Big Books I Want to Read in 2023

It's intimidating starting really long books, but I've picked six titles that are over 500 pages long which I want to read in 2023. Do you have any big book plans? Click ‘Show More’ for info.

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Books discussed & purchase links:

Solenoid by Mircea Cartarescu (translated by Sean Cotter)

The Shards by Bret Easton Ellis

Our Share of Night by Mariana Enriquez (translated by Megan McDowell)

Genet by Edmund White

Catch 22 by Joseph Heller

Life Times by Nadine Gordimer

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Get in touch

[joniheisenberg]

I read “War and Peace”last year and am so happy I did!

[CharlesHeathcote]

I've reserved Our Share of Night from the library having heard you talk about it. I'm one of those folk who tend to break up longer books by reading shorter books in between, but I did have a moment with a recent read when I reached the end, a great revelation happened - which had been hinted at in the beginning - and I'd completely forgotten which I cannot deny did dampen the impact. I'm also hearing a lot about Solenoid at the moment. Either way, I hope that you find some new favourites among these books.

[heather_vee_reads]

War and Peace is on my list for this year! I read Anna Karenina last year and loved it so I'm hoping I'll feel the same way about War and Peace 🤞🏼

[susanm]

This month I finished Vasily Grossman's Stalingrad which I started last year but had to put on hold because I was traveling and didn't want to carry a 2.5 lb book along with me. Afterwards I read the sequel, Life and Fate. So glad that read these books which are considered the War and Peace of World War II. This year I plan to read Hans Fallada's Every Man Dies Alone (another WWII novel) and Gulag by Anne Applebaum. Like you I definitely feel that reading a big book by itself from start to finish is the way to go.

[dqan]

I think I've read Catch-22 but that was twenty plus years ago. I've heard really good things about Solenoid! I've got several big books left over from last year: Anna Karenina, a Ray Bradbury collection and...I don't know what else. I don't think my tablet liked me opening a series of large novels; it locked up. Anyway, this year I've started Pickwick Papers. I ran across Cheever's Stories the other day. I think it's pretty long. That should keep me busy for a while.

[Paromita_M]

I finished reading Solenoid a few days ago and was really amazed by the beautiful writing. I hope you like it.

[elizabethmoloney]

Love a big book. In 2022 I read The Evening and the Morning ( prequel to Pillars of the Earth - also very compling), A Prayer for Owen Meany, Dombey and son, The Crimson and the White and Pickwick Papers. More planned for this year, 'classics ' e.g. Anna Karenina, Bleak House & Little Dorritt plus some new contemporary fiction The Love Songs of W.E.B Bois.

[DavidOre]

thrilled to see you mention Ms. Gordimer. i actually attended two of her readings here in Montreal, got to speak with her, and she actually recognized me the second time and mentioned our earlier conversation. (the earth trembled!)

[vrux]

OMG Cartarescu, can't wait to listen what you have to say about it, a librarian recommend me his works that have been translated to Spanish and I loved one of his works called "Nostalgia"

[drewnorth]

I am extremely jealous that you not only got to see Nadine Gordimer in person, but got her autograph as well ❤❤❤

She is incredible, and I think your strategy is perfect, take the entire year to read her stories if you need to, the only way to read her wrong is to read her too quickly.

Our Share Of Night has been pre-ordered here in the US. Really looking forward to it. Other long books on my TBR this year are Underworld by Don DeLillo (on TBR for 10 years) and A Sport of Kings by C.E. Morgan ( on TBR for 5+ years).

Great list and great video!

[jacoblanda]

Catch-22 is one of my all time favorite books.
It is both very funny and tragic and deeply moving
at the same time. There are many memorable characters and great satire. The book holds up to multiple readings.

[brendaredmond]

I think the biggest book I have read is Steinbecks' East of Eden. 704 pages. I loved every one of them! I loved Reading Rainbow! Lavar Burton was an awesome host for the show.

[eddie_d]

Catch-22 is an hilarious, satirical novel. Once you get a feel for the form you will learn to love its memorable characters, Yossarian, Milo Minderbender, Major Major, etc. and enjoy the situations they all find themselves in. A good choice for a big book. Heller flew combat missions during WWII and he draws on his experiences of military sense and senselessness. Enjoy!

[anne-marie]

Our share of night sounds excellent! I have one of her short story collections on my shelf.
Tomb of Sand is probably my biggest book on my tbr I want to read this year. I determined to read it before it becomes too intimidating and I let it linger for years!

[CharlieBrookReads]

I agree with you on how to tackle big books. I hope you enjoy all the ones you get to ☺️

I am taking part in the Mega Dickens Along this year so most of my big reads will be from that but I also have A Suitable Boy that I would quite like to get to in 2023 too if I can.

[Weirder_the_better]

That’s awesome, catch-22 is on my list to read this year as well!!

[andrewmatthews]

'Solenoid' is gonna blow your mind.

[rosie]

Thank you for the encouragement. I’d like to read Himalaya by Ed Douglas but as it’s non-fiction closely related to my work, I’ve not been drawn to it in my down time.

[charlottemolloy]

I also struggle to get through a big book if I have several shorter books on the go at the same time because they seem easier.

I dont quite know how it happened but I've ended up reading 4 big books at the same time this week and bizarrely it has helped me get through them quicker than I would normally, perhaps because when everything is big, then nothing is? 🤷🏻‍♀️

Our share of night is on my tbr for February, very excited to get to it, maybe it'll be on the international booker list too!

[DavidOre]

a recent discovery; i really appreciate/enjoy your honest/thoughtful enthusiasm. how about sharing more about yourself with your readers. your accent suggests you might be a Canadian (!) or an American living in London. how do you support yourself and your book buying in what is a very expensive city? who does the housekeeping while you manage to spend all those glorious hours with your feet up, reading? how are your wonderful bookcases organized? thematically? alphabetically - by author or title? sequentially? your curious fans want to know!