Me: I think I’m finally going to read this…
Also Me: Don’t do it!
Nope!
It’s too big.
What if it’s boring and you go into a slump and you never wind up reading anything again? It could happen.
Me: But I think I’m ready and I really want to…
Also Me: No. No, you don’t. Trust us!
Even in this I’m occasionally my own worst enemy 🙂
So last year I did a Goal’s TBR of Authors I really wanted to read and I actually did well and read all but two (still plan to get to them knock on wood!) I’ve been going back and forth on some of the bigger books that I’ve wanted to read for years that I’ve often put aside.
I thought I’d do much the same thing and write them up on my blog as a holding myself to it kind of thing and if anyone’s read them or has any thoughts on what to start with or getting through them I’m grateful for all opinions!
Dune
This is a rough one because its the only one I’ve actually tried to read and put aside. However it’s going to be a movie next year with Jason Momoa and Oscar Isaacs and naturally it makes me want to read the book more!
Also I think I’ve seen the original movie but every time I think of it all I can picture is a weird kid and Kevin Bacon fighting worms in the desert and I know that’s Tremors.
Don Quixote
I don’t know a lot about this story except that the few things I do know I think I will like but also lots of people do say this is a rough one to get through. I really want to see the Adam Driver movie though so maybe I’ll check that out- even though I’m assuming it’s very different- and see how it goes.
Little Women
This is another one I’m interested in again based on the upcoming movie version. Little Women is rough though because it’s one where I honestly think I may find it boring. I saw the film version with Christian Bale ages and ages ago and it was okay.
Honestly I likely wouldn’t read this until December or so anyway because it strikes me as a holiday book for some reason!
Anna Karenina
Okay, this is probably the one that launched this itch in my brain a couple of months back when I saw Maggie Gyllenhaal narrates an audible version.
I’ve long been put off by the size and honestly the famous ending. Spoilers! But between the audible and several movie versions I think I could get through this one 🙂
Doctor Zhivago
I know very little about this book except it’s supposed to be romantic (?) I could be way wrong about that. Except it was my favorite Aunts favorite book and movie and for some reason I always struggle to read and watch material that people I loved had such an emotional attachment to.
IT
Things I never thought I’d say: I actually enjoyed the movie and am very much excited for the sequel.
I do love King from this time period of writing. These are the books of his that definitely got under my skin the most. Though I must admit here that the size doesn’t entirely put me off so much as the apparent kid sex/orgy in the sewers. Something I’m glad the movie cut.
I suppose knowing its coming I could easily skip those pages!
It might be a good book to tackle this summer.
The Name of the Wind
Again this book always seems like something I would really enjoy. Plus it’s got a beautiful special edition. I pick it up and put it back on the shelf pretty much every time I’m in a bookstore. My main problem with this is Game of Thrones- in that its another series in which people have been waiting for the next book for what seems like a good long while.
And I’m just like- I want to but I can’t make that kind of commitment again!
So that’s my list of monsters books I really do want to read. I’m thinking Anna Karenina, It and Doctor Zhivago may be the ones I start with and we’ll see how it goes from there!
Dune is on my TBR for this summer! I always have more time for big books in the summer. For Little Women, though it’s a long book it’s written for young readers, even children, so it moves pretty quick. There are parts that are dull, but if you’re into character- and relationship-driven stories it doesn’t move too slowly. As a person who has been waiting on the rest of the Kingkiller Chronicles for SOOOOOME TIME, you might like to wait. Honestly, at this point I’m going to have to re-read the entire series before I can read book three anyway, because I can’t remember what happened.
Oh, that’s so true I will forget! I’ll probably read Kingkiller Chronicles once book three is announced with a date. I just can’t bring myself to start another winds of winter situation where I’m forever waiting for the end of the story 🙂
On the bright side Pat Rothfuss is much younger than GRRM, and seems to be in better health, so maybe he will finish the book pre-humonously. Or is that joke too morbid?
No I totally get it 🙂
Though who knows Martin could live to a hundred and twenty and I’d still be waiting for Winds of Winter!
Ooh! I’ve actually read all of these. Little Women is definitely one of my all time favorite classics. I also liked Name of the Wind, Don Quixote, Dr. Zhivago, and Anna Karenina. Dune, I remember struggling a bit with, but I’m not a huge science fiction fan. And It is one of my favorite Stephen King books along with The Stand. The only thing I’d caution you about is that it may come across as being a bit dated, particularly regarding social norms. Just keep in mind that it was written in the 80s.😁
That’s amazing that you’ve read them all! Everyone’s saying good things about Little Women so I’m definitely more hopeful than I was 🙂
It may be the only Stephen King from that time period (which I think is his best writing honestly) that I haven’t read so I do think I’ll enjoy it.
This is an ambitious but really good list of books. I haven’t read most of these but maybe start off with Little Women since that one is a bit of an easier read? Don Quixote is one where it seems like everyone knows but no one has actually read, but it’s one that I’d like to tackle at some point too!
I think Don Quixote has been parodied so much that’s where I know it best from!
You should definitely read Little Women and It! I loved both, but I can’t remember anything else about them because i read tham so long ago LOL
Everyone’s saying such good things about Little Women that I’m much more hopeful about reading it!
Big books are so intimidating!! Little Women is amazing though. A bit slow at parts, but it’s a really sweet and moralistic story. I love it. I always think of it as a winter book too! I actually just reread it last December lol. Anna Karenina is also really good! Some parts may be a bit boring (a lot of talk about agricultural methods) but I think it’s worth the read (or listen). It, Don Quixote and Dune are on my TBR as well. But they’re not really my cup of tea so the likelihood of me getting to them? Slim! Unless I audiobook them haha.
Completely agree with you I keep on putting off larger books. Little Women took me a while to get through for sure! Anna Karenina and IT are on my TBR too. The Name of the Wind is so great! I haven’t read the sequel because I have no idea when the last book is coming out but it’s a good read.
Name of the wind has been on my TBR forever (It was on my list before I even knew what TBRs were!) Its my friend’s favorite book and he really wants me to read it. But I am with you, I don’t want to wait FOREVER and probably never get the next book 🙁 But at the same time it still sounds really good! But it is HUGE (haha I go back an fourth with myself too!)
It’s bloody enormous! That’s another reason I know if I read it now I’ll forget most of it by the time the next book is announced (if it ever is.) One day though 🙂
I really liked Don Quixote when I first read it, but then again, I was like 16 at the time so I have no idea what I’ll think of it now. And oh boy, Name of the Wind. I keep telling myself that surely, surely, the third book will come out in the next couple of years, but I’ve been saying that for 4 years now, so….The series IS really good, though! And it’s fun to deep-dive into speculations and theories. 😀
Everything I’ve heard makes me think I’d like Name of the Wind but I can’t take another series especially one that tends to speculation and theories without an ending in sight!
Nooo!! Not IT! Stick with the movies. You’ll thank yourself. 😜 Ha ha! I have had a book called “Calizona” by Ralph Rotten glaring at me on my shelf for about a year now whispering “come in, Nicole.. You know you want to read me.” my heart says yes, and my brain says “but, you could read 2-3 SMALLER books in the same amount of time!!” … Dilemmas….
That’s so true! I could probably read 5 books in the same time as Anna Karenina!
Oh, DEFINTITELY! I have an audio version of Anna Karenina that I got from my dad that I still haven’t listened to….. It’s on about 6 cassette tapes…. 🤣🤣
I read around 50-100 pages of Don Quixote hoping it would get better, but it baffled me… I don’t think I’ve ever come across such a delusional character. Which isn’t to say it isn’t interesting, but for me I do require heavy realism and that’s just my preference. Hopefully you will have better luck with it!
Anna Karenina – wish there was more Anna, she was fascinating!
Little Women is definitely a holiday read, it’s very grounded in reality though, and I can see you love fantasy, so it might not be something that you’d love! I think you’ll like Meg though if you read, everyone loves Jo when they’re young, and Meg when they reach their 20’s. In fairness, Meg is awesome.
Just watch the musical “Man of La Mancha”!! So much better!! Lol!
I will definitely check that out! A lot of people have said Anna and Little Women aren’t as bad as I think but Don Quixote apparently does give a lot of people fits 🙂
Little women is definitely worth a read. A beautiful story. Sad. And, not action packed. But, beautiful. I couldn’t get through Don Quixote either. But, I LOVE the musical. I did my own production of it when I was about 12 and played Don Quixote/Cervantes and recruited family members to play the rest… It’s still, to this day, one of my fathers favourite memories. HA HA!!
That sounds like so much fun!
Definitely!
Thanks for that! I’ll try that instead, I can see it working better as a musical!
I do remember liking all the characters in the 90’s movie so I’m hopeful. I think I’ll definitely wait til closer to the holidays and give it a go 🙂
Ok, but I’m warning you beforehand that I have a feeling you may not like the characters except the mother lol.
Im surprised the priory of the orange tree isn’t on there.. it has 900PAGES!! 😱
Which that one has been given lot of praise, specially with being diverse but OH. HELL. NAH. that is way too much pages for me XD
I actually have that one to read. It doesn’t scare me as much as some of the classics though I am worried I may drop it on my foot one day!
Or in your face while reading on your back holding it up 😂
True! I don’t think I could read it that way though. It would hurt my hands to much!
Oh yeah I’m often scared off by big books too. But I did love Anna Karenina (excluding the first and last 100 pages) and Little women is amazing!!
Yeah! Everyone has said such hopeful things about Anna Karenina and Little Women I’m shifting into I can totally read these mode 🙂