The Pillars of the Earth
Want to know how it feels to build a cathedral? Read the monumentally huge book The Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett. By the time you're done - and it will be a LONG time - you will feel as if you've spent the better part of your life on it. The details are marvelous and intricate. The love story is intriguing and captivating. The length of this sucker is unnecessary and exhausting. Tighten it up a hundred or so pages and Pillars... gets 5 stars hands down.