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BayDog's avatar

The best book I read in 2024 is actually nonfiction: Good Energy by Dr Casey Means. A how to live healthier and happier page-turner.

I’d love a 2026 slow read on Middlemarch. It’s a good candidate, I think, based on its length, literary significance and dauntingness factor. I have tried to scale Middlemarch more than once, but on my own, I gave up.

We could call the group Slow March. (?)

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Simon Haisell's avatar

Middlemarch is high on the list, and I think you may have found the perfect name for it!

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Emma Kriskinans's avatar

That is a fab name!

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Jocelyn's avatar

I have tried to read it too! Very daunting.

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Allyson's avatar

Middlemarch without a doubt. A hefty read but a great world to spend time in.

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Dawn Sugden's avatar

The Count of Monte Cristo. What a book. I cannot stop thinking about it and loved the feeling of engaging with this book. It gave me the courage to try another ‘big’ book and led me to the W&P readalong.

I also read Catch 22 (brilliant) this year and have Middlemarch on the shelf to go.

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Julie Babis's avatar

I read it as a teenager, I think I need to reread it

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Laura's avatar

I re-read Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell in May and that's one of my very favourite books. A modern classic that reads like a classic classic; truly magical. And because it's over 1000 pages a lot of people are put off reading it so I think it would be a fabulous slow read. Plus it has its very own footnotes, which would work perfectly!

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Miranda Worsley's avatar

Agreed

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Rebekah Tyler's avatar

In 2024, I finally read The Overstory by Richard Powers. It was fascinating. I think it would make a great footnotes & tangents slow read.

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Nathan Self's avatar

If you enjoyed Overstory you should check out Pod by Laline Paull, shortlisted for last year’s Women’s Prize.

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Marika Páez Wiesen's avatar

Loved this book.

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Carlien's avatar

One of my favourite reads of this year was A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles. Wondering if you have read it?

There is just so much in it, and a lot which I didn't feel educated enough to understand, but I loved it even though it took me weeks to read. I feel like someone who knows Russian literature better than I do would have a lot more insight into it.

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Evelyn's avatar

A GENTLEMAN IN MOSCOW is a book that I’ve gifted to many friends. It reminds me of my favorite childhood books, THE LITTLE PRINCESS and THE SECRET GARDEN — orphaned children who have to re-make a life in reduced or restricted circumstances. And in that way, it’s universal. All of Amor Towles’ novels remind me of other, classic novels!

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Rebecca Gibb's avatar

Thank you for this! I haven't read Amor Towles but want to—who knew this title is reminiscent of two of my favorite books from childhood (especially, The Little Princess)? I would probably have started with the first big book of his (agh—I can't remember the title—I have this book), but with your recommendation maybe Gentleman will come first!

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Evelyn's avatar

My sister and a friend liked RULES OF CIVILITY even more than GIM. That first one has Great Gatsby all over it! You can’t go wrong with Amor Towles.

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Rebecca Gibb's avatar

The Rules of Civility—I remembered the title, of course, after I posted! Thanks, Evelyn

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Dalyandot's avatar

I will have to at least reread the Cromwell expanded posts even if I don't manage to repeat the books. The additional content sounds great. But I will be with you for your new selection

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Susan Hoyle's avatar

I am planning to do the same! FOMO!

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Jane McBride's avatar

I can’t believe 2025 is the last year of War & Peace! I was all set to join Wolf Crawl, but now I feel like I should turn around and do War & Peace again, too!

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Simon Haisell's avatar

Well my notes and the chat threads will stay up in future years, I probably just won't launch it again. So take your pick!

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Rebecca Gibb's avatar

I'm doing War & Peace again! I fell behind in 2024. It's so fun to start over—I recommend it!

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Louise Donnithorne's avatar

Hi Simon and fellow readers. My name is Louise and I am from New Zealand. My all time favourite read is ‘The Count of Monte Cristo’ by Alexander Dumas. A long, profound and unforgettable book. I hope ‘War and Peace’ will match it. Happy reading. LD

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Tory's avatar

My favourite reads of 2024 were Caledonian Road and The Bee Sting. I think they’d both make good slow reads. I’d also love to see F&T do Les Miserables and Anna Karenina!

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Simon Haisell's avatar

Going to take a break from Tolstoy in 2026 I think, but maybe it is time to scale Les Mis!

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Evelyn's avatar

I LOVED THE BEE STING. When I finished it, I needed to talk about it. It felt urgent, and I realized there should be book therapists — professionals who can help readers process a book without worrying about spoilers. It shattered me.

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Becoming the Rainbow's avatar

Book therapist -- what a great career aspiration for a bookish, introspective teenager. A pity my guidance counselor never suggested this route to me oh so many years ago.

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Georgia Sands's avatar

Seconding Middlemarch! I'm not sure if it's quite the thing for this, but I'd absolutely love a slow read of Simon Armitage's translation of Gawain and the Green Knight, which is absolutely incredible. Perhaps Pat Barker might be another option - the Life Class and Regeneration trilogies are fantastic, both WW1 historical fiction.

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Emma Kriskinans's avatar

I loved W&P this year & am going to do Wolf Hall in 2025. You deserve it all Simon! I’ve toyed with starting a short stories bookclub and a bleak house group read. From one extreme to the other!

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Paula Duvall's avatar

Deacon King Kong by James McBride and Beyond the Beautiful Forevers by Katherine Boo.

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Jon Sparks's avatar

For best 'new' (as in I'd not read before, not as in 'only just published), I was going to say The Bone Clocks by David Mitchell, but I've just finished 2312 by Kim Stanley Robinson and now it's a toss-up.

I think if the Olympic high-jumpers can declare a tie, I can.

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Evelyn's avatar

David Mitchell NEVER disappoints!

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Nathan Self's avatar

Agreed! I read The Thousand Autumns of Jacob de Zoet this year and loved it. I read the Aubrey/Maturin series a while back so any time naval terminology showed up I felt like an expert.

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Evelyn's avatar

I haven’t finished watching Shogun, but THOUSAND AUTUMNS is sitting next to me on the couch.

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Tracey Conway's avatar

I'm so glad I signed up for your subscription and will be reading some amazing books. Current writers have an entirely different cadence and language. I'm looking forward to diving into some good literature!

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Daria's avatar

I'm all set for Wolf Crawl, and going through the list of other read-alongs I'm thinking if I shouldn't revisit Invisible Man - I wrote my undergrad thesis on it. And my top read of this year was Shogun, hands down. With Antifragile and Skin in the Game, both by N N Taleb, as runners-up.

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Allyson's avatar

Shogun is great. Another book with a whole world in it!

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