Classics Without All the Class discussion

What classics could be considered a quick read? The Tators all decided it should probably be 250 or less (although there's no hard and fast rule, that's just a number we decided on for our purposes).

The Time Machine is one that springs to mind.

What springs to yours?

Bartleby, the Scrivener

64 pages!

Ethan Frome, by Edith Wharton. One of my all time favorites.

I am looking forward to reading The Invention of Morel. Not only is is short and sweet, but it look like a great book! :)

of mice and men. loved it.

I always thought these were short/good reads from what I can remember.

To Kill A Mockingbird
A Separate Peace
Lord of the Flies
Animal Farm

To be honest, I read The Color Purple in one sitting. I put my kids to bed at 7pm and finished the book at midnight. It may be over the 250 pages, but the book was so engaging and easy to read that I just flew through it.

Alex wrote: "Some of my favourite writers were masters of the novella, and the best thing about the art form is that it's the perfect introduction to a writer. Don't have time for Moby-Dick but want to read Mel..."

I think a lot of us would like to see that post, Alex. Most of us can't get enough of the topic of books. Hell, lately I have been spending more time reading about reading than actually reading (Did you follow me there? LOL) for the podcast and the blog.

Thanks for the recommendations also!

Jessica wrote: "Animal Farm"

I second Animal Farm. Wonderful wonderful book (not very 'sweet' though!)

Louise wrote: "Jessica wrote: "Animal Farm"

I second Animal Farm. Wonderful wonderful book (not very 'sweet' though!)"

Yeah, I got excited and forgot about the "sweet" part. I decided to focus on the short part. I tend to overlook things at times.

Breakfast at Tiffany's , the novella, is pretty good. It's really very little like the movie, so even if you feel put off by Moonriver and Mickey Rooney's scary comedy racism from the flick you'll find something 'new' in the original. Like Alex above suggested, a good intro to Capote without having to slog through In Cold Blood. ( Capote's short story anthologies are really good too.)

Karena wrote: "I think a lot of us would like to see that post, Alex. Most of us can't get enough of the topic of books. Hell, lately I have been spending more time reading about reading than actually reading (Did you follow me there? LOL) for the podcast and the blog. "

I'd like to see that, too.

It often seems that I spend more time thinking about or reading about books than actually reading them. I spend a lot of time looking for good books for my kids to read or to read with them. I even still read to them from time to time though they are teenagers.

Another short but not sweet, though worth reading is Melville's Billy Budd.

Angie wrote: "I am looking forward to reading The Invention of Morel. Not only is is short and sweet, but it look like a great book! :)"

Such a good book. And you can read it in a few days for sure.

Alice in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass are short and amazing.

I always thought that for the subject, information and suspense, The Silence of the Lambs was always a short read. More than 250, but not by too much and short, precise chapters that keep you turning the pages.
The Hobbit was short too.
And one that's less than 250 is The City and the Pillar by Gore Vidal.
And isn't Frankenstein a short one too?

I'm not sure it counts as a classic in that it's a bit obscure, but Marcel Schwob's The Children's Crusade is a very brief book and in my opinion a masterpiece (particularly the Leper's Tale).

Albert Camus' The Stranger is less than 200 pages, I believe.

Jessica wrote: "Louise wrote: "Jessica wrote: "Animal Farm"

I second Animal Farm. Wonderful wonderful book (not very 'sweet' though!)"

Yeah, I got excited and forgot about the "sweet" part. I decided to focus on..."

You guys are so literal! (I am punny). I was pretending to be clever when I put the sweet part. Like "keep it short and sweet." Content can be whatever, just talking about the length. :)

The Hours.interesting book and short too...

Sherlock Holmes - any and all. The novels are really almost novellas in length and the short stories (obviously) are short too.

Ghost Stories of an Antiquary by M.R. James - not sure it'd be considered a classic by this group (it's certainly a classic within the more narrow gothic/ghost story genre) but M.R James' Ghost Stories (this is just the first/best known collection) are all wonderfuly creepy. But again short stories rather than short novels or novellas

Carmilla - by Le Fanu. I've not read it yet but it's on my shelf. A novella featuring a female vampire that predated and influenced Dracula.

Im not sure if it counts as a classic, but it sure is short and sweet: The Little Prince and Alice in Wonderland!

Alice in Wonderland is certainly a classic!

Did anyone mention The Call of the Wild? If I recall correctly, most of Jack London's books are shortish.

Karena wrote: "Jessica wrote: "Louise wrote: "Jessica wrote: "Animal Farm"

I second Animal Farm. Wonderful wonderful book (not very 'sweet' though!)"

Yeah, I got excited and forgot about the "sweet" part. I dec..."
Animal Farm was excellent! I just read that recently.

Siddhartha is really short. As are all of the Sherlock Holmes stories.

Crystal wrote: "Siddhartha is really short. As are all of the Sherlock Holmes stories."

Siddhartha is wonderful. Very poetic and thoughtful.

A Clockwork Orange is a short one.
So's 1984.

The Turn of the Screw

White Nights

Laura wrote: "Karena wrote: "What classics could be considered a quick read? The Tators all decided it should probably be 250 or less (although there's no hard and fast rule, that's just a number we decided on f..."

Thanks! I actually am not looking for myself, if you look at my shelves I have enough to keep me busy. I just wanted to open a topic for discussion for everyone. :)

Also if you have books to suggest, we have a link here. http://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/1... (I would make it look all nice, but i'm too tired to mess with the html. LOL) Angie is really good about adding them. :)

A Room with a View and Where Angels Fear to Tread by E.M. Forster are great reads and both very short.

Brave New World
The Secret Garden
Daddy-Long-Legs
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
Alice in Wonderland
The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde

84, Charing Cross Road. I love it.

Adam wrote: "The list grows! Maybe the group should have a bookshelf for these as well as another one for the monster reads?"

Actually we have! It's called Quick reads. :) A couple of us were actually talking about the short books and that's what led to the monster reads as well.

I loved 84, Charing Cross Road, too. Such a sweet and funny quick read for book lovers.

holly rose wrote: "of mice and men. loved it."

No. 1 in my lists!!! ;o)

Tessa wrote: "Im not sure if it counts as a classic, but it sure is short and sweet: The Little Prince and Alice in Wonderland!"

I'd be very surprised Tessa if they are not considered classics. I've read "The Little Prince" a few times; as for "Alice ...", I was given that for Christmas as a child, still have it, have yet to crack the cover! ;o)

Alex wrote: "Some of my favourite writers were masters of the novella, and the best thing about the art form is that it's the perfect introduction to a writer. Don't have time for Moby-Dick but want to read Mel..."

"The Death of Ivan ..." I happened to pick up by chance, relished it! Wonder why I haven't picked up any others written by Tolstoy? Probably put off by the size! ;o)

"The Death of Ivan ..." was also my first, but only, Alex. You've tempted me to look into the other titles you've mentioned ... I can do novella! ;o)

HeatherIlene wrote: "Albert Camus' The Stranger is less than 200 pages, I believe."

Great suggestion. Added it today.

Liz wrote: "Tessa wrote: "Im not sure if it counts as a classic, but it sure is short and sweet: The Little Prince and Alice in Wonderland!"

I'd be very surprised Tessa if they are not considered classics. I'..."

Definitely considered children's classics. ;)

Laura wrote: "I think I'll jump on the Tolstoy bandwagon. I've started War and Peace a handful of times and never stuck with it. A novella is just the ticket!"

Laura wrote: "I think I'll jump on the Tolstoy bandwagon. I've started War and Peace a handful of times and never stuck with it. A novella is just the ticket!"

Just downloaded three of those suggested from my library on to my Nook not only for free but for as long as I want them! ;o)

Alex wrote: "Some of these will be on the boundaries of word count but here are some recommendations I'd categorise as 'short novels' (others will disagree):

pre-1910:

Hunger by Nobel-laureate Knut Hamsun, ab..."

These are all great suggestions. I added the ones we didn't already have on our bookshelf. Thanks!

Margaret wrote: "Karena wrote: "I think a lot of us would like to see that post, Alex. Most of us can't get enough of the topic of books. Hell, lately I have been spending more time reading about reading than actua..."

A great suggestion for our bookshelf. Added it today! :)

Lohengrin wrote: "I'm not sure it counts as a classic in that it's a bit obscure, but Marcel Schwob's The Children's Crusade is a very brief book and in my opinion a masterpiece (particularly the Leper's Tale)."

Karu wrote: "Angie wrote: "I am looking forward to reading The Invention of Morel. Not only is is short and sweet, but it look like a great book! :)"

Such a good book. And you can read it in a few days for sur..."<

I am having a difficult time finding a Goodreads link to this book in English. If you can provide a link, I will take a look at it and consider it for our shelf. ;)

Adam wrote: "The Time Machine
The War of the Worlds
The Island of Dr. Moreau
The First Men in the Moon
The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde

These are all considered novellas and often turn up in collect..."

Thanks! I added the suggestion that we don't already have to our bookshelf. I have a really cool copy of The War of the Worlds and The Time Machine in one book from 1964. You read one going one direction and then flip the book over and read the other from the other side of the book. It has great silk screened graphics. I would love to get a chance to read these in this group! :)

Angie: Here it is (The invention of Morel): http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/94...

Laura wrote: "LaLaLa Laura wrote: "Bartleby, the Scrivener

My favorite Melville!

The Third Man
Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?
Death in Venice
Haroun And The Sea Of Stories
The Dead
Double Indemnity
Gren..."

I added all other than books I had already added from the other thread except Haroun And The Sea Of Stories because it is a children's story. Thanks again for a great list of books!

Andreea wrote: "The Hours.interesting book and short too..."

I added this to our bookshelf today! Thanks!

Louise wrote: "Sherlock Holmes - any and all. The novels are really almost novellas in length and the short stories (obviously) are short too.

Ghost Stories of an Antiquary by M.R. James - not sure it'd be cons..."

Horror classics! I love it. Added them today! :)

Karu wrote: "Angie: Here it is (The invention of Morel): http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/94..."

Oh, sorry Karu! I actually responded to the wrong thread. I'm looking for an English version of The Children's Crusade. ;) Thanks though!!

Lohengrin wrote: "I'm not sure it counts as a classic in that it's a bit obscure, but Marcel Schwob's The Children's Crusade is a very brief book and in my opinion a masterpiece (particularly the Leper's Tale)."

Lohengrin, If you can provide me with a link to this book in English, I will check it out to see if we can add it to our bookshelf. Thanks!

Margaret wrote: "Alice in Wonderland is certainly a classic!

Did anyone mention The Call of the Wild? If I recall correctly, most of Jack London's books are shortish."

Added Call of the Wild today! Thanks!