If you lead a busy life, settling down to read a book may seem unfeasible. If you're disappointed by this, yet keen to indulge in classic literature, you can find solace in the less demanding world of novellas.
This narrative form usually consists of around 80 to 150 pages. Despite their diminutive nature, novellas have amassed many classics. They demand far less time if you have a hectic lifestyle, enabling you to discover many brilliant new authors. The following are 35 such books anyone can find the time to read.
London’s tale of primitive reawakening. Buck, a domesticated dog, grows increasingly wild after he is stolen from his owner. An exhilarating read.
Print | eBook | Audiobook
Flaubert's sublime work consists of A Simple Heart, Saint Julian the Hospitalier, and Hérodia. They deal with themes of love and loneliness.
Print | eBook
Four inspiring novellas from King make up Different Seasons. Two were adapted into the films Shawshank Redemption and Stand By Me.
Print | eBook | Audiobook
Also known as The Stranger, Camus’s classic portrays the life of Meursault. His refusal to behave according to society's norms causes trouble, for which he is unrepentant.
Print
The Wall is a gritty account of three POWs awaiting execution. The intense thoughts and feelings they struggle with make this a disturbing classic.
Print | eBook
Young Candide refutes his tutor's claims about the world, leading to an astute satire mocking politics, science, religion, and philosophy.
Print | eBook | Audiobook
Orwell's legendary polemical allegory places the Soviet Union into a farm. It's a gripping read, and is a regular staple in literary education.
Print | eBook | Audiobook
Hemingway's classic sees an old man take to the sea in search of a great catch. A stirring tale about adversity and the struggles of life.
Print | eBook | Audiobook
Ten of Hemingway's emotive short stories form this memorable book. It’s classic Hemingway and belongs on everyone's book shelf.
Print | eBook | Audiobook
Themes of humanity and reality run throughout as protagonist Rick Deckard hunts down humanlike replicants. The film Blade Runner is loosely based on Dick's novella.
Print | eBook
Notorious for unfortunate reasons, Salinger's tale of angst-ridden Holden Caulfield has captured the attention of many teenagers.
Print | eBook | Audiobook
Scottish writer Spark's "metaphysical shocker." After 16 years in a tedious job, Lise heads off on a hedonistic, self-destructive holiday.
Print | eBook | Audiobook
Rand's striking, dystopian novel about a future world where individuality has been eliminated.
Print | eBook | Audiobook
Sagan became famous overnight with Bonjour Tristesse. It follows carefree, 17-year-old Cécile as she holidays with her father, but her uneven emotional state leads to tragedy.
Print
Golding's enduring classic about school boys stranded on a desert island. Their attempts to govern themselves soon lead to anarchy.
Print | eBook | Audiobook
Published in 1899, Chopin's short novel was ahead of its time in dealing with the topics of marital problems, adultery, and the role of women in society.
Print | eBook | Audiobook
Why I am So Wise is an insightful excerpt from Ecce Homo (Nietzsche's last book). It's a fascinating example of his genius.
Print | eBook
McCullers's weirdly wonderful story of small-town life. It portrays a bizarre human triangle involving rampaging macho desire and female resolve.
Print | eBook
A hilarious account of Bukowski’s time at a post office. His wild antics may not be for everyone, but it’s a fine example of Beat Generation writing.
Print | eBook | Audiobook
Kerouac fell in love with the novella's eponymous Mexican girl in the '50s, and his musings on her drug addiction are very moving.
Print | Audiobook
Interested in Buddhism, Kerouac headed to Paris to research his family history (satori is the experience of kenshō – "seeing one's true nature"). Distracted, what followed was high, drunken comedy.
Print | eBook
Six stories from the famed Murakami. After the Quake considers the devastating Kobe earthquake of 1995, and how it transformed a nation.
Print | eBook | Audiobook
Goethe's tragic masterpiece examines a young man balancing his artistic nature with the demands of the critical world.
Print | eBook | Audiobook
One of only four novellas from the Russian great, Notes From the Underground is based around the musings of a disorderly, alienated individual
Print | eBook
Solzhenitsyn's brutal account of a man in a Soviet labor camp shocked the world upon its release. Gritty, revelatory reading.
Print | eBook | Audiobook
Steinbeck's classic is the moving tale of two amiable men struggling for work in the Great Depression.
Print | eBook | Audiobook
A reflective novel on strained childhood friendships in Japan. Yoshimoto uses the pen name Banana as she finds it "purposefully androgynous."
Print
Wharton's novella deals with a dreary domestic situation in New England. The arrival of lively Mattie shakes up the order, with conflicting results.
Print
A surreal love story by one of literature's forgotten female writers. Here, a Californian housewife indulges in an affair with a small green monster.
Print | eBook
A poignant tale focusing on Anastasia King, who returns to her grandmother’s house but finds herself estranged from her family.
Print | eBook
Traveling writer Gustav von Aschenbach heads to Venice in search of spiritual fulfillment. He is led astray by primitive desires.
Print | eBook
Irish novelist Joyce details a New Year's Eve gathering in Dublin. An emotionally charged, brilliant account of family life unfolds.
Print
Set in the French countryside of 1917 as World War I rages, Gracq’s beautiful tale displays all the anxieties of the time.
Print
Pynchon's innovative story of Oedipa Maas. She becomes snared in a global conspiracy, learning life lessons along the way.
Print | eBook | Audiobook
This suspenseful tale takes in seemingly impossible romances on an enigmatic island. It’s an inspiring consideration of exploration.
Print
This narrative form usually consists of around 80 to 150 pages. Despite their diminutive nature, novellas have amassed many classics. They demand far less time if you have a hectic lifestyle, enabling you to discover many brilliant new authors. The following are 35 such books anyone can find the time to read.
The Call of the Wild
by Jack LondonLondon’s tale of primitive reawakening. Buck, a domesticated dog, grows increasingly wild after he is stolen from his owner. An exhilarating read.
Print | eBook | Audiobook
Three Tales
by Gustave FlaubertFlaubert's sublime work consists of A Simple Heart, Saint Julian the Hospitalier, and Hérodia. They deal with themes of love and loneliness.
Print | eBook
Different Seasons
by Stephen KingFour inspiring novellas from King make up Different Seasons. Two were adapted into the films Shawshank Redemption and Stand By Me.
Print | eBook | Audiobook
Modern Classics Outsider
by Albert CamusAlso known as The Stranger, Camus’s classic portrays the life of Meursault. His refusal to behave according to society's norms causes trouble, for which he is unrepentant.
The Wall
by Jean-Paul SartreThe Wall is a gritty account of three POWs awaiting execution. The intense thoughts and feelings they struggle with make this a disturbing classic.
Print | eBook
Candide
by VoltaireYoung Candide refutes his tutor's claims about the world, leading to an astute satire mocking politics, science, religion, and philosophy.
Print | eBook | Audiobook
Animal Farm
by George OrwellOrwell's legendary polemical allegory places the Soviet Union into a farm. It's a gripping read, and is a regular staple in literary education.
Print | eBook | Audiobook
The Old Man and the Sea
by Ernest HemingwayHemingway's classic sees an old man take to the sea in search of a great catch. A stirring tale about adversity and the struggles of life.
Print | eBook | Audiobook
The Snows of Kilimanjaro
by Ernest HemingwayTen of Hemingway's emotive short stories form this memorable book. It’s classic Hemingway and belongs on everyone's book shelf.
Print | eBook | Audiobook
Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?
by Philip K. DickThemes of humanity and reality run throughout as protagonist Rick Deckard hunts down humanlike replicants. The film Blade Runner is loosely based on Dick's novella.
Print | eBook
The Catcher in the Rye
by J.D. SalingerNotorious for unfortunate reasons, Salinger's tale of angst-ridden Holden Caulfield has captured the attention of many teenagers.
Print | eBook | Audiobook
The Driver’s Seat
by Muriel SparkScottish writer Spark's "metaphysical shocker." After 16 years in a tedious job, Lise heads off on a hedonistic, self-destructive holiday.
Print | eBook | Audiobook
Anthem
by Ayn RandRand's striking, dystopian novel about a future world where individuality has been eliminated.
Print | eBook | Audiobook
Bonjour Tristesse
by Françoise SaganSagan became famous overnight with Bonjour Tristesse. It follows carefree, 17-year-old Cécile as she holidays with her father, but her uneven emotional state leads to tragedy.
Lord of the Flies
by William GoldingGolding's enduring classic about school boys stranded on a desert island. Their attempts to govern themselves soon lead to anarchy.
Print | eBook | Audiobook
The Awakening
by Kate ChopinPublished in 1899, Chopin's short novel was ahead of its time in dealing with the topics of marital problems, adultery, and the role of women in society.
Print | eBook | Audiobook
Why I Am So Wise
by Friedrich NietzscheWhy I am So Wise is an insightful excerpt from Ecce Homo (Nietzsche's last book). It's a fascinating example of his genius.
Print | eBook
The Ballad of the Sad Café
by Carson McCullersMcCullers's weirdly wonderful story of small-town life. It portrays a bizarre human triangle involving rampaging macho desire and female resolve.
Print | eBook
Post Office
by Charles BukowskiA hilarious account of Bukowski’s time at a post office. His wild antics may not be for everyone, but it’s a fine example of Beat Generation writing.
Print | eBook | Audiobook
Tristessa
by Jack KerouacKerouac fell in love with the novella's eponymous Mexican girl in the '50s, and his musings on her drug addiction are very moving.
Print | Audiobook
Satori In Paris
by Jack KerouacInterested in Buddhism, Kerouac headed to Paris to research his family history (satori is the experience of kenshō – "seeing one's true nature"). Distracted, what followed was high, drunken comedy.
Print | eBook
After the Quake
by Haruki MurakamiSix stories from the famed Murakami. After the Quake considers the devastating Kobe earthquake of 1995, and how it transformed a nation.
Print | eBook | Audiobook
The Sorrows of Young Werther
by Johann Wolfgang von GoetheGoethe's tragic masterpiece examines a young man balancing his artistic nature with the demands of the critical world.
Print | eBook | Audiobook
Notes From the Underground
by Fyodor DostoyevskyOne of only four novellas from the Russian great, Notes From the Underground is based around the musings of a disorderly, alienated individual
Print | eBook
One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich
by Alexander SolzhenitsynSolzhenitsyn's brutal account of a man in a Soviet labor camp shocked the world upon its release. Gritty, revelatory reading.
Print | eBook | Audiobook
Of Mice and Men
by John SteinbeckSteinbeck's classic is the moving tale of two amiable men struggling for work in the Great Depression.
Print | eBook | Audiobook
Goodbye Tsugumi
by Banana YoshimotoA reflective novel on strained childhood friendships in Japan. Yoshimoto uses the pen name Banana as she finds it "purposefully androgynous."
Ethan Frome
by Edith WhartonWharton's novella deals with a dreary domestic situation in New England. The arrival of lively Mattie shakes up the order, with conflicting results.
Mrs. Caliban
by Rachel IngallsA surreal love story by one of literature's forgotten female writers. Here, a Californian housewife indulges in an affair with a small green monster.
Print | eBook
The Visitor
by Maeve BrennanA poignant tale focusing on Anastasia King, who returns to her grandmother’s house but finds herself estranged from her family.
Print | eBook
Death in Venice
by Thomas MannTraveling writer Gustav von Aschenbach heads to Venice in search of spiritual fulfillment. He is led astray by primitive desires.
Print | eBook
The Dead
by James JoyceIrish novelist Joyce details a New Year's Eve gathering in Dublin. An emotionally charged, brilliant account of family life unfolds.
King Cophetua
by Julien GracqSet in the French countryside of 1917 as World War I rages, Gracq’s beautiful tale displays all the anxieties of the time.
The Crying of Lot 49
by Thomas PynchonPynchon's innovative story of Oedipa Maas. She becomes snared in a global conspiracy, learning life lessons along the way.
Print | eBook | Audiobook
The Invention of Morel
by Adolfo Bioy CasaresThis suspenseful tale takes in seemingly impossible romances on an enigmatic island. It’s an inspiring consideration of exploration.