It’s the second day of the week! It’s also time for a Top 5 Tuesday update. Top 5 Tuesdays was originally created by Shanah @ the Bionic Bookworm but is now currently being hosted by Meeghan @ Meeghan Reads.
This week’s topic: Top 5 thicc books
Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes
Number of Pages: 1,072
Miguel de Cervantes’s Don Quixote is one of the most recognized titles in literature. It was also one of the first books I read when I started immersing in literary classics. As anyone can tell, I struggled mightily with the book. Sure, Don Quixote was a very eccentric character but I didn’t find his antics funny. Or maybe it shouldn’t be seen that way. This was, after all, Miguel de Cervantes’ satire of his time’s climate. The word picaresque has since stuck with me.
Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand
Number of Pages: 1,084
Kicking off the top three is Ayn Rand’s 1,084-pager, Atlas Shrugged. Honestly, I nearly forgot about this book. It is a very complex narrative about the future of industrial America. It is also very highly philosophical as Rand fused the narrative with her philosophy of objectivism. Some of her views are rather radical, which is maybe one of the reasons why some of her works are frowned upon. It was still interesting though as some are applicable in the context of today.
Infinite Jest by David Foster Wallace
Number of Pages: 1,088
Sitting at number four of my longest reads – it was recently demoted from being my second longest read – is David Foster Wallace’s Infinite Jest. Unlike most of the books in this list, this is literally as complex as it is lengthy. This was a very challenging read that had several storylines. Whilst it was neither a pleasant nor easy read, it inspired a great sense of accomplishment. Wallace’s insights were complimented by his unconventional storytelling. Nonlinear storytelling is always a delight. Or not, especially if it is as lengthy as Infinite Jest. In the book’s case, its length validates its complexity.
Parallel Stories by Péter Nádas
Number of Pages: 1,133
Parallel Stories, my first novel by Nádas, enthralled me with its graphic and descriptive storytelling. He conjured strong images that certainly have left deep impressions on me. Exploring seminal parts of Hungary’s contemporary history, the novel provided a peek into the heart, soul, and plights of his native country. It was a smorgasbord that was prepared by Nádas. Like most literary works, Parallel Stories had its fair share of slanders. Nevertheless, it was a rich and lush story that makes me look forward to reading more of the Hungarian novelist’s works.
A Suitable Boy by Vikram Seth
Number of Pages: 1,349
It was just recently when I read Vikram Seth’s A Suitable Boy and it has usurped Parallel Stories as my second longest read. It is also just one of two books that have breached 1,300 pages. Had it not been for must-read lists, I would have never encountered the book. The book’s heft was enough to daunt me, notwithstanding the fact that it was my first book by the Indian writer. It took time before I found my footing in the story but once I did, the story seemed easier than it appeared. The heft was really meant to daunt. Overall, it was an insightful portrait of contemporary India, its colorful history, and its diverse people.
War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy
Number of Pages: 1,388
With a whopping 1,388 pages, Leo Tolstoy’s War and Peace takes the top spot of my longest reads. This is Tolstoy’s second appearance on the list. As the story implies, it is a tale of war and peace in Napoleonic Russia. Unlike Anna Karenina, however, I had an easier one with this. Or perhaps I have already adapted to his writing? Maybe. War and Peace is one of my all-time reads. For its length, it was an easy read, not pleasant, but easy.
The Pine-Scented Chronicles 