Commitment-phobic about reading? Here are some books that won't take too long to read, but will still be just as rewarding.
Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption by Stephen King
Number of Pages: 128
Why It's Good: If you love the movie Shawshank Redemption, you have to read the book it is based on. Just as engaging and compelling as the film.
You Will Not Have My Hate by Antonie Leiris
Number of Pages: 99
Why It's Good: After his wife was killed by terrorists while attending a rock concert at the Bataclan Theater in Paris, Antonie Leiris wrote this open letter addressed directly to his wife's killers, which he posted on Facebook. This book was an extremely moving, vulnerable and honest account of the author's story.
Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck
Number of Pages: 112
Why It's Good: The tragic, classic tale about two ranch hands travelling together. This book is a must-read for everyone, especially if you have the urge to cry.
Sex and Lies: True Stories of Women's Intimate Lives in the Arab World by Leila Slimani
Number of Pages: 176
Why It's Good: While in her native Morocco promoting her first novel, Leila Slimani interviews the women of Morocco, where adultery, abortion, homosexuality, prostitution, and sex outside of marriage are all punishable by law. Women's choices are reduced to only two: wives, or virgins. This extremely interesting non-fiction novel is eye-opening and gives an interesting glimpse at how different cultures affect women's autonomy.
The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson
Number of Pages: 182
Why It's Good: This story goes beyond a simple tale of a haunted house; Jackson spins a tale that contains underlying themes of repression that leaves one with many, many questions. It's a satisfying, well-told story with lots of complexity.
The Untethered Soul: The Journey Beyond Yourself by Michael A. Singer
Number of Pages: 186
Why It's Good: You are not your mind - and Michael A. Singer truly illustrates what this concept means in this bestselling novel. Reading this book is the first step to truly feeling "free" inside your life, and the spiritual concepts revealed in this book are understandable and eye-opening.
Sister Outsider by Audre Lorde
Number of Pages: 190
Why It's Good: "I am not free while others are in chains." Audre Lorde, a Black Lesbian feminist mother and cancer survivor writes this engaging collection of essays that, honestly, is one of the most eye-opening books of all time, especially within the realm of human rights and intersectionality.
Swimming in the Dark by Tomasz Jedrowski
Number of Pages: 191
Why It's Good: The story of two men falling in love during 1980s communist Poland. Deeply moving, this historical novel is one of intrigue, deceit, and romance. The writing is poetic and moving and leads to a stunning conclusion that is hard to forget.
Night by Elie Wiesel
Number of Pages: 115
Why It's Good: Heralded as one of the most important novels of all time, Night is a novel that everyone must read at some point in their lives, despite how difficult and emotional it is to read at times. This harrowing account of Wiesel's experience during World War II inside a concentration camp is deeply necessary but deeply horrifying.
The Body by Stephen King
Number of Pages: 192
Why It's Good: I know I have two Stephen King books on this list, but King is just such a master at writing short novellas that have the same amount of emotional impact as a 500-page book... this book is no exception. Adapted into the classic movie Stand By Me, this is the story of friendship, loneliness, and coming of age. Extremely iconic.
What are YOUR favourite short books? Comment down below!
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