You can't even fit a pack of gum in your bag if you're trying to carry Shōgun around with you... so skip the print copy and download an ebook instead! These long reads are a perfect excuse to check out a digital copy.
 

Cryptonomicon by Neal Stephenson
A story that leaps back and forth between keeping Nazi intelligence unaware that the Allies have cracked their code and protecting a modern day "data haven." [1168 pages] 

The Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett
An epic set in twelfth-century England, the book tells the story of the lives entwined in the building of the greatest Gothic cathedral. [1008 pages]

A Song of Ice and Fire by George R.R. Martin
Hardcover versions of the first four books in Martin's epic fantasy series weigh more than 11 pounds... seriously, you can't bring that on the train. [a kabillion pages]

Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry
A frontier story set in Lonesome Dove Texas tells the story of the outlawas, Indians and settlers that live there. [843 pages]

His Dark Materials by Philip Pullman
A suspenseful fantasy series for teens, this trilogy includes Pullman's fantastical classics: The Golden Compass, The Subtle Knife, and The Amber Spyglass. [946 pages]

A Little Life by Hanya Yanigahara
This critically acclaimed coming-of-age story traces the lives of four college friends who move to New York City. [720 pages]








 

I Know This Much Is True by Wally Lamb
"On the afternoon of October 12, 1990, my twin brother, Thomas, entered the Three Rivers, Connecticut, public library, retreated to one of the rear study carrels, and prayed to God the sacrifice he was about to commit would be deemed acceptable..." [912 pages]

The Naked and the Dead by Norman Mailer
The reportage style story is based on Mailer's experiences with the 112th Cavalry Regiment during the Philippines Campaign in World War II. [736 pages] 

Time Enough for Love by Robert A. Heinlein
Told in a series of retrospective narratives—the book tells the story of highlights in the life of Lazarus Long, the oldest living human, now more than two thousand years old. [608 pages]

Foucault's Pendulum by Umberto Eco
After reading too many manuscripts about occult conspiracy theories, three editors invent their own conspiracy for fun. [640 pages]

Perdido Street Station by China Miéville
In an interview, Miéville described this book as "basically a secondary world fantasy with Victorian era technology. So rather than being a feudal world, it's an early industrial capitalist world of a fairly grubby, police statey kind!" [640 pages]

Shōgun by James Clavell
Feudal Japan in 1600. The rise of a warlord as seen through the eyes of an English adventurer. [1152 pages] 

The Stand by Stephen King
When a plague wipes out 99 percent of the world’s population, the remaining 1% gets a post-apocalyptic glimpse of their future. [1472 pages]

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Staff picks are chosen by NYPL staff members and are not intended to be comprehensive lists. We'd love to hear your ideas too, so leave a comment and tell us what you’d recommend. And check out our Staff Picks browse tool for more recommendations!