EPL Picks: Quick and Easy Literary ReadsLike this list

13 items

• The Buddha in the Attic

  Otsuka, Julie, 1962-

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  Told in a hypnotic first-person voice, this novella traces the lives of Japanese “picture brides” in early 20th-century America. Lyrical and unforgettable — less than 150 pages.

• We Have Always Lived in the Castle

  Jackson, Shirley, 1916-1965

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  Gothic and darkly funny, this short novel follows two eccentric sisters living in isolation after a family tragedy. Quick to read, impossible to forget.

• The Reluctant Fundamentalist

  Hamid, Mohsin, 1971-

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  Told as a single conversation over one evening, this slim, suspenseful novel explores identity, politics, and belonging in a post-9/11 world.

• The House on Mango Street

  Cisneros, Sandra

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  Told in brief vignettes, this modern classic captures a young Latina girl’s coming of age in Chicago. Poetic, simple, and deeply moving.

• The Sense of An Ending

  Barnes, Julian

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  A reflective, tightly written novella about memory and regret. Elegant, haunting, and perfectly digestible in a weekend.

• Heart of Darkness

  Conrad, Joseph, 1857-1924

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  A dense but brief journey up the Congo River and into the human soul. Its layered storytelling and psychological tension make it both gripping and unsettling.

• Dept. of Speculation

  Offill, Jenny, 1968-

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  Fragmented and funny, this novella about marriage and motherhood reads like poetry disguised as prose. Perfect for reading in short bursts.

• Of Mice and Men

  Steinbeck, John, 1902-1968

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  A classic that’s only about 100 pages long — tender, tragic, and timeless. Ideal for anyone wanting to dip into literary canon without intimidation.

• So Long, See You Tomorrow

  Maxwell, William, 1908-2000

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  A brief, reflective novel about childhood friendship and loss. Quiet, luminous writing that stays with you long after the last page.

• Metamorphosis

  Kafka, Franz, 1883-1924

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  When Gregor Samsa wakes up one morning to find himself transformed into a giant insect, his entire world unravels. Absurd, tragic, and darkly funny, this is a surreal classic that still bites.

• Train Dreams

  Johnson, Denis, 1949-2017

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  A novella spanning one man’s life in the early 20th-century American West. Sparse, moving, and as grand as a full-length novel.

• The Old Man and the Sea

  Hemingway, Ernest, 1899-1961

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  A short masterpiece about an aging fisherman’s battle with a giant marlin and with his own endurance. Simple on the surface, profound underneath.

• Foster

  Keegan, Claire

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  A perfectly crafted novella about a neglected girl sent to live with foster parents in rural Ireland. Quietly devastating and easily read in a single sitting.