Not every powerful story needs hundreds of pages. In fact, sometimes the books that leave the strongest impression are the ones you can finish in a day or two. If you’re trying to keep up with a reading challenge—or just looking for something to pull you out of a slump—short reads can be a great place to start.
They don’t ask for a huge time commitment, but they still deliver depth, emotion, and ideas that stay with you. There’s no room for filler, which means every page has a purpose. And when done well, that kind of storytelling can feel even more impactful.
If you’re looking for something quick to read but still meaningful, here are a few books that prove less really can be more.
The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
Goodreads Rating: 3.92
Page Count: 182
Santiago, a young shepherd, sets out on a journey to find a hidden treasure after recurring dreams urge him to follow his destiny. Along the way, he meets different people who guide and challenge him, slowly shaping his understanding of purpose, fear, and what it means to truly listen to your heart.
This is a very accessible read, almost deceptively simple. At first, it can feel like a straightforward story, but as you move through it, you start to notice how each encounter carries a quiet lesson. It doesn’t try to overwhelm you with complexity—instead, it gently nudges you to reflect. It’s the kind of book that meets you where you are, and depending on when you read it, it can resonate in different ways.
Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck
Goodreads Rating: 3.90
Page Count: 107
George and Lennie are two migrant workers traveling together during the Great Depression, holding on to a shared dream of owning land and building a life of their own. As they move from place to place, their friendship is tested by circumstances beyond their control.
For such a short book, this carries a surprising emotional weight. The writing is direct and easy to follow, but the themes it explores—friendship, loneliness, and lost dreams—are anything but simple. You can feel where the story is heading, but that doesn’t make it any easier when it gets there. It’s quiet, restrained, and deeply affecting in a way that doesn’t need many pages to land.
We Should All Be Feminists by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
Goodreads Rating: 4.39
Page Count: 52
Adapted from her TED Talk, this essay explores what feminism means in today’s world through personal stories, cultural observations, and clear, direct arguments for equality.
What makes this so effective is how straightforward it is. It doesn’t try to complicate the message—it simply presents it in a way that’s easy to understand and difficult to ignore. Adichie’s use of personal experiences makes it feel grounded and relatable, while still addressing larger societal issues. It’s the kind of book you can finish quickly, but one that encourages you to rethink everyday assumptions.
The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
Goodreads Rating: 4.33
Page Count: 96
A pilot stranded in the desert meets a young prince who shares stories of his travels across different planets, each one revealing something about human nature, relationships, and what truly matters.
This might be marketed as a children’s book, but it reads very differently as an adult. There’s a quiet sadness underneath its simplicity, and many of its messages feel more meaningful the more life experience you bring into it. It doesn’t explain everything directly—you’re left to sit with its ideas and interpret them in your own way. That subtlety is what makes it so memorable.
Tender is the Flesh by Agustina Bazterrica
Goodreads Rating: 3.77
Page Count: 209
In a dystopian world where animal meat is no longer safe to consume, society has legalized the consumption of human flesh. Marcos works in the industry that processes this new kind of “meat,” carrying out his role while quietly grappling with the moral implications of the system he’s part of.
This is not an easy read—but that’s exactly why it hits. It’s disturbing, uncomfortable, and at times hard to process, especially because of how matter-of-fact the writing is. There were moments I wanted to look away, but the story forces you to confront its ideas head-on. It’s short, but intense, and it raises questions about humanity, ethics, and desensitization in a way that’s hard to ignore.
There’s something satisfying about finishing a book, especially when it fits into the small pockets of time you actually have. These shorter reads make it easier to return to reading without pressure—no need to commit to something overwhelming just to feel that sense of progress again.
But beyond convenience, what makes these books stand out is how intentional they are. With fewer pages, every moment feels more deliberate, every scene more focused. And somehow, that restraint makes the impact feel sharper and more immediate.
If you’re in a reading slump or simply looking for something you can complete without overthinking it, these books are a good place to start. And if you have your own short reads that left an impression, I’d love to hear about them—feel free to reach out at ihorton@whatsupmag.com.
