Great Short Books

July 25, 2022
It’s time to remedy the fact that short novels “get no respect,” according to this thoughtful survey from historian Davis (Two-Bit Culture: The Paperbacking of America). Brief novels, which usually land between 100 and 200 pages, are “like a great first date... pleasant, even exciting, and memorable,” he writes. “But there is no long-term commitment.” Davis presents one short novel for every week of the year, “plus six bonus books” and follows the same format for each entry: he quotes the opening paragraph of the book, before offering a (spoiler-free) plot summary, a biographical essay on the author, a “why you should read it” assessment, and a list of things to read next by the author. There are classics—The Great Gatsby thanks to its “timeless and timely” nature; Lord of the Flies makes for “a thrilling read”; and Animal Farm is as “a potent cautionary tale in our time”—as well as lesser known and more recent novels. Alberto Moravia’s Agostino “is both painful and candid”; Natalia Ginzburg’s The Dry Heart “grows more complex and tragic as it unfolds”; Colson Whitehead’s The Nickel Boys is lauded for its spare prose; and Leïla Slimani’s The Perfect Nanny is a showcase of psychological complexity. Davis’s conversational tone makes him a great guide to these literary aperitifs. This is sure to leave book lovers with something new to add to their lists.

August 15, 2022
A roundup of the best short reads. Davis, who has written numerous books about literature and history, believes that books of less than 200 pages can be a good antidote to our troubled times and the stream of doom-laden news. For each of the 58 books on his list, which make up a year's worth of quality literature, he provides a plot summary, a brief biography of the author, the first paragraph of the book, "Why You Should Read It," and "What To Read Next." "A short novel is like a great first date," writes Davis. "It can be extremely pleasant, even exciting, and memorable. Ideally, you leave wanting more....But there is no long-term commitment." For readers who find Tolstoy or Melville exhausting, short novels prove that brevity can be the soul of not only wit, but also drama, mystery, and poignancy. Many of the books are well known--e.g., The Old Man and the Sea, The Great Gatsby, Charlotte's Web, Lord of the Flies--and acknowledged as classics. Others--including Yu Miri's Tokyo Ueno Station and Jamaica Kincaid's Lucy--deserve wider recognition. James M. Cain's The Postman Always Rings Twice retains its wham-bam quality despite appearing in 1934, Jeanette Winterson's Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit is as tasty as the day it was published in 1985. James Baldwin's If Beale Street Could Talk might even mean more now than when it was first published in 1974. Davis also highlights some excellent novels from recent years--among them, Another Brooklyn by Jacqueline Woodson, The Perfect Nanny by Le�la Slimani, and Dept. of Speculation by Jenny Offill. Davis admits that there are many good novels that he did not include (he provides a supplementary list of titles in an appendix), but his love of books and reading shines through. From 1759 (Candide) to 2019 (The Nickel Boys), he's got you covered. An entertaining journey with a fun, knowledgeable guide.

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Starred review from December 1, 2022

Hoping to inspire more people to read short novels, journalist and historian Davis (Don't Know Much About History) offers an outstanding list of 58 short novels. Defining short novels as works between 100 and 200 pages, Davis combines an annotated bibliography with a recommended reading list. Each five- to six-page entry opens with complete bibliographic information and the first lines from the work, before moving on to plot summary, a short biography of the author, an evaluation, and recommendations for further reading. Entries are arranged alphabetically by title, ranging from the classic to the contemporary, from 1759 (Candide: or Optimism) to 2019 (The Nickel Boys). They include children's titles (Charlotte's Web), adult titles (Sula), and Nobel Prize winners (Ernest Hemingway; Kazuo Ishiguro; Thomas Mann). Addressing a wide variety of themes including politics, coming of age, coming out, despair, marriage, racism, totalitarianism, and sex, Davis adheres to three rules: page length, works that were new to him, and reading for pleasure. This work concludes with two indexes covering author and publication date; a list of the 11 Nobel Prize winners found in this book; an appendix recommending additional titles; and Davis's top 16 favorites. VERDICT Will be of interest to bibliophiles, teachers, and those looking for reading suggestions beyond the traditional recommended reading resources.--Laurie Selwyn

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Starred review from October 1, 2022
Davis feels that novels of 200 pages or less often don't get the recognition they deserve, and this delightful book is the remedy. He wanted his reading to be wide ranging, so his list of 58 books includes an equal number of men and women writers, classical and contemporary titles, literary and genre authors, and white writers and authors of color. Ranging from Voltaire's Candide to Hemingway's Old Man and the Sea to Agatha Christie's Evil under the Sun to Colson Whitehead's The Nickel Boys, Davis invites readers to venture out of their comfort zone to experience the joy of the short novel. The entries are arranged alphabetically by title, and each entry includes date of publication, number of pages, the first lines of the book, a plot summary, a brief author biography, reasons why you should read the book, and what to read next. All of the entries are written in a conversational style that emphasizes the author's observations alongside critics' views. Davis' book will provoke engaging discussions among fiction lovers and will be a helpful suggestion guide for librarians, English teachers, and book groups. A must-purchase for public and school libraries.

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