10 great books that you can read in a day

Illustration. A line drawing of a pile of books, seen from the bottom. A long ribbon flops out of one like a forked tongue.

We’ve all been there.

We’re in a reading slump. We just need one book to jump-start our reading again.

Or we want to read something different yet inspiring. Books we can read in a day.

To help get you out of that slump and inspired, I’ve listed ten great books you can read in a day. Each is a different genre or theme.

From humour to horror, from fairytales to the paranormal. There’s something for everyone.

Each book has inspired me. Let’s see if they can do the same for you.

Modern Classic

Written in 1966, “The Wide Sargasso Sea” by Jean Rhys is a prequel to the main events of Charlotte Brontës’ “Jane Eyre”. For the most impact, read this modern classic after the Brontë original.

Classic Novel

Staying with the Brontë family, we have “Agnes Grey” by Anne Brontë. Young Agnes is determined to support her family financially. But the harsh realities of being a Governess take a toll on her resolve and health.

Humour

Booksellers can get some strange requests. “Weird Things Customers Say in Bookshops” by Jen Campbell is a collection of those peculiar requests, unusual questions and overheard conversations.

Fairytale

When fairytales collide, all is not as it seems. A Princess postpones her wedding to discover the origins of a growing threat, a sleeping sickness spreading across the land. “The Sleeper and the Spindle” is a reimagined fairytale from the combined powers of author Neil Gaiman and illustrator Chris Riddell.

Translated

Keiko has never fit in. And at thirty-six, her family and friends are pressuring her to get married or get a better job. But Keiko finds purpose in working at her convenience store. “Konbini Ningen” or “Convenience Store Woman” is written by Sayaka Murata and translated from Japanese to English by Ginny Tapley Takemori.

Ghost story

Seeking proof of the paranormal, Dr Montague invites several guests to stay for the summer at Hill House. Each has experienced paranormal activity before, but is anyone prepared for what happens next? “The Haunting of Hill House” is a gothic psychological horror by Shirley Jackson.

Short-story

Charlotte Perkins Gilman’s “The Yellow Wallpaper” is inspired by true stories. The narrator is a new mother undergoing a ‘rest cure’ by her Doctor-husband. Locked in a room and not allowed to read, write or draw, the young woman is repulsed by and drawn to the yellow wallpaper.

Short-story collection

Sticking with our theme of short stories and the colour yellow is “The King In Yellow” by Robert W.Chambers. In this collection of short stories, it’s the first four are the most famous. Each mention The King in Yellow, a forbidden play that none can read without succumbing to despair or madness.

Essays

“The Fire Next Time” comprises two essays by renowned author James Baldwin. In "My Dungeon Shook: Letter to my Nephew on the One-Hundredth Anniversary of the Emancipation," Baldwin writes to his nephew, comparing him to the men in the family and emphasising the intrinsic dignity of black people. "Down at the Cross: Letter from a Region of My Mind" discusses Baldwin’s experiences of religion and its impact on Black Americans.

Speeches

“No One Is Too Small To Make A Difference” is a collection of speeches written and presented by Greta Thunberg about global warming and the climate crisis. It includes the speech “Our House Is on Fire”.