Shortreads (Read a book under 150 pages)
December 9, 2021
Reading in winter may bring to mind images of big, weighty books: classics or complex novels you can really sink into. But it doesn’t have to be like that! Celebrate the long, crisp nights with short, impactful reads. Each of the books on this list clocks in at under 150 pages.
I Met a Traveller in an Antique Land by Connie Willis
86 pages. Science fiction Grand Master and Greeley resident Connie Willis explores nostalgia and our connection to books in this slim story that packs a witty punch.
Resume Speed by Lawrence Block
The Death of Murat Idrissi by Tommy Wifringa
102 pages. Short books can still be weighty, as you’ll find in this compelling literary thriller. Two Dutch daughters of Moroccan immigrants take a road trip to their parents’ homeland, only to get drawn into the plight of a poor family and discover (with tragic consequences) that they’re just as foreign in Morocco as they are at home.
Hammers on Bone by Cassandra Khaw
107 pages. Private detective John Persons has been hired by a ten-year-old to kill his abusive stepdad. Turns out, stepdad is not only cruel and abrasive, he’s also a monster infected by an alien presence. And it’s spreading.
The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros
110 pages. This book proves that you can get even classic literature in pint-sized packages. Esperanza Cordero is growing up in Chicago, and through small stories and poems we see the joys and deep challenges of her life.
Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption by Stephen King
111 pages. Movie buffs will recognize this story, which inspired the Academy Award-nominated film The Shawshank Redemption. It’s a powerful and moving tale about injustice, friendship, and a prison escape.
Death of a Telenovela Star by Teresa Dovalpage
118 pages. Fans of light mysteries take note! A former Havana police detective goes on a Caribbean cruise with her niece, only to be confronted with the unsettling, and unsettlingly handsome, telenovela star Carloalberto. When a murder occurs onboard, her experience as a detective comes in handy.
The Murders of Molly Southbourne by Tade Thompson
119 pages. Every time Molly Southbourne bleeds, another identical molly is born with the sole motivation of destroying her creator. Molly lives her life on the run, with all the knowledge she needs to get rid of the other mollys, but she has a feeling it’s only a matter of time…
The Empress of Salt and Fortune by Nghi Vo
121 pages. In this rich fantasy novella inspired by Imperial China, a young woman is trapped in a royal arranged marriage. Kept isolated in a summer home, she is nevertheless determined to retake her own power.
The Uncommon Reader by Alan Bennett
128 pages. Who doesn’t love a bookmobile? In this tiny treasure, we learn that even the British Queen is charmed (and liberated) by the mobile library and all the books inside. This is a quirky pick that’s perfect for book and library lovers.