Nothing against sprawling, 700-page novels, but I tend to like little books that make a big noise. These novelists work on a small scale because they make their works with exceptional power, grace, and complexity and don’t need to belabor a strong point.
Sarah Gerard, author of Binary Star (172 pages)

The most popular post on Books on the Table in 2017 was 8 Short Novels Your Book Club Will Actually Finish, which was viewed and shared approximately one gazillion times more than any other post. The takeaway from this is that I shouldn’t bother to write about any other book-related topics but should stick to lists of short book club books. So, in an effort to provide what readers want, I’ve assembled another list of quick reads.

The average reader should be able to finish any of these books in four hours, give or take a few minutes. So if your club meets once a month, you have no excuse for not finishing your book club book — you only need to devote eight or ten minutes a day to it.

A surprising number of classics that most of us read in school are short (The Great Gatsby, Of Mice and Men, Heart of Darkness, Fahrenheit 451, Ethan Frome . . .) and they’re worth re-reading from an adult point of view. You can easily find dozens of lists of “short classics” and “the best short books of all time” online. Here’s an updated list of ten current books, most around 250 pages, that your book club will enjoy discussing.

Nutshell by Ian McEwan (208 pages) — Told from the viewpoint of an unborn child and inspired by Hamlet, Nutshell is a murder mystery unlike anything you’ve read before — starting with the first sentence: “So, here I am, upside down inside of a woman.” I’ve discussed this book with two different groups and both found plenty of rich material for discussion.

Dunbar by Edward St. Aubyn (244 pages) — Part of the Hogarth Shakespeare series, in which Shakespeare’s plays are retold by notable contemporary authors, Dunbar reimagines King Lear as the story of the CEO of a global media corporation who has made the mistake of turning his business over to his two scheming daughters. An ambitious book group could pair this book with a reading of King Lear.

Exit West by Mohsin Hamid (240 pages) — Some books are best enjoyed and appreciated by solitary readers, while others demand discussion. Exit West, a finalist for last year’s Man Booker Prize, is one of the latter. It’s the story of a young couple, Saaed and Nadia, who escape their war-torn country through a series of magical doors. Fans of The Underground Railroad will love this novel. (I also recommend another short novel by Hamid, The Reluctant Fundamentalist.)

The Ninth Hour by Alice McDermott (256 pages) — Alice McDermott is one of my very favorite writers, and I’ve had to wait four years for The Ninth Hour. (Someone came out in 2013). Every time I read one of her books, I think, This one is her best, and that’s exactly what went through my mind when I finished The Ninth Hour. In Brooklyn, about one hundred years ago, a young husband commits suicide, leaving behind his pregnant wife. His widow, Annie, and his daughter, Sally, are taken in by nuns in the nearby convent. Sally marries a local boy, Patrick, and their children and grandchildren are the narrators of this beautiful and poetic novel.

The Second Mrs. Hockaday by Susan Rivers (288 pages) — There’s nothing I love more than an epistolary novel. The author’s use of letters and diary entries heightens the suspense in this amazing story, which is based on a real-life court case from the mid-19th century.  This slim novel, perfect for book clubs, will inspire discussion about race and the legacy of slavery, women’s changing roles, forgiveness, and redemption.

Morningstar: Growing Up With Books by Ann Hood (192 pages) — Novelist Ann Hood has written a series of charming essays about the books that shaped her, starting with childhood favorites. It would be fun and illuminating for a book club to read Hood’s essays and share their own formative books with each other.

Dear Fahrenheit 451: Love and Heartbreak in the Stacks: A Librarian’s Love Letters and Breakup Notes to the Books in Her Life by Annie Spence (256 small pages) — Annie Spence’s book is snarkier than Ann Hood’s, perhaps aimed at a millennial audience, but clever and delightful. Maybe every book club member could write a love letter (or breakup note) to a book on her shelves?

When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanathi (256 pages) — Everyone should read this powerful and heartbreaking — yet inspirational book. It’s a meditation on what it means to lead a worthwhile life, written by a young neurosurgeon dying of lung cancer. Another moving book on the same subject, also brief, is Dying: A Memoir, by Cory Taylor.

What’s on your book club reading list for 2018?