Ancillary question to "what are you reading"

[MSC]

I thought it would be interesting to know if the length of a book influences you when choosing what to read next. I admit that with very few exceptions, I'll pass up reading really long (500 pages and up) books as just don't have the patience to wade through that much verbiage.
My execptions to that rule, excluding Tolkien and Rowling, are Colleen McCullough, James Clavell and W. E. B. Griffin, and I've kinda gone off Griffin recently.
How do all of you readers handle it?

 

[PrincessFiona60]

The only time length of a book makes a difference to me is when I finish my book in the car. I choose short stories for my car book, as I don't always pick it up. The car book is for taking into appointments, lunch time, etc. Short stories, I can usually get through them in a 45 minute span of time.

 

[roadfix]

I have a problem with comprehension so I cannot read novels or long stories. Readers' Digest is as far as I'll go.
I have no problem with lengthy technical manuals and any type of instructions.

 

[Andy M.]

Length has never been an issue for me. I don't mind reading very long books or relatively short ones.

 

[GrillingFool]

Longer is better..... especially when I was still buying books! More for the high price!
Now that I use my library.... well a LONG good story is always better than a short good one.

 

[babetoo]

i never even notice the length of book. i don't like short stories so much. like to really get into a nice long book. so guess i do notice some what.

 

[PrincessFiona60]

Sorry MSC...another question...Are there some books that you wish would never end?

I have a few like that, I'm so wrapped up in them that coming to the end is a cold shock!

 

[taxlady]

Depends on my mood. I love me a long book. Sometimes I want a short story. I got trapped by Thieves' World. It was short stories by different authors, but all in the same setting and in chronological order. And yes, I want more.

 

[Zhizara]

Regardless of price the bigger the better. If I have to choose between two books, I will look to see which one has more pages, and I'll buy that book.

 

[MSC]

Regardless of price the bigger the better. If I have to choose between two books, I will look to see which one has more pages, and I'll buy that book.

That's really what I was trying to find out on an off-the-cuff kinda poll. Of two choices you'd prefer the book with more pages and I'd opt for the shorter book that got to the point quicker!
I didn't think about shor stories when posting the question as they of course resolve the story in short form, and a several hundred page book with lots of short stories is certainly something I'd buy as you can pick it up and leave at any time without wondering how the plot is going to resolve.
And just to add to this, do you prefer a book 'series' to stand alones. I "think" as it appears to be the case, that series characters are something we all like if that character is 'likeable' and someone we'd like to get to know better over a period.

 

[PrincessFiona60]

I guess what I was trying to say is that, the size of the book doesn't matter, it's the story that catches me. I've read some that I wish the author had just told the story, not all the embellishment to up the page numbers and word count.

Series, i love series!

 

[Zhizara]

Series, i love series!

Even better than a big thick book is a series of big thick books!

I've never cared for short stories as there just isn't enough character and plot development. I always come away feeling cheated somehow. A whole book of them - UGH.

 

[PrincessFiona60]

Even better than a big thick book is a series of big thick books!

I've never cared for short stories as there just isn't enough character and plot development. I always come away feeling cheated somehow. A whole book of them - UGH.

A short story is to a novel what a one-liner is to a joke.

 

[taxlady]

Even better than a big thick book is a series of big thick books!

I've never cared for short stories as there just isn't enough character and plot development. I always come away feeling cheated somehow. A whole book of them - UGH.

Do you like fantasy? Then I recommend the Thieves' World series. It's all short stories, but by separate authors and in chronological order, so you get the character and plot development. There are 12 books in the series, plus some novels. The series is edited by Robert Lynn Aspirin and some also by Lynn Abbey. Thieves' World - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[Zhizara]

I'm pretty much limited to WalMart for books, but they've had some good ones. It adds up, though.

I'm wondering if it would be worth it to get a Kindle or some such. Once you've invested in the reader, are the books expensive?

 

[babetoo]

i do better price wise on amazon or barnes and noble on line. can't remember the last time i bought one in a store.

 

[taxlady]

I'm pretty much limited to WalMart for books, but they've had some good ones. It adds up, though.

I'm wondering if it would be worth it to get a Kindle or some such. Once you've invested in the reader, are the books expensive?

Project Gutenberg has lots of free, public domain books - lots of classics. You can read them on your computer screen or on an e-reader.

Project Gutenberg - free ebooks online download for iPad, Kindle, Nook, Android, iPhone, iPod Touch, Sony Reader

 

[Zhizara]

Project Gutenberg has lots of free, public domain books - lots of classics. You can read them on your computer screen or on an e-reader.

Project Gutenberg - free ebooks online download for iPad, Kindle, Nook, Android, iPhone, iPod Touch, Sony Reader

Thanks, TaxLady.

Unfortunately, I've about used up all the Project Gutenberg library. I lived for two years surrounded by people who didn't read, and nowhere near a library so I read books online constantly.

Also Baen Free Library, Free Online Novels, and the Online Books Page.

I still occasionally find myself bookless and check out these sites again, but rarely find anything new that's interesting.

I'm paying around $7.44 for most books, plus LA sales tax which is almost 10%. I can't tell exactly about the tax, as everything, including food, is taxed, but at different rates.

I'd invest in a Kindle, if I could get current bestsellers for less than I'm paying for paperbacks.

 

[Claire]

I do both. Long and short. I'm a huge user of the public library because I am a voracious reader. Right now I'm looking at an Umberto Eco book and wondering if I have it in me this time of year ... especially since I just finished a book translated from Icelandic (is that what that language is called? I should know...). Translated books usually take a little more time and thought. But I love short novels that I consider relaxing to read. Goofy murder mysteries are my favorite brain candy. Long books that I have to put some thought into I often break up with short books. That is to say, a seriously long book I want to read, I'll read it for a few days, then spend a day or two on frivolous stuff, and pick it up later.

 

[taxlady]

... especially since I just finished a book translated from Icelandic (is that what that language is called? I should know...). Translated books usually take a little more time and thought.

...

That is what it's called in English, if you are talking about the language they speak in Iceland I got curious. According to Google translate it's "Íslenska" in Icelandic.

What kind of a book was it? Do you have a particular interest in Iceland?