What is the longest book in the world?

There's no single definitive answer to "the longest book in the world" because "longest" can be measured in several ways: word count, page count, or even physical size. Different books claim the title depending on which metric is used. However, a few contenders consistently appear:

• The 1001 Nights (One Thousand and One Nights): This collection of Middle Eastern folk tales is often cited as one of the longest. Its length varies wildly depending on the edition and translation, with some containing thousands of pages and hundreds of individual stories. It's less about a single, unified narrative and more about a vast compendium, making a precise length difficult to pin down.

• A Remembrance of Things Past (In Search of Lost Time) by Marcel Proust: This incredibly long and complex novel, while not the longest in terms of sheer page count compared to some other contenders, is frequently mentioned due to its enormous length, intricate narrative, and substantial influence on literature.

• Various Encyclopedias: Various encyclopedias, both historical and modern, easily surpass many fictional works in page count and word count. However, they are not typically considered "books" in the traditional literary sense.

Therefore, there's no single universally accepted "longest book." The claim depends heavily on the definition of "longest" and the specific edition or translation considered. The 1001 Nights and Proust's In Search of Lost Time are frequently mentioned in such discussions, but the true "winner" remains subjective.