5 books under 200 pages for a quick read

I make sure I add short reads to my TBR list along with other books. Two reasons, some short books come with interesting stories. Second, it’s easy to meet my reading targets when I want to catch up on the books read.

Some of the finest books I have read are less than 200 pages and I have been able to complete them in one sitting max two.

So here is my list of books under 200 pages.

1. Kim Jiyoung, Born 1982 by Cho Nam-Joo

This book is of 163 odd pages. A fine work of fiction and facts summed up by a Korean author and translated by Jamie Chang. The book is about a life of a woman born at the end of 20^th century in a culture where a male is given priority. Be it education, promotion, or career, she is given the last to no importance solely for being a woman. A South Korean sensation, this book has raised many questions about misogyny and women oppression.

2. The Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka

Again, an amazing work of literature by Kafka. This book is exactly 200 pages long. Gregor Samsa, a sales-man by profession, wakes up one day transformed into an inexplicably huge insect and how he and his family adjust to the changes. This book has been widely discussed and talked about in the literary world with differing interpretations.

3. After the Quake by Haruki Murakami

Murakami is one of the authors who got me into Japanese literature. After reading his book “Men before Women” I was intrigued by his work and got into reading more of his books. This book has 6 short stories complied in 132 pages which talk about the massive Kobe earthquake in 1995 when Japan became aware about the fragility of its daily existence.

4. Train to Pakistan by Khushwant Singh

Well, Khushwant Singh and his work needs no introduction. 181 pages long, this book shares the story of one of the biggest and brutal partition in history. KS has beautifully depicted the complexity of human nature and showcased a difference between what one believes and practices.

5. At night all blood is Black by David Diop

A gripping book about the WW1 and the exploitation of the West over their Colonies who were forced to fight and die for them. Winner of the International Booker Prize 2021, this book is of 162 pages. Like the name suggests, this book is about blood and brutalities.

So these are my top 5 picks for short and quick read. Trust me when I say, once you sit to read these books, you will not get up before you turn the last page. Most of these books I gobbled down in one sitting but I remember reading Train to Pakistan and taking my time to digest the story and reading it over 2 days. Each book will leave a mark on its reader as they talk about the facts in form of fiction and project the realities of life.

To know some interesting facts about books, read my blog here.

This blog is a part of Book Marathon by https://outsetbooks.com/