I used to adore long books: the longer, the better.

As I’ve gotten older, and reluctantly come to terms with the fact that I’m never, ever going to cross every book off my TBR list, my love of long books has waned: if I can only make it through so many pages in my life, I can make it through more books if I choose shorter ones.

However. I still love a big, fat, meaty doorstop of a book, especially in the summertime. A 500+ page behemoth can pack in more characters, more meaty plot lines, and more interesting complications than your standard 300 page novel, simply because it has the space to do so.

The thick books invite you to enter a new world and camp out for a good, long while.

And the most compelling reason, at least in my book: if you’re reading a great book, why would you want it to end?

Here I’ve gathered a few of my favorite 500+ page novels, plus several that have been hanging out on my TBR list a while. I’d love to hear your take on these titles and your other favorite lengthy reads in comments.

What are your favorite big, fat books?