From The Metamorphosis To The House on Mango Street: 6 Short Books You Can Read When You Don’t Know Where To Start

Are you in a reading slump? Or have you never really started reading but always wanted to? Picking up a massive novel can feel intimidating, but short books are the perfect way to ease yourself in. They’re quick, engaging, and still pack the same emotional and intellectual punch as longer ones. Whether you want to reignite your love for reading or finally build the habit, these short yet powerful books are a great place to start. 

This amazing book is on the most popular works of Kafka. It explores themes of identity, isolation, and human connection and this book will feel relatable because it reflects on how individuals deal with family, society and themselves. This book is perfect for readers who enjoy literature that lingers in the mind long after the last page.

This short novel looks like a story about farm animals, but it’s really a sharp commentary on power, control, and how ideals can get corrupted. Orwell uses simple storytelling to explore big ideas about freedom, leadership, and society. You can complete this book in a single sitting. 

It’s a short novel about an aging fisherman and his struggle with a giant marlin far out in the Gulf Stream. It looks like a story about fishing and survival but it's actually at its heart, it’s about human endurance, dignity, and the fight to keep hope alive even when the odds are against you.

The Alchemist was published in 1988, this amazing novel revolves around the story of Santiago who is in the search of his personal legend and his journey around the world. The story is about dreams, purpose, and following your heart. The book is easy to read and won’t take long to complete it. 

This amazing read about a young Latina girl, Esperanza, growing up in a Chicago neighborhood. It’s not a traditional novel but more like snapshots of her world, her struggles, her dreams and her observations about life, culture, identity and her emotions about everyday experiences.

Vanishing is published in 2025, it is a book that explores modern society, human behavior, and the small, often overlooked aspects of everyday life. Murata’s writing is clean and accessible, yet it makes you pause and think about how society shapes people, routines and everything around. 

(Photos Credit: Amazon, Freepik)