Top ten short books
There is a trend at the moment to post about short books that can be read in one day. Naturally, I’m jumping on the bandwagon and presenting you with my top ten under 100 pages (or a little bit over) books. In no particular order:
So late in the day - Claire Keegan - I could have chosen any of Clare Keegan’s stories, they’re all equally perfect, but this is my personal favourite.
The Awakening- Kate Chopin - one of the first books where the heroine seeks self-fulfilment beyond husband and children.
The Little Prince - Antoine de Saint-Exupery - cleverly designed as a children’s book but, in reality, a tract on life.
Ethan Frome - Edith Warton - less known but equally good as all of Wharton’s books.
Heart of Darkness - Joseph Conrad - quite controversial nowadays but still a fantastic insight into the coloniser’s mind.
Minor Detail - Adania Shibli - an exemplary story on how dispossession, brutality and crime cannot be hidden.
Metamorphosis - Franz Kafka - if you’ve always wondered - yes, it’s truly a cockroach holding court.
The Cement Garden - Ian McEwan - one of his earliest books, weirdly weird and fascinating.
Grief is the Thing with Feathers - Max Porter - utter perfection.
The Girl with the Dogs - Anna Funder - a modern take on Chekhov’s The Lady with the Dog.
What is your favourite short book?