What Counts as a 'Big Book'?

In this episode, Trevor and Paul are joined by Chris Via of Leaf by Leaf to celebrate the experience of reading big books. From the books that once intimidated us to the ones we now can't imagine our overburdened shelves without, we dive into what makes a book feel "big." Along the way, we share personal stories, favorite strategies for tackling doorstoppers, the books that stretched us as readers, and reflect on why some big books stay with us for life. Whether you're a lifelong lover of big books or someone who's still building up your wrist strength, this is an episode for you.

We’d love to hear from you, too—what are your favorite big books? Which ones are still looming on your to-be-read pile, daring you to pick them up? Let us know!

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An easy place to respond to our question above is over on Discord!

We’re creating a welcoming space for thoughtful, engaging discussions about great novellas—and other books things. Whether you want to share insights, ask questions, or simply follow along, we’d love to have you.

Shownotes

Books

* War and Peace, by Leo Tolstoy, translated by Anthony Briggs

* 2666, by Roberto Bolaño, translated by Natasha Wimmer

* The Guermantes Way, by Marcel Proust

* FEM, by Magda Carneci, translated by Sean Cotter

* Blinding, by Mircea Cărtărescu, translated by Sean Cotter

* Solenoid, by Mircea Cărtărescu, translated by Sean Cotter

* Novel Explosives, by Jim Gauer

* Bookwork: Conversations with Michael Silverblatt

* The Recognitions, by William Gaddis

* The Dying Grass: A Novel of the New Perce War, by William T. Vollmann

* Faust, Part One: A New Translation with Illustrations, by Johann Wolfgang van Goethe, translated by Zsuzsanna Ozsváth and Frederick Turner

* Invidicum, by Michael Brodsky

* The Ice-Shirt, by William T. Vollmann

* The Aesthetics of Resistance, by Peter Weiss, translated by Joachim Neugroschel

* Middlemarch, by George Eliot

* Great Granny Webster, by Caroline Blackwood

* Pilgrimage, by Dorothy Richardson

* Lonesome Dove, by Larry McMurtry

* Moby Dick, by Herman Melville

* Train Dreams, by Denis Johnson

* Magpie Murders, by Anthony Horowitz

* Nausea, by Jean-Paul Sartre, translated by Richard Howard

* Schattenfroh, by Micheal Lentz, translated by Max Lawton

* The Sword of Shannara, by Terry Brooks

* The Brothers Karamazov, by Fyodor Dostoevsky, translated by Andrew R. MacAndrew

* It, by Stephen King

* The Stand, by Stephen King

* Shogun, by James Clavell

* Tom’s Crossing, by Mark Z. Danielewski

* Women and Men, by Joseph McElroy

* Swann’s Way, by Marcel Proust

* Lies and Sorcery, by Elsa Morante, translated by Jenny McPhee

* Miss MacIntosh, My Darling, by Marguerite Young

* The Blue Room, by Hanne Ørstavik, translated by Deborah Dawkin

* Against the Day, by Thomas Pynchon

* Ulysses, by James Joyce

* 4 3 2 1, by Paul Auster

* Invisible Man, by Ralph Ellison

* Shadow Ticket, by Thomas Pynchon

* The Tunnel, by William H. Gass

* A Suitable Boy, by Vikram Seth

* The Golden Gate, by Vikram Seth

* The Story of a Life, by Konstantin Paustovsky, translated by Doug Smith

* The Tale of Genji, by Murasaki Shikibu, translated by Royall Tylor

* A Little Life, by Hanya Yanagihara

* The People in the Trees, by Hanya Yanagihara

* Stone Upon Stone, by Wiesław Myśliwski, translated by Bill Johnston

* Needle’s Eye, by Wiesław Myśliwski, translated by Bill Johnston

Other

* Leaf by Leaf

* Episode 1: Bucket List Books

* Episode 99: Books We Think About All the Time, with Elisa Gabbert

* The Untranslated: Schattenfroh by Michael Lentz

The Mookse and the Gripes Podcast is a bookish conversation hosted by Paul and Trevor. Every other week, we explore a bookish topic and celebrate our love of reading. We’re glad you’re here, and we hope you’ll continue to join us on this literary journey!

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