Here are 10 page-turners which you can read in one sitting. This list is by no means definitive and merely celebrates some of the books which will stir something in you, change your perspective in life. Surely, reading one of these books would be one thing you wouldn't regret this weekend.

1. Chess Story by Stefan Zweig: Travelers by ship from New York to Buenos Aires find that an arrogant Chess world champion is among them. They come together to try their skills against him and are soundly defeated. Then a mysterious passenger steps forward to advise them on their game and hence, the game changes. Chess Story also known as The Royal Game is a powerful dark novella and one of the most famous works by Stefan Zweig that was sadly published after his suicide. Some might remember him from the end-credit scene for Wes Anderson's film The Grand Budapest Hotel which was partly inspired by Zweig's novel. 

2. Night by Elie Wiesel: Night (1960) is an autobiographical work by Elie Wiesel about his experience with his father in the Nazi German concentration camps at Auschwitz and Buchenwald towards the end of the World War II. In over 100 pages of fragmented narrative, Wiesel writes about cutting ties with God, dehumanization of the spirit under extreme circumstances and chilling account of Holocaust. Wiesel's vivid account of his darkest experiences in concentration camps earned him the Nobel Peace Prize.

3. The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald: Set in the jazzy-age of 1920s, Nick Carraway gets caught up in the world of wealth of his millionaire neighbor Jay Gatsby and witnesses a battle between good and evil. This American novel also reflects both love and breakdown of the American dream. Throughout the novel, Fitzgerald writes most elegant prose and brilliantly profound symbolism. 

4. Siddhartha by Hermann Hesse: The novel is an allegory; about the spiritual journey of a simple boy in ancient India, known as Siddhartha. Siddhartha, the son of a Brahmin, leaves home in quest of enlightenment and search of knowledge. He goes through a series of transformations during his journey and finally reaches his goal. The reader follows Siddhartha's state of mind as he reflects on the meaning of events throughout the story.

5. The Stranger by Albert Camus: This is the story of an ordinary man who, unintentionally, commits a senseless murder on an Algerian Beach. The book is eloquent and a pleasure to read, but forces the reader to consider some philosophical and existentialist questions which leave you pondering deeply.

6. Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck: One of the most popular works written by Nobel Prize-winning author John Steinbeck, it tells a realistic story of two displaced migrant workers, who move from one place to another in search of new job opportunities during the Great Depression in the United States. A classic which is no way an 'easy' short read. Steinbeck uses rich symbolism and effective foreshadowing leading to an astonishing conclusion.

7. The Old man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway: One of the most famous Hemingway's works set in the Gulf Stream off the coast of Florida, it tells the tale of an old man, a young boy and a giant fish. This story of heroic endeavour won Hemingway the Pulitzer Prize for fiction and Nobel Prize for Literature. A quote by the author on his book - "There isn't any symbolism. The sea is the sea. The old man is an old man. The boy is a boy and the fish is a fish. The sharks are all sharks no better and no worse. All the symbolism that people say is shit. What goes beyond is what you see beyond when you know." 

8. Tao Te Ching by Lao Tzu: This book was written back in 6th century BC by Lao-Tzu. Tao Te Ching translates roughly as "The book of the Way of the Virtue" or "The Classic of the Way's Virtues." This infinitely practical book has been translated into English more frequently than any other work except the Bible. In its 81 verses, it delivers a guide on how to live in the world with goodness and integrity. 

9. The Yellow Wallpaper by Charlotte Perkins Gilman: The 6000-word short story first published in 1892 is regarded as an important work in American feminist literature. It's a story about a woman who suffers from mental illness after being trapped within her home. The author wrote this story to change the minds about women's role in the society. 

10. The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupery: The Little Prince is a novella with illustrations, in which a pilot stranded in the desert meets a young prince fallen to Earth from a tiny asteroid. It's a moral allegory and philosophical work. First published in 1943, it is the most famous work by Antoine De Saint-Exupery. It is one of the best-selling books ever and fourth-most translated book in the world. 

Have you read any of these? How much time did you take? Is there another book you finished at breakneck speed. Tell us which one and how much time.