what is the longest book in the world

what is the longest book in the world

Depending on how “book” is defined—by page count, word count, or physical length—the title of the longest book in the world is frequently up for controversy. But one candidate keeps coming up in conversations: Marcel Proust’s In Search of Lost Time (À la recherche du temps perdu). With some versions exceeding 4,000 pages and containing over 1.2 million words, this enormous book is frequently considered the longest novel ever written. Proust’s masterpiece, which was first published in seven volumes between 1913 and 1927, is renowned for its complex prose and reflective manner. It delves deeply into the themes of memory, time, and human experience.

In Search of Lost Time is well known for both its breadth and depth. Swann’s Way is the first of the novel’s seven volumes, while Time Regained is its last. The narrator’s memories of his life, the people in his immediate vicinity, and his attempt to comprehend the passing of time are the main subjects of this intricate and non-linear story. This novel is among the most significant pieces of Western literature because of Proust’s meticulous observations of interpersonal relationships and interior ideas. It is praised for its literary depth despite its length, providing deep understanding of the human condition and memory.

Although Proust’s book is regarded as one of the longest novels, other books may be the longest book in the world based on various criteria. Nigel Tomm’s The Blah Story, for instance, is frequently mentioned as one of the longest books in terms of word count. This experimental novel is almost 3,277,227 words long and is divided into 23 volumes. It is written in a purposefully repetitive and tedious style. It challenges readers’ preconceptions of traditional storytelling and pushes the bounds of what qualifies as a “story.”

Madeleine de Scudéry’s French novel from the 17th century, Artamène ou le Grand Cyrus, is another noteworthy example. With ten volumes and over 2.1 million words, this enormous book is among the longest books in terms of word count. Artamène, a sweeping epic with elements of romance, adventure, and historical fiction, was written in the classical style. Notwithstanding its length, it was immensely well-liked at the time of its publication and is still regarded as an important piece of French literature.

These days, some self-published authors and online platforms have pushed the idea of lengthy books too far, producing novels that are longer than conventional printed works. These works, which might be millions of pages long, can occasionally be a critique of literary tropes or an effort to push the boundaries of narrative. Even if a lot of these pieces are out of the ordinary, they show how the definition of a “book” is constantly changing in the digital era.

In conclusion, because of its massive page and word count, Marcel Proust’s In Search of Lost Time is generally considered the longest book by conventional literary standards. But depending on how length is measured—by word count, page count, or other factors—the “longest book” can mean different things. These extraordinarily lengthy works challenge the conventions of storytelling and allow readers to engage with literature in novel and absorbing ways, regardless of the measurements. Whether it is the length of other titles or the profound introspection of Proust’s novel, these works are considered literary masterpieces.