Remember when? Waaaaay back in January. Probably December, even? When you promised yourself that you would be a better person this year?

Yep. You said you were going to be good to yourself—challenge body, mind and soul. You were going to read books outside of the required reading for class. You know you were. Or you wanted to. But now the semester has started and my god, who has the time?

Now you’ve got the time. Intense undercover investigation has been done to bring the best of the best in short stories and quick novels your way. Now, there’s no pressure. And no reason not to get a little pleasure reading done in between sports and trivia at Patty’s and homework and The Office and your sorority meeting and that dinner date and a last minute paper.

9 stories

J.D. Salinger

A group of short (and fantastic) stories written by recently deceased American author J.D. Salinger. Each story is about 10-20 pages long and totally worth it. Not much of a time commitment to take it one story at a time. Plus, if you read it in public you’ll give off that cool and artsy vibe that’s so trendy right now. And that indie girl will go for you. FINALLY. But she’s really just a phony anyway.

“Mr. J.D. Salinger has a most extraordinary talent … one of the most distinguished writers of the contemporary generation.” – San Francisco Chronicle

Ex Libris

Anne Fadiman

Like books? Probably not as much as she does. But I’m sure you’ll love this one. Each chapter is a glimpse into the life of a full-bookworm. This piece of non-fiction is an excellent example of the personal essay. It relates a lifetime love affair with books and words and language, incorporating the books Fadiman has read into the stories of her own life.

“A smart little book that one can happily welcome into the family and allow to start growing old.” – The New York Times

Interpreter of Maladies

Jhumpa Lahiri

This book changed my life. Or at least my perspective on a lot of things. It’s a collection of short stories about a bunch of different people, with similar themes running throughout. Hardships, friendships, spaceships [not really]. This book won the 2000 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction and was Lahiri’s debut collection.

“A wonderfully distinctive new voice … Ms. Lahiri’s prose is so eloquent and assured that the reader easily forgets that Interpreter of Maladies is a young writer’s first book.” – New York Times

Slapstick

Kurt Vonnegut

Okay, you got me. It’s a book. A real one, with a plot that continues throughout all of its chapters. But here’s that thing—each chapter is literally 1-2 pages. And it’s so good. And the main character is an all powerful King of Manhattan and President of the United States who collects candlesticks and is a certified genius. Also ugly. So ugly. But I mean, I’d do him. But not really—he’s a fictional character, so no.

In all seriousness this book is a must read. In much of the same Vonnegut style we all know and love, it is a great commentary on the way things are and may eventually wind up.

“Both funny and sad … Just about perfect!” – Los Angeles Times

No one belongs here more than you

Miranda July

A collection of short stories that are so worth your time [what little you have to spare]. So worth it in fact, that a high school friend of mine got the title of the book tattooed across her pelvis. I don’t know what that says about her, but I know it says a lot about the book. It’s good. July is an award-winning filmmaker and performing artist who has successfully channeled her talents into a new arena of work.

“It is the pure and exquisite honesty of July’s voice that will make her readers feel understood.” – Los Angeles Times