5 Short Books to Read in a Day

"Anthony has served an ace," with this tale of a disaffected 1950s housewife who refuses to leave her apartment complex pool. "This superb short novel, about a marriage at its breakpoint, deserves to become a classic," raved NPR.

In this collection, the writer, actor, and director transforms the smallest moments—awkward encounters, misunderstandings—into powerful reflections on loneliness and connection. "July is near perfect here, writing with empathy and sweetness and drawing humor from the itchily uncomfortable," raved Los Angeles Magazine.

Told from three perspectives, this gripping novel unravels over the course of a single, explosive day. "As short and sharp as a pairing knife... Agbaje-Williams writes in a fluid, conversational style that dissolves paper and ink into sound waves... The novel is so theatrical in its structure and immediacy that the moment you finish reading it, you'll imagine you actually heard it," raved The Washington Post.

From a Nobel laureate and two time Booker Prize-winning author comes a complex love story about the unlikely relationship between an extravagant Polish pianist and his wealthy benefactor, which The Wall Street Journal called "quick, deft, stimulating, stripped-down but unexpectedly moving, it's a return to form by a writer who can make music from the fewest possible notes."

The influential physicist and bestselling author takes us on a fascinating, time-bending journey through space and time, exploring the concept of white holes in this highly accessible, philosophical exploration of the universe. “Physics meets philosophy — and Dante — in possibly the most charming book by a mainstream scientist,” hailed The Financial Times.