How are our attention spans these days? I had a project to keep me reading last year, but in 2021 I have lost my reading focus. To try to get back in the groove I’ve been turning to novellas, short works that tell a complete story in less than 200 pages. I’m hoping the momentum of finishing a few of those will launch me back into regular reading – maybe it will for you, too.
The Empress of Salt and Fortune by Nghi Vo – In this fable-like story, young novice Chih and their bird companion are the first inside a remote compound following the death of the Empress of Salt and Fortune. With the aid of an old woman named Rabbit, Chih sifts through the items left behind and discovers the true story of the Empress.
Once Ghosted, Twice Shy by Alyssa Cole – While on a work trip to New York City, Likotsi had a love match with Fabiola that started fun but ended in heartbreak. On a return to NYC, she runs into Fabiola again – can they rewrite the ending to their story? If you like this and want more, check out A Princess in Theory, the love story of Likotsi’s boss.
Our Riches by Kaouther Adimi – In just 160 pages, Adimi tells the nearly century-long story of Algerian bookstore Les Vraies Richesses (based on a real bookstore), from its founding in 1935 by French-Algerian Edmond Charlot, through World War II and the Algerian War and up to 2017 when it faces contemporary plans to turn it into a beignet shop.
Remote Control by Nnedi Okorafor – In a future Ghana, young Sankofa found a seed left after a meteor shower; when it was taken away from her she lost her name and family, and gained the ability to kill with a simple touch. Now she walks the land, searching for what was lost.
The Silence by Don DeLillo – On Super Bowl weekend in 2022, a catastrophic event severs all digital connections, and five interconnected people struggle to grapple with the threat – and promise – of what may come next.
Temporary by Hilary Leichter – In this satire of modern capitalism and the gig economy, an unnamed narrator works as a temp floating from job to job – assistant to an assassin; office worker; CEO – always dreaming of “the steadiness” (full employment).
Need something even shorter? Check out this recent blog post featuring some great short story collections: Black History Month reading inspiration – short stories.
~ posted by Andrea G.
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