5 Quick Reads for Busy People

I am a voracious reader and have been faithfully setting reading goals for myself on Goodreads since 2013. Due to a move and job change in 2014, I ended up reading the most I've ever read in a year, 117 books. While I haven't been able to read nearly that much since, I do strive to read at least 50 books per year. 

Now that reading transcripts is my full-time job, finding time to read for pleasure has become quite a challenge. I've always preferred fiction over non-fiction when it comes to reading for pleasure, and I've come across several books recently that are quick, yet satisfying reads that I can squeeze in between transcripts.

You Think It, I'll Say It by Curtis Sittenfeld
Curtis Sittenfeld has written two of my favorite books of the past several years, American Wife and Sisterland. This book, a collection of short stories, is just as captivating and engrossing as her novels. Each story feels modern and relatable, set in the '90s through present day. I'm always amazed when an author can take just a few pages to give us everything we need to know about the characters, and she does this masterfully. 

Interpreter of Maladies by Jhumpa Lahiri
I absolutely adore this short story collection by one of my favorite authors, Jhumpa Lahiri. Her ability to share the Indian-American experience and weave completely relatable stories makes her a true master of her craft. While these stories are not light reading, they are captivating in their nature. A bonus read by Lahiri for when you have extra reading time is her novel, The Namesake. 

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows
Written as a series of letters, this novel is set in the shadow of WWII as Germany has taken over the island of Guernsey located in the English Channel. Juliet, a writer living in London, begins a correspondence with members of a secret book club in Guernsey. The story unfolds from there and you are blessed to become acquainted with some of the greatest characters ever written.

Parnassus on Wheels by Christopher Morley
Helen McGill is tired of being her adult brother's cook and maid, and on a whim, purchases a traveling bookshop and sets out on an adventure. One of the things that makes this book incredible is the fact that it was written in 1917 and has an independent woman as its main character. At less than 200 pages, this is a humorous and quick read, perfect for anyone who loves books. 

My Name is Lucy Barton, Elizabeth Strout
This is one of my favorite books of all time. This novel is written very much like a series of connected short stories. Lucy Barton's life is examined in a series of vignettes, from her childhood and strained relationship with her parents in Amgash, Illinois, to her adult life as a wife and mother. Strout wrote a companion book to My Name is Lucy Barton called Anything is Possible.

What are some of your favorite quick reads?