Short Novels to Dip Into This Summer

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Reading short novels and encountering a range of characters’ worlds in quick succession can be a singular pleasure, especially in the summertime.

First, here are four new stories from The Atlantic:

• Elon Musk really broke Twitter this time.
• The last place on Earth any tourist should go
• The all-volunteer force is in crisis.
• Why Republicans keep calling for the end of birthright citizenship

Taut and Potent

My most controversial opinion is that most books should be either 100 or 1,000 pages. I am joking, obviously—sort of. Length is not a good proxy for quality, and a story should take the time it demands. But after years of gravitating toward baggy narrative journeys, I have lately become enchanted by novellas.

I admire short novels in last week, slim volumes are having a moment. Dwyer identifies “a desire among general audiences for the concise, intense books that have been gaining momentum in the literary fiction and nonfiction categories in recent years.” She reports that Annie Ernaux’s last fall played a role in calcifying the prestige of potent, short works.