The Thorn Birds by Colleen McCullough

This was o.k. I wouldn't have put it on the same list as Gone With the Wind, which is where I found it. It was a lengthy epic so if that was the only requirement to be on that list then I could see it but there wasn't anything that made me love or hate the characters. I didn't have an emotional attachment to them in the slightest. I wouldn't say reading it was a waste of time, but I wouldn't recommend it either. If you want a Rhett and Scarlett type story you're really (sadly) only going to get it with Gone With the Wind.

You will find an official plot line description at:
http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3412.The_Thorn_Birds