9 Long Books That Are Worth Reading: Many people hesitate to pick up longer fictional works, preferring shorter works instead. But this means that they end up missing out on a whole bunch of deliciously crafted, wondrously written works of art. Here is a list of the best books that, yes, are quite long but are a pity to miss out on. The list combines classics with relatively contemporary works, so that you can have the best of both worlds.
9 Long Books That Are Worth Reading
Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy
This book is the saga of several rural and urban Russian lives, which centres around two principal characters. The first of these is the titular Anna Karenina, a beautiful woman who falls in love with Count Vronsky outside of her marriage. This passionate affair culminates in an ultimate tragedy due to disillusionment. On the other hand, there is Levin, a simple rural man and Tolstoy’s self portrait, who falls for the innocent and lively Katarina.
Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes
This Spanish classic has inspired several other great writers like Milan Kundera. In the book, we basically follow the adventures of a knight, Don Quixote de la Mancha and his loyal squire, Sancho Panza. As they voyage through sixteenth century Spain, they have a host of vibrant experiences, which are entertaining, lovely as well as introspective. This is widely regarded as the first novel in the world, and deserves its due in the world of literature.
A Suitable Boy by Vikram Seth
In this Indian modern classic which spans over a thousand pages, Lata’s mother is on a quest to find her the perfect husband. The young Lata falls for a Muslim schoolmate, her mother proposes a modest shoemaker, and her sister-in-law wants her to marry a Bengali poet. As Lata ponders this choice in the newly independent India, the story of Maan, a politician’s son who falls for a much older Muslim courtesan also comes to life.
Shantaram by Gregory David Roberts
In this classic, an Australian, heroin-addicted bank robber on trial escapes from his country’s famous Pentridge Prison to India. Here he arrives in Bombay, carrying the fake passport by the name of a Lindsay something. In the 1980s Bombay, he meets a localite he hires as a guide, whose mother gives him the name Shantaram. The rest of the novel centres around Shantaram (literally, Man with God’s Peace) and his escapades in Bombay.
Great Expectations by Charles Dickens
This book follows the rags to riches story of the orphan Pip. This character begins from the very pits of society but dreams of becoming a gentleman. And soon, he finds himself in possession of ‘great expectations’ or a promise of wealth. There are many other intriguing characters, including Ms. Havisham, who was abandoned at the altar and now roams in her wedding dress hating men. There is also Pip’s bully sister and Joe, a fowl mouthed goldsmith.
Interpretation of Dreams by Sigmund Freud
This is the most fledged out, representative, thorough and long work of Freud’s which encompasses his ideology. Freud may be the face of psychology but his writings are endlessly engaging and applicable to pretty much everyone. In this book, he explores concepts of the unconscious mind and how it works its way into dreams. He also talks about the structure of the personality and the Oedipal and Electra complex which he is known for.
Flood of Fire by Amitav Ghosh
In this thrilling conclusion to the Ibis trilogy, we meet several characters from the previous books. We follow Zachary and his trysts with Mrs. Burnham which transform him from a simpleton into a business minded and almost cruel Sahib. And we also follow Shireen, the late Behram’s wife who journeys to China to visit her husband’s grave and falls for his best friend. There is also Neel who gives his account of the Opium war in China and Havildar Kesri Singh, Deeti’s brother, who makes his way to China to fight the Opium War.
1Q84 by Haruki Murakami
Set in 1984, this book heavily alludes to George Orwell’s allegorical masterpiece set in the same year. We follow a woman named Aomame, who realizes there are some obvious discrepancies in the world around her and the world she previously lived in. Soon she realizes she has entered an alternate dimension, 1Q84, where Q stands for a question mark. On the other hand, a writer named Tengo takes up a ghostwriting project just as his life comes undone. Their lives converge in unexpected ways, leading to surreal happenings.
The Name of the Rose by Umberto Eco
This 1980 novel is a historical murder mystery that unfolds in the ambient settings of 14th century Italy, specifically a monastery. The mystery is a motley of disciplines like literary theory, theology, biblical and medieval studies and more. Together, the story is not only riveting but also a postmodern masterpiece. Eco, as a professor of semiotics, uses linguistic theory and linguistics to his advantage, crafting one of the most ingenious novels of all time.
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