Reviewing the book for Slate, David Plotz wrote that the “biography is like Grant’s own Civil War campaigns: a massive accumulation of resources, deployed in an inexorable fashion to overwhelm an immoral opposition.” From thrilling and insightful descriptions of Grant’s impact on the Civil War to a thoughtful exploration of postwar America, Chernow makes the case for Grant as a far better president than he’s reputed to have been - and does so convincingly.

It’s not every historical figure who can truly justify a huge biography, but the fascinating, contradictory, often heroic life of Ulysses S.

Whether depicting factional infighting or journeys into the uncanny, “Wizard of the Crow” creates a tone and a setting uniquely its own. Wa Thiong’o drew upon Kenyan history and politics to create his world, and the juxtaposition of harrowing realism with forays into the mythic infuses some of this book’s most memorable scenes. Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o, “ Wizard of the Crow,” 784 pagesįrom another author on the Nobel-rumor shortlist, this sprawling novel is another fine example of an expansive read that maintains its grip on you throughout. All of those qualities are on display in this three-volume novel, which focuses on an academic who becomes embroiled in the world of espionage, causing him to bear witness to aspects of humanity he might never have imagined. His fiction often involves sudden flashes of violence, whether physical or emotional, and frequently grapples with the aftermath of historical tragedies - including the Spanish Civil War. The fiction of Spanish author and perennial Nobel favorite Javier Marías blends regally composed sentences with a precise command of plot and tension. Javier Marías, “ Your Face Tomorrow,” 1,242 pages They have little in common except for their scale and their hypnotic ability to make you forget your own predicament. Some of the books below will transport you to another place or another time others will give you a better sense of your own place in time. If this goes on for long enough, you might even have time to tackle more than one. Ballard or Mavis Gallant.īut certain supersized books have the makings of ideal quarantine reading. There are plenty of notable tomes out there, in addition to sizable complete collections of short stories by the likes of J.G. If you’re currently under self-quarantine or just embracing social distancing, now might be the time to tackle a book the size of a human head. There are more than a few that sit on people’s shelves, unread, as statements of purpose: “ Ulysses,” “ Infinite Jest,” “ Middlemarch.” Some call them doorstoppers others ponder whether they could be used to repel intruders. Certain books are just imposing, with dimensions that call to mind the monolith in “2001: A Space Odyssey” more than your standard-size novel or memoir.

Black lamb and grey falcon book