For several years now, August 10th has been celebrated in the US and a few other countries in the northern hemisphere as National Lazy Day.* 

Why that date? Perhaps it’s easier to relax during summer vacation. For many folks, this gives an excuse to chill out and kick back with a focus on relaxation and wellness.  

With the promise of spring sunshine on the horizon, why not relax with a good book? Let’s make this Laziness Month. We can even celebrate our August book group meetings by being more chilled than the weather. Instead of sipping pina coladas on a beach, we can sip from our hot mugs and still out-lazy any other country.  

And here are some laziness reading suggestions: 

Too lazy for a long read? How about 10 excellent short books? 

  • The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway – 127 pages [B0205] 
  • The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie by Muriel Spark – 128 pages [B0925] 
  • Jesus Wants Me for A Sunbeam’ by Peter Goldsworthy – 133 pages [B1863]
  • The Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad – 144 pages [B0003] 
  • One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich by Alexander Solzhenitsyn – 144 pages 
  • Breakfast at Tiffany’s by Truman Capote – 156 pages [B2018] 
  • Home by Toni Morrison – 160 pages  
  • The Sense of an Ending by Julian Barnes – 163 pages [B2138] 
  • The Passion by Jeanette Winterson – 176 pages [B1226] 
  • The Children’s Bach by Helen Garner – 176 pages [B0569] 

Too lazy even to turn the page? How about 10 excellent book-to-film adaptations? 

  • To Kill a Mockingbird (1962) 
  • Picnic at Hanging Rock (1975) 
  • Storm Boy (1976) 
  • My Brilliant Career (1979) 
  • Blade Runner (1982) 
  • The Year of Living Dangerously (1982) 
  • Looking for Alibrandi (2000) 
  • Atonement (2007) 
  • The Book Thief (2013) 
  • Room (2015) 

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* Take this test to prepare yourself for Laziness Month: 

Lazy people fact #72432143726413424.  

If you were too lazy to read that number, you’re ready to celebrate.