Of all the prompts in our Rory Gilmore reading challenge to read one book per month from the Gilmore Girls book list, short books just may be my favorite. They are proof that reading something meaningful doesn’t have to be a tedious or overwhelming project, especially during summer!
Our particular catalog includes some older, tried-and-true reads, as well as some newer and more culturally relevant, zeitgeist kind of books. So, grab one small read for a lazy day in the sun and turn the last page feeling like you accomplished something big. That’s what this month’s challenge is all about.
Featured Book Author of the Month: William Shakespeare
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For the second month in a row, I’ve decided I will feature an author instead of a book: William Shakespeare. His name alone is mentioned seven times in Gilmore Girls (only Charles Dickens is named more often—I know, I tracked it). His titles? Twenty-one mentions, making his works the most essential Gilmore Girls classics. I’m not picking just one because I want you to pick!
I’m a huge fan of Shakespeare, despite being hard to read, and not just because we can knock one out over a few hours, then casually remark, “Oh, I was busy reading Shakespeare this weekend.”
What hooks me is Shakespeare’s ability to dig deep into the fiercest motivations that drive our actions—for better or worse. To me, reading Shakespeare is like watching reality TV, where truth is often stranger than fiction. Shakespeare somehow captures the “you can’t make this stuff up” kind of plots, which is why, I think, his work remains so timeless. Time passes, but our strongest emotions remain the same.
Tip: Sixteen of Shakespeare’s twenty-one mentions on Gilmore Girls qualify as “short” books, and if you want to make them even easier: read No Fear editions, which have the original Shakespearean text on the left and a modern translation on the right (I swear by them); watch a performance or adaptation; and/or read summaries as you move through the text.
The Comedy of Errors by William Shakespeare
Hamlet by William Shakespeare (my favorite; it reminded me of Dateline—seriously!)
Henry IV, Part I by William Shakespeare
Henry IV, Part II by William Shakespeare
Henry V by William Shakespeare
Henry VIII by William Shakespeare
Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare
Macbeth by William Shakespeare (the recent book adaptation was great and really helped)
Measure for Measure by William Shakespeare
The Merchant of Venice by William Shakespeare
The Merry Wives of Windsor by William Shakespeare
A Midsummer Night’s Dream by William Shakespeare (my current read)
Othello by William Shakespeare
Richard III by William Shakespeare
Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare (easy-ish; a great place to start)
“Sonnet 116” by William Shakespeare (literally fourteen lines and, bam, you’re done!)
Stay tuned for a full post on Shakespeare later this month! I think Paris Geller would be proud of us.
10 Popular Short Classic Books Everyone Should Read
The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger: Many, but not everyone’s, favorite coming-of-age novel and banned book, is still worth it either way because it’s so ubiquitous.
Charlotte’s Web by E.B. White: One of the most beloved children’s books of all-time that’s really for all ages; read with a little one or on your own.
A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens: Worth the read even if you know this famous holiday story; an easy classic with lovely prose that makes for a great entry point.
Frankenstein by Mary Shelley: Easier than you think, with themes so true to today, you’ll get chills with this cozy fall read
The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald: Arguably the Great American Novel; symbolic of the American Dream.
The Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka: Makes a statement about humanity in a short and easy-to-read way.
Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck: Easy, emotional, and historically significant; a fan favorite
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen: Her most beloved rom-com; arguably the most famous love story of all-time.
Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare: Arguably his most widely known and quoted work; a great entry point and an iconic Gilmore Girls read.
Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut: War stories are important classics to read, and this one does a lot in a compulsively readable and memorable way.
For much more about these books, listen to the full podcast episode on: Substack | Apple | Spotify | Amazon | YouTube
Community Recommendations
Paid subscriber Olivia recommended Call of the Wild (which was on Gilmore Girls) as eye-opening, and Elle Reads Library Books shared Birthday Girl by Murakami as her #1, but also the Greenhollow duology (“a weird little fantasy story about a man who wanders deep into the English woods, and green magic intrigue ensues.”) and A Month in the Country by J.L. Carr (her “hands down” favorite short classic).
Full List of 190 Short Book Recommendations by Page Number
Of the 475+ books on the Gilmore Girls reading list, 190 are (approximately) under 300 pages (page numbers do vary across editions). Some are poems as short as one page, so you truly can do it this month in just a few minutes. No excuses! Check out the shortest ones to see how many I’ve been able to easily knock off this list and do the same.
The full list with my reviews is below the paywall, due to the substantial time and expense of running this reading challenge, and to keep my reviews a bit more private from living authors. In addition to exclusive content like the list below and full community access, paid members get printables, such as a 15-page index of 475+ books on Gilmore Girls by episode.
Your subscription helps you commit more deeply to this fun yet meaningful reading challenge, provides a safe virtual space to engage, and supports the human work and mission behind it—to inspire the reading of the most culturally iconic books of all time. Are you with me?!
