John's 2020 BIG FAT BOOKS

I hope to read a lot of BFB's this year and will start with a few 1,000 page Behemoths, I have 14 put to one side and I would like to get them all read which will be big ask but I will give it a go.

My 2020 BFB reads.

1. Chesapeake by James A. Michener, PB - 1132 Pages.
2. Heads You Win by Jeffrey Archer, PB - 588 pages.
3. 4 3 2 1 by Paul Auster, PB - 1070 pages.
4. Lethal White by Robert Galbraith, PB - 771 pages.
5. The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt, PB - 864 pages.
6. The Girl on the Cliff by Lucinda Riley, PB - 543 pages.
7. The Wheel of Fortune by Susan Howatch, PB - 1,156 pages.
8. Red Mars by Kim Stanley Robinson, PB - 668 pages.
9. The Barefoot Queen by Ildefonso Falcones, PB - 886 pages.
10. The Neutronium Alchemist by Peter F. Hamilton, PB - 1259 pages.
11. Campaigners by Cynthia Harrod-Eagles, PB - 580 pages.
12. The Naked God by Peter F. Hamilton, PB - 1244 pages.
13. Dominion by C. J. Sansom, PB - 690 pages.
14. The Dragon Riders by Christie Dickason, PB - 724 pages.
15. The Forsyte Saga by John Galsworthy, HB - 1104 pages.
16. An Outrageous Affair by Penny Vincenzi, PB - 870 pages.
17. The Enemy by Lee Child, PB - 559 pages.
18. The Museum of Innocence by Orhan Pamuk, PB - 734 pages.
19. The Source by James A. Michener, PB - 1032 pages.
20. Honeycote by Veronica Henry, PB - 535 pages.
21. Against The Day by Thomas Pynchon, PB - 1220 pages.
22. The Stand by Stephen King, PB - 1325 pages.
23. Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell by Susanna Clarke, PB - 1006 pages.
24. Harlot's Ghost by Norman Mailer, PB - 1401 pages.

I just love Big Books, these are my 1000+page reads from 1/7/1995 so far with more to add.

1.Shogun by James Clavell, 1243 pgs
2.Gai-Jin by James Clavell, 1578 pgs
3.Noble House by James Clavell, 1435 pgs
4.War & Remembrance by Herman Wouk, 1171 pgs
5.Whirlwind by James Clavell, 1343 pgs
6.Centennial by James A. Michener 1100 pgs
7.The Covenant by James A. Michener, 1080 pgs
8.Sarum by Edward Rutherfurd, 1344 pgs
9.Homeland by John Jakes, 1138 pgs
10.Russka by Edward Rutherfurd, 1007 pgs
11.A Suitable Boy by Vikram Seth, 1474 pgs
12.Love and War by John Jakes, 1019 pgs
13.Texas by James A. Michener, 1508 pgs
14.My Life by Bill Clinton, 1000 pgs
15.Child of the Phoenix by Barbara Erskine, 1086 pgs
16.Voyager by Diana Gabaldon, 1059 pgs
17.The Journeyer by Gary Jennings, 1219 pgs
18.Pandora's Star by Peter F. Hamilton, 1144 pgs
19.Judas Unchained by Peter F. Hamilton, 1235 pgs
20.Drums of Autumn by Diana Gabaldon, 1185 pgs
21.Wicked by Jilly Cooper, 1007 pgs
22.The Fiery Cross by Diana Gabaldon, 1412 pgs
23.London by Edward Rutherfurd, 1299 pgs
24.The Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett, 1076 pgs
25.A Breath of Snow and Ashes by Diana Gabaldon, 1391 pgs
26.World Without End by Ken Follett, 1111 pgs
27.Kushiel's Dart by Jacqueline Carey, 1,015 pgs
28.The Executioner's Song by Norman Mailer, 1,056 pgs
29.An Echo in the Bone by Diana Gabaldon, 1,065 pgs
30.New York by Edward Rutherfurd, 1017 pgs
31.Hawaii by James A.Michener, 1130 pgs
32.The Company by Robert Littell, 1281 pgs
33.The Reality Dysfunction by Peter F.Hamilton, 1225 pgs
34.Spangle by Gary Jennings, 1276 pgs
35.Gone With The Wind by Margaret Mitchell, 1024 pgs
36.Alaska by James A. Michener, 1073 pgs.
37.Memories of Ice by Steven Erikson, 1180 pgs.
38. Chesapeake by James A. Michener, 1132 pgs.
39. 4 3 2 1 by Paul Auster, 1070 pgs.
40. The Wheel of Fortune by Susan Howatch, 1156 pgs.
41. The Neutronium Alchemist by Peter F. Hamilton, 1259 pgs.
42. The Naked God by Peter F. Hamilton, 1244 pgs.
43. The Forsyte Saga by John Galsworthy, 1104 pgs.
44. The Source by James A. Michener, 1032 pgs.
45. Against The Day by Thomas Pynchon, 1220 pgs.
46. The Stand by Stephen King, 1325 pgs.
47. Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell by Susanna Clarke, 1006 pgs.
48. Harlot's Ghost by Norman Mailer, 1401 pgs.

>3 johnsimpson: I need to get busy, I’ve only read 3 of these!

John, I think I'm going to give the BFB challenge a go, as I need a little push to read the books in my projects this year.

As this is my first time in this challenge, I have 2 technical questions:

1) Do we include the pages of Explanatory Notes at the end of a book in the total? For example, I want to read Waverley; my edition has 494 pages of text PLUS 1) 20 more pages of notes by Sir Walter himself and 2) about 28 pages of notes by the editor. I always read the notes, although not necessarily the intro or other explanatory appendices.

So would my book's pages be 494 (just text), or 514 (text + author's notes) or 542 (text plus all notes)?

2) Amazingly, I have a book that comes in at EXACTLY 500 pages (Trollope's Castle Richmond). Does this book count, or does it have to be 501?

>5 kac522:, Hi Kathy, if the author notes are relative to the book rather than just notes then yes and on the second point it is 500 pages or more so that one qualifies.

Thanks, John.

Thanks for the invite, John. I'm happy to be back!

It seems that the reading of BFB's is going well so far this month, my reading has been on the slow side although it is starting to pick up and I am past the halfway mark with my first BFB of the year and hope to post it on here by the end of the weekend.

Finished my first BFB of 2020, Chesapeake by James A. Michener, 1132 pages.

Finished my 2nd BFB yesterday Heads You Win by Jeffrey Archer, 588 pages and have begun No 3, this is 4 3 2 1 by Paul Auster, 1070 pages. I have made a decent start and it is good and I am already enjoying it.

Finished my third BFB of 2020, 4 3 2 1 by Paul Auster, 1070 pages. The next BFB is Lethal White by Robert Galbraith, 771 pages.

>12 johnsimpson: I thought Witte dood was a very good book! Enjoy.

I finished my fourth BFB of 2020 on Wednesday, Lethal White by Robert Galbraith, 771 pages. I have started my fifth BFB, The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt, 864 pages and must say that I am really enjoying it.

I finished my fifth BFB of 2020 this morning, The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt, 864 pages. The next book to read is The Girl on the Cliff by Lucinda Riley, 543 pages.

>15 johnsimpson: Loved The Girl on the Cliff. Really need to read The Goldfinch.

>16 Andrew-theQM:, The Goldfinch is well worth a read Andrew.

>17 johnsimpson: That’s what I keep hearing. Need to progress it up the list.

>16 Andrew-theQM: Loved that book too, but I love everything by Lucinda Riley.

>19 connie53: Me too.

Finished my sixth BFB of the year late last night, The Girl on the Cliff by Lucinda Riley, 543 pages. The next book off the block is The Wheel of Fortune by Susan Howatch, 1156 pages.

For the love of God, John, I haven't even begun my first biggie. But I have previously read Chesapeake, The Goldfinch and Lethal White, all of which I quite enjoyed. I had a question but it seems to have been answered. The book must be 500 pages at least and can only be over not under? And the notes do quality to bring it to or over the 500 page mark. Got it.

Finished my latest BFB, The Wheel of Fortune by Susan Howatch, 1,156 pages. This is the Fortieth book of 1,000 pages or more that i have read since 1st July 1995.

The next BFB off the block is Red Mars by Kim Stanley Robinson at a mere 668 pages.

>23 johnsimpson: 👏👏👏 That’s a lot of 1000+ page books, well done!

>24 Andrew-theQM:, Hi Andrew, i have at least another 12 Big ones on the shelves and i hope to read another six before the end of the year.

>23 johnsimpson: Good job, John!

Finished book number 8 just over an hour ago, Red Mars by Kim Stanley Robinson, 668 pages. Next BFB off the block is The Barefoot Queen by Ildefonso Falcones, 886 pages.

I finished my Ninth book of 2020 early this morning, The Barefoot Queen by Ildefonso Falcones, 886 pages. The next book is The Neutronium Alchemist by Peter F. Hamilton at a mere 1259 pages. I have made a start and am at page 25 and already enjoying it and know where i am even though it is a while since i read the first in this trilogy.

Hi John. I hope you and the rest of the family are doing fine and stay healthy. You kept on reading so I presume you are okay. Sending lots of love!

>29 connie53:, Hi Connie my dear, we are both doing fine and keeping busy during this horrible time, we are both doing some reading and Karen is also doing puzzles and knitting.

I hope that you and Peet and the family are all doing well and send love and hugs to you all from both of us dear friend.

Thanks John. We are doing fine and stay home most of the time. I only go out for errands that Peet can't find in the drugstore and for a occasional book I want to have. Peet does the groceries shopping.

Finished my Tenth BFB of the year this morning, The Neutronium Alchemist by Peter F. Hamilton, 1259 pages. The next book is Campaigners by Cynthia Harrod-Eagles, this is the 14th of 35 in the Morland Saga series.

I finished my Eleventh BFB of the year late on Sunday night, Campaigners by Cynthia Harrod-Eagles, 580 pages, the next book is the final part of the 'Night's Dawn' Trilogy, Naked God by Peter F. Hamilton, 1244 pages.

Hi John, you are doing great with the BFB!

>34 connie53:, Thanks Connie my dear, you are not doing so bad either, i am over halfway through The Naked God and may get it finished by the end of the weekend.

Finished my Twelfth BFB of 2020 and my Fifth 1,000+ page book of 2020, The Naked God by Peter F. Hamilton. The next BFB off the runway is Dominion by C.J. Sansom at 690 pages, i started it yesterday and as i type i am already at page 248.

Finished my Thirteenth BFB today, Dominion by C. J. Sansom, 690 pages. The nest book is The Dragon Riders by Christie Dickason, 724 pages.

Finished my Fourteenth BFB today, The Dragon Riders by Christie Dickason, 724 pages. The next one started is The Forsyte Saga by John Galsworthy, 1,104 pages, 1928 edition in hardback.

>38 johnsimpson: John, I have a 2002 Scribner paperback edition of The Forsyte Saga, which is 878 pages. My contains 5 sections:

--The Man of Property
--Interlude: Indian Summer of a Forsyte
--In Chancery
--Interlude: Awakening
--To Let

Does your edition have additional books?

You have me motivated to perhaps start the series this month...

>39 kac522:, Hi Kathy my dear, my Hardback edition has :

The Man of Property
In Chancery
To Let

>40 johnsimpson: OK. It's interesting to see how different editions and type-settings, etc., make for a wide range of pages.

>41 kac522:, Hi Kathy my dear, i checked my copy last night when i finished reading before lights out, i have the same sections as you, i just didn't take too much notice when i started it. I should be a third of the way through by the time i turn in for the night.

>42 johnsimpson: Wow--a fast reader for sure...I haven't started at all. Reading Herman Melville first.

See my thread for the total I have calculated: http://www.librarything.com/topic/314590#7208681

John, I count 25 readers who have read at least 1 book through June 30. Also we have a new BFB reader, JayneCM, but her first book was in July.

I am at the halfway point in my latest 1,000+ page read, should have finished it by this time next week.

Finished my 15th BFB of 2020 earlier today, The Forsyte Saga by John Galsworthy, 1104 pages, next book off the rank is An Outrageous Affair by Penny Vincenzi, 870 pages.

I finished my 16th BFB late on Wednesday night, An Outrageous Affair by Penny Vincenzi, 870 pages. The next one of the block is The Enemy by Lee Child, 559 pages.

16 BFB's read, 14,149 pages, Avg Book Length 884.31 pages.

Seventeenth BFB finished earlier this evening, The Enemy by Lee Child, 559 pages. The next BFB off the block is The Museum of Innocence by Orhan Pamuk, 734 pages.

17 BFB's read, 14,708 pages, avg book length 865.18 pages.

Finished my Eighteenth BFB on Thursday evening, The Museum of Innocence by Orhan Pamuk, 734 pages. I have started my next book, The Source by James A. Michener 1032 pages.

18 books read, 15,442 pages, average book length 857.89 pages.

Finally finished The Source by James A. Michener on Tuesday night, 1032 pages. I have already started my next book, Honeycote by Veronica Henry, 535 pages, after a busy September taking advantage of the glorious weather to finish a couple of jobs in the garden and trying to read the Chunkster, i need a little light reading that qualifies before tackling another behemoth.

19 books read, 16,474 pages read, average book length 867.05 pages.

I finished Honeycote by Veronica Henry, 535 pages, this afternoon, the next book which i have just started is Against The Day by Thomas Pynchon, 1220 pages.

20 books read, 17,009 pages read, average book length 850.45 pages.

You go, John! Awesome! I just started Orley Farm by Anthony Trollope--800+ pages, so it will be my BFB for this month.

>53 kac522:, Hi Kathy my dear, that sounds like a good BFB dear friend.

Hi John. I read congratulations are in order. You are going to be a granddad!

I am hopeful that i will finish my latest 1,000+ page behemoth before month end, it has been a hard read but i am glad that i have read it.

I finished my 21st BFB on Saturday, Against The Day by Thomas Pynchon, 1220 pages, the next book off the rank is The Stand by Stephen King, 1325 pages.

21 books read, 18229 pages read, avg book length 868.05

Hi John, The Stand will keep you busy for a while, hope you are going well while being jealous of your average page count.

>58 bryanoz:, Hi Bryan, The Stand is going well and i hope that i will have enough time for another decent sized book before my final book of the year which will be Harlot's Ghost by Norman Mailer and comes in at 1405 pages. I think Ten 1,000+ page behemoths in a year is not a bad effort and i will still be left with about another Ten 1,000+ page behemoths on the shelves.

Next year i will be back to normal sized books to please Mrs S but will have a few over 500 pages to just keep my hand in.

Hope you and your family are all well mate.

Finished my 22nd book last night, The Stand by Stephen King, 1325 pages. The next book started is Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell by Susanna Clarke, 1006 pages.

22 books read, 19554 pages read, Avg book length 888.82 pgs.

Well done, John! and sounds like surgery went well, so rest that hand and read--you deserve it! Have a very good week.

Hi John, Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell is one of my favourite fantasies, hope you enjoy it !

>61 kac522:, Thanks Kathy my dear, i took the strapping off this morning and the dressing also came off so after a quick look at the handy work i put a fresh dressing back on. The stitches come out on the 4th December.

I am into the final straight with Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell now, only 300 pages left and so i am hoping that by the close of Monday i will have finished it and can then get on with what i think will be my last BFB of 2020.

Happy BFB reading to you all and hope you all have a good reading weekend.

Hi John, hope you are enjoying Jonathan Strange, one of my favourite fantasy novels !

Finished book 23 earlier today, Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell, 1006 pages. My final BFB of 2020 is Harlot's Ghost by Norman Mailer, 1401 pages.

23 books read, 20,560 pages read, avg book length 893.91 pages.

Congrats on some impressive BFB stats, John. And Merry Christmas to you and your family. We all hope next year will be a better one.

Happy Holidays from the Netherlands!

What a brilliant BFB year you had John! You can be quite proud of your accomplishment.

Finished my 24th and final BFB at 11.42pm on the 31st December, Harlot's Ghost by Norman Mailer, 1401 pages. This is my 11th 1,000+ page Behemoth of the year.

My final stats are:

24 Books read, 21,961 pages read, Avg book length 915.04 pgs.