READING WILL SAVE YOU! (part 2 out of a hopefully endless series)

One of my favourite pastimes is to talk about the books I read. Sometimes, I dream about this being my job, but then I reflect upon some of my reviews, and realise that the chances of me getting paid to share a sentence and a half of My Thoughts™ are very very very slim.

My friend and I have recently had an equally difficult week, and after dissecting each of our emotions in excruciating detail, we were walking (at the book fair! out of all places!), and she turned to me suddenly and said ‘you know what’s really helped me last week, and what I’ve realised has been helping me in general?’ and I screeched like a banshee when she said reading, because this thought has been in the forefront of my mind for as long as I can remember.

I’ve mentioned before that reading is one of the things that has saved me multiple times, and whenever I come back to it after a long absence, I realise just how much of an impact it has had on my mental health and my life in general. Coincidently, it has also been a key solution when it comes to fixing my beyond fried attention span (read as: the most consistent hurdle in my life).

I’ve been trying to combat this by squeezing in more short reads in order to:

1. Experience the specific beauty of humanity that can be achieved through literacy

2. Obtain the MASSIVE dopamine hit that comes after finishing a book quicker than usual1

In my opinion, it’s even more commendable when an author delivers their message clearly with a fewer number of pages, as I am personally able to remember the book and their points for a much longer period of time. Some might say that reading shorter books to reach your goal is cheating, and to those imaginary opps, I say, leave me alone.

If you’re trying to get into reading again and can’t be bothered with a bigger book, have a look at some of my picks below. I guarantee you that at least one of them will grab your attention. I hope. Don’t sue me if that’s not the case. 2

1. The Prophet by Kahlil Gibran - 108 pages

This is one of my favourite poetry books of all time, and it’s one of the very few books that I have reread in my life (I actually don’t remember rereading any other English book as an adult). The Prophet, to me, is an embodiment of the purest form of love and reminds me of the beauty that comes with opening your heart and living. The prose in it flows as gently as a river. It’s sweet and powerful and I love to return to it and the memories I have associated with it over and over and over again.

2. Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck - 73 pages

I know putting this as a book that you should read is very English Teacher™ of me, but listen… they were teaching you this in school for a reason! Not my high school though they were too busy yelling at us about dyed hair and the fact that we were playing football during our lunch break. In my humble and definitely correct opinion, John Steinbeck is one of the greatest writers of our time. A master in setting a scene, creating American characters, and delivering a gut punch so powerful it knocks you off your feet, even though you can anticipate it from miles away. I was shocked at how much this novella affected me given how short it is.

3. A View from the Bridge by Arthur Miller - 96 pages

A play about jealousy, family, prejudice, TERRIBLE men…I thought this was absolutely unhinged and EXCELLENT. If you’re in a reading slump, this will take you out of it. I read it in one sitting after midnight and was not able to go to sleep afterwards because I was thinking about it for hours on end. I’m going to say something controversial here and you’re gonna have to bear with me. In some way…Eddie was right…. You should never, ever, ever trust a blonde man. Don’t take his advice or look at him as an inspiration in any other way though.

4. Perfect Victims by Mohammed El-Kurd - 160 pages (everything after that page is references and acknowledgements so I’m not counting them okay!!!)

I put this in for my political girlies, and also because this was my favourite book of 2025. You know what… BIG love, but Mohammed El Kurd sometimes gets on my nerves.. HOWEVER, I think this is genuinely the best written English book on Palestine from this century. Profound, unflinching, sharp critique of Zionists and their propaganda - I genuinely did not want this book to finish, and I wish it was longer. I think about the quote I have referenced from this book very frequently.

5. Reflections by Gai Eaton - 180 pages

This is the first book that pops into my head when someone asks me for a recommendation. It’s such a unique introduction to Islam, written beautifully, and focusing on so many aspects of the religion that often get swept under the rug; our responsibility towards the planet and the animals around us, environmentalism, balance in our daily life. This collection of.. reflections if you will.. serves as an excellent and vital reminder, no matter where you are in your religious journey. Even if you aren’t Muslim, I’d highly recommend you check it out.3

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In conclusion, reading will save us, short books are the best, and I am a firm believer that introducing shorter books into your daily routine will help fix your attention span and your LIFE (probably. I hope).

Let me know your favourite short reads so I can check them out and hopefully include them in a new post soon! Also, let me know if you’d like more of these recommendations, I am more than happy to oblige :~)