I'll quit smoking on Monday. Next week I'll start running and join the gym. This weekend I'll clean up my room and find a job. We should do something else, right?
2019 has fallen on our shoulders. It's time to get off the couch, open your eyes, drink mineral water and finally start. I have compiled for you 2 lists of books of world and Russian literature, which you should read at least in 2016, if you have not done so earlier. Let's start, perhaps, with the “boring” Russian classics. Listen!
Fyodor Dostoevsky "The Dream of a Funny Man"
Have you also thought about suicide at least once in your life? If not, then this is not a reason to ignore Dostoevsky’s story. Everyone knows this author purely from the book “Crime and Punishment,” however, in my opinion, in order to fully understand the essence of Dostoevsky, one should start with the story “The Dream of a Funny Man.” How can one understand the essence of human existence before the last shot in the head? How can you exchange paradise for world wars and hatred of your neighbor? And the main thing is how not to pull the trigger. The end of the story can be entitled with the expression “Cherchez la femme”; if you understand why, then everything was not in vain.
Anton Chekhov "Ward number 6"
What do you think, Russian classics with a shot of vodka goes better? I have a subjective opinion on this matter, but what about the views of Comrade Gromov? How to combine reading books, a glass of vodka, a psychiatric hospital and two brilliant people with completely different and at the same time identical views on existence in this world? This kind of oxymoron permeates the entire story about the sad truth of the cheerful Chekhov. Have you already figured out what to drink with your literature?
Evgeniy Zamyatin “We”
Evgeny Zamyatin can safely be considered the founder of the great genre of dystopia. I am sure that if you chose him, you simply must know such great dystopians as Orrwell and Huxley. If these names mean anything to you, then without even thinking, buy yourself Zamyatin and start devouring it by the tablespoonful. The construction system, coupon relations and all capital letters. Instead of people. Instead of names. Instead of life.
Leo Tolstoy "The Death of Ivan Ilyich"
On the cover of this book I would write in huge red letters: “Caution! Causes frustration, pain and awareness. Sentimental stupid people are strictly prohibited.” Forget about the hackneyed book "War and Peace", here is a completely different side of Leo Tolstoy, which is worth all the volumes of the huge novel. Trying to find deep semantic subtext in the story “The Death of Ivan Ilyich”, you will miss the most important thing that lies on the surface. A banal, simple truth that is accessible to everyone, eludes us every time. If you found it in the story, and also learned to live by it, my bow and white envy to you.
Ivan Goncharov "Oblomov"
Here's something, and in the novel "Oblomov" it's easier than ever to find yourself. Alas. How wonderful it is to contemplate this life from the outside, when the stupid vanity of this world passes you by. The first love, which for some reason makes you get up from the sofa, obsessive friends who are always trying to drag your lazy ass into the world - how absurd this whole “bubbling life” is. Avoid it, contemplate, think and dream, dream, dream! If you are a like-minded person with this statement, congratulations, your soul mate has been found in the main character of the novel “Oblomov”.
Maxim Gorky "Passion-face"
It is no coincidence that Gorky’s work received such a symbolic name “Passion-Face”, because the story is impossible to read without trembling in the knees. If you love children too much, don't read. If you are impressionable and emotional, don’t read. If girls with syphilis absolutely disgust you, don’t read. In general, don’t listen to me now, open the book and begin to be afraid of the cruel realities of this life. The social bottom, dirt, vulgarity and yet truly happy, “pure” people in children's and adults' swords about impossible happiness.
Nikolai Gogol "The Overcoat"
A small man against a huge scary society, or how to lose everything that is dear to you, even if it’s a simple overcoat. A stingy official, an unnecessary environment, little happiness in exchange for great disappointment and death as the only logical conclusion. It is through the example of Akakiy Bashmachkin that we will consider a large, weighty and significant problem of society - the theft of an overcoat.
Anton Chekhov "Man in a Case"
How do you maintain relationships with your work colleagues, classmates or friends? I'll recommend one great way increase your sociability - come visit them and remain silent. I give you a 100% guarantee that society will be delighted with you. An umbrella in a case, a watch in a case, a face in a case. A kind of shell behind which a person tries to hide, to protect himself from the outside world. A man who even managed to stuff his sincere love into a cover and protect it not only from the object of love, but also from himself. So what about maintaining relationships? Shall we keep quiet?
Alexander Pushkin “The Bronze Horseman”
And again we meet the big problem of a little man, only this time in Pushkin’s work “The Bronze Horseman”. Evgeniy, Parasha, Peter and a love story, it would seem, what could be more ideal for the plot of a romantic drama? But no, this is not “Eugene Onegin”. We break love, we break a city, we break a person, we add a drop of symbolic image to this bronze horseman and get the perfect recipe for one of the best poems Pushkin.
Fyodor Dostoevsky "Notes from Underground"
And closing the list of Russian classics will be the one with whom we, in fact, started - the great beloved Dostoevsky. It is no coincidence that I put “Notes from the Underground” in the final place. After all, this work is not just exciting, it is wild in places, so to speak. Increased awareness of being - fatal disease. Activity is the lot of the limited and stupid. If you like these interpretations, then Dostoevsky will suit your taste, and if you have also humiliated prostitutes at least once in your life, then the “underground” will become your favorite place to stay.
Read about the 10 best foreign classic books in the second part of the list of books for 2016. Love Russian classics.
“Call me Ishmael” - with these words Herman Melville began his novel Moby Dick - probably the most important novel in the history of American literature of the 19th century. But this great writer was largely forgotten even before his death and was referred to as Henry Melville in obituaries in the New York Times.The decline of his writing career occurred, in fact, precisely thanks to Moby Dick. Melville had previously written quite successful books about sea adventures, but this ambitious tale about a crazy sea captain obsessed with the idea of pursuing white whale, turned out to be excessive for readers of the time, who never understood it.
Even critics were taken aback by Melville's poetic, almost biblical, style. And only after his death the book was recognized as a masterpiece of world literature - a truly powerful work that touches on serious themes of the place of the ordinary person in nature, the need to find the meaning of life and American nature in general.
2: Dead Souls
Although the name is familiar to many from an early age, it can be frightening with its gloominess. In fact, Dead Souls is one of the wittiest books of the 19th century, written Nikolai Gogol, who had a great influence on the work of Tolstoy and Dostoevsky. Dead Souls is the writer's only novel that tells the story of an enterprising young man traveling around Russia and buying up "dead souls" - deceased peasants who were still listed as living by landowners according to registered census data. By buying them and registering them in his name, he hopes to create the illusion of being the owner of many peasants, which would allow him to receive large loans from the state, become rich and achieve high social status.
A broad, brilliant satire of society (Gogol satirizes everyone from gossipy housewives to cruel landowners and pompous officials), Dead Souls is considered the first novel of Russian literature.
3: Bleak House
Although not as famous as Oliver Twist and Great Expectations, Bleak House is still the greatest novel Charles Dickens. He crammed it with everything he knew about Victorian London, and reading it is like traveling back in time. On the surface it is a satirical (but still meaningful) critique of British law - corrupt lawyers, aristocrats and merchants who use the court for their own selfish ends. But this satire forms only one layer of the novel. It is also a story of forbidden love, family secrets and intrigue.
Well, since this is Dickens, then, of course, the book is simply stuffed with unforgettable characters, including London itself. The chaotic development of the city and the swirling tendrils of fog have never been described with such artistic force by anyone. This is the most compelling escapism in literature.
4: Moll Flanders
Daniel Defoe's most famous work will forever remain Robinson Crusoe, but his other novel, Moll Flanders, is much grander and more exciting. Moll is the daughter of a convict, born in prison, and firmly determined to become a decent, rich lady. This decision is followed by a series of often funny and sometimes tragic events, as Moll marries repeatedly, one of them to her own brother, commits incest purely by accident, becomes a whore, a con artist and a thief, and becomes too familiar with the walls of a prison cell.
Offering a breathtaking journey through the glitz and glitz of the 18th century, the novel also gives us one of the most charismatic female protagonists in literature. Beautiful, witty and ruthless, Moll is ahead of her time. And with all this, she is charmingly sweet and vulnerable, making you want to help you figure out your life.
5: Pride and Prejudice
Many people are only superficially familiar with the novel Pride and Prejudice, and only thanks to Colin Firth, who played in one of his film adaptations. But, if you know the work only from television screens, then it’s worth getting to know it much closer. Jane Austen's most beloved novel is funny from the first page, and is as comedic as it is romantic. Austen has managed to capture everything about romance, love and courtship: awkward flirting, confused messages and how love can fool even the smartest and strongest among us.
Of course, everyone knows Darcy, one of literature's greatest romantic heroes, which is quite an achievement considering his prudishness and lack of humor. But the novel also has a whole gallery of delicious characters, starting with the grotesque Lady Catherine de Bourg, ending with the main character - Elizabeth Bennet - a lively, witty girl who could easily fit into the 21st century. This is the best women's urban novel of its time!
6: The Stranger of Wildfell Hall
Anne Bronte never became as popular as her sister Charlotte, which is not entirely fair, since The Stranger from Wildfell Hall- one of the greatest novels of the 19th century.With this book, Anne Brontë launched the early women's rights movement. The novel talks about beautiful woman who leaves her unfaithful and depraved husband in search of her own life path. The main character, Helen Huntingdon, is one of the most powerful female characters in English fiction.
Although there is a huge difference between this novel and the distorted, ordered world of Jane Austen. Helen's story is about alcoholism, decadent sex and social scandal, and the novel's emotional power almost rivals Wuthering Heights.
7: Vanity Fair
Charles Dickens may be the king of literary London in the mid-19th century, but one of his main rivals and contender for the throne was William Makepeace Thackeray.Determined to outdo Dickens, Thackeray created a riotous, energetic epic novel about life in Britain, gave it a scoundrel heroine, and named it Vanity Fair. While Dickens was undoubtedly a writer of greater scope and greater generosity, Thackeray was cruel, cold-blooded and completely unsentimental.
Vanity Fair is the story of Becky Sharp, a deliciously amoral social climber who uses looks, charm and a fair amount of cunning to charm men and amass as much money as possible. It is a biting satire on British society and the hypocrisy of the upper classes. This Victorian era novel is for those looking for a decent drama with a fast-paced comic plot.
8: Middlemarch
At first glance, a novel with the subtitle "A Study of Provincial Life" may not seem like the most exciting read in the world. But writer George Eliot's Middlemarch is a strong contender for the title of greatest British novel of the 19th century.Eliot uses a small fictional town as a model for an entire civilization, exploring the nature of love, integrity, family, virtue and vice. The central character, Dorothea, is a real angel, or at least wants to be one. But the irony is that choosing the right path to do the right thing is what gets her into a lot of trouble.
This is truly an English novel. And if the great Leo Tolstoy had been born in Great Britain, he would definitely have written something similar. But fortunately, Eliot did it, giving the world what Virginia Woolf would later call “one of the few English novels written for adults.”
9: War and Peace
10: Madame Bovary
The French novelist, Gustave Flaubert, was shy, self-confident and irritated by society. But this misanthrope is also behind one of the most sensual and moving images of women's lives ever written.Emma Bovary's husband is the classic nice guy - reliable, supportive and completely boring. And so Emma, desperate for passion and excitement, enters into a series of heated romances, the inevitable result of which is tragedy. When this exquisite book was published, it sparked a scandal and a demand from French prosecutors to ban it for obscenity. But instead it became a bestseller, and its clean, fresh style influenced many later writers.
This style was the result of Flaubert's manic perfectionism. He could write one page for a week, rewriting every sentence until everything seemed perfect to him. The result was a story about adultery and the reasons that push people to treason and betrayal.
9: War and Peace
Here it is, the father of the classic novel, the epic tale that many call the greatest book of all time. Don't let its size and reputation scare you. You should definitely like him, even though he caused awe and disgust at school.Set in the early years of the 19th century, Leo Tolstoy's masterpiece describes a group of Russian aristocrats facing the invasion of Napoleon's army. Although the novel's many battle scenes are quite graphic and bloody, the book excels in its depiction of conflict in human relationships. In the end, Tolstoy was most interested in one assumption - how it is possible not to affect morality when faced with the defects of this vicious world.
With such a vast novel, it is not surprising that so many writers have compared Tolstoy to Shakespeare (even though Tolstoy himself never liked Shakespeare). War and Peace is one of those novels that you live, and not just read. Find time for it, and you will understand that it is not in vain that it is so praised, and it is in vain that you did not read it at school.
12: Daniel Deronda
Unsatisfied with creating the stunning masterpiece that is Middlemarch, Eliot ended her career with another great novel, Danielle Deronda. Today it is known as one of the first and most sympathetic novels about British Jews.Sweet and handsome Daniel Deronda saves a charming singer from suicide by preventing her from jumping into the Thames, which leads to him meeting and joining the Jewish community in London. Eliot deftly weaves Daniel's self-development with the story of Gwendolyn, a young woman who initially appears as a spoiled girl by society but gradually recovers by helping others.
For a story about society in Victorian England, the book is strikingly relevant to the events modern world. One of the themes is the migration of Jews to the part of the Middle East where Israel was later founded. But this is only a love story, and Eliot does not allow political and philosophical ideas to overshadow the characters she creates.
13: Red and black
The French writer Stendhal knew how to treat the ladies of the 19th century. He was actually obsessed with romance and seduction, which may explain the character of the classic novel's protagonist Red and black. The book follows an unscrupulous young lout, Julien Sorel, who uses his looks and intelligence to force his way into French society in the years following the fall of Napoleon. Unfortunately he did incorrect choice method of conquest, and his affair with his wife Mera begins a chain of events that somewhat temper his quest for wealth and power. But is Julien worth admiring? It is this question that makes the novel so intriguing. The book challenges our own assumptions, showing a man who is deceitful and selfish, but at the same time no worse than those he manipulates. By analyzing his motives, you may reconsider your own perception of the world.14: Reason
All of Jane Austen's novels are incredibly popular. Everything except this. For some reason, Persuasion never attracted the same adulation that Pride and Prejudice, Emma or Feelings and sensitivity. But to some extent, this is her most intense work.This may be because the book was her last and was published after her death. Unlike Austen's other novels, which focus on up-and-coming society ladies experimenting with first love, this one explores the life of a more mature woman. The main character, Anne Elliot, convinces herself to turn down a suitor because he is not “respectable” enough. Many years later, Anne's old flame returns as a rich and respectable man, but is it too late?
Persuasion is a thought-provoking, nostalgic novel. It's nice to see how Austen deals with themes of regret over lost love instead of straight-up courtship. That is why the novel is an ideal complement to her other masterpiece - Pride and Prejudice.
15: Heart of Darkness
Joseph Conrad created many true classics, but his best work, the relatively short novel Heart of Darkness, is perhaps his only subtle critique of colonialism.The book follows Marlow, an Englishman who needs to smuggle a shipment of ivory down the Congo River in an area of Africa occupied by Belgium. During his journey, he witnesses many atrocities against native Africans at the hands of the colonialists, and also learns of an ivory trader named Kurtz, who has revealed himself as a demigod among the tribes of the region.
Together with Kurtz, Conrad demonstrates how the idea of "civilizing" other races can ignite a backfire and corrupt the occupiers. This is a powerful tale that can be applied to many other historical moments. Francis Ford Coppola, for example, used this story to explore the Vietnam War in his film Apocalypse Now.
16: The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
“All modern American literature comes from one book by Mark Twain called The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. There was nothing before it, there was nothing as good after it.”I thought so Ernest Hemingway, and while he may have gone a little overboard, it says a lot about the importance of the piece. Twain intended it as a simple adventure story, but the book turned out to be a real call for freedom and resistance.
Written from Huck's point of view (and American slang is one of the book's many phenomena), the story follows a teenager and a runaway slave named Jim as they travel on a raft on the Mississippi River. Along the way, they encounter many undesirable people and situations that only strengthen their decision to reject mainstream society.
It is this merciless critique of the destructiveness of slavery that gives the book such power. But it's also beautiful fairy tale about childhood, presenting a contrast between the innocent idealism of youth and the violence and depravity of the adult world. Try to see Hemingway's reverence with your own eyes...
17: The Picture of Dorian Gray
This is the only novel published by the legendary Oscar Wilde, which is every bit as deliciously wonderful as you'd expect it to be. Dorian is a strikingly handsome and narcissistic young man who does not want to grow old. His wish came true, and instead his portrait ages, and then traces of Dorian’s growing cruelty and depravity appear on it.This is Wilde's interpretation of the old Faust myth. This is a classic example of Victorian literature, full of debauched dandies smoking opium and discussing art, sex and moral principles. Undoubtedly, the novel was considered somewhat shocking in its time, especially for its hidden theme of homosexuality.
This is a great book, but it's worth reading just to arm yourself with a few killer one-liners to use at your next social gathering.
18: Life and opinions of Tristram Shandy, gentleman
When a priest named Laurence Stern published Life and opinions of Tristram Shandy, gentleman in the mid-18th century, the sheer originality (and strangeness) of the text caused many critics to roll their eyes. Even Samuel Johnson said that “Tristram Shandy will not last long!”But he did last, perhaps precisely because the book's sense of humor was surprisingly modern, filled with so many clever antics, obscenities and depravedly stupid interludes that you would think the novel was written by a drunken group of Monty Python show creators.
The plot itself is quite simple. This is the story of the life of little Tristram Shandy, as told by himself. But unusual book makes her amazingly chaotic style. Shandi begins with the story of his conception, and continues through so many strangely related stories that he is born only after hundreds of pages have passed.
Packed with sly jokes, strange asides and crazy accidents, the novel is the most eccentric and strange literary classic of all time. But it was also Virginia Woolf's favorite book.
19: Dracula
This book may not be as beautifully written as some of the others on this list, but it is clearly the most famous of them all. After all, Bram Stoker's novel, Dracula, gave us a truly iconic character who can be seen in numerous films, television shows, comics, cartoons, musicals, computer games and other books.But the book is much more than the story of a bloodsucker count. This is a fascinating depiction of Victorian morality and sexuality. Dracula himself is a tempter who completely corrupts the sweet Victorian virgins, and only a group of heroes in doublets can send this wild creature out and restore proper etiquette and order.
Dracula is still a great horror novel that takes us on a journey from Transylvania to England and back again. So forget Buffy, Interview with the Vampire, Twilight and other pathetic imitations. Sit back in your chair with Bram Stoker's original novel in your hands and meet the vampire who started it all...
20: Wuthering Heights
And finally... Of course, it was impossible to ignore the amazing tale of passion, love, tragedy and uncontrollable anger of Emilia Brontë...Unfortunately, this novel also did not become as popular as numerous works by the writer's sister, Charlotte Brontë, but personally, in my opinion, the book more than deserves a place in school curriculum on foreign literature, not to mention the fact that every lover of reading should read it, more than once, in her life.
In the center Wuthering Heights– Heathcliff is the original literary bad boy, whose love for the Yorkshire girl Cathy is the only thing that balances his hatred of everything else. And when Cathy chooses another, more respectable man for marriage, Heathcliff flies into a rage, which destroys both of their lives.
But that's only half. Everyone thinks that Bronte's novel is the story of Catherine and her rude, dangerous, treacherous admirer. But the book also describes the lives of the second generation, which was influenced by Heathcliff's thirst for revenge. It's an epic, powerful and quite complex story.
A famous aphorism says: “To become smart, you only need to read ten books, but to find them, you need to read thousands.” We increased the list to 15 titles, selecting those that had the greatest impact on the development of literature.
Homer's Iliad
Peculiarity. The Iliad is the oldest surviving monument of ancient Greek literature. Along with The Odyssey, it is the world's first poem in the genres of fantasy, thriller, action and family drama.
A little about the book. The poem was probably written in the 8th or 7th century BC and describes the siege of Troy by the Achaeans. It is based on folklore tales about the exploits of ancient heroes. For a long time, researchers even argued about whether the poem was based on real events or whether the Trojan War was just fiction. However, during excavations in Troy, a culture was discovered that corresponded to the descriptions in the Iliad. And the deciphered Hittite inscriptions contained a number of names hitherto known only from the Greek poem.
"The Adventures of Oliver Twist" by Charles Dickens
Peculiarity. Charles Dickens's second novel and the first in English literature to feature a child as its main character.
A little about the book. The orphan boy Oliver will have to face baseness and betrayal, go through many adventures, try to avoid dangers, become the epicenter of criminal troubles, in order to finally find happiness and love in his family of relatives. The genre is an acute social novel.
"Pride and Prejudice" by Jane Austen
Peculiarity. Jane Austen, who was outraged by the dependent position of women in the Victorian era, was one of the first to create the image free woman. The heroine of her book makes her own decisions, in particular the decision to marry or not to marry this or that man, and is able to overcome all life’s difficulties and pressure from society with her head held high.
A little about the book. A seemingly simple love story between the poor but sensible and independent noblewoman Elizabeth Bennet and the noble aristocrat Mr. Darcy. The plot develops in a spiral - from the first mutual unpleasant impression to a declaration of love and reciprocal feelings from the two main characters.
"Faust" by Goethe
Peculiarity. Goethe's Faust is a national drama. The very emotional conflict of her hero, the obstinate Faust, who rebelled against vegetating in German reality in the name of freedom of action and thought, is already national. Such were the aspirations of the people of the rebellious 16th century when the poem was created. In "Faust" we are talking not only about Germany, but about all of humanity, called upon to transform the world through joint free and reasonable labor. Thus, the author builds the plot not on one life conflict, as was customary before him, but on a consistent chain of deep conflicts throughout a single life path.
A little about the book. Goethe wrote the novel Faust throughout his adult life. The work is based on the famous German myth about Doctor Johann Faust, who made a deal with the devil, exchanging his soul for worldly pleasures and eternal youth. According to the terms of the agreement, Mephistopheles will receive the soul of Faust when he exalts some moment. Both main characters believe that they will emerge victorious in the argument. There is no doubt about the devil’s art of tempting, and Faust faces many temptations.
"Arc de Triomphe" by Erich Maria Remarque
Peculiarity. The book became a kind of confession of Remarque, an attempt to recover from an unsuccessful romance with Marlene Dietrich, who became the prototype of the main female character, Joan Madu. But what is surprising is that the German writer depicted a love story against the backdrop of the fight against fascism. It is not surprising that in his homeland he was strictly prohibited.
A little about the book. The novel takes place in France in the late 30s. German surgeon Ravik, a participant in the First World War, who does not have French citizenship, lives and works in Paris. He is one of those emigrants who lives under the constant threat of arrest and deportation from the country. He begins an affair with the Italian actress Joan Madu, in whose image many were inclined to see the features of Marlene Dietrich. Thus, love is intertwined with war.
"Crime and Punishment" by Fyodor Dostoevsky
Peculiarity. Here the author first acted as the creator of a fundamentally new novel in world literature, which was called polyphonic. While working on the work, the writer mainly sought to trace the “psychological process of the crime.” Hence the peculiarity of the novel - the lack of consistency and logic in the conveyance of the feelings and experiences of the characters, which is determined by their state of mind.
A little about the book. Having paraphrased the most important question in literature, “To be or not to be?”, Fyodor Mikhailovich asks: “Who am I, one who has the right or a trembling creature?” The writer confronts his hero Rodion Raskolnikov with such an insidious dilemma. The theory of the crime, the murder of the old pawnbroker and her sister, the subtle psychologism of the investigator, the torment of the hero and saving love in the character fallen woman Sonechka Marmeladova.
"War and Peace" by Leo Tolstoy
Peculiarity. The author was the first to portray one of the most difficult periods of our history in a multifaceted and historically correct manner - Patriotic War 1812. In the epic novel, world events are described in plot and scope, all classes of society are involved, from the emperor and royal family to ordinary soldiers, there are more than 550 characters in total and the psychology of the Russian people is fully presented. It is known that Leo Tolstoy, before starting to write War and Peace, began a serious study of the era, studying documents and materials available in the historical, memoir and epistolary literature of that time.
A little about the book. The epic novel describes Russian society during the era of the wars against Napoleon in 1805–1812. The work has many chapters and parts, most of which have a complete plot. Short chapters and many parts allow the writer to move the narrative in time and space and thereby fit hundreds of episodes into one novel.
"One Hundred Years of Solitude" by Gabriel Garcia Marquez
Peculiarity. The Colombian writer's novel is the epitome of magical realism. The work contains the main features of this direction of the 20th century: a certain fusion of the real and the fictional, the ordinary and the fabulous, the obvious and the miraculous, a special way of seeing the world through the prism of folk-mythological consciousness.
A little about the book. The book consists of twenty unnamed chapters, which describe a story looped in time: the events of Macondo and the Buendia family. The plot of the novel is woven using the patchwork technique, fantasy and reality are taken for granted, and following the fate of the heroes becomes increasingly difficult with the appearance of each new namesake and member of the Buendia family.
Hopscotch by Julio Cortazar
Peculiarity. The Argentine writer's experimental novel is his most famous work and one of the first examples of postmodern literature. Cortazar tries to go beyond the boundaries of a traditional work, provoking the birth of a creatively active reader, capable of not only thinking, but also conjecture. The structure of the novel contributes to this. You can read it in the usual way, from beginning to end, or, following the author’s prompts, jump through chapters and parts, finding your own key to the cipher.
A little about the book. According to the preface left by the writer himself, the book contains many books at once. Hence there are two reading schemes. Although, it would seem, the plot is simple: main character In the novel, Horacio Oliveira indulges in reflection on the ins and outs of his existence and complex relationships with the outside world. The catalyst for his thoughts is communication with acquaintances: his beloved from Paris named Maga, the Parisian “Club” of intellectuals and Argentine friends Traveler and Talita.
"Hamlet" by William Shakespeare
Peculiarity. The plot of Hamlet was probably the subject of a number of ancient legends. But Shakespeare shifted his attention from the external struggle to the spiritual drama of the hero. If previously the avengers were portrayed as energetic people, obsessed with the desire to accomplish the task facing them, then Shakespeare for the first time creates a hero of a completely different mental make-up. Its extreme is reflection, introspection, which paralyzes a person’s ability to act. It is no coincidence that Hamlet is an “eternal image” in world literature.
A little about the book. The tragedy is based on the legend of a Danish ruler named Amlethus, recorded by the Danish chronicler Saxo Grammaticus in the third book of the Acts of the Danes, and is primarily concerned with revenge - in it the main character seeks revenge on the death of his father. Researchers believe that the plot was borrowed by Shakespeare from a play by Thomas Kyd.
"Eugene Onegin" by Alexander Pushkin
Peculiarity. The novel in verse, written in 1823–1831, is one of the most significant works of Russian literature. Alexander Pushkin was the first writer to create an encyclopedia novel, from which you can learn everything about the era: how they dressed, what was in fashion, what people valued most, what they talked about, what interests they lived with. Briefly, but quite clearly, the author showed the fortress village, lordly Moscow, secular St. Petersburg.
A little about the book. The book covers events from 1819 to 1825 - from the foreign campaigns of the Russian army after the defeat of Napoleon to the Decembrist uprising. These were the years of development of Russian society, the reign of Alexander I. The plot is centered on a love story.
"The Picture of Dorian Gray" by Oscar Wilde
Peculiarity. The genre is a philosophical novel written in a decadent style. The psychology of narcissism is perfectly revealed here. And the preface is a manifesto of aestheticism - a movement in art that emphasizes the predominance of aesthetic values over ethical and social issues.
A little about the book. The book tells about a young and beautiful guy Dorian, who absolutely does not want to grow old. One day, the talented artist Basil Hallward paints an incredibly beautiful portrait of a young man, after looking at which Dorian Gray expresses a desire to remain forever young, even if it would be better for the man in this picture to grow old. Interestingly, the plot of the novel has significant similarities with the legend of Faust.
After the publication, a scandal erupted in society. All English criticism condemned the novel as an immoral work, and some demanded that it be banned and the author subjected to judicial punishment. Wilde was accused of insulting public morals. However, it was received enthusiastically by ordinary readers.
"Metamorphosis" by Franz Kafka
Peculiarity. The novella is the most vivid expression of the tragic worldview of Franz Kafka. He sharpens the hero’s doom to the limit with the help of a terrible metonymy: he conveys his complete spiritual isolation through an incredible metamorphosis of appearance. Polysemantic symbolic and allegorical images, emphasizing the tragedy of human fate, its loneliness and powerlessness in the face of the absurdity of the surrounding reality, make the work innovative.
A little about the book. One ordinary morning, young Gregor wakes up to a disgusting bug, a terrible muck that his family is afraid to even look at. Thus, the story reveals the tragedy of a lonely, abandoned and guilty person in the face of an absurd and meaningless fate.
"The Fifteen-Year-Old Captain" by Jules Verne
Peculiarity. The unusual situations in which the heroes find themselves, the poignancy of the plot, full of mysteries and unexpected turns of events, make Jules Verne a master of the adventure novel. The peculiarity of the novel is that the author explains even amazing things with scientific precision, and the riddles he offers do not contain anything mystical. In particular, the writer gives a true picture of the tragic fate of the indigenous population of Central Africa even after the abolition of the slave trade.
A little about the book. The book describes the adventures of passengers on the whaling schooner brig Pilgrim. One day, the entire crew of the ship dies and fifteen-year-old junior sailor Dick Sand has to steer the schooner. Naturally, many adventures await travelers ahead.
"The Catcher in the Rye" by Jerome David Salinger
Peculiarity. The work became a turning point in the history of world literature. The title of the book and the name of the main character, Holden Caulfield, became a code for many generations of young rebels - from beatniks and hippies to representatives of modern radical youth movements. Interestingly, John Lennon's killer, Mark Chapman, told the police that he found a coded order to kill Lennon in the pages of The Catcher in the Rye. At the same time, the man was declared sane.
A little about the book. The book, from the perspective of a 17-year-old boy, Holden, tells in a very frank manner about his perception of American reality and his rejection of general canons and morality modern society. True, at the same time he does not want and cannot change the world.
Between 1961 and 1982, The Catcher in the Rye was the most banned book in American schools and libraries. Holden was described as a "bad example" for young people, and it was argued that he encouraged rebellion, drunkenness and debauchery in children. Prohibitory actions often led to the opposite effect - the novel only attracted more interest.
The friend feed brought something interesting. List of books, according to the Russian Academy of Sciences, that you should read educated person. The first list is intended for 15-16 year olds, and the second list is for older children. From 17 years old. I was unpleasantly surprised by the presence of Pelevin, Coelho and Haruki Murakami, as well as T. Tolstoy and other pseudo-philosophical writers. I was pleasantly surprised by the presence of Gaiman, Castaneda, and Stoker. In general, I crossed out what I definitely finished reading. It’s depressing that, according to the Russian Academy of Sciences, I cannot be considered an educated person. =(
1. J.D. Salinger “The Catcher in the Rye” and stories.
2. Franz Kafka “Castle”, “The Trial”.
3. Ken Kesey “Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” (“One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest”).
4. Venedikt Erofeev “Moscow-Petushki”.
5. Julio Cortazar “Winnings” (1960), “Hopscotch” (1963), “62. Model for assembly” (1968), “The Last Round” (1969), “The Book of Manuel” (1974).
6. F. M. Dostoevsky “Poor People”, “Demons”, “Idiot”, “The Brothers Karamazov”, “Crime and Punishment”.
7. S. Lem “Futurological Congress”, “Runny nose”, “Eden” and others.
8. Victor Pelevin “Chapaev and Emptiness”, “Omon Ra”, “Life of Insects”, “Yellow Arrow”, “Generation P” and others.
9. Tatyana Tolstaya “Kys”.
10. Ulitskaya L. “The Case of Kukotsky”, “Medea and Her Children”.
11. Boris Akunin “Azazel”, “Turkish Gambit”.
12. Yuri Mamleev “Connecting Rods”, “Moscow Gambit”, “Drown My Head”, “ Eternal Home", "Connecting rods".
13. Pavel Krusanov “Night Inside”, “Kalevala. Karelo-Finnish epic", "Angel's bite".
14. Strugatsky “Roadside Picnic”, “Snail on the Slope”, “It’s Hard to Be a God”.
15. Dale Carnegie “How to Build Confidence and Influence People by Speaking in Public.” How to win friends and influence people. How to stop worrying and start living."
16. Garcia Marquez G. “One Hundred Years of Solitude”, “Autumn of the Patriarch”, “Love in the Time of Plague”.
17. Lobsang Rampa “The Third Eye” (1. The Third Eye. 2. The Doctor from Lhasa. 3. The History of the Rampa. 4. The Caves of the Ancients. 5. You are Eternal. 6. The Wisdom of the Ancients. 7. The Hermit. 8. The Saffron Robe. 9. Chapters from Life 10. Life with Lama 11. Candle Fire 12. Beyond 1/10 13. Keeping the Fire 14. The Thirtieth Candle 15. Twilight 16. How It Happened 17. Ramp on Venus 18. Tibetan sage.).
18. Alexandra David-Noel “Mystics and magicians of Tibet.”
19. Elizabeth Heich "Dedication".
20. Mario Puzo "The Godfather".
21. E. M. Remarque “All Quiet on the Western Front”, “Three Comrades”, “Arc de Triomphe”, “Black Obelisk” (collected works).
22. L.N. Tolstoy "War and Peace", "Anna Karenina".
23. M. Sholokhov “Quiet Don”.
24. B. Pasternak “Doctor Zhivago”, poetry.
25. M. Bulgakov “The Master and Margarita”, " dog's heart", "White Guard", "Days of the Turbins", "Fatal Eggs".
26. Marietta Chudakova "Biography of Mikhail Bulgakov."
27. I. Bunin “Dark Alleys”, “The Life of Arsenyev”, “Cursed Days”.
28. V. N. Muromtseva “The Life of Bunin”, “Conversations with Memory”.
29. Ilf I. and Petrov E. “Twelve Chairs”, “Golden Calf”, “One-Storey America”.
30. Platonov A. “Pit”.
31. Zamyatin “We”
32. A. Solzhenitsyn “One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich”, “In the First Circle”, “Cancer Ward”, “The Gulag Archipelago”, “Two Hundred Years Together”.
33. Galsworthy J. “The Forsyte Saga”
34. E. Hemingway “A Farewell to Arms!”, “For Whom the Bell Tolls.”
35. E. Zola “Germinal”, “Belly of Paris”.
36. Choderlos de Lenclos “Dangerous Liaisons.”
37. Guy de Maupassant “Dear Friend”, stories.
38. G. Flaubert “Madame Bovary”.
39. Stendhal “Red and Black”, “The Parma Monastery”.
40. W. Thackeray “Vanity Fair.”
41. Alexander Mirer “House of Wanderers.”
42. M. Zoshchenko “Stories”.
43. Poems: O. Khayyam, W. Shakespeare, M. Basho, I. Krylov, N. Nekrasov, F. Tyutchev, A. Fet, I. Severyanin, S. Yesenin, O. Mandelstam, N. Gumilyov, M. Tsvetaeva, V. Mayakovsky, R. Rozhdestvensky, Bulat Okudzhava, Joseph Brodsky.
44. A. Akhmatova “Evening” (1912), “Rosary” (1914), “White Flock” (1917), “Plantain” (1921), “Anno Domini” (1922), “Running of Time”
45. E. Gershtein "Anna Akhmatova and Lev Gumilyov", memoirs.
46. Boris Nosik “Anna and Amadeo. The story of the secret love of Akhmatova and Modigliani, or Drawing in the interior."
47. A. Block “Poems” (“Stranger” and others).
48. M. A. Svetlov “Poems” (“Grenada”, “Song of Kakhovka” and others).
49. I.S. Turgenev
50. A.N. Ostrovsky
51. A.P. Chekhov
52. N. G. Chernyshevsky “What to do” “(for variety).
53. Kuprin “Garnet Bracelet”, “Shulamith”.
54. Teffi "Stories".
55. Orwell J. “1984.”
56. Yu. Nikitin “Three from the forest.”
57. Maria Semyonova “Wolfhound”, “Right to Duel”, “Istovik-Stone”, “Sign of the Path”, “Gem Mountains”, “Valkyrie”.
58. V. Pikul “Moonzund”, “Favorite”, “Requiem for the PQ-17 caravan”.
59. V. Voinovich “The Life and Extraordinary Adventures of the Soldier Ivan Chonkin”, “Fairy Tales for Adults”, “The Smell of Chocolate”.
60. V. Shukshin “Stories”.
61. Vasil Bykov, Polyakov, Kurochkin, Bogomolov (about the Great Patriotic War).
62. Obruchev “Sannikov’s Land”.
63. Walt Whitman "Poems".
64. S. Maugham “Theater”, “The Burden of Human Passions”.
65. A. Bely “Petersburg”.
66. Z. Gippius “Living Faces”, poetry.
67. Goncharov I. A. “Oblomov,” “Ordinary History.”
68. Michael Moorcock “The Waste Lands”, “The Ice Schooner, or the New York Expedition”, “The Chronicles of Cornelius”, “Elric of Melnibon”.
69. Vladimir Levi “The art of being yourself”, “The art of being different”, “Non-standard child”, “Confession of a hypnotist”.
70. Goethe I. V. “Faust.”
71. Dante “The Divine Comedy”.
72. Homer “Iliad”, “Odyssey”.
73. Stephen King “Pet Sematary”, “The Green Mile” and other novels.
74. W. Golding “Lord of the Flies.”
75. Alex Garland “Beach.”
76. Stoker B. “Dracula”.
77. Frank Herbert "Dune".
78. Philip Jose Farmer "Ismael's Flying Whales", "Anger?6?
79. Harlan Ellison “On the Road to Oblivion.”
80. M. Gorky “The Life of Klim Samgin.”
81. Moliere J. B. “Don Juan”, “Funny primps”, “The Bourgeois in the Nobility”, “The Misanthrope”, “Tartuffe”, “The Miser”.
82. Winston Groom "Forrest Gump".
83. John Wyndham "Day of the Triffids".
And another list
1. Marcel Proust “In Search of Lost Time.”
2. James Joyce "Ulysses".
3. Umberto Eco “The Name of the Rose”, “Foucault’s Pendulum”.
4. Eric Berne “People who play games. Games People Play", "Sex in Human Life", "Introduction to Psychiatry and Psychoanalysis for the Uninitiated."
5. Sigmund Freud “The Interpretation of Dreams”, “Introduction to Psychoanalysis” (1910), “Psychopathology of Everyday Life” (1904), “I and the Id” (1923), “Totem and Taboo”, “Essays on the Psychology of Sexuality”.
6. Fromm E. “The Art of Loving”, “To Have or to Be”, “Escape from Freedom”.
7. Jung Carl Gustav “Psychology of the unconscious”, “Psychological types”, “Man and his symbols”, “Problems of the soul of our time”.
8. Viktor Frankl “Man’s Search for Meaning.”
9. Abraham Harold Maslow “Motivation and Personality.”
10. M.E. Litvak “Psychological vampirism. Anatomy of a conflict."
11. Frederick Perls “Inside and Out of the Garbage Bin. Joy. Sadness. Chaos.Wisdom."
12. Robert Crooks, Karla Baur “Sexuality.”
13. Friedrich Nietzsche “Thus Spake Zarathustra.”
14. Books about world religions: Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism, Judaism and others (for example: Erriker K. Buddhism; Bertrong D. and E. Confucianism; Besserman P. Kabbalah and Jewish mysticism; Wong E. Taoism; Kanitkar V.P. . (Hemant) Hinduism; Maksud R. Islam; Oliver P. World religious beliefs; Feurstein G. Tantra; Ernst K.V. Sufism; Young D. Christianity).
15. Bible.
16. Koran. Talmud. Rig Veda. Avesta. Brahmapada. Works of Confucius. Tao Te Jin. Vernadsky (about the noosphere). Kant (on idealism). Kendo. Bushido.Bodhittsattva. Mahamudra. Kabbalah. Bhagavad Gita.
17. V.V. Nabokov “The Defense of Luzhin”, “Mashenka”, “The Gift”, “Lolita” and others.
18. Patrick Suskind “Perfume”, “Dove”, “The Story of Mr. Sommer”.
19. Andre Gide “Earthly Dishes”, “Counterfeiters”, “The Narrow Gate”.
20. Jorge Luis Borges “The Garden of Forking Paths”, “The Book of Fictitious Creatures” and other stories. “Six riddles for Don Isidro Parodi”, “Seven Evenings”.
21. Carlos Castaneda “The Teachings of Don Juan of the Yaqui Tribe”, “A Separate Reality”, “Journey to Ixtlan”, “Tales of Power”, “The Second Ring of Power”, “The Gift of the Eagle”, “The Fire from Within”, “The Power of Silence” , "The Art of Dreaming".
22. Tibetan Book of the Dead - Bardo Thedol
23. Henry Miller “Tropic of Cancer” and others.
24. Andy Warhol “The Philosophy of Andy Warhol (From A to B and vice versa).”
25. G. Hesse “Demian”, “Steppenwolf”, “The Glass Bead Game”, “Siddhartha”.
26. Bernard Shaw “The House of the Widower”, “Heartbreaker”, “Mrs. Warren’s Profession”, “The Devil’s Disciple”, “Arms and the Man”, “Candida”, “The Chosen One of Fate”, “We’ll see”, “Pygmalion”, “ The house where hearts break."
27. Albert Camus “The Plague”, “The Fall”, “The Stranger”.
28. Paul Verlaine "Poems" ("Sea", "Autumn Song", "Shadows of trees, hiding behind the gray fog...", "The sky over the city is crying...", "Melancholy", "Tired of suffering, I have wilted fell silent...", "More beautiful and silent...", "GREEN", "Grotesque", "As the day dawns, as the radiance returns...").
29. Jean-Paul Sartre “Nausea”, “Words”, “Freud”.
30. Arthur Rimbaud "Poems".
31. Virginia Woolf “Jacob’s Room”, “Orlando”, “To the Lighthouse”, “Mrs. Dalloway”.
32. Tom Sharp “Far Intent”, “Wilt”, “New Layout at the Poker House”.
33. Clifford D. Simak “Everything Living...”, “Almost Like People”, “Goblin Reserve”, “City”, “Ring Around the Sun”.
34. Ambrose Bierce "The Devil's Dictionary", stories.
35. Kobo Abe “Woman in the Sands”, “Stories” (“Box Man” and others).
36. Aldous Huxley “Crome Yellow”, “The Jester’s Round Dance”, “The Doors of Perception”, “Counterpoint”, “O Wonderful One” new world" and others.
37. Haruki Murakami “The Rat Trilogy” (“Listen to the Song of the Wind”, “Pinball 1973”, “Sheep Hunt”), “Dance-dance-dance”, “Kafka on the Beach”.
38. Alexander Mitta “Cinema between hell and heaven.”
39. Daniil Andreev "Rose of the World".
40. Milan Kundera “The Unbearable Lightness of Being”, “Broken Wills”, “Immortality”, “Slowness / Authenticity”, “Farewell Waltz”.
41. Arsenyev V.K. "Along the Ussuri region", "Dersu Uzala".
42. Ryu Murakami, “All Shades of Blue,” “69.”
43. Paulo Coelho "The Alchemist", "Eleven Minutes".
44. Yukio Mishima “Confession of a Mask”, “Golden Temple”, “Thirst for Love”.
45. Anthony Burgess, “A Clockwork Orange,” “ Long haul for tea party”, “Iron, rusty iron”.
46. Max Frisch “I’ll call myself Gantenbein.”
47. W. Faulkner “The Village.”
48. T. Wilder “Ides of March”.
49. John Steinbeck, The Grapes of Wrath, Cannery Row, East of Eden.
50. F.S. Fitzgerald “The Great Gatsby”, “Tender is the Night”, Stories.
51. Knut Hamsun “Hunger”, “Juice of the Earth”.
52. R.M.Rilke Poems.
53. Francoise Sagan “Fish Blood”, “Hello, Sadness”. “Love Brahms’s Livs.” "A little sunshine in cold water", "Leash".
54. Aitmatov Ch. “Djamilya”, “My poplar in a red scarf”, “Camel’s eye”, “First teacher”, “Mother’s field”, “And the day lasts longer than a century”, “The block”, “Cassandra’s brand”, " White steamer", "Pied dog running by the edge of the sea."
55. Akutagawa Ryunosuke (Ryunosuke) “Hell of Loneliness,” “Tobacco and the Devil.”
56. Updike D. “Rabbit, Run,” “Centaur,” “Gertrude and Claudius,” “Let’s Get Married.”
57. Thomas Stearns Eliot “Poems”.
58. Neil Gaiman " American Gods", "Coraline", "Smoke and Mirrors".
59. Apollinaire G. “Poems”.
60. Apuleius. "Metamorphoses, or the Golden Ass."
61. Asturias M. A. “Young Owner of Treasures,” “Maize People.”
62. Babel I. “How it was done in Odessa”, “Cavalry”, stories.
63. V. Shalamov “Fourth Vologda”, Kolyma stories. Poetry.
64. Bart J. “The Floating Opera.”
65. Bach R. “A Seagull Named Jonathan Livingston.”
66. Böll G. “House without a master.”
67. Bitov A. “Lessons of Armenia”, “Georgian Album”, “Pushkin House”, “Flying Monks”, “Catechumens”.
68. Blake W. “Songs of Innocence and Experience” (Poems).
69. Beauvoir S. de. "Lovely pictures."
70. Baudelaire S. “Flowers of Evil.”
71. Boccaccio G. “Decameron”.
72. Beaumarchais. "The Barber of Seville" "The Marriage of Figaro".
73. Iain Banks “Crow Road”, “Bridge”, “Wasp Factory”, “Steps on Glass”.
74. Boris Vasiliev “And the dawns here are quiet”, “Gambler and brute, duelist player”, “Quench my sorrows...”.
75. Vian B. “Autumn in Beijing,” “All the dead have the same skin.”
76. V. Vysotsky Poems.
77. Gan Bao. "Notes on the search for spirits."
78. I.A. Efremov "Thais of Athens", "The Razor's Edge", "On the Edge of the Oikumene".
79. Romain Gary “Promise at Dawn” / “Promise at Dawn”, “Guilty Head”.
80. Leslie Poels Hartley " Deadly number"(stories).
81. Henri Barbusse “Tenderness”, “Fire”. Collection of short stories "Incidents", "True Stories".
82. Garcia Lorca F. “The song wants to become light.”
83. Gilyarovsky V. A. “Moscow and Muscovites.”
84. Alexey Didurov “Legends and myths of the Ancient Sovk.”
85. Günter Grass “Under Local Anesthesia”, “Tin Drum”, “A Dog’s Life”, “From the Diary of a Snail”, “Birth from the Head”.
86. Dali S. “Diary of a Genius.”
87. Amanda Lear “DALI through the eyes of Amanda.”
88. James G. “Turn of the Screw.”
89. Dovlatov S. “Life is short”, “Reserve”, “Zone: (Notes of a warden)”.
90. Dombrovsky Yu. “Faculty of unnecessary things.”
91. Du Maurier D. “The Scapegoat”, “Rebecca”, “French Cove”, “The Royal General”, “My Cousin Rachel”.
92. Euripides. "Medea". "Hippolytus." "Bacchae"
93. Sacher-Masoch L. von. "Venus in Furs"
94. Kazantzakis N. “The Last Temptation.”
95. Capote T. “Breakfast at Tiffany’s.”
96. Kane J. “Butterfly”, “The Postman Always Rings Twice”, “Double Indemnity”.
97. Confucius. Judgments and conversations.
98. Lawrence D. G. “Sons and Lovers”, “Rainbow”, “Women in Love”, “Lady Chatterley’s Lover”.
99. McCoy H. “There are no pockets in a shroud,” “They shoot driven horses, isn’t it?”
100. Marquis de Sade. "Justine, or the Misfortunes of Virtue"
What to do when there are still so many unread books, but you only want to spend time on the most worthy literature? Take advantage of other people's recommendations! We have selected dozens for you best books world: adults and children, and the most popular bestsellers in the world.
Books worth reading
We present to you three lists of books, formed on expert opinions, reader surveys and sales statistics. These are some of the most significant works in world literature. Of course, the best books of all time don't end there, but you have to start somewhere, right?
Even if you are an adherent of one genre, do not rush to give up reading, because excellent books can be found in any genre, be it detective, historical novel or fantasy.
Best books for adults
Works that have been consistently popular all over the world for many years. Each of these books rightfully claims to be a “desktop” book.
Antoine de Saint-Exupery "The Little Prince"
Don't let the fairy tale genre confuse you - this is one of those cases when a children's book is also written for adults, perhaps even primarily for them.
She tells us the story with unfailing charm. little boy, who leaves his tiny, safe planet to travel the universe, exploring the vagaries of adult behavior through a series of unusual encounters. His own odyssey ends with a journey to Earth and further adventures on it. But the main thing is that through the mouth of the boy, the Fox and other characters, the writer shares with us his main thoughts, the simplest and most important things that we, adults, should take into account.
Erich Maria Remarque "Three Comrades"
On the outskirts of a large German city in 1928, three young men make a living as best they can. Fully armed soldiers walk blithely through the streets. There is anxiety, poverty and violence everywhere. For these three, friendship is the only salvation from the surrounding chaos. Soon one of them falls in love and brings a young woman into the group, who will also become their comrade. But life goes on as usual and presents far from pleasant surprises.
“Three Comrades” is written with stunning simplicity and directness, without unnecessary illusions. They portray the greatness of the human spirit through characters who find the strength to accept the blows of fate and live in a post-war world that is not to their liking.
Ernest Hemingway "The Old Man and the Sea"
This is the story of an old Cuban fisherman, long out of luck, whose ultimate test was a tireless and painful struggle with a giant fish in the Gulf Stream. Hemingway touches here on the classic theme of courage in the face of defeat, where personal triumph stands above overall failure.
Written in 1952, this successful story has confirmed its power and significance in the world of literature; It was for this that the writer received the Nobel Prize two years later.
Gabriel Garcia Marquez "One Hundred Years of Solitude"
It tells the story of victories and defeats, the birth and death of the mystical city of Macondo through the story of the Buendia family. War and revolution, wealth and poverty, youth and dementia - here there are all facets of life, the infinity of death, the search for peace and truth.
A tragicomedy of the human race, inventive, exciting, compelling, sad and lively, with unforgettable characters, this story is a masterpiece of world literature.
George Orwell "1984"
1984 came and went, but Orwell's prophetic and terrifying vision of the world from 1949 could not be more relevant now. Everyone should read this novel: it summed up Orwell's work, and still remains modern classics dystopian genre.
The writer clearly shows the influence of totalitarianism on a person’s personality and creates a technologically advanced world where fear is used as a tool of manipulation and control over individuals who do not fit into the usual indestructible order.
Franz Kafka "The Trial"
The work was written in 1914, but was published only in 1925 - a year after Kafka's death.
"The Trial" - the frightening story of Josef K., bank employee, who is suddenly arrested and has to defend himself in court in a case for which he cannot obtain any information. This existential novel well reveals the theme of confrontation between the bureaucratic system and the common man.
Fyodor Dostoevsky "Crime and Punishment"
With the help of the tragedy of the main character, Rodion Raskolnikov, Dostoevsky reveals the theme of redemption through suffering. The writer reveals the spiritual drama of the main character and shows what happens to a person in reality when he commits a crime - how strong his moral responsibility is.
Oscar Wilde "The Picture of Dorian Gray"
Wilde's most popular book. The story of a young man who sold his soul in exchange for eternal youth and beauty captivates readers around the world, with the eternal theme of art, morality and immortality.
Throughout the book, we observe the moral decay of a once innocent youth, and then his final downfall. However, Dorian Gray still remains a symbol of what all humanity now desires, namely, endless youth, even though it came at too great a cost to the protagonist.
Mikhail Bulgakov "The Master and Margarita"
The novel combines two separate but interconnected parts - ancient Jerusalem and modern Moscow.
The mood of the novel changes rapidly: from the theatricality of vampire attacks and a satanic ball to the calm scenes of the meeting of Pilate and Yeshua, and then again leads to the circus-like reality of Moscow. The struggle between good and evil, love, death and immortality - these are the topics touched upon by this masterpiece of literature.
William Shakespeare "Hamlet"
Shakespeare's most popular and most mysterious play, in which Prince Hamlet seeks ways to take revenge on his father's murderer, Uncle Claudius, now the king of Denmark. But much of the charm of this play for the reader lies in the accompanying uncertainties: who the ghost is, whether Hamlet has really gone mad, whether revenge should be taken or not, because all of Hamlet’s actions are connected with his philosophical reasoning.
Before Shakespeare, there were no such heroes, and even of such a scale, in literature, so everyone should really read and appreciate the play.
The best books for children
And here is our TOP 10 children's literature - the best books everyone should read child. They will not only immerse children in new exciting stories, but will also act as a kind of teacher and help develop the qualities of a worthy person in a child.
Alexander Volkov "The Wizard of the Emerald City"
It's about a girl, Ellie from Kansas, who accidentally ended up in Magic world together with the dog Totoshka, and now together with new magical friends - the Scarecrow, the Cowardly Lion and the Tin Woodman, he will go to the famous wizard so that he can help them realize their cherished desires. Mutual assistance, courage, devotion and true friendship - that's what this fairy tale really teaches.
Nikolay Nosov “The Adventures of Dunno and His Friends”
This unique world of little people is unlikely to leave a child uninterested.
The main character of the book, Dunno, lives with his friends in one fairy-tale city, all the inhabitants of which are not even larger than a cucumber, which is why they are called shorties. As usual, little Dunno always gets into some kind of adventure, which turns out to be not only fun for children, but also instructive.
Charles Perrault. Fairy tales
Dan Brown "The Da Vinci Code"
Despite not being the most fashionable genre in literature, this detective-mystical novel instantly captured the minds of a mass audience in 2003.
Although the work was rather negatively received by the church, the investigation into the mysterious murder in the Paris Louvre attracted almost 60 million sales worldwide.
Paulo Coelho "The Alchemist"
Surprisingly simple story of a young shepherd who dreams of finding treasure in Egypt, caused a great stir in the world and sold almost 70 million copies. Apparently, it was Coelho who was able to present simple truths with the right sauce and win the love of readers.
This work became the best-selling book in Portuguese, and even entered the Guinness Book of Records as the most translated modern book: it can be read in 67 languages.
John Ronald Reuel Tolkien "The Lord of the Rings"
This work was initially a single whole, but due to its large volume it was divided into three parts, which are often published as separate books than single volume. The world of Middle-earth and the One Ring caused real delight among readers.
The influence of this epic novel on world culture and the fantasy genre in particular is simply invaluable. Published in the middle of the 20th century, it continues to gain an army of fans, and its circulation already exceeds 100 million copies.
Joanne Rowling. Harry Potter series
These books are so popular all over the world that probably only hermits have not heard of them. Who would have thought that this originally children's literature would win enormous recognition among people of the most different ages- it is read by small children, teenagers, and adults.
The story about a brave wizard, his friends, their adventures in magical world and at the Hogwarts School of Magic, seven books in the amount of seven books sold a huge circulation of about 500 million copies.
"Quotes from Chairman Mao Zedong"
The philosophical statements of the former leader of the People's Republic of China have proven incredibly popular, with sales of more than 820 million books worldwide.
Residents of the PRC at one time were obliged to memorize some of these quotes. They turned to them in a variety of situations and believed that in this book they could find a solution to any problem.
As one would expect, the most popular books are given first place to the Bible - it is not for nothing that it is called the Book of Books. Perhaps this is the only book that absolutely does not need any introduction. The Bible's circulation is simply incredible - almost 4 billion copies, making it the most published book on earth.
You can get to know one of the best books of world literature and one of the best works of Erich Maria Remarque in particular by watching this discussion video.
Take it for yourself and tell your friends!
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