I don’t know what it is about that 500 page milestone, but there is just something inside of me that immediately repels the idea of starting a big book.

Maybe it’s a feeling of unworthiness, or even a feeling of incompetence, but I seem to steer clear of all big books.

Honestly, I didn’t even think about my fear of big books until I watched Ariel Bissett’s video “trying to end my fear of big books!!!” and it inspired me to finally take on this terrifying challenge.

After watching Ariel’s video, I realized I was missing out on a lot of incredible books and literature all because of that daunting 500 page mark.

I love reading, and I usually romanticize this idea of books never ending and being immersed in a world I love so much, so why would I not want to tackle a longer read?

Perhaps I’m afraid of spending so much time on a story that I may not even enjoy? Or maybe I just have commitment issues (which seems more likely)?

No matter the case, I’m ready to add some big books to my TBR list! So, I present to you a few chunky boys that I plan to get to some time soon.

Moby Dick – Herman Melville

To be honest, I have no idea what this book is about except a whale and a ship? I think? Nevertheless, it’s a classic, and I want to see why this gigantic book is so memorable and held so highly. I’ve heard very mixed reviews regarding the story itself, but I’m trying to go in completely blind to develop my own unbiased review.

1Q84 – Haruki Murakami

I actually never heard of this until seeing Ariel’s video. Much like myself, Ariel is a huge fan of George Orwell, and this book is apparently based on his novel 1984. I have no idea what it’s about, but I have to read it solely because it’s based on George Orwell’s novel.

The Count of Monte Cristo – Alexandre Dumas

I love France. I love literature. So why would I not include some classic French literature?

This book has been on my TBR FOREVER, and I just need to read it already. One of my classmates in college talked about how this was his favorite book and how awesome it was, so he definitely solidified Dumas’ classic text on my TBR.

Crime and Punishment – Fyodor Dostoevsky

Yet another classic that has been on my TBR for a long time, but I have been too intimidated to pick it up. Not only am I intimidated by the size, but I also have no idea which translation to read. To be honest, I’ll probably just pick up the book with the nicest cover, but I’m also terrified to pick up a bad translation because I don’t want to dislike a story because the translation is poor, you know?

If you have a favorite translation, or know of a really good translation, let me know! I would greatly appreciate it 🙂

11/22/63 – Stephen King

Ah. Stephen King. A man I can trust.

I’ve already seen the Hulu adaptation of this book and I was addicted to it. Part of my addiction was obviously seeing James Franco dressed like a 1960’s heartthrob for hours, but I was also so engaged with the story and the concept. So even though I may have spoiled myself for the ending, I still want to read it simply because I loved the show. Plus, Stephen King is an incredible writer, so I hope his writing will help ease me into big book territory since I know (hopefully) that it will be enjoyable.

I also added King’s 11/22/63 to my blog post “15 Books I Want To Read In 2020“, so this particular book will definitely become one of my top priority reads.

I hope you plan on joining me (and Ariel, of course) in breaking down the stigma of big books being completely petrifying! Let us immerse ourselves into brand new worlds, and experience stories we have always been too afraid to dive into.

Honestly, I’m mainly excited to finally understand these big book references! How cool will that be!?