books mentioned: 0:56 Lie With Me 1:17 Giovanni's Room 1:39 Heartstopper 2:01 The Dangers of Smoking in Bed 2:24 Open Water 2:47 Assembly 3:17 Recitatif 3:33 Normal People 5:10 Paradise 5:31 Timecode of a Face 6:07 Indelicacy 6:35 Several People Are Typing 7:09 Things Have Gotten Worse Since We Last Spoke 7:31 We Had to Remove this Post 8:01 The Vegetarian 8:21 The White Book 8:39 Bluets 8:56 Passing 9:16 Silas Marner 9:37 We Have Always Lived in the Castle 9:57 Elena Knows 10:24 At Night All Blood is Black 10:58 Bonjour Tristesse
The Little Prince would definitely fit this criteria. The classic is pretty short but the experience remains with you forever. Such a beautiful and haunting little book.
I read it to my kids, but I was experiencing it for the first time as well, so I didn’t know about the dark side. It was so dark, and I wish I would have known that going in because I worried it was too much for them. However, it might be my youngest’s favorite book. He won’t read it on his own, but he frequently requests it. I totally agree. It is such a beautiful and haunting book
Japanese writers have some of the best short books I've come across, e.g. Convenience Store Woman, The Housekeeper and the Professor, Before the Coffee Gets Cold. Graphic novels are also perfect for a reading slump, loved the Heartstopper series and Seconds is great as well!
woah im very early ! here is the list of books mentioned in the video 0:55 Lie With Me - Philippe Besson 1:15 Giovanni's Room - James Baldwin 1:38 Heartstopper - Alice Oseman 2:00 The Dangers of Smoking In Bed - Mariana Enriquez 2:22 Open Water - Caleb Azumah Nelson 2:45 Assembly - Natasha Brown 3:15 Recitatif - Toni Morrison 3:33 Normal People - Sally Rooney 5:13 Paradias - Fernanda Melchor 5:30 Timecode of a Face - Ruth Ozeki 6:07 Indelicacy - Amina Cain 6:35 Several People are Typing - Calvin Kasulke 7:09 Things have Gotten Worse Since We Last Spoke - Eric Larocca 7:27 We had to Remove this Post - Hanna Bervoets 7:59 The Vegetarian - Han Kang 8:20 The White Book - Han Kang 8:36 Bluets - Maggie Nelson 8:55 Passing - Nella Larsen 9:16 Silas Marner - George Eliot 9:36 We Have Always Lived in a Castle - Shirley Jackson 9:56 Elena Knows - Claudia Pineiro 10:23 At Night All Blood is Black - David Diop 10:58 Bonjour Tristesse - Françoise Sagan
[WARNING: Long as hell rant about The Stranger ahead, skip to the tl;dr at the end if you value your time] The book isn't necessarily bad, but I just HATE when authors use their characters' neurodivergency to explain their religious/spiritual/superstitious/whatever beliefs (or lack thereof) when they would have never done anything like that with a neurotypical character. What I mean is that the protagonist (sorry I forgot his name) talks about death and atheism in a way that makes it seem as though he wouldn't be an atheist if he wasn't neurodivergent, but like... Not in a good way. It's basically "he doesn't have empathy, therefore he is an atheist, therefore he doesn't care that his mother dies" and that kind of stuff ruined the book for me. Not to mention that we have more than enough books about people who do heinous things just because they happen to lack emotional empathy, and those books (including this one) NEVER give these characters effective empathy, which is a) not realistic and b) an extremely harmful stereotype. People can be empathetic without feeling empathy using logic and good judgement! Tl;dr I dislike the neurodivergent and atheist representation in this book and I especially dislike the way these two facets of the protagonist (being neurodivergent and being an atheist) interact, it's harmful and unrealistic
My favorite book is just 176 pages long, it's "No longer human" by a Japanese author Osamu Dazai. It's a grim, depressing story about a man losing grip on his life but also a really critical and outsider look at fitting in, humanity and values in life. It's hard-hitting and leaves you hopeless, and I've been thinking about it constantly since finishing it last year. Also I really recommend reading a short biography about the author on Wikipedia or sth, because many events from the book are heavily inspired by his tough life, as the book itself was finished just before he commited suicide. Many call it a semi-autobiography
Many of my favorite shorter books are translations from Japanese. Convenience Store Woman, Tokyo Ueno Station, and Sweet Bean Paste are a few, all under 200 pages.
Maybe jack knew somehow we were looking for ways to increase our average number of books read this year and so here he is, serving us with spot on recommendations. Btw Normal people is an absolute banger, living up to its name, the way the story unfolds.
I honestly didn’t like Normal People, I agree on the good points but still at the end felt negatively about it. BUT I also god hooked and read it all in one day, started reading it on a bus, otherwise I would probably finish it in one sitting. Just jumping around short moments in their lives, that was the best way a book like this could’ve worked, amazing
@@MrsNancy1297 I'd say since there wasn't as such a plot in the book but every interaction in the book was a series of miscommunication, so that got me eager to know what happens next to clear it out, that was what made it a page turner for me, but really though I'd give it a 3.5/5 because it wasn't so dramatic, just a slow unfolding of stories of 2 individuals. I totally understand why some people might not like it.
I was expecting The Housekeeper and The Professor to be in this list too seeing as you loved it! I really recommend it too. It’s a short, extremely sweet, and moving character study.
@@sclumptuous That makes me happy! It’s one of those books that I’ve read and just thought, “Well. That’s about as perfect as it could have been.” For the premise, the length, and the setting…just perfect.
I bought the Penguin Modern Classics boxset a while ago and I'm in love with it. It consists of 50 books and they're all tiny and roughly about 60 pages each, suitable to read in one sitting. The topics range from short stories to poetry to essays and I'm really excited to read them all. I think it's good to start reading short pieces like this since I'm in a bit of a reading slump recently and haven't got the energy to read anything. 50 pages doesn't feel as daunting as 500 pages :)
Thank goodness we have our silly little book man to help us in these times. With the new years about I needed some quick stories to start my reading journey off with a bang ! I struggle to get through videos that overload the audience with information on a book so I really appreciate Jack’s very eloquent summaries 🥰
I really enjoyed this video! Everyone can probably name at least one book that wasn’t in this video that could have been, so here’s mine: We The Animals by Justin Torres This book is roughly 130 pages, and can easily be read in a day. However, I’ve been reading it slowly for the past month. The chapters are very short, and I found that reading just a few pages or one chapter everyday was all I needed. The story is innocent and beautiful, yet tense and dark as well. More than anything though, I just fell in love with the way it was written. Obviously everyone has their own preferences, and not everyone will like this book, but I just wanted to share it because I have thoroughly enjoyed it!
I love short books. There's something I really commend about an author being able to write a complete story in such a short page count. An author I'd highly recommend for this is Akwaeke Emezi. Most of their books are under 300 pages long, and Freshwater made it to my favourites video of 2022.
Everything Jack says about books I’ve already read is stuff I thought myself when I read it. We don’t have the exact same taste in books but we have very similar opinions of books, and this is how he adds so many books to my TBR. He’s one of the only booktubers whose opinion matters to me because I know there’s a good chance if he likes a book I will also like it.
I’m honestly probably getting myself into a reading slump at the beginning of the year by reading a little life first thing, but since I read 180 books last year I thought I would challenge it lol. I’ll probably check these books out after I finish.
You are a mind reader honestly. I love short books because it lets me dip my toes into an author's writing and check whether I actually would like to read more of them. Also, it's like a buffet - sneaking small bits of different authors, allowing me to enjoy a wide variety of flavours in a limited amount of time. ❤
One of my favourite short books is "I'm Thinking of Ending Things" by Iain Reid. Unputdownable. He writes creepy and foreboding like no one else, and I'm here for it all day.
I stumbled across "The Vegetarian" years ago. I was in Barnes & Noble and the cover intrigued me. The copy I have is red with a dark silhouette of the main character that slowly turns into plants. I bought it without knowing anything about it and was very pleased with my find. Such a unique and fantastical story. I have always loved short story collections and my favorite is "Night Shift" by Stephen King. I agree that they are a great way to get back into reading.
I read Open Water after hearing it recommended from you last year and I absolutely loved it. It is one of my favorite pieces of short fiction ever, it’s prose is masterful and it’s exploration of the Black body, specifically Black male body in Britain is so important. After reading it I blindly trust every book you recommend so definitely a win…
My favorite short book I read in 2022 was To Be Taught, If Fortunate by Becky Chambers. I'm not usually much of a sci-fi person, but this made me see the genre in a new light! It does an amazing job at capturing the wonder of space travel.
A great set of short books to binge is the Wayward Children series by Seanan McGuire! There are currently 7 books, all under 250 pages each, and the 8th book is set to be released in just 6 days!
Stargirl is a favorite short book of mine, it’s a YA novel and is an easy read but it’s such a sweet story and can definitely get you back into reading
I definitely needed this! I’m trying to up my reading numbers this year as I only got 6 books last year. I’m trying to read two books at a time, by alternating a reading one book one day and visa versa. I’m reading a long book and a short book/comic at the same time. I’m currently reading “maybe you should talk to somebody” and “Heartstopper volume 1”
all the books in this video! 0:56 Lie With Me 1:17 Giovanni's Room 1:39 Heartstopper 2:01 The Dangers of Smoking in Bed 2:24 Open Water 2:47 Assembly 3:17 Recitatif 3:33 Normal People 5:10 Paradise 5:31 Timecode of a Face 6:07 Indelicacy 6:35 Several People Are Typing 7:09 Things Have Gotten Worse Since We Last Spoke 7:31 We Had to Remove this Post 8:01 The Vegetarian 8:21 The White Book 8:39 Bluets 8:56 Passing 9:16 Silas Marner 9:37 We Have Always Lived in the Castle 9:57 Elena Knows 10:24 At Night All Blood is Black 10:58 Bonjour Tristesse
I just finished it last night and personally it is one of those books that will stick with me forever. I found it accidentally in my local board game store and it is now in my top 5 favorite books ever
I think another short classic that would fit this list is The Yellow Wall-Paper by Charlotte Perkins Gilman. It is a story from the late-Victorian era surrounding a woman suffering post-natal depression and her fall into psychosis, and of course how those around her deal with this. It is such a brilliant read and, at around 60 pages long, such a quick one too. It is often considered one of the first openly feminist pieces of literature, and was massively rejected by publishers when it was initially written. It was “rediscovered” as such in the 1970s, nearly 100 years after it had been written, and it is such an incredible insight into the treatment of mental illness during the Victorian era, and particularly that of women. I studied this story for my undergrad and found it so fascinating so I reckon lots of other people will too!!
I'd recommend the five people you meet in heaven by Mitch Albom. 250 pages exploring a character's life. It flies by and I won't tell you it is the best book in the world but it is heartwarming and heartbreaking and I truly love it. It's also my mum's favourite book so listen to her if not me haha
Amazing list! I added some to my wish list. I read Giovannis Room last year and I still think about it to this day. All time favorite for sure!! I would add to this list: Animal farm The stranger by Camus The Overcoat by Gogol Happening by Annie Ernaux My wish list by Gregoire Delacourt
If you like Han Kang I would definitely recommend her other novel "Human Acts," it's heartbreaking. Also "No Longer Human" by Osamu Dazai and "Concerning my Daughter" by Kim Hyejin are really good as well.
An impressive short book I read in the past year is Fever Dream by Samantha Schweblin. It is a thriller / psychological horror story about a woman who wakes up, not knowing where she is and why she is there, and a boy starts talking to her, urging and helping her to remember the events that preceeded her awakening. So she starts doing that and remembering the details of her vacation with her daughter (who is currently nowhere to be found) to figure out what's going on. It's a very haunting read because it makes you feel that something is seriously wrong, but you (and the main character) don't quite understand what it is and how the events connect to each other. Would recommend!
Don’t know if it counts because it’s a kids book, but I genuinely think adult might appreciate this more than kids. “The cat mummy” by Jacqueline Wilson is very short, only about an hour as an audiobook. It’s such an interesting portrayal of grief in a child. I chose it as a “light read” after seeing how short it was and it left me tearing up
The Art Of War by Sun Tzu is my favourite short book. I always manage to finish it in an evening. Meditations by Marcus Aurelius is quick and easy to read aswell. The Tao Te Ching by Lao Tzu is also quick and easy to read as is the Analects by Confucius. The Prince by Niccolo Machiavelli is also quick and easy to read. Also DMX's Autobiography is also quick and easy to read. In terms of Novels The Curious Incident Of The Dog In The Night Time is very easy to read. Those are my short and easy to read book recommendations.
My favourite book so far this year is 145 pages, and it's a Psalm for the Wild Built. It's amazing, it's a cozy sci fi and super philosophical and such, it's just so good! I highly recommend to anyone! EDIT: said this month, meant year
It was unexpected that you mentioned Bonjour Tristesse, I really enjoyed it. I think it's very much a "lighthearted on the surface, melancholy deep down" kind of story and it worked.
Please tell me you're doing byob this year. I started reading again last year and those videos really helped me form a habit of reading. I hadn't read a single book in 2021, so when I started reading again last year, I only set my goal to 10 books. Thanks to you and your byob videos, I managed read 70 books, with over 25 thousand pages
Thank you so much for recommendations, Jack & all the commenters! The Little Book of Jeung by Charlotte Cho is my first completed book of 2023 & at 214 small pages fits the criteria perfectly. It’s a non-fiction piece about the importance of bonds we build, written by a Korean-American woman.
I read mostly long books in 2022, so in order up the amount of books I read overall, I quickly devoured a few short ones right at the end of December, haha. A Christmas Carol - only around 100 pages or a couple hours audiobook, Catcher In The Rye - 277 pages, Half A Soul - 304 pages, but a VERY quick read.
A few other recommendations: Small Things Like These - Claire Keegan (112 pages, about a small town in Ireland, set around christmas) White Nights - Fyodor Dostoevsky (82 pages, about two people suffering from a deep sense of alienation) This Is How You Lose the Time War - Max Gladstone & Amal El-Mohtar (208 pages, a sapphic sci-fi story with beautiful letters) To Be Taught, If Fortunate - Becky Chambers (160 pages, about exploring alien life)
my short favs: the dark interval, letters to a young poet, Landour days by ruskin bond, the great Gatsby, the perks of being a wallflower and insomnia by marina Benjamin
Thanks for suggesting these! I decided to mix some short books with some long books I planned to read this month. I started with Elena Knows which you mentioned and I loved it.
Thanks loads for this Jack! Just recovering from an extended reading slump that sadly lasted a few years and every single one of these sound so interesting. Great selection, much appreciate! 🙏🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽
Growing up my mom and I found a kitten abandoned on a country road, and we named her "Eppie", from Silas Marner 😊 it's been many years since I read it, but I remember loving the book
Thanks for the list! "Meandering Sobriety" is my favorite book. This is a new book with a collection of 40 short stories concerning the philosophy of life and work, a bit humorous and still thought-provoking
This is a much needed compilation, cause the last 3 months of the year are my busiest so I rarely have time, and since I work at night there is this time till I fall asleep. But now I’ve started reading short books or short stories and it feels so good.
this is great! i’m trying to read three books a month this year and have managed to finish two already by opting for shorter books first (animal farm and of mice and men!). will definitely be checking these out
I started my year off with The Housekeeper and the Professor and then The Five People You Meet in Heaven. Both good reads and short! I picked up Animal Farm as my next short read.
I was listening to you talk about 'We Had To Remove This Post' and googled it to add to my list of to-be-bought-books, when I realized it was written by Hanna Bervoets (I'm Dutch). Then I googled the original title 'Wat Wij Zagen' and realised this book was the 2021 National Week of Books - gift (a book you receive for free in any bookstore, if you purchase any other book). Then I realised, I already had this in my bookcase, just never read it. Thanks Jack, will be devouring this tonight 😂😂
wonderful video as always, jack - so many great reads here!! I would add The Ice Palace by Tarej Vessas to this list, which is a beautifully written novel at 139 pages translated from Norwegian, documenting human relationships and interactions. It follows two girls, one of which disappears on a visit to the infamous ice structure of the Norwegian fjords, and the consequent descent into madness from her friend, overcome with guilt and a sense of responsibility over the loss of her friend. reading it just after At Night All Blood is Black (my last two reads!), I saw real similarities between the stunning writing and raw human interactions. I would highly would recommend both (but recommend looking at the trigger warnings!)! ❤️📖
OMMMFFGGGG I HAD NO IDEA the book by Hannah Bervoets was translated into english. That book got me into reading like period. It got me into reading a year ago and I haven't stopped since. It's so fing good I'm so happy it's available in other languages!!
I have been watching your channel for a while now, remembering how much I used to read as a teenager - and this will be the year I get back into reading, I can feel it 🥰🥰🥰
A Psalm for the Wild-Built is my recommendation, it is such a beautiful book and only around 150 pages! I read it all in one sitting and still think about it
OMG!!! LOVED THIS !! can't believe from 23 books i've just read 1 and have another one in my library the rest of them have now a space on my want to read list in goodreads, THANK YOU!
I’m reading my own short book being The Invisible Man at 103 pages by HG Wells. Chapters go by in a flash although the horror is magnificent and the cast of characters are unpredictable.
Convenience Store Woman is another great short book to break a reading lull. And I’ve started off this year by reading a few books of poetry in the evenings which has been nice. I’ve always wanted to read more poetry and this is going to be the year for it I decided. I’ve really liked Time Is A Mother by Ocean Vuong and Don’t Call Us Dead by Danez Smith so far this year.
Jack I just finished "The vanishing half" on your recommendation and it was SO good. (Passing reminded me of it). I am noting all of these books now thank you! :D
Man Jack, I love your videos so much! Either they show me some cool new books to look into, or you ramble about videos that I also love and summarise them in a more eloquent and succint way than I ever could, or you fundamentally disagree with me on a book (Dunel...) but you explain your thoughts and still show enough understanding for me to not get mad at you ^^ If I can just make one suggestion: Get a Lav or shotgun mike. I feel like fixing the audio of your videos would go a long way and doesn't come with a huge investment.
Thank you so much for this video. I have been re reading old novels 'cause I somehow I just don't want to start new books because of my last year in high school and exams, but I think this video is perfect to get into reading. Also, I have read Silas Marner, and I have no idea why the book I have is 300 pages long.
I always recommend the Murderbot Series. I have listened to all these books as audio books, and they are all less than 3 hours long. Great little science fiction novellas.
I love these recommendations! I find it harder to read novels that don’t have some kind of romance plot and these short books could definitely help me read more variety!
We had to move this post was one of my top reads of 2022. It surprised me with how much I enjoyed it. I have been looking for other books about the same topic since.
"A Psalm for the Wild-built" by Becky Chambers is my go-to short book recommendation. It's a comforting story about purpose and self-acceptance. Also, there's a robot, and who doesn't like robots?
I’ve been reading a dense book that is taking me over a week to finish. Decided to take a break and read some poetry books to make myself feel like I read more than two books in July. 😅 Bluets is one of them!
100% agree with your theory. I read The Great Gatsby in less than a day which filled me with enough confidence to attach the entire Game of Thrones collection. Let's just say I made it to book 4 before starting (and not finishing) yet another novel
Some recommendations : - Happening (96p) + A Man's Place (99p) + A Girl's Story (160p) by Annie Ernaux - A room of one's own by Virginia Woolf (112p) Also for french readers : - Les orageuses de Marcia Bruner (150p) - Les Nuits Bleues de Anne-Fleur Multon (207p) - La nuit avec ma femme de Samuel Benchetrit (200p) - Maintenant qu'il fait tout le temps nuit sur toi de Mathias Malzieu (169p)
More short book recs! All Systems Red by Martha Wells (144 pages book 1 in the Murderbot diaries, is a novella and a scifi about a security unit android that just wants to watch soap operas but adventure ensues) Rolling in the Deep by Mira Grant (128 pages horror/sci-fi, this follows a crew shooting a mockumentary about mermaids but they discover a lot more than they expect out in the deep) Garlic and the Vampire by Bree Paulsen (160 pages fantasy, graphic novel just cute and wholesome, follow a little anxious garlic bulb on an adventure)
I love all systems red! Currently finishing the rest of the Murderbot diaries. Another short story rec is Before the Coffee Gets Cold by Toshikazu Kawaguchi. It's a heartwarming time travel book thats relatively short. (200 pages?) A non short story rec is How Rory Thorne Destroyed the Multiverse by K. Eason. It's an amazing femanist fairytale space opera, with a killer ending, and the first in a series!!!
I love anthologies so I am just going to drop a recommendation. Rhonda Parrish is an editor with a fantastic eye for short stories. She has many collections out. She has five in the magical menageries series, and each one is a collection of stories about the creature mentioned in the title. They include Fae, Sirens, Corvidae, Scarecrow, and Eqquas. Another series of anthologies is her elemental one, which are stories about said element and what the element can symbolise. These include Air: Sylphs, Spirits, and Swan Maidens; Water: Selkies, Sirens, and Sea Monsters; Fire: Demons, Dragons, and Djiin; and Earth: Giants, Golems, and Gargoyles. The final series that I will mention which I have only begun is her punked up fairy tales series. Grimm, Gritt and Gasoline is the title of her Dieselpunk and Decopunk collection. Clockwork, Curses and Coal is the title of her steampunk and gaslamp collection. And lastly, Trenchcoats, Towers, and Trolls is the title of her cyberpunk. This is the one I am planning on reading next.
Hi! I'm brazillian and I love reading the popular classics, one of my first class recommendations is definetely "Dom Casmurro" by Machado de Assis. It's kinda a novel or a short romance of about 160 pages (lol). The book tells the story of Bentinho, in his own narration, who has always been in love with Capitu, his childhood sweetheart. things happen in bentinhos life in such an interesting and involving way that only Machado can write (he's the most popular an classic brazilian writer of all the time). And then one day he starts to suspect that Capitu betrayed him and even that he's only child is not him's but his best friend's kid. It may not seem like a big plot but the reading involves you and consumes you page after page, every comma is worth it!
A few to add: Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad; The Death of Ivan Ilych by Leo Tolstoy; Man's Search for Meaning by Victor Frankl; The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway. I read them all last year and enjoyed them.
Another really good one is If You Come Softly by Jacqueline Woodson! It was my last read of 2022. Another good one is Green Angel by Alice Hoffman. It was what got me back into reading in March 2020.
One of my favorite shorts books are : Kim Jiyoung born in 1982, Rain by Ng Kim Chew, Notes on grief by Chimanda Ngozi Adichie and On Earth we're briefly gorgeous by Ocean Vuong. Thanks for this video ❤️
books mentioned:
0:56 Lie With Me
1:17 Giovanni's Room
1:39 Heartstopper
2:01 The Dangers of Smoking in Bed
2:24 Open Water
2:47 Assembly
3:17 Recitatif
3:33 Normal People
5:10 Paradise
5:31 Timecode of a Face
6:07 Indelicacy
6:35 Several People Are Typing
7:09 Things Have Gotten Worse Since We Last Spoke
7:31 We Had to Remove this Post
8:01 The Vegetarian
8:21 The White Book
8:39 Bluets
8:56 Passing
9:16 Silas Marner
9:37 We Have Always Lived in the Castle
9:57 Elena Knows
10:24 At Night All Blood is Black
10:58 Bonjour Tristesse
You‘re doing the Lord’s work 🙏🏻
thank you so much !!
god bless you
LEGEND!!!
Thank you!!
The Little Prince would definitely fit this criteria. The classic is pretty short but the experience remains with you forever. Such a beautiful and haunting little book.
Who knew a a kid's book could make you sob as an adult
I just finished it, it was intense for a children's book
@Ranado_88 yeah, If I had to read it as a child, I too, might have dnf'ed it then
Plus I think you mean 2023🤭
I read it to my kids, but I was experiencing it for the first time as well, so I didn’t know about the dark side. It was so dark, and I wish I would have known that going in because I worried it was too much for them. However, it might be my youngest’s favorite book. He won’t read it on his own, but he frequently requests it. I totally agree. It is such a beautiful and haunting book
i read it in 2 hours, loved it
Japanese writers have some of the best short books I've come across, e.g. Convenience Store Woman, The Housekeeper and the Professor, Before the Coffee Gets Cold. Graphic novels are also perfect for a reading slump, loved the Heartstopper series and Seconds is great as well!
woah im very early ! here is the list of books mentioned in the video
0:55 Lie With Me - Philippe Besson
1:15 Giovanni's Room - James Baldwin
1:38 Heartstopper - Alice Oseman
2:00 The Dangers of Smoking In Bed - Mariana Enriquez
2:22 Open Water - Caleb Azumah Nelson
2:45 Assembly - Natasha Brown
3:15 Recitatif - Toni Morrison
3:33 Normal People - Sally Rooney
5:13 Paradias - Fernanda Melchor
5:30 Timecode of a Face - Ruth Ozeki
6:07 Indelicacy - Amina Cain
6:35 Several People are Typing - Calvin Kasulke
7:09 Things have Gotten Worse Since We Last Spoke - Eric Larocca
7:27 We had to Remove this Post - Hanna Bervoets
7:59 The Vegetarian - Han Kang
8:20 The White Book - Han Kang
8:36 Bluets - Maggie Nelson
8:55 Passing - Nella Larsen
9:16 Silas Marner - George Eliot
9:36 We Have Always Lived in a Castle - Shirley Jackson
9:56 Elena Knows - Claudia Pineiro
10:23 At Night All Blood is Black - David Diop
10:58 Bonjour Tristesse - Françoise Sagan
Thank you so much for mentioning and adding the authors names❤
Thank you for adding the authors!!!
Alternate title: Reach you Goodreads Goal easily!
thank you
The stranger by Albert Camus is absolutely worth reading, 120 pages and the author was reading my mind
I have it on my “to read” bookshelf - real bookshelf, not virtual one 😅
Does it make you feel things like Dostoyevsky!?
Hearing his name gives me flashback cause in my French class we discussed his Nobel acceptance speech for MONTHS
The book was such a fantastic read, Albert Camus wrote some bangers.
[WARNING: Long as hell rant about The Stranger ahead, skip to the tl;dr at the end if you value your time]
The book isn't necessarily bad, but I just HATE when authors use their characters' neurodivergency to explain their religious/spiritual/superstitious/whatever beliefs (or lack thereof) when they would have never done anything like that with a neurotypical character.
What I mean is that the protagonist (sorry I forgot his name) talks about death and atheism in a way that makes it seem as though he wouldn't be an atheist if he wasn't neurodivergent, but like... Not in a good way. It's basically "he doesn't have empathy, therefore he is an atheist, therefore he doesn't care that his mother dies" and that kind of stuff ruined the book for me. Not to mention that we have more than enough books about people who do heinous things just because they happen to lack emotional empathy, and those books (including this one) NEVER give these characters effective empathy, which is a) not realistic and b) an extremely harmful stereotype. People can be empathetic without feeling empathy using logic and good judgement!
Tl;dr I dislike the neurodivergent and atheist representation in this book and I especially dislike the way these two facets of the protagonist (being neurodivergent and being an atheist) interact, it's harmful and unrealistic
My favorite book is just 176 pages long, it's "No longer human" by a Japanese author Osamu Dazai. It's a grim, depressing story about a man losing grip on his life but also a really critical and outsider look at fitting in, humanity and values in life. It's hard-hitting and leaves you hopeless, and I've been thinking about it constantly since finishing it last year.
Also I really recommend reading a short biography about the author on Wikipedia or sth, because many events from the book are heavily inspired by his tough life, as the book itself was finished just before he commited suicide. Many call it a semi-autobiography
I'm currently reading this book! I'll post an update when I am finished!
There's no other way I'd describe the experience of reading that book. You captured it perfectly! It's one of my fav ones too.
@@vidu8925 aw thanks, I am really passionate about it
@@briannakmattis5265 good luck, and I won't really wish you fun, but a pleasant reading experience nonetheless :))
Its the best book, its not the plesant story but somehow it touches you in a right place.
Many of my favorite shorter books are translations from Japanese. Convenience Store Woman, Tokyo Ueno Station, and Sweet Bean Paste are a few, all under 200 pages.
Maybe jack knew somehow we were looking for ways to increase our average number of books read this year and so here he is, serving us with spot on recommendations.
Btw Normal people is an absolute banger, living up to its name, the way the story unfolds.
Exactly, I want to read many books haha. And honestly half the books he talked about sounded so good I'd read them like rn.
I honestly didn’t like Normal People, I agree on the good points but still at the end felt negatively about it. BUT I also god hooked and read it all in one day, started reading it on a bus, otherwise I would probably finish it in one sitting. Just jumping around short moments in their lives, that was the best way a book like this could’ve worked, amazing
@@MrsNancy1297 I'd say since there wasn't as such a plot in the book but every interaction in the book was a series of miscommunication, so that got me eager to know what happens next to clear it out, that was what made it a page turner for me, but really though I'd give it a 3.5/5 because it wasn't so dramatic, just a slow unfolding of stories of 2 individuals. I totally understand why some people might not like it.
I couldn’t cope with the lack of quotation marks
I was expecting The Housekeeper and The Professor to be in this list too seeing as you loved it! I really recommend it too. It’s a short, extremely sweet, and moving character study.
And Kim Jiyoung, Born 1982. But this isn't sweet though.
@@sclumptuous That makes me happy! It’s one of those books that I’ve read and just thought, “Well. That’s about as perfect as it could have been.” For the premise, the length, and the setting…just perfect.
This is one of my favourite books. It's like a warm hug.
I bought the Penguin Modern Classics boxset a while ago and I'm in love with it. It consists of 50 books and they're all tiny and roughly about 60 pages each, suitable to read in one sitting. The topics range from short stories to poetry to essays and I'm really excited to read them all. I think it's good to start reading short pieces like this since I'm in a bit of a reading slump recently and haven't got the energy to read anything. 50 pages doesn't feel as daunting as 500 pages :)
Thank goodness we have our silly little book man to help us in these times.
With the new years about I needed some quick stories to start my reading journey off with a bang !
I struggle to get through videos that overload the audience with information on a book so I really appreciate Jack’s very eloquent summaries 🥰
I really enjoyed this video! Everyone can probably name at least one book that wasn’t in this video that could have been, so here’s mine:
We The Animals by Justin Torres
This book is roughly 130 pages, and can easily be read in a day. However, I’ve been reading it slowly for the past month. The chapters are very short, and I found that reading just a few pages or one chapter everyday was all I needed. The story is innocent and beautiful, yet tense and dark as well. More than anything though, I just fell in love with the way it was written.
Obviously everyone has their own preferences, and not everyone will like this book, but I just wanted to share it because I have thoroughly enjoyed it!
I watched the movie and thought it would make a good book. Realized it was a book.
I love short books. There's something I really commend about an author being able to write a complete story in such a short page count. An author I'd highly recommend for this is Akwaeke Emezi. Most of their books are under 300 pages long, and Freshwater made it to my favourites video of 2022.
Everything Jack says about books I’ve already read is stuff I thought myself when I read it. We don’t have the exact same taste in books but we have very similar opinions of books, and this is how he adds so many books to my TBR. He’s one of the only booktubers whose opinion matters to me because I know there’s a good chance if he likes a book I will also like it.
I’m honestly probably getting myself into a reading slump at the beginning of the year by reading a little life first thing, but since I read 180 books last year I thought I would challenge it lol. I’ll probably check these books out after I finish.
I'm currenty reading a little life too. Are u ok though?
I just started with a little life too.
one of my absolute faves. have tissues at hand tho.
I've also just started a little life. Go gets crossed
You are a mind reader honestly. I love short books because it lets me dip my toes into an author's writing and check whether I actually would like to read more of them. Also, it's like a buffet - sneaking small bits of different authors, allowing me to enjoy a wide variety of flavours in a limited amount of time. ❤
One of my favourite short books is "I'm Thinking of Ending Things" by Iain Reid. Unputdownable. He writes creepy and foreboding like no one else, and I'm here for it all day.
I have to read the book! I watched the movie on Netflix, and it was...strange!
My favourite thriller of all time. Nothing comes close.
Agree!!
@@mii_voi the book is x10 better!
I LOVED the plot of the book but everything escalated so fast towards the end that I couldn’t get a grip
I stumbled across "The Vegetarian" years ago. I was in Barnes & Noble and the cover intrigued me. The copy I have is red with a dark silhouette of the main character that slowly turns into plants. I bought it without knowing anything about it and was very pleased with my find. Such a unique and fantastical story. I have always loved short story collections and my favorite is "Night Shift" by Stephen King. I agree that they are a great way to get back into reading.
I read Open Water after hearing it recommended from you last year and I absolutely loved it. It is one of my favorite pieces of short fiction ever, it’s prose is masterful and it’s exploration of the Black body, specifically Black male body in Britain is so important. After reading it I blindly trust every book you recommend so definitely a win…
My favorite short book I read in 2022 was To Be Taught, If Fortunate by Becky Chambers. I'm not usually much of a sci-fi person, but this made me see the genre in a new light! It does an amazing job at capturing the wonder of space travel.
A great set of short books to binge is the Wayward Children series by Seanan McGuire! There are currently 7 books, all under 250 pages each, and the 8th book is set to be released in just 6 days!
Happy New Year to Jack and the lovely community on this channel! Have a great 2023 everyone!
Stargirl is a favorite short book of mine, it’s a YA novel and is an easy read but it’s such a sweet story and can definitely get you back into reading
Stargirl is one of my favorite reads!
I don't think I want to read it considering how much Jack despised it lmao.
I definitely needed this! I’m trying to up my reading numbers this year as I only got 6 books last year. I’m trying to read two books at a time, by alternating a reading one book one day and visa versa. I’m reading a long book and a short book/comic at the same time. I’m currently reading “maybe you should talk to somebody” and “Heartstopper volume 1”
all the books in this video!
0:56 Lie With Me
1:17 Giovanni's Room
1:39 Heartstopper
2:01 The Dangers of Smoking in Bed
2:24 Open Water
2:47 Assembly
3:17 Recitatif
3:33 Normal People
5:10 Paradise
5:31 Timecode of a Face
6:07 Indelicacy
6:35 Several People Are Typing
7:09 Things Have Gotten Worse Since We Last Spoke
7:31 We Had to Remove this Post
8:01 The Vegetarian
8:21 The White Book
8:39 Bluets
8:56 Passing
9:16 Silas Marner
9:37 We Have Always Lived in the Castle
9:57 Elena Knows
10:24 At Night All Blood is Black
10:58 Bonjour Tristesse
I clicked so fast, attention span shorter than length of a tiktok gang
thank you for the recommendations Jack
Its one of my comfort reads! I hope u enjoy it
I just finished it last night and personally it is one of those books that will stick with me forever. I found it accidentally in my local board game store and it is now in my top 5 favorite books ever
Same book came to my mind. And the following two books are similar length and ideas.
I really want to get the second one too, I think that one's out as well by now
I think another short classic that would fit this list is The Yellow Wall-Paper by Charlotte Perkins Gilman. It is a story from the late-Victorian era surrounding a woman suffering post-natal depression and her fall into psychosis, and of course how those around her deal with this.
It is such a brilliant read and, at around 60 pages long, such a quick one too. It is often considered one of the first openly feminist pieces of literature, and was massively rejected by publishers when it was initially written.
It was “rediscovered” as such in the 1970s, nearly 100 years after it had been written, and it is such an incredible insight into the treatment of mental illness during the Victorian era, and particularly that of women.
I studied this story for my undergrad and found it so fascinating so I reckon lots of other people will too!!
Yes just exactly what I needed
These 23 books are going to be in my read list this year!!
I'd recommend the five people you meet in heaven by Mitch Albom. 250 pages exploring a character's life. It flies by and I won't tell you it is the best book in the world but it is heartwarming and heartbreaking and I truly love it. It's also my mum's favourite book so listen to her if not me haha
Amazing list! I added some to my wish list. I read Giovannis Room last year and I still think about it to this day. All time favorite for sure!! I would add to this list:
Animal farm
The stranger by Camus
The Overcoat by Gogol
Happening by Annie Ernaux
My wish list by Gregoire Delacourt
GR was my FAVE book of last year (out of 178 books) & my only five star
If you like Han Kang I would definitely recommend her other novel "Human Acts," it's heartbreaking. Also "No Longer Human" by Osamu Dazai and "Concerning my Daughter" by Kim Hyejin are really good as well.
An impressive short book I read in the past year is Fever Dream by Samantha Schweblin. It is a thriller / psychological horror story about a woman who wakes up, not knowing where she is and why she is there, and a boy starts talking to her, urging and helping her to remember the events that preceeded her awakening. So she starts doing that and remembering the details of her vacation with her daughter (who is currently nowhere to be found) to figure out what's going on. It's a very haunting read because it makes you feel that something is seriously wrong, but you (and the main character) don't quite understand what it is and how the events connect to each other. Would recommend!
Yes 100%
Don’t know if it counts because it’s a kids book, but I genuinely think adult might appreciate this more than kids. “The cat mummy” by Jacqueline Wilson is very short, only about an hour as an audiobook. It’s such an interesting portrayal of grief in a child. I chose it as a “light read” after seeing how short it was and it left me tearing up
The Art Of War by Sun Tzu is my favourite short book. I always manage to finish it in an evening. Meditations by Marcus Aurelius is quick and easy to read aswell. The Tao Te Ching by Lao Tzu is also quick and easy to read as is the Analects by Confucius. The Prince by Niccolo Machiavelli is also quick and easy to read. Also DMX's Autobiography is also quick and easy to read. In terms of Novels The Curious Incident Of The Dog In The Night Time is very easy to read. Those are my short and easy to read book recommendations.
Was hoping to see And Every Morning the Way Home Gets Longer and Longer on this list. Beautifully written novella!
When Jack uploads a new video I get a surge of happiness and excitement what the video is about 😊
My favourite book so far this year is 145 pages, and it's a Psalm for the Wild Built. It's amazing, it's a cozy sci fi and super philosophical and such, it's just so good! I highly recommend to anyone!
EDIT: said this month, meant year
‚Jamila‘ by Chingiz Aymatov is missing 😮 the best short book I’ve read and one of the sweetest love stories ever 🥺 (not tacky at all)
It was unexpected that you mentioned Bonjour Tristesse, I really enjoyed it. I think it's very much a "lighthearted on the surface, melancholy deep down" kind of story and it worked.
One of the recent subscribers...and I'm really loving these book reviews and this channel!!!
I would always recommend the novella Flowers For Algernon, it’s iconic and it’s an amazing story!! It’s around 35-50 pages too!
Please tell me you're doing byob this year. I started reading again last year and those videos really helped me form a habit of reading. I hadn't read a single book in 2021, so when I started reading again last year, I only set my goal to 10 books. Thanks to you and your byob videos, I managed read 70 books, with over 25 thousand pages
Thank you so much for recommendations, Jack & all the commenters! The Little Book of Jeung by Charlotte Cho is my first completed book of 2023 & at 214 small pages fits the criteria perfectly. It’s a non-fiction piece about the importance of bonds we build, written by a Korean-American woman.
I read mostly long books in 2022, so in order up the amount of books I read overall, I quickly devoured a few short ones right at the end of December, haha.
A Christmas Carol - only around 100 pages or a couple hours audiobook, Catcher In The Rye - 277 pages, Half A Soul - 304 pages, but a VERY quick read.
A few other recommendations:
Small Things Like These - Claire Keegan (112 pages, about a small town in Ireland, set around christmas)
White Nights - Fyodor Dostoevsky (82 pages, about two people suffering from a deep sense of alienation)
This Is How You Lose the Time War - Max Gladstone & Amal El-Mohtar (208 pages, a sapphic sci-fi story with beautiful letters)
To Be Taught, If Fortunate - Becky Chambers (160 pages, about exploring alien life)
my short favs: the dark interval, letters to a young poet, Landour days by ruskin bond, the great Gatsby, the perks of being a wallflower and insomnia by marina Benjamin
Thanks for suggesting these! I decided to mix some short books with some long books I planned to read this month. I started with Elena Knows which you mentioned and I loved it.
Before The Coffee Gets cold is 227 pages by Toshikazu Kawaguchi, it's about time travel in this little cafe in Tokyo, I would absolutely recommend it.
Thanks loads for this Jack! Just recovering from an extended reading slump that sadly lasted a few years and every single one of these sound so interesting. Great selection, much appreciate! 🙏🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽
Growing up my mom and I found a kitten abandoned on a country road, and we named her "Eppie", from Silas Marner 😊 it's been many years since I read it, but I remember loving the book
Thanks for the list! "Meandering Sobriety" is my favorite book. This is a new book with a collection of 40 short stories concerning the philosophy of life and work, a bit humorous and still thought-provoking
This is a much needed compilation, cause the last 3 months of the year are my busiest so I rarely have time, and since I work at night there is this time till I fall asleep.
But now I’ve started reading short books or short stories and it feels so good.
this is great! i’m trying to read three books a month this year and have managed to finish two already by opting for shorter books first (animal farm and of mice and men!). will definitely be checking these out
I started my year off with The Housekeeper and the Professor and then The Five People You Meet in Heaven. Both good reads and short! I picked up Animal Farm as my next short read.
I was listening to you talk about 'We Had To Remove This Post' and googled it to add to my list of to-be-bought-books, when I realized it was written by Hanna Bervoets (I'm Dutch). Then I googled the original title 'Wat Wij Zagen' and realised this book was the 2021 National Week of Books - gift (a book you receive for free in any bookstore, if you purchase any other book). Then I realised, I already had this in my bookcase, just never read it. Thanks Jack, will be devouring this tonight 😂😂
wonderful video as always, jack - so many great reads here!! I would add The Ice Palace by Tarej Vessas to this list, which is a beautifully written novel at 139 pages translated from Norwegian, documenting human relationships and interactions. It follows two girls, one of which disappears on a visit to the infamous ice structure of the Norwegian fjords, and the consequent descent into madness from her friend, overcome with guilt and a sense of responsibility over the loss of her friend. reading it just after At Night All Blood is Black (my last two reads!), I saw real similarities between the stunning writing and raw human interactions. I would highly would recommend both (but recommend looking at the trigger warnings!)! ❤️📖
OMMMFFGGGG I HAD NO IDEA the book by Hannah Bervoets was translated into english. That book got me into reading like period. It got me into reading a year ago and I haven't stopped since. It's so fing good I'm so happy it's available in other languages!!
For me it's The Outsiders. I was shocked at how attached and invested I became with the characters. It's a book I have on my list to reread.
I love how diverse your recommendations are, thank you for that! I’m probably going to read Goivanni's Room!
I have been watching your channel for a while now, remembering how much I used to read as a teenager - and this will be the year I get back into reading, I can feel it 🥰🥰🥰
A Psalm for the Wild-Built is my recommendation, it is such a beautiful book and only around 150 pages! I read it all in one sitting and still think about it
Adding to my TBR!
OMG!!! LOVED THIS !! can't believe from 23 books i've just read 1 and have another one in my library the rest of them have now a space on my want to read list in goodreads, THANK YOU!
I’m reading my own short book being The Invisible Man at 103 pages by HG Wells. Chapters go by in a flash although the horror is magnificent and the cast of characters are unpredictable.
my rec for this category is A Psalm for the Wild-Built by Becky Chambers! Super cozy sci-fi ish. love it
Convenience Store Woman is another great short book to break a reading lull. And I’ve started off this year by reading a few books of poetry in the evenings which has been nice. I’ve always wanted to read more poetry and this is going to be the year for it I decided. I’ve really liked Time Is A Mother by Ocean Vuong and Don’t Call Us Dead by Danez Smith so far this year.
I would recommend the Murderbot series and The singing hills cycle for those interested in scifi or fantasy.
Jack I just finished "The vanishing half" on your recommendation and it was SO good. (Passing reminded me of it). I am noting all of these books now thank you! :D
I think the vanishing half is inspired by Passing
Ahhh you finally mentioned my queen Sagan, I very much recommend like everything she's ever written but mostly la femme fardée!
I can also recommend The Ants by Bernard Werber! The story unfolds inside an anthill, if that doesn't already catch you attention idk what will lmao
Man Jack, I love your videos so much! Either they show me some cool new books to look into, or you ramble about videos that I also love and summarise them in a more eloquent and succint way than I ever could, or you fundamentally disagree with me on a book (Dunel...) but you explain your thoughts and still show enough understanding for me to not get mad at you ^^
If I can just make one suggestion: Get a Lav or shotgun mike. I feel like fixing the audio of your videos would go a long way and doesn't come with a huge investment.
Thank you for your recommendations! One of my favorite short books is The Canal - Lee Rourke. 199 pages. Happy New Year!
Thank you so much for this video. I have been re reading old novels 'cause I somehow I just don't want to start new books because of my last year in high school and exams, but I think this video is perfect to get into reading.
Also, I have read Silas Marner, and I have no idea why the book I have is 300 pages long.
I always recommend the Murderbot Series. I have listened to all these books as audio books, and they are all less than 3 hours long. Great little science fiction novellas.
I love these recommendations! I find it harder to read novels that don’t have some kind of romance plot and these short books could definitely help me read more variety!
Omg Waterloo Road is back!!! I was obsessed with that show. Will be watching it. Also great list! 🙏🏾
We had to move this post was one of my top reads of 2022. It surprised me with how much I enjoyed it.
I have been looking for other books about the same topic since.
This video came just in time because I’ve been wanting to get back into reading regularly and I’ve been thinking about short stories 💕
excited to say I'm way ahead of you as I read heartstopper volume one for the first time to get me out of a reading slump this year already!
"A Psalm for the Wild-built" by Becky Chambers is my go-to short book recommendation. It's a comforting story about purpose and self-acceptance. Also, there's a robot, and who doesn't like robots?
omg another book that i recommend is the perks of being a wallflower by stephen chbosky, it’s so good and emotional and there’s also a movie abt it
I’ve been reading a dense book that is taking me over a week to finish. Decided to take a break and read some poetry books to make myself feel like I read more than two books in July. 😅 Bluets is one of them!
this is EXACTLY what i needed right now jack i luv u
Demian by Herman Hesse is 144 pages and is one of my favourite books of all time!
100% agree with your theory. I read The Great Gatsby in less than a day which filled me with enough confidence to attach the entire Game of Thrones collection. Let's just say I made it to book 4 before starting (and not finishing) yet another novel
So many great recommendations! Giovanni’s Room holds a special place in my heart
Ouuuuu! 🎉🎉 I needed a short book to kickstart my Goodreads goal!!
I'm on my 3rd book of the year already 🥰 never usually read so quickly but I've been hooked on the Death in Paradise books by Robert Thorogood
Some recommendations :
- Happening (96p) + A Man's Place (99p) + A Girl's Story (160p) by Annie Ernaux
- A room of one's own by Virginia Woolf (112p)
Also for french readers :
- Les orageuses de Marcia Bruner (150p)
- Les Nuits Bleues de Anne-Fleur Multon (207p)
- La nuit avec ma femme de Samuel Benchetrit (200p)
- Maintenant qu'il fait tout le temps nuit sur toi de Mathias Malzieu (169p)
Adding them to my 2023 tbr so that I can complete my Goodreads challenge this year. I fell behind last year because of my hectic med school schedule 😭
More short book recs! All Systems Red by Martha Wells (144 pages book 1 in the Murderbot diaries, is a novella and a scifi about a security unit android that just wants to watch soap operas but adventure ensues)
Rolling in the Deep by Mira Grant (128 pages horror/sci-fi, this follows a crew shooting a mockumentary about mermaids but they discover a lot more than they expect out in the deep)
Garlic and the Vampire by Bree Paulsen (160 pages fantasy, graphic novel just cute and wholesome, follow a little anxious garlic bulb on an adventure)
I love all systems red! Currently finishing the rest of the Murderbot diaries.
Another short story rec is Before the Coffee Gets Cold by Toshikazu Kawaguchi. It's a heartwarming time travel book thats relatively short. (200 pages?)
A non short story rec is How Rory Thorne Destroyed the Multiverse by K. Eason. It's an amazing femanist fairytale space opera, with a killer ending, and the first in a series!!!
Thanks for recs!!
I love your videos, especially the way you describe every book with passion. You are amazing!
I love anthologies so I am just going to drop a recommendation. Rhonda Parrish is an editor with a fantastic eye for short stories. She has many collections out. She has five in the magical menageries series, and each one is a collection of stories about the creature mentioned in the title. They include Fae, Sirens, Corvidae, Scarecrow, and Eqquas. Another series of anthologies is her elemental one, which are stories about said element and what the element can symbolise. These include Air: Sylphs, Spirits, and Swan Maidens; Water: Selkies, Sirens, and Sea Monsters; Fire: Demons, Dragons, and Djiin; and Earth: Giants, Golems, and Gargoyles. The final series that I will mention which I have only begun is her punked up fairy tales series. Grimm, Gritt and Gasoline is the title of her Dieselpunk and Decopunk collection. Clockwork, Curses and Coal is the title of her steampunk and gaslamp collection. And lastly, Trenchcoats, Towers, and Trolls is the title of her cyberpunk. This is the one I am planning on reading next.
Hi! I'm brazillian and I love reading the popular classics, one of my first class recommendations is definetely "Dom Casmurro" by Machado de Assis. It's kinda a novel or a short romance of about 160 pages (lol). The book tells the story of Bentinho, in his own narration, who has always been in love with Capitu, his childhood sweetheart. things happen in bentinhos life in such an interesting and involving way that only Machado can write (he's the most popular an classic brazilian writer of all the time). And then one day he starts to suspect that Capitu betrayed him and even that he's only child is not him's but his best friend's kid.
It may not seem like a big plot but the reading involves you and consumes you page after page, every comma is worth it!
Jack this is EXACTLY what I need it's like you read my mind. Thank you!
A few to add: Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad; The Death of Ivan Ilych by Leo Tolstoy; Man's Search for Meaning by Victor Frankl; The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway. I read them all last year and enjoyed them.
Another really good one is If You Come Softly by Jacqueline Woodson! It was my last read of 2022. Another good one is Green Angel by Alice Hoffman. It was what got me back into reading in March 2020.
One of my favorite shorts books are : Kim Jiyoung born in 1982, Rain by Ng Kim Chew, Notes on grief by Chimanda Ngozi Adichie and On Earth we're briefly gorgeous by Ocean Vuong.
Thanks for this video ❤️
Jack’s obsession with this adorable bead necklace is my highlight of the year already
For spanish readers here is some more:
Pieza Amoblada - Valentina Vlanco
Kentukis - Samantha Schweblin
La muerte viene estilando - Andrés Montero