Great Short Books: A Year of Reading—Briefly
Ratings2
Average rating4.8
15
Ratings2
Average rating4.8
This entertaining guide to some of the best short novels of all time, from a bestselling historian, is the “perfect gift for busy bibliophiles” ( BookPage).
Experience the joys of literature with this this “exciting guide to all that the world of fiction has to offer” ( The New York Times Book Review ): a compulsively readable, deeply engaging discussion of great short novels. A journey into fiction designed with our contemporary attention spans in mind, Great Short Books suggests fifty-eight excellent short novels, all under 200 pages—easily readable in a week or less—a fresh approach to a fun, fascinating year of reading.
From hard-boiled fiction to magical realism, the 18th century to the present day, Great Short Books spans genres, cultures, countries, and time to present an enchanting and diverse selection of acclaimed and canonical novels. From works in translation like Yu Miri’s Tokyo Ueno Station and Marguerite Duras’s The Lover to popular, acclaimed authors like Toni Morrison and James Baldwin, this compilation is a celebration of classics from the historic to contemporary—plus a few bestsellers, including Stephen King and Colson Whitehead. Each entry includes the novel’s opening lines, a spoiler-free plot summary, a “why you should read it” section, and suggestions for what to read next.
“An entertaining journey with a fun, knowledgeable guide” ( Booklist ), this eclectic collection is a fun and practical book for any passionate reader hoping to broaden their literary IQ—or anyone who wants to find an effortless reentry into reading.
Reviews with the most likes.
It's obvious I should keep this short.
Books under 200 pages and tell a powerful story...that's the criteria Kenneth C. Davis uses to make his list of great short books. He also chose to skip books he'd already read and short story collections.
There is, then, this list.
For each of the fifty-eight books he features in the book, Davis shares the first lines, a plot summary, information about the author, reasons for reading the book, and what to read next.
