Short and Sweet Books
This reading list designed for patrons who prefer shorter books. As an added benefit, these short works are great for people with memory issues, such as dementia or Alzheimer’s disease.
The list is divided into two categories. The first category will consist of short books, with a length of 6 hours or less. The second category will feature short story collections. There is also a list of series featuring short books included.
To order any of these titles, contact the library by email, mail or phone. You may also request these titles online through WolfPAC. All books listed are linked to Braille and Audio Reading Download site (BARD) for downloading. Happy Reading!
December 2017
Short Books:
Fiction:
The Body in the Library by Agatha Christie
BR 03867; 1 volume of braille. Volume 1.
DB 15312
Narrators: David Palmer. Reading Time: 4 hours, 51 minutes.
When a young girl is found strangled in the library of a stately mansion in the English countryside, it is not the end of a murder trail for elderly Jane Marple but the beginning. Miss Marple series. 1941.
Calico Joe by John Grisham
BR 19494; 2 volumes of braille. Volume 1. Volume 2.
DB 74690
Narrator: Patrick Downer Reading. Time: 5 hours, 23 minutes.
LP 30739; 276 pages.
In 1973 Chicago Cubs record-breaking rookie Joe Castle from Calico Rock, Arkansas, steps up to bat against New York Mets pitcher Warren Tracey--and the outcome changes both their lives. Decades later Warren is dying, and his son Paul tries to bring the two ballplayers back together. Bestseller. 2012.
The Cat Who Could Read Backwards by Lillian J. Braun
BR 08864; 2 volumes of braille. Volume 1. Volume 2.
DB 34788
Narrators: Bob Askey. Reading Time: 5 hours, 23 minutes.
Jim Qwilleran arrives early for his appointment with the managing editor of the "Daily Fluxion." His recent employment history is not good, and he really needs this job. But they want him to be an art writer. As Jim begins his assignment, he and his sidekick, KoKo, find themselves hot on the trail of a murder at the art gallery. The Cat Who series, book 1. 1986.
The Last Mountain Man by William W. Johnstone
DB 57076
Narrator: Jack Fox. Reading Time: 5 hours, 6 minutes.
1865. Sixteen-year-old Kirby Jensen and his father, home from the Civil War, leave their Missouri farm and head west. Two years later Kirby's father is killed, and Kirby--now called Smoke--is out for revenge. Under the tutelage of an old mountain man named Preacher, Smoke begins his journey to becoming a legend. 1984.
Love Comes Softly by Janette Oke
DB 22376
Narrators: Laura Giannarelli. Reading Time: 5 hours, 41 minutes.
Compelling love story tells of Marty, a young, independent girl of nineteen who travels West with her new husband, seeking adventure and fortune. Soon tragedy strikes and Marty is alone learning firsthand the lessons of pain, heartache, and anger. Through her patience and faith in God she becomes whole again. The Prairie Romance Series. 1979.
A Study in Scarlet by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
BR 10561; 3 volumes of braille. Volume 1. Volume 2. Volume 3.
DB 71855
Narrators: Alexander Scourby. Reading Time: 3 hours, 56 minutes.
LP 31108; 191 pages.
London, 1880s. The brilliant sleuth Sherlock Holmes and his companion, Dr. Watson, confront a pair of gruesome murders in a case that is rooted in Mormon Utah thirty years earlier. Classic novel introducing the Holmes character. Digital restoration of Alexander Scourby's 1939 recording for the American Foundation for the Blind. 1887.
Two from the Heart by James Patterson
DB 87765
Narrators: Jamie Renell and Amy Tallmadge. Reading Time: 5 hours, 35 minutes.
Two romantic short stories about the power of narrative. In "Tell Me Your Best Story," a woman searches for inspiration in other people's tales. A successful businessman hires a novelist to enhance his biography in "The Lifesaver". Bookshots Romance series. Unrated. Commercial audiobook. 2017.
Nonfiction:
The American Revolution: A Very Short Introduction by Robert J. Allison
DB 85550
Narrator: Judie Yuill. Reading Time: 4 hours, 39 minutes.
A professor of history presents a detailed examination of the origins of conflict between American colonies and the thriving British empire. Describes the evolution from resistance to revolt, including military actions and commanders. Discusses the newly independent states' efforts to create their governments. 2015.
The Beverly Lewis Amish Heritage Cookbook by Beverly Lewis
DB 64311
Narrator: Faith Potts. Reading Time: 4 hours, 55 minutes.
Author of numerous novels on Amish life offers a collection of dishes unique to their community, including many from her maternal grandmother. Recipes include shoofly pie, friendship bread, snickerdoodles, apple betty, corn relish, and bread and butter pickles. Also includes kitchen hints and tips, Amish lore, and favorite scriptures. 2004.
The Butler: A Witness to History by Wil Haygood
BR 20212; 2 volumes of uncontracted braille. Volume 1. Volume 2.
BR 20291; 1 volume of contracted braille. Volume 1.
DB 77491
Narrator: Jake Williams. Reading Time: 2 hours, 50 minutes.
Washington Post writer chronicles the life of African American butler Eugene Allen (1919-2010) who served in the White House for eight presidential administrations, from Harry Truman to Ronald Reagan. Discusses the making of the 2013 movie starring Forest Whitaker. Some strong language. Bestseller. 2013.
The Murder of King Tut: The Plot to Kill the Child King by James Patterson
DB 69595
Narrator: Mark Ashby. Reading Time: 5 hours, 37 minutes.
LP 32209; 397 pages.
Research into the life and death of eighteen-year-old Egyptian ruler King Tutankhamen, the stepson of Queen Nefertiti. Discusses Tut's marriage to his half-sister and suggests reasons for his demise. Details the activities of British Egyptologist Howard Carter, who discovered Tut's tomb in 1922. Bestseller. 2009.
The Princess Diarist by Carrie Fisher
DB 86648
Narrators: Carrie Fisher and Billie Lourd. Reading Time: 5 hours, 12 minutes.
LP 33030; 208 pages.
Actress looks back on her experience playing the iconic role of Princess Leia in the movie Star Wars. Working from journals she kept in 1977 during filming, Fisher shares what it was like behind the scenes and shares her thoughts on show business and fame. Strong language. Commercial audiobook. 2016.
Seasons in the Sun: The Story of Big League Baseball in Missouri by Roger D. Launius
DBC05399
Narrator: Paul Otto. Reading Time: 5 hours, 20 minutes.
The roots of professional baseball, and indeed its heart, may be found in the American Midwest, especially in Missouri. In Seasons in the Sun, Roger D. Launius offers an excellent overview of the teams, pennant races, trials, and triumphs of the different major-league teams that have resided in the state over the years.
They Were Expendable by William Lindsay White
DB 18850
Narrator: Jon Spelman. Reading Time: 3 hours, 41 minutes.
The heroic exploits of an American Torpedo Boat Squadron during the Philippine campaign of World War II, based on interviews and verbatim accounts from the four young naval officers who survived. 1942.
Short Story Collections:
The Collected Short Stories of Louis L’Amour
DB 59711
Narrator: Jack Fox. Reading Time: 18 hours, 58 minutes.
Thirty-five short western stories in which good triumphs over evil. In "The Gift of Cochise" Angie Lowe defends her children against Apaches and wins the respect of their leader. In "A Husband for Janey" a Texas boy arrives in California gold mining territory and helps a mother and daughter. 2003.
The Complete Short Stories of Mark Twain
DB 11405
Narrator: Joel Crothers. Reading Time: 31 hours, 47 minutes.
Sixty stories filled with folk lore and wit. Thirteen are taken from non-fiction works spanning Twain's entire writing life. 1957.
Dances with Trout by John Gierach
DB 41760
Narrator: Jamie Horton. Reading Time: 5 hours, 59 minutes.
Eighteen "fish stories." Though he is a serious fisherman, the author is not too involved in the sport to enjoy its quirkiness. An apt storyteller, he evokes a sense of being outdoors alongside a river and enjoying the rigors of fly-fishing. A party of five friends stalking salmon in Scotland have a rousing good time, even with a total catch of one fish. By the author of Trout Bum (DB 28522). Some strong language.
James Herriot’s Animal Stories
BR 11528; 1 volume of braille. Volume 1.
DB 43921
Narrator: John Horton. Reading Time: 2 hours, 52 minutes.
LP 31699; 262 pages.
Ten of the Yorkshire veterinarian's best-loved stories with an introduction by his son, Jim Wight, who took over the practice after his father's death. 1997.
The Jungle Book by Rudyard Kipling
BR 16413; 2 volume of braille. Volume 1. Volume 2.
DB 40928
Narrator: Margaret Ann Walterhouse. Reading Time: 5 hours, 31 minutes.
LP 00044; 232 pages.
Seven short stories. Three present the adventures of Mowgli, a boy who is raised by a wolf pack in India and taught the laws of the jungle by a panther and a bear. Other stories include "Rikki-Tikki-Tavi," "The White Seal," "Toomai of the Elephants," and "Servants of the Queen." 1894.
Lad, a Dog by Albert Payson Terhune
DB 33608
Narrator: Jon Beryl. Reading Time: 7 hours, 28 minutes.
A collection of stories in which Sunnybank Lad, the author's collie companion, proves himself a hero through his courage, intelligence, and devotion. 1919.
No Middle Name: The Complete Collected Jack Reacher Short Stories by Lee Child
BR 21908; 5 volumes of braille. Volume 1. Volume 2. Volume 3. Volume 4. Volume 5.
DB 88274
Narrator: Jon Huffman. Reading Time: 13 hours, 16 minutes.
LP 30992; 516 pages.
Twelve entries featuring itinerant loner Jack Reacher, who constantly stumbles upon and tackles crime. In "Too Much Time," Reacher thwarts a bag snatcher, only to be arrested after giving his witness statement. Includes some stories found elsewhere in the NLS/BPH collection. Violence, some strong language, and some explicit descriptions of sex. Bestseller. 2017
Wigwam Evenings: Sioux Folktales Retold by Charles Alexander Eastman
BR 08440; 1 volumes of braille. Volume 1.
DB 32745
Narrator: Gordon Gould Reading Time: 2 hours, 27 minutes.
Charles Eastman, who is a mixed-blood Sioux, and his wife, Elaine, have collected these twenty-seven tales that offer a sampling of his tribe's values. Narrated by Smoky Day, an old story-teller, and representing generations of Plains society, these folktales suggest "the essence of what it is to be a decent, thoughtful, and respectable human being."
The Wisdom of Father Brown by G.K. Chesterton
DB 11330
Narrator: Guy Sorel. Reading Time: 7 hours, 30 minutes.
Twelve entertaining stories take amateur detective Father Brown from London to Italy to France. He gets involved with bandits, treason, murder, and an American crime-detection machine, and solves every problem that arises.
Series:
Chicken Soup for the Soul
Collections of heartwarming and inspirational stories written by everyday people.
James Patterson’s Bookshots
James Patterson has created a new type of book called Bookshots designed to be 150 pages or less in print, which translates to about 4-6 hours in audio. At Wolfner Library, we have divided these books into two series:
Bookshots Romance: Written by Patterson and other romance writers. Available in audio.
Bookshots Thrillers: Written by Patterson. Available in audio.
The Little House Books by Laura Ingalls Wilder
America’s classic series about pioneer life written as autobiographical fiction by Missourian Laura Ingalls Wilder. Available in audio, large print, and braille.
Oxford’s A Very Short Introduction Series:
This series of over 600 audiobook titles from Oxford University Press feature a wide array of nonfiction topics. For patron convenience, the series can be requested in ties entirety or by the categories into which it was subdivided:
- Oxford’s A Very Short Introduction Entire Series
- Very Short Introduction-Art & Music
- Very Short Introduction-Biography
- Very Short Introduction-Business
- Very Short Introduction-Environment
- Very Short Introduction-Health
- Very Short Introduction-History
- Very Short Introduction-Law
- Very Short Introduction-Literature
- Very Short Introduction-Philosophy
- Very Short Introduction-Politics
- Very Short Introduction-Psychology
- Very Short Introduction-Religion
- Very Short Introduction-Science
Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum
This classic series begins with The Wonderful Wizard of Oz and continues through 14 books that delve further into the land of Oz and its magical inhabitants. All available in audio; select titles in braille and large print.
The Walk Series by Richard Paul Evans
This five book, non-holiday series follows protagonist Alan Christoffersen as he walks across the United States following the death of his wife. Along the way he makes new discoveries and befriends those he meets. Available in audio and braille; select titles in large print.