Long books

As far as I am concerned, a good book just cannot be too long.

I love a long book!!!

Reading this with interest, for suggestions on authors I haven't read yet. Not reading books at the moment - can't concentrate on anything for long enough! But wanted to mention something that may be useful to those of you who've mentioned you have problems with holding books. I was thinking of getting one for when I'm back to reading. JML do a Pill-o-Pad, a very lightweight triangular-section foam-type thingy that will prop up tablets or books at different angles. I frequently have painful fingers, wrists and neck these days, and find myself watching far too much telly instead of reading, like I used to. I'm loving Granset, it's helping to keep me sane at the moment! It's my first ever message, so hope I'm not breaking any rules here.

Soda pop: try Jane Gardam’s short stories, you may change your mind. The fact that they remain in my mind might be that I taught them at A level many years ago, so got to know them inside out. The themes are very pertinent to the things that trouble Gransnetters.

Thanks Jaxie I'll look for them.

I often give up on huge tomes and download to Kindle. It's not necessarily a new thing, as one of my more cerebral aims for lockdown I decided to read Middlemarch by George Eliot but its 889 pages long, so just sits there together with Donna Tartt's Goldfinch.

I must admit I prefer a shorter read I'm reading Maeve Binchy Chestnut street its a Christmas themed book with about 40 short stories it's a heavy book but great to just pick up and read for ten fifteen minutes. I love audio at night I'm listening to The Switch read by Alison Steadman it's funny and an insight into how you are never too old for change

I've been re-reading Thomas Hardy - comfortable reading - Wessex in the 19th century. And I enjoyed re-reading 'Rogue Herries' set in the Lake District. In Hardy the Mayor of Casterbridge sells his wife - Rogue Herries sells his mistress! Those were the days.

I've just finished Troubled Blood too.
It was good but I wish they would get together soon. We can't wait much longer.
Now reading the new Rebus which has started well.
I can lose myself in a book for hours. On holiday I am on the beach all day reading & meet up with DH for lunch by pool & then go back until it is time to shower & get ready for evening. Missed it this year but read in the garden every day instead.
I have always been mad about books.
My Kindle has made them so much easier to read & carry around too!

I agree that some books are overlong . I use the borrowbox app on my phone to listen to library books when I’m out walking the dog . All free ! It’s brilliant!

Have just finished War and Peace - decided finally to read it beginning in the first lock down! Of course it is great and certainly kept me enthralled - though I didn't enjoy the long essays on the nature of history and causes of war. In the end I skipped these - but the story, notoriously long, is great. I read it on my Kindle - I prefer a paper book, but a Kindle is easy to hold. It didn't matter that its a long book once I began it - though in advance I'd been daunted.

Thanks for all the interesting suggestions. My daughter bought me a small bean bag to rest heavy books on in bed. It takes the weight.

I bought the latest Robert Galbraith book when it came out, pre-ordered on Amazon actually because I enjoyed the previous books so much. It has sat on my coffee table since it arrived. Can only think I’ve not started it yet simply because it is too big. I blame my kindle!

Well done Applegran. War and Peace is on my shelf and I must get on with reading it rather than feeling that I should be dusting it.

Being an avid book browser, slim books with less than say 200 pages don't seem significantly cheaper.
No, and I like to get my money's worth.

If there are too many characters, sometimes with similar names, I have to keep referring back. Perhaps my memory's not as good as it was.

Some books I have read lately have really needed a good pruning and editing, but have finished in a rush, as if the author got fed up with it.

I started War and Peace about 50 years ago but never finished it.

etheltbags
?

I'm going to try now
Donna Tartt

Yes, no problem although my autocorrect is normally very bossy.

Applegran

Have just finished War and Peace - decided finally to read it beginning in the first lock down! Of course it is great and certainly kept me enthralled - though I didn't enjoy the long essays on the nature of history and causes of war. In the end I skipped these - but the story, notoriously long, is great. I read it on my Kindle - I prefer a paper book, but a Kindle is easy to hold. It didn't matter that its a long book once I began it - though in advance I'd been daunted.

The first (and only) time I read War and Peace was when I was sent to the library during my free periods for one term at school. I forget what I'd done to deserve that punishment. I've watched the various dramatisations on tv and always enjoyed those.

LancsLass oh yes PillOPad is best thing ever! Bought for father-in-law and both of my daughters. Books and iPad are much easier for my arthritic thumbs.

I wish that some of the books I'd read at school had been dramatised on TV at the time, I may have enjoyed them so much more.

LancsLass
As this is your first post your probably not aware that there's another LancsLass. The only difference is: hers doesn't have a capital L in the Lass.
I'm surprised ( well maybe not ?) that they let you have that username.

I wish that Victoria Hislops books were longer. I love her stories and never want the book to end.

I've read all the Strike books, and couldn't wait for Troubled Blood to be released. I do feel that JK Rowling writes a good story, and her efforts have persuaded me to read fiction. I always went for travel, biographies etc. but I have throughly enjoyed her work.

I meant easier/less painful WITH the PillOPad

Easy solution! If I read in bed and have a cup of tea, scone etc, I use a simple clip peg to hold my book open. Works a treat.