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Short & easy

Short doesn't mean slight. These books are quick to read and still stay with you, which makes them good for a busy week, a reading slump or a single long journey.

Books to start with

  • Of Mice and Men

    John Steinbeck

    A compact, devastating story of friendship, told in plain language.

  • Animal Farm

    George Orwell

    A farmyard fable about power that you can read in a sitting.

  • The Old Man and the Sea

    Ernest Hemingway

    One fisherman, one huge fish and clean, simple prose.

  • The Little Prince

    Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

    A gentle, illustrated fable that works at any age.

  • Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde

    Robert Louis Stevenson

    A fast, atmospheric Victorian chiller with a famous twist on identity.

  • Small Things Like These

    Claire Keegan

    A quiet, powerful story about one man's choice in a small Irish town.

How to choose

This list is for readers who want to finish a book soon: a busy week, a flight, or a first book in a while. Choose by feel rather than length. For something short and fable-like, start with The Little Prince or Animal Farm. For plain, direct prose, try The Old Man and the Sea or Of Mice and Men. For a quick chill, pick Jekyll and Hyde.

If you want something quiet and recent, Small Things Like These is a good choice. Page counts change from edition to edition, so check the copy in your hands. A fair test is the first page: if it pulls you forward, keep going. If it doesn't, move to the next title. A short book you abandon is no faster than a long one you enjoy.

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