Tomes & Tidbits
I just finished The Books of Jacob, an absolute tome of a book, and it easily snuck its way into my top reads. I forgot how immersive it can be to read a book that long; it's a mark of quality that I was still sad when it ended.
But some of my favorite books are more novellas than novels. I still have a hard time getting into short stories, though I try to read a few collections every year (it's hard for me to get invested when I know the world will dissipate after a few pages). But novellas hit that sweet spot: long enough to flesh out characters, short enough that every word counts.
So here's a quick list of long and short books, depending on what you're craving:
Novellas
Census | Jesse Ball A census worker wonders who will watch over his son after his death.
The Parade | Dave Eggers
Two men build a road. But what for?
The Wall | John Lanchester
Only a wall can protect the earth from rising tides.
Falling Out of Time | David Grossman
A man walks in circles, assuming he'll find what he's after somewhere along the way.
Tomes
The Books of Jacob | Olga Tokarczuk
A journey through Polish and religious history.
Les Miserables | Victor Hugo
I mean, you know this one. Read it.
11/22/63 | Stephen King
What if you could stop the assassination of JFK?
The Overstory | Richard Powers
All lives are connected, like tree branches. But the roots have to be protected.