Short Books To Devour From Cover To Cover Instead Of Scrolling Endlessly On Your Phone

By Aditi Rana

Jumping back into reading after a break is a bit like diving into the dating scene again after a breakup: you need something light and easy, with no strings attached. Start with a series of quick, satisfying reads until you’re ready for a serious commitment. For this, short books are your go-to. They shouldn’t drag on or demand too much from you—just enough to enjoy and feel free to put down whenever you need a break. Here is a list then of 8 short books to read when you want to fall in love with reading again.

Franny and Zooey by J.D. Salinger

Franny and Zooey are the youngest in a family of geniuses. Both starred on smart kid TV shows as children and now, in their twenties, they’re stuck figuring out who they want to be, only certain of what they don’t want to be. The book has two stories: first, Franny’s college life as she debates whether to stay with her boyfriend; in the second part, Zooey is tasked by their mother to figure out why Franny is home from college and refusing to leave her room. A green-covered booklet borrowed for a religion class has sparked Franny’s existential crisis. She’s fed up with egos, including her own, and tired of people wanting to be remarkable or interesting.

Rosarita by Anita Desai

Released recently, “Rosarita” comes a decade after Anita Desai’s last book. This 112-page story follows Bonita, a young student who travels from India to Mexico to learn Spanish. Things get wild when a Mexican woman insists Bonita looks just like her mother, Rosarita, who made the same trip to study art. Bonita is confused because she never knew her mom was into painting. What follows is Bonita’s quest to uncover the truth about her mother, creating an honest map back to a childhood and a parent she remembers so differently.

The Cost of Living by Deborah Levy

British author and playwright Deborah Levy’s “The Cost of Living” is a memoir that vibes with the transformative journey after her divorce. Welcoming her past with gratitude and soaking in her newfound freedom, Levy rebuilds her life, finding herself and thriving as a writer. This 187-page read is filled with heart-warming tales of love and friendship, making it feel like you’re sharing a glass of wine on a chill evening with a wise, older friend who’s all about teaching you to love yourself again.

Word by Word by Kory Stamper

Merriam-Webster’s veteran lexicographer Kory Stamper takes you on a wild ride through the world of dictionaries. She leaves readers amazed with the backstories of even the most ordinary words, shedding light on the months of brain-busting work lexicographers put into classifying and defining them. Packed with personal tales of battling online grammar trolls, Stamper offers both hilarious and insightful peeks into her job, entertaining readers with absurd yet fascinating word stories.

The Young Man by Annie Ernaux

Whenever someone asks for a book recommendation for a short trip, Annie Ernaux’s name just flies out of my mouth. “A Young Man” is a 40-page gem that sprang from one of Ernaux’s steamy adventures with a guy 30 years younger. In this short yet powerful story, Nobel Prize-winning Ernaux reflects on her life as a lover, writer, and woman entering a new phase. She holds her menopausal journey with a sense of freedom, saying she’s now ageless, drifting through life in a semi-conscious haze. Her raw honesty and sharp insights make this quick read perfect for a short flight or a cosy afternoon.

I Who Have Never Known Men by Jacqueline Harpman

People who dive into this book usually end up regretting it – not because it’s bad, but because it sets their standards sky-high for every other book they read. This dystopian gem follows a woman who spends her entire life trapped in an underground bunker with 39 other women and mute male jailers who only pop by to drop off food rations. When a series of wild coincidences finally sets them free, they step into a deserted, destroyed world that’s ready to be reinvented from scratch. The narrator gets you pondering the big questions about what truly gives life meaning and whether we’re chasing those things. After this, every other book better bring some life-changing vibes, or it’s just not going to cut it.