Short books have their unique taste and fan following like long books. While the longer ones feed our minds with pages and pages of imagination and excitement, shorter ones can be crisper, swift, and sometimes deep impacting. This list of books under 200 pages presents a list of fiction as well as non fiction books.
Publishers these days accept books which are over a specific word count and therefore there are very few – if any – books in modern literature that are less than 200 pages and not a poetry book.
The list of 20 books given below which are less than 200 pages. These 20 Books under 200 pages comprises of books from multiple genres.
These books can entertain you, teach you, and at the same time, can be consumed with a quiet afternoon tea or coffee (with cookies of course!) There could be books other than those given below but the one’s I’ve selected are read and enjoyed by me and therefore come with a strong recommendation.
Here is the list of 20 Books under 200 pages:
A. FICTION
ANIMAL FARM by GEORGE ORWELL
This is a question of debate that do we categorize this book as non-fiction in 2022. The book is a satirical depiction of animals taking over a farm. These animals are overworked and ill-treated and they stir agitation with flaming slogans and idealistic speeches. They rise against the inhumane treatment by humans and take over – eventually becoming part of the thing they hate the most.
Just like 1984, this book is another of Orwell’s masterpieces which was although written decades ago, still turns out to be true today. Read this book not only to entertain yourself but also to educate. A deep impactful book that remains with you long after it is over.
THE DEATH OF IVAN ILYICH by LEO TOLSTOY
Death is inevitable and not everybody can be expected to stay prepared for it – especially not Ivan Ilyich who is a successful person by Russian standards, has a devoted wife, obedient kids, a well-paying job, and a palace-like home to stay. But tragedy strikes when he hears that he is going to die because of an ailment. The book describes the thoughts of Ivan Ilyich who could not take up the inevitable thought of death even when lying on his deathbed.
BREAKFAST AT TIFFANY’S by TRUMAN CAPOTE
This is the story of Holly Golightly who stays in the same apartment as the narrator. The book describes Holly as American Geisha who socializes with rich men. These rich men buy her expensive gifts and presents and she expects to marry one of them. Holly is not a prostitute but simply has clever ways of earning money – or like she calls herself – an American Geisha. This book is a perfect accompaniment on a quiet rainy evening with hot chocolate.
THE LITTLE PRINCE by ANTOINE de SAINT-EXUPERY
This little novella was written by a French aristocrat and military aviator and was first published in 1943 – which is why it has many elements of World war. The story is about a young prince who visits different planets and learns about friendship, loneliness, love, and loss. It is meant to serve both children and adults with impactful morals.
The book makes a fascinating observation about life and human nature. This little book has sold over 140 million copies worldwide and it’s a book when you want to feel good and learn something meaningful.
THE METAMORPHOSIS by FRANZ KAFKA
Originally published in German as Verwandlung, it was first published in 1915 and is known as one of the best works of Franz Kafka. The book tells the story of Gregor Samsa who finds that he becomes a huge insect one morning. The unexpected metamorphosis of Gregor leaves the family in turmoil – especially their finances are destabilized. But Gregor slowly starts getting used to his new identity as an insect and that is when unexpected things happen in their home. This book has been praised for its writing, style and the story itself is used in many pop cultures in various forms.
THE TIME MACHINE by H. G. WELLS
This book published in 1895 used the term The Time Machine for the first time and H.G.Wells is credited for popularizing this concept. This little book, for the first time, introduced the concept of using a vehicle or a machine to ‘travel’ from past to present or present to future. The story is about a time traveler who travels far into the future in the year A.D. 802,701 and then again 30 million years ahead to see dying earth. Wiser from his journey’s the time traveler returns to the present but with something from the future.
This book has been adapted in numerous plays and movies in different ways but the original book has a taste of its own. It’s my personal favorite as well!
THE BLUE UMBRELLA by RUSKIN BOND
Set in a little village, the book describes how a little girl called Binya receives a beautiful blue umbrella left by some foreigners in exchange for her leopard claw pendant. A shopkeeper tries to take away the umbrella from her in different ways but Binya has grown too close to the umbrella to leave it. The book has been adapted for a film that was awarded the National Film Award for Best Children’s film. Like all Ruskin Bond books, this one is also set in the lush green hills of Himachal Pradesh.
FRANKENSTEIN by MARY SHELLEY
This book was also known as The Modern Prometheus and was published in 1818. Unlike the popular notion, the monster has no name but the maker of the monster is named Victor Frankenstein who is a young scientist and is driven by grief when his mother dies of scarlet fever. He creates a humanoid who he calls The Creature.
The concept of Frankenstein is very popular across pop culture and there have been numerous adaptations of this story.
GENTLY FALLS THE BAKULA by SUDHA MURTY
This is the story of Shrikant and Shrimati who love each other but after their marriage, grow distant. With Shrikant busy in his corporate world, Shrimati is left alone and grows distant. The plot structure of this book narrates something that was common in the 80s and 90s rural and urban parts of India. Shrimati’s journey from no one to someone, while managing her dismantling marriage is a powerful one. Set in the cool northern Karnataka and Mumbai, this book beautifully represents women.
THE ALCHEMIST by PAULO COELHO
Originally written in Portuguese, The Alchemist was first published in 1988. It has since then become an international bestseller. It describes the journey of a shepherd named Santiago to the Pyramids in Egypt when he has a dream about a treasure being buried there. Along the journey, the protagonist grows and learns many things about the meaning of life. It is perhaps one of the most popular books which have been adapted as a graphic novel, theatrical play, and a possible film in the future.
Also read:10 Books To Get Ready For Next Decade
B. NON-FICTION / MOTIVATION / AUTOBIOGRAPHY
Next is the list of non fiction books under 200 pages
WHAT I TALK ABOUT WHEN I TALK ABOUT RUNNING by HARUKI MURAKAMI
This is a memoir by the Japanese author which describes his interest in marathon participation and how that is connected to his writing. He has invariably connected his writing process to his running experiences and the book is filled with enormous motivation. Murakami describes his journey from a small-time writer beautifully all the while motivating the readers to stay physically fit and mentally well.
SIDDHARTHA by HERMANN HESSE
This 1922 novel about an Indian man named Siddhartha was written by German writer Hermann Hesse. This book describes the self-discovery journey of a man named Siddhartha during the time of Gautam Buddha. Gautam Buddha’s name before his renunciation was also Siddhartha Gautama and he was the prince of Kapilvastu. The book was originally written in German in a lyrical but simple style and enlightens the readers about the experience of the totality of conscious events.
GEETANJALI by RABINDRANATH TAGORE
Although this is a collection of poems, it’s too beautifully written to be omitted from this list. It received the Nobel Prize for Literature and is a part of the UNESCO collection of representative works. The collection was first published in Bengali in 1912 and Tagore himself translated them to English. It is about the song offerings – or as the literal translation goes – I sing to thee.
A MOVEABLE FEAST by ERNEST HEMINGWAY
This book is a memoir of Ernest Hemingway in which he describes his life in Paris during the 1920s. While the majority of the book explains Hemingway’s daily life in Paris, his schedule, observations, and his life, some part of the book also explains his writing process or his thoughts on writing. He also narrates his encounters with F.Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald, James Joyce, Ezra Pound, Gertrude Stein, and many other notable figures of the time.
MAN’S SEARCH FOR MEANING by VIKTOR E. FRANKL
Viktor Frankl describes his horrible experiences as a prisoner in Nazi concentration camps during World War 2. He calls his method psychotherapeutic which he primarily employed to feel positive during his dark days at the camp. Frankl attempts to explain how everyday life in a concentration camp was reflected in the mind of an average prisoner. He says that the meaning of life is found in every moment – even in suffering. The book sold over 10 million copies and has been translated into 24 languages.
THE MONK WHO SOLD HIS FERRARI by ROBIN SHARMA
A very popular self-help motivational book by Robin Sharma, it narrates the spiritual journey of Julian mantle when he traveled to the Himalayas after selling his red Ferrari and his holiday home. The book is inspired by Sharma’s personal life in which he left his career as a litigation lawyer and took up writing at the age of 25. The book has sold over 3 million copies as of 2013.
THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF BENJAMIN FRANKLIN
Franklin called his work his memoirs but the book was published as his autobiography. It is considered an unfinished record of his own life and has become one of the most influential autobiographies ever written. The book is divided into four parts each of which explains his life chronologically along with his learnings which helped him become a polymath and an influential person that he was.
THE PROPHET by KHALIL GIBRAN
The Lebanese-American poet Khalil Gibran was influenced by Sufism, Islam as well as Baha I Faith – a combination of which can be seen in the book. It explains the story of Al Mustafa who has lived in a distant city for a long time. He is now ready to board a ship that will carry him home. He discusses topics such as life, love, marriage, birth, death, giving, eating, joy, sorrow, and others in the story. The book is translated into more than 100 languages and has sold more than nine million copies as of 2012.
WALKING by HENRY DAVID THOREAU
Thoreau delivered a lecture at Concord Lyceum on 23 April 1851. This lecture was extracted from his earlier journals and compiled as a book. It was first published as an essay in Atlantic Monthly in 1862. Thoreau describes and analyzes the relation between nature and man. He tries to find a balance between society and our raw nature. He shares his experiences that he learned from nature and says that nature itself is a spiritual experience. I encourage you to listen the audiobook of Walking when you go on a long walk.
ASTROPHYSICS FOR PEOPLE IN HURRY by NEIL DeGRASSE TYSON
The 2017 popular science book centers around many basic questions about the universe. It is a collection of essays which were published in Natural History magazine from 1997 to 2007. True to the title, the book does attempts to explain astrophysics quickly but easily for people in hurry.
Questions such as What is the nature of space and time? How do we fit within the universe? How does the universe fit within us? are beautifully and simply contemplated and discussed in this book. It debuted as #1 on New York Times Non-fiction Bestseller list.
Have you read any of these 20 Books under 200 pages?