Under Two Hundred Pages
A selection of short books that can be read in a day.
Night Flight by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
De Saint-Exupéry's semi-autobiographical novel revolves around nocturne postal flights. One night, three airplanes are expected to return to Buenos Aires from Patagonia, Paraguay and Chile, as the routine requires. Then, the mail is supposed to continue to Europe. However, a heavy storm is causing trouble, especially for Fabien, who tries to pilot his aircraft through tough conditions, when flying near the Andes. On the ground, Rivière, the director, tries to track the airplane, while collecting information to find a safe place for Fabien to do an emergency landing. But the storm is hitting from all directions and the remaining petrol will eventually be over.
The Bookshop by Penelope Fitzgerald
This novel features Florence Green, a widow who decides to open a bookshop in the small English coastal town where she resides. For that, she secures a loan and buys the Old House—a long-time neglected property. In the meantime, Violet Gamart has her own plans for this place, wishing to transform it into an art center, and tries to convince Florence to change her mind, unsuccessfully. This story does not depict a cute little bookshop, nor does it follow the ordinary pattern of goal-struggles-achievement. It is a societal critique of the way people use money and power for their interests, which Fitzgerald showcases quietly in just some chapters.
Offshore by Penelope Fitzgerald
The book revolves around a group of outsiders who live in houseboats on a stretch of the Thames. We meet Nena—a Canadian woman with her two daughters, Maurice—a male prostitute, Richard and Laura—a couple who own "Lord Jim", Harry—a thief, and Willis—a painter, whose boat is slowly sinking. Through daily events that unfold around them, we are offered little glimpses of their lives and how they manage to go on. The primary focus is on Nena, who is unofficially separated from her husband but is still devoted to him. Overall, there is not much of a plot going on—Fitzgerald's work concentrates more on the psychological human aspect, creating characters that feel "real".
Last Summer in the City by Gianfranco Calligarich
Leo Gazarra is a journalist, moving from Milan to Rome to find work. Having no high ambitions whatsoever, he starts hanging out with wealthy people only to live off of them, using their money, their cars, and houses. Struggling to find pure joy in anything, Leo perceives the superficiality that lies in the higher class but feels pitifulness for his own life too, being constantly dependent and nowhere stable. Alongside him, the city of Rome is the other protagonist, shining under the bright summer sunlight or under the moonlight, during nights of sweet breeze.
Childhood by Tove Ditlevsen
This is the first book in The Copenhagen Trilogy—Tove Ditlevsen's autobiography that features different stages of her life: from youth to later years. In this volume we follow Ditlevsen in her early life. Born to a poor family in Denmark and living in an impoverished neighborhood, she realized her vocation as a poet and thus dreamt big. Through her charming writing, she deals with family relationships (especially with her mother), childhood trauma and early memories.
Note: No AI was used to write this post.