Nobel Prize winners tend to intimidate readers with their reputation for being dense or inaccessible, but many of these authors wrote concise works that allow readers to enter their world without stumbling on the first page.
These titles serve as a gateway, showcasing the author’s voice, literary vision, and the types of questions they raise. This is a great way to start reading a Nobel Prize winner without investing many hours of your time.
The Stranger, Albert Camus
Short Novel
Published: 1942
Pages: 123
Author’s nationality: French
This is one of the most influential novels of the 20th century and the most direct entry point into Albert Camus’ thinking.
The book follows Meursault, an emotionally distant man living in Algiers whose life takes a radical turn after committing murder on a beach. The narrative focuses on the protagonist’s indifference to social codes and how that attitude weighs more heavily in his trial than the crime itself.
The impact of the book lies in its sobriety. It does not need complicated twists and turns — the clash between an individual who refuses to pretend and an environment that demands “correct” emotions sustains all the tension.
Who’d like this?
This book is recommended for those who seek short narratives that raise uncomfortable questions about human behavior and the weight of social scrutiny.
Camus, who would later receive the Nobel Prize in Literature, poured his interest in morality, justice, and identity in colonial societies into this work, without making speeches, but rather by letting Meursault’s stance make the reader uncomfortable from the first paragraph.
Quotes
- “It is better to burn than to disappear.”
- “Since we’re all going to die, it’s obvious that when and how don’t matter.”
Readers say
- “The Stranger, by Albert Camus, took only five hours or so to read but was worth every penny, mainly because of the author’s unique writing style, which is economical of words, while saying a lot,” says an Amazon user.
- “Interesting book that makes you think,” says an Amazon user.
The Tale of the Unknown Island, José Saramago
Short Novel
Published: 1997
Pages: 51
Author’s nationality: Portuguese
The Tale of the Unknown Island is a short story in which José Saramago presents a seemingly simple plot: a man asks the king for a ship to search for an island that, according to him, does not yet appear on any map.
The plot follows his initiative and the unexpected company of a woman who leaves the palace to join the expedition. The work appeared in a literary period that preceded the Nobel Prize that Saramago would receive in 1998.
What is relevant about the book is how it transforms a tale into a reflection on the desire to seek meaning beyond the established — a critical look at power, bureaucracy, and the human capacity to imagine different futures.
Who’d like this?
This book will appeal to readers looking for a short story with a clear underlying idea: the need to question the familiar. It is also ideal for those who want to approach Saramago without immediately tackling his denser narrative, and for anyone who enjoys stories that blend subtle humor and social criticism.
Quotes
- “Don’t you know, If you don’t step outside yourself, you’ll never discover who you are.”
- “Liking is probably the best form of ownership, and ownership the worst form of liking.”
Readers say
- “This book was my first Jose Saramago story. I loved it so much that I had to read more, and finally visited Portugal and studied enough to read the copy in Portuguese I bought while I was there,” says an Amazon user.
- “The beauty of this book is truly its simplicity. Very short, very easy to read,” says an Amazon user.
The old man and the sea, Ernest Hemingway
Short Novel
Published: 1952
Pages: 128
Author’s nationality: US
This short novel is considered one of Ernest Hemingway’s most iconic works. It tells the story of Santiago, a Cuban fisherman who is going through a long streak of bad luck and decides to venture out to sea to prove that he still has his skills and dignity.
The plot follows his solitary struggle against a huge marlin, a physical and moral battle that encapsulates much of the author’s vision of human resilience.
This book was key to Hemingway’s critical recovery and contributed to his winning the Nobel Prize in 1954.
Who’d like this?
For those who enjoy straightforward, short, well-focused stories with a solid human background. It also works well for those who want to approach Hemingway for the first time without yet delving into his more extensive works.
Quotes
- “Every day is a new day. It is better to be lucky. But I would rather be exact. Then when luck comes you are ready.”
- “Now is no time to think of what you do not have. Think of what you can do with that there is.”
Readers say
- “Probably third time I’ve read this story, which shows how much I love the human heart, soul and endurance in it,” says an Amazon user.
- “Read it in a day… Such a simple story but so beautifully and powerfully written,” says an Amazon user.