Book Bingo: Books You Can Finish Reading in a Day!

 – Posted by Eric G.

This summer The Seattle Public Library, in partnership with Seattle Arts & Lectures, is excited to offer a summer reading program for adults called Summer Book Bingo! In order to help you along on your quest to complete your bingo sheet, we have pulled together some book suggestions based on each category. Stay tuned for more throughout the summer!

Today’s Book Bingo category is “You Finish Reading in a Day.” For the sake of consistency, the books I picked are around 200 pages or less, with some having significantly less. Therefore, each of these could theoretically be finished in one day, barring any outside distractions or obligations. Personally I am a very slow reader who has a penchant for dense, emotionally-grueling literary fiction, so if you’re like me your mileage may vary!

Speaking of literary novels, I recently read Justin Torres’ acclaimed We the Animals (144 pp.), a succinct story that packs a punch. You could also try A Mercy by Toni Morrison (224 pp.) or The Sense of an Ending by Julian Barnes (163 pp.).

For a lighter touch, try The Uncommon Reader by Alan Bennett (120 pp.). There’s also plenty of genre fiction at or under 200 pages, which is perfect if you’re just testing the waters of science fiction, mystery, suspense or romance.  The Lathe of Heaven by Ursula K. Le Guin (192 pp.) and A Novella Collection by Courtney Milan (each novella is less than 100 pp.) are great places to start for science fiction and romance respectively.

When reading short stories by authors like Alice Munro and George Saunders, I often feel like I’ve gotten the full emotional impact of a novel in just one story. For a noteworthy collection that comes in at about 200 pages, pick up No One Belongs Here More Than You by Miranda July (205 pp.).

No list of books you can finish in a day would be complete without graphic novels! It’s been difficult to keep track of all of the excellent stories that have come out in recent years, but Willow G. Wilson’s progressive Ms. Marvel Vol. 1: No Normal (120 pp.) is a must-read.

Nonfiction is not something I usually associate with “short” or “brief,” but John Steinbeck’s classic journey across the United States Travels with Charley is just slightly over 200 pages. This bingo category is also a great chance to pick up a book of poetry if it’s been awhile. The choreopoem For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide When the Rainbow is Enuf by Ntozake Shange (64 pp.) is particulary noteworthy.

Don’t forget classics like Jack London’s Call of the Wild (126 pp.). There are many more librarian-curated choices in the Seattle Picks: Short Classics list on Bibliocommons, our Library’s catalog.

I know that I’ve only skimmed the surface with this category, so here’s a slightly longer catalog list of Books You Can Finish in a Day. What books have you finished in one day? Comment here, or tweet w/ #BookBingoNW. Happy summer reading!