The Best Short Books You’ll Ever Read

If you don’t have time for a lengthy classic such as War and Peace, then why not consider one or two of these great short books which are all under 150 pages?

The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros

This modern classic, about a Latina girl growing up in Chicago, has been translated and taught all over the world. At 110 pages, it packs a punch all out of proportion to its size. Not surprisingly, given the compression and power of her work, Cisneros is also a poet.

What’s to Become of the Boy? by Heinrich Boll

Boll (1917-1985) won the Nobel Prize for literature in 1972, and this brief, wrenching account of growing up in Nazi Germany in a family that hated Hitler will leave you thinking of nothing else.

Natural Histories by Guadalupe Nettel

In a newly-released 128-page collection, Nettel offers five entrancing tales in which animals—even fish and insects—reflect hidden aspects of human nature. Like many of the best short books, this one is in translation. Not to worry: Nettel’s insights into marriage, family, and desire transcend borders and cultures.

The Possession by Annie Ernaux

In 62 laser-sharp pages, Ernaux zaps an obsessive, jealousy-fueled romance gone haywire. Is it truth or fiction? Probably a bit of both, and essential reading for anyone who’s ever messed up in love.

In the Orchard, the Swallows by Peter Hobbs

This novel about a Pakistani boy imprisoned for falling in love with the wrong girl is both exquisitely written and surprisingly inspiring. At 137 pages, it weighs in as one of the giants of the first part of the 2010s.

The Big Sleep by Raymond Chandler

For those who like their fiction hard-boiled, nobody did it better than Raymond Chandler, who died in 1959. The prolific master of the detective story turned to writing after he lost his job with an oil company during the Depression. The Big Sleep (134 pages) was his first novel to feature his famous P.I., Philip Marlowe.

The Awakening by Kate Chopin

Kate Chopin wrote only two novels before she died in 1904. The first is largely forgotten, but the second, The Awakening, is now considered a classic. At the time of its publication in 1899, it was widely condemned for portraying a woman who, trapped in a loveless marriage, has an affair. In the 1970s, the 120-ish page book (it depends on your edition) found—and held—its audience.

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Fascinating Literary Facts

Everyone knows the names, and their stories, but were you aware of these fascinating literary facts? More so than any other profession, it would seem as if writers were as fond of collecting eccentricities and quirks as they were pens and paper. And these facts help shed some light on the strange hobbies and anecdotes behind famous writers and books.

What The Dickens!

Whilst his work was known for its unflinching social realism, in his personal life, Dickens’ had some hobbies that were anything but. He was a known practitioner of mesmerism (Hypnotism in modern terms) as well as a keen aficionado of all things supernatural. He was also deeply superstitious, known to only sleep facing north as he believed it would improve his writing.

The Dog Ate My Masterpiece

With an excuse that would never fly with your school teachers, let alone a literary agent, John Steinbeck’s original manuscript for Of Mice and Men met an untimely and unfortunate end at the hands of his dog Fluff. As Steinbeck told his agent Elizabeth Otis “My setter pup, left alone one night, made confetti of about half of my manuscript”.

An Unsettling Twist

In a reveal that wouldn’t have been out of place for one of his own characters, science fiction master Ray Bradbury, the author of Fahrenheit 451 and other classics. Was actually descended from one of the original Salem witches, Mary Perkins Bradbury was sentenced to death in 1692 but fortunately managed to stage a daring escape.

If you want to read more of the great works produced by these fascinating figures, then head over to www.zonegem.com to browse their comprehensive selection of classic eBooks and audiobooks.

Classics to Get You Through The Holidays

The holidays are a great time for get togethers with friends, winter activities, and family fun! With so much to do in a seemingly short amount of time it can be easy to assume that it’ll be rush rush rush until it’s time to get back to the real world. That said, the holidays tend to come with a bit of down time as well, and what better way to spend that down time than curled up with a good book! Here are a few great reads that will make time fly by.

The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown. Considered more of a modern classic, The Da Vinci Code is a non-stop thriller that will have you turning pages from end to end as you follow Robert Langdon on his quest to find the Sangreal.

The Lord of The Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien. For those with a bit of extra time on their hands, there’s nothing quite like this epic journey through Middle-earth with Frodo and his friends. If the trilogy isn’t enough for you, why not follow it up with The Hobbit?

The Harry Potter Series by J.K. Rowling. If you still haven’t read these fantastical tales that took the world by storm with their record breaking motion pictures then now is the time! Join Harry and his friends as they grow, discover their abilities, and battle evil in the form of none other than Lord Voldemort.

Looking for more classic reads? You can find a vast selection just waiting to be read at www.zonegem.com.