23 volumes. Because part of the book is up to you, it’s difficult to describe what it’s about. The book’s concept places you in front of a typewriter and allows you to write whatever you want.
2. Marienbad My Love Leach
Word Count: 2.5 million
Mark Leach’s Marienbad My Love, published in 2008, surpassed all other long novels with a word count of 2.5 million words. The novel is written in the style of a summer blockbuster about the end of the world. A Christian filmmaker and the woman he loves are stranded on the deserted island of Marienbad. Except she has no idea who he is. When the Apocalypse approaches, the story takes a turn, but even this Christian filmmaker admits that this isn’t how the Bible describes how the world will end.
3. Artamane ou le Grand Cyrus by Madeleine de Scudacry
Word Count: 2.1 million
One of the greatest love stories ever told also happens to be one of the longest. Artamane ou le Grand Cyrus is a 2.1 million word novel. The book was written over a four-year period in installments. To keep track of the 400 characters and 100 different settings, the plot is divided into “histories.” In addition, the story revolves around two characters: the male hero Cyrus and Mandana, who is constantly abducted from her home. The French were eager to get their hands on the next installment of Madeleine de Scudacry’s epic tale between 1649 and 1653.
4. Clarissa by Samuel Richardson
Word Count: 943,000
The longest book appears to have one of the longest titles as well. Clarissa; or, The History of a Young Lady: Comprehending the Most Important Concerns of Private Life is the full title. And, in particular, the Distresses that May Accompany Parental and Child Misconduct in Relation to Marriage. Clarissa Harlowe’s quest for virtue and true love is repeatedly thwarted by her wealthy and controlling family in this novel.
5. Sir Charles Grandison by Samuel Richardson
Word Count: 750,000
The History of Sir Charles Grandison was first published in 1753 as an epistolary novel. The book is free to read online because it is in the public domain. Harriet Byron is pursued by Sir Hargrave Pollexfen in this novel. He kidnaps her after she rejects Pollexfen, but she is released when Sir Charles Grandison comes to her rescue. Grandison becomes the central figure after his appearance, and the story revolves around his life and history. Here are more American history books that you will surely love.
6. Poor Fellow My Country by Xavier Herbert
Word Count: 852,000
Xavier Herbert’s award-winning novel, Poor Fellow My Country, is set in Australia. The novel is set in Australia’s Northern Territory between 1936 and 1942 and was published in 1975. As Australia faces war and ongoing questions about its place in the world, three social outcasts, including a half-Indigenous boy, his white grandfather, and a female Jewish refugee from Nazi Germany, face oppression.
7. Women and Men by Joseph McElroy
Word Count: 850,000
Women and Men was published in 1987, and it has been compared to works such as Ulysses because of its size and complexity. The novel takes place mostly between 1976 and 1977, but there are long sections set in other decades, including some in the late 1800s.
8. Sironia, Texas by Madison Cooper
Word Count: 840,000
This novel takes place in the fictional town of Sironia, which is thought to be based on the author’s hometown of Waco, Texas. Sironia, Texas was published in 1952 and took 11 years to write. It follows the fortunes and failures of the town’s residents.
9. Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand
Word Count: 645, 000
Atlas Shrugged is Ayn Rand’s fourth, final, and longest novel, combining elements of science fiction, mystery, and romance. It was published in 1957 and depicts the dystopian United States where private businesses are subjected to ever-increasing laws and regulations.
10. Jerusalem by Alan Moore
Word Count: 600,000
Despite its title, this novel is set in the author’s hometown of Northampton, England, and incorporates elements of supernatural and historical fiction. The story spans centuries and includes a diverse cast of characters. Some are legendary, while others are true. The colophon of the book claims that it is based on a true story.
11. A Suitable Boy by Vikram Seth
Word Count: 593,674
A Suitable Boy was published in 1993 and is set in a post-partition India. It follows four families over the course of 18 months, and centers on Mrs. Rupa Mehra’s efforts to arrange the marriage of her younger daughter, Lata, to a “suitable boy.” But 19-year-old Lata is a university student who refuses to be influenced by her domineering mother or opinionated brother, Aru.
12. Infinite Jest by David Foster Wallace
Word Count: 543,709
Infinite Jest is a satirical look at the American pursuit of happiness. It was first published in 1996 and is known for its unusual narrative structure, which includes hundreds of endnotes. TIME magazine named the book one of the top 100 English-language novels published between 1923 and 2005.