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Literature worth reading. Smart books for smart people: an overview

First love is impossible to forget. For some, it passes quickly or, conversely, it lasts a lifetime. It can give happiness or unbearable suffering. Many writers have devoted their books to the first strong feelings of lovers. In our review you will find a variety of works about love: classic and modern, autobiographical and fantasy, sad and happy.

Leisure ideas / What book to read

Autumn is an ideal time for reading, and the colder it gets, the more you want to wrap yourself in a warm blanket and sit down with a fascinating book. Today we will talk about 10 books that will brighten up your rainy days in November. You are waiting for love stories, bewitching fantasy, fantasy and much more.

Leisure ideas / What book to read

Readers often associate the concept of "hero" with positive qualities. For centuries, many writers have taken the main characters as role models, opposing villains to them. However, not all the key characters of the works can be named. good people.

Leisure ideas / What book to read

Not all books with children's characters are clear and understandable to children. Some works fully reveal their essence only when the reader is no longer a child. These 12 works cannot be called children's in the literal sense of the word.

Leisure ideas / What book to read

So autumn has come ... It's a little sad to say goodbye to summer, but autumn has its own charm, right? It will rain soon, and you and I know that reading a good book under the sound of rain is doubly pleasant. Let's get in the mood for autumn with these captivating creations.

Leisure ideas / What book to read

Summer is coming to an end, but you don't want to leave it at all. Let's enjoy the last days of August to the fullest, plunging into the world of literature dedicated to summer. In this collection you are waiting for different genres: science fiction, fantasy, melodrama and detective stories.

Leisure ideas / What book to read

The first of September is about to come, so we decided to create a review of books that will help first graders adapt to school. In our article you will find timeless classics that have long established themselves, as well as books for modern children.

Leisure ideas / What book to read

A little less than a month is left until the end of summer, so it's time to pick up interesting literature for autumn reading. We have studied the lists of expected books and have selected for you the top 10 works of various genres. September will be fruitful for fans of detectives and thrillers. We are also waiting for love stories, philosophical reflections (ideal novels to read on rainy evenings) and funny books with excellent humor.

Leisure ideas / What book to read

The expectation of a child is accompanied by high spirits, then a wave of panic. Yes, what kind of wave is there ... This is a real tsunami that can sweep away everything in its path. It is especially difficult for those who are planning to become a parent for the first time. Fortunately, useful books will help you understand pressing issues and dispel stupid fears.

Leisure ideas / What book to read

Summer is not complete without a good book. And the more good books you read, the better! We have selected 10 books for young readers that are perfect for reading during the holidays. In our list you will find the work of both classics and contemporaries.

Leisure ideas / What book to read

Detective stories have become one of the most popular genres among book lovers. The world treasury has given us many magnificent works of classical authors, however contemporary writers they are not far behind. We have selected 12 modern novels in which the heroines lead investigations or cause intricate crimes.

Leisure ideas / What book to read

As a rule, detective novels, as well as dystopias in the genre of science fiction, are in the lead among modern literary novelties. However, July 2019 will amaze us with a real boom in melodramatic and love works. In general, this is not surprising, because at the height of summer you want love. Fans of other genres will also be able to enjoy quality literature. But first things first. Let's start our list with an exciting detective story.

Eleonora Brik

A well-known Russian magazine conducted research and compiled a list of books that are as close in spirit to Russians as possible. Full list includes more than 100 items, but we offer 15 books from this category that everyone should read. The editors of the magazine claim that the heroes of each work are the bearers of Russian culture and its identity.

List of books every Russian should read

We offer 15 books that every person should read. These, which excite the minds of more than one generation.

Bulgakov Mikhail, Master and Margarita

The novel combines two countries, two cultures and two eras. It intertwines fantasy ideas along with historical reality and romance. It reveals in detail the struggle between good and evil.

The interaction and influence of the devil and divine power on a person is shown. Together with fiction, Bulgakov skillfully combined the reality of Moscow life of that era. Moreover, historical scenes are described on the basis of literary sources.

Pushkin Alexander, "Eugene Onegin"

The work for the first time reveals to the Russian person the important problems of that reality. It is relevant to our modern times as well. When reading a work, you, as in a mirror, will see your own acquaintances, a street or a city.

Belinsky called "Eugene Onegin" the best encyclopedia of the Russian way of life. It covers deep themes and is clearly conveyed with pen and paper. It shows what romance should be, what Russian love and real feelings can be.

Dostoevsky Fyodor, "Crime and Punishment"

The novel presents questions of virtue and human morality. It reveals a person's attitude to these qualities and considers the right of the main character to kill his own neighbor.

Even with this one. Using the example of Raskolnikov, the author shows that no goals and ideas can be the reason for the termination of a person's life.

Leo Tolstoy, "War and Peace"

This is a masterpiece of Russian literature, which contains a whole encyclopedia. Against the backdrop of a change of eras and amazing events, the novel opens up the concept of a real person. In it, the people are depicted not as separate social strata, but as a single mass, which grief united in a single aspiration and common values.

In each volume, a folk thought is traced, which lives not only in a military episode, but in a peaceful life.

De Saint-Exupery Antoine, "The Little Prince"

Lermontov Mikhail, "A Hero of Our Time"

The sonorous name of the work is quite suitable for modern reality. As well as 200 years ago in our society issues of destiny of the person, belief in divine powers are raised.

It will not leave anyone indifferent because it describes the problems that are consonant with every soul - the meaning of passion, love, the destiny of the fate of each person. For two centuries this work has been considered a classic of Russian literature.

Gabriel Garcia Marquez, One Hundred Years of Solitude

Moreover, it is possible to learn this from the description of the events of what is happening. A strong and wealthy family flourishes on the pages of the story, but at the same time, each individually is a lonely person. The book describes different methods of struggle. Some are furiously engaged in their favorite work, the second become hermits, and the third choose war instead of a peaceful life.

In today's world, many people feel lonely, despite the possibilities of social communication, and a large number of people around them. How to find understanding and recognition of others and, as a result, get rid of the oppressive feeling? The answer is revealed in the pages of the book.

JK Rowling, Harry Potter

Gogol Nikolai, "Dead Souls"

The book reveals to the reader the Russian character with its originality. Against the backdrop of beautiful Russian nature, picturesque villages, the author describes the greed and desire for profit of the landowners, their arbitrariness and lack of rights of the peasants. At the same time, hope for a brighter future can be traced in the work, because in the second volume Chichikov had to be morally cleansed.

Gogol picturesquely and clearly reflected reality and showed a true picture of the life of the Russian outback in the second half of the 19th century.

Leo Tolstoy, Anna Karenina

A vivid novel about unrequited love. Married woman has strong feelings for the young officer and from this decides to commit suicide. This became for her the only way out of the situation when she became an outcast in society, when she was condemned by people who once wanted communication and patronage.

The novel tells about the unrequited love of her husband, who only after the death of Anna realized how much she was dear to him. It raises questions of morality, responsibility and loyalty. At first glance, a banal story is described, but just start reading and you will discover a lot of emotions and feelings.

Oscar Wilde, The Picture of Dorian Gray

The work has become one of the greatest that have been written over the past 150 years. Initially, they tried to ban the novel, the author was condemned for "obscene scenes."

Indeed, in his work, an innocent and beautiful young man becomes a monster. Dorian is influenced by Lord Henry, who preaches hedonistic ideas and spreads cynical aphorisms.

Griboyedov Alexander, "Woe from Wit"

A comedy written in verse. Thanks to him, the writer became a famous classic of Russian literature. In it, Griboyedov ridicules the aristocrats of Moscow society who lived in the first half of the 19th century. Since the author used an aphoristic style, the sentences were divided into quotations.

Turgenev Ivan, "Fathers and Sons"

The theme of the novel is relevant and understandable to every generation. On the one hand, parents and children are in conflict, and on the other, liberals and democrats. These are two socio-political forces that operated in Russia in the 1860s.

In parallel with intergenerational relationships, friction between young people of the same age is shown. They try to defend their own point of view, demeanor, their own habits and actions.

Remarque Erich Maria, "Three Comrades"

Find out what true friendship is, which even love will not destroy. This is a story about the lives of ordinary people who survived the war and supported each other in peacetime. The love of one does not destroy, but only expands the circle of friendship. The book shows the bitterness of war and the romance of peaceful life, the ability to make friends and love.

Mitchell Margaret, Gone with the Wind

A novel that raised questions of love and marriage, betrayal and loyalty to one's own country, about the beauty and cruelty of life. This is one of the books that will live forever. Having read it once, you invariably come back to experience the joy of meetings and the bitterness of losses together with the heroes.

These books will help you learn about the world around you, find out what relationships between people are like.

They are written in simple language, so they are easy to read. They raise eternal themes that are relevant at any time. The authors do not overload them with abstruse speeches and philosophical digressions, so they are interesting to read at any time and at any age.

Books for self-development

Whether you're determined to develop your own creative, mental, conversational, or willpower skills, the following 15 books are must-reads.

Cialdini Robert, The Psychology of Influence

The book clearly presents the basic principles through which you will be able to influence others. There are no abstruse theories and speeches in the book. There are only real tips that tell you step by step how you can get what you want from other people.

Particular attention is paid to the principle of contrasts and when to give in order to get much more. It describes how people's opinions influence their own decisions. The book is especially useful for people whose profession is connected with daily communication:

  • marketer: the book will help increase sales;
  • manager: the book will help manage;
  • teacher: uniga will help to teach.

Gal Nora, "The Word is Living and Dead"

The writer translated The Little Prince into correct Russian. In her own work, the writer reveals the secret of the Russian language and shows how it should be: without verbal, clerical terms and a heap of nouns.

She says how correctly and clearly explains why you should act only in accordance with them. It instills a competent attitude to the native language, without which one's own development is impossible.

Steven Covey, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People

He shares tips and a ready-made system that helps you prioritize your own life. At the same time, Stephen is far from imposing stereotypes. He invites everyone to decide depending on the needs. The book will be a great help to anyone who wants to reach the set thresholds.

Jim Collins, Good to Great

The topic is the correct construction of a business according to a system based on existing examples of operating companies. The book helps to evaluate the development of someone else's business in order to make a decision for yourself.

Mikalko Michael, "Rice Storm"

The book helps to assess the situation outside the box. So much is said about this that the very phrase “think outside the box” has become commonplace. The author helps to get rid of patterns, using a special technique.

Read riddles, complete practice tasks and puzzles, and you will be able to see two surfaces of one medal and even its edge. The book helps individuals decide and think outside the box.

Kemp Jim, "First Say No"

The book is useful for people who earn by being able to negotiate. It reveals the secrets of why you can’t constantly live on the principle of “win and win”, but you should be able to refuse. The book teaches you to negotiate with the best benefit in any situation.

Rettig Hillary, "Writing Professionally"

The book will show the writing techniques and everything related to this craft. The book will help those who are dissatisfied with their own result, even colossally done work.

Heath Chip and Dan, Thinking Traps

The authors of the book explain why people set goals and do not fulfill them in accordance with their own thoughts. They talk about common traps and help find a way out. After reading the book, you will learn to accept any choice and not regret it.

Rand Ayn, Atlas Shrugged

Some advise looking through it with a notebook to take notes on the ideas you like. Others note that after acquaintance, the worldview has changed: a person rethinks what is happening and looks at the picture as a whole. The trilogy tells about the importance of every decision made.

Learn to build your own schedule that will allow you to do the important thing.

Bredemeyer Carsten, Black Rhetoric

The book reveals the secrets of the correct conduct of dialogues at any level. Guided by it, you can "crush" your opponent, regardless of his social level and status. It could be one of the board of directors or the courier who brought the pizza.

Jay Mag, "The Important Years"

How not to miss the moment and rise to achieve the maximum in life? When should you plan and start implementing? Jay Meg's book will tell.

Cleon Austin, Steal Like an Artist

Famous writers and artists created new things based on what they saw from others. They watched, read and passed the work through themselves. As a result, they issued such copies in which it was impossible to recognize the source. Learn to take ideas and create your own solution from them.

Cher Barbara, "Dreaming is Good"

How to make a dream come true? how to use your own talents and strengths to implement ideas? This is covered in detail in the book.

McGonigal Kelly, Willpower. How to develop and strengthen

The title of the book reveals its message. It helps to activate hidden reserves and fully concentrate on work. It contains secrets that will help strengthen willpower through exercise. Learn to properly rest and sleep to achieve results.

January 23, 2014, 15:07

We have prepared books that everyone should read, regardless of gender and age. Here you will find publications about travel, personal productivity, the psychology of relationships between men and women, body language and more. Let's get started!

1. “Get out of your comfort zone. Change Your Life: 21 Ways to Increase Your Personal Efficiency

About the author: Brian did not study well and did not finish school, he traveled the world for 8 years as part of the crew of a cargo ship. He worked as a sales agent (within a year he became the best in the company), two years later he became a sales manager, and after 3 - vice president (at the age of 25). World renowned consultant, speaker.

About the book: when you're looking for books to read, start with this one. World bestseller. The author puts at the reader's disposal 21 proven efficiency-improvement techniques for getting quick results in your personal and professional life. To implement them in your life, you need to develop the right habits. Brian identified three factors in forming a good habit:

  • hardness;
  • discipline;
  • perseverance.

All these qualities can be developed by anyone, if there is a desire. This publication will help you do it easily and naturally. The roadmap for building the right habits is in your hands. Read in one breath. One of the world's best-selling personal productivity products (circulation over 1.3 million copies, translated into 40 languages). The publication is included in our TOP 10 books on self-development.

Feature of the book: simple and effective ways available to everyone will help you set and achieve your goals in the shortest possible time. Motivates and inspires.

Who is it for: for everyone without exception. From the "Must Read" series.

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2. "Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus"

About the author: John's first marriage did not work out. The second was on the verge of a divorce, until one day his wife remarked to him that he was not there when she badly needed him. From that moment, John realized how important any "little things" in a relationship are. One of the most famous specialists in human relations. He has written more than 17 books on psychology. He has a PhD in Human Psychology and Sexuality.

About the book: most psychologists focus on the similarities between men and women, but on the contrary, John draws attention to the differences between the sexes. For example, women are sure that men do not know how to listen, but that's different. When a woman begins to talk about her problems to a man, the latter immediately tries to find a solution, and she needs to speak out and feel supported and that her difficulties matter to him.

Another example: a man fails to complete some task on his own and a woman considers it her duty to help with advice, and at this moment he sees distrust in his abilities and an attempt to remake him.

The publication was included in the 10 most influential publications over the past 25 years. The total circulation since its first edition is more than 10 million copies. The undisputed bestseller and one of the best in the psychology of relations between men and women. A book worth reading if you want to improve yours and understand what your partner wants.

Feature of the book: An interesting “point system” from the author allows you to roughly calculate the number of “points” for a particular action from both partners and understand which actions in a relationship are more important than others. As a result, you understand what is really important for your partner and what is expected of you.

Who is it for: for those who want to have a healthy relationship with their partner and better understand each other (16+).

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About the author: Ayn Rand (formerly Alisa Zinovievna Rosenbaum from St. Petersburg) was already reading and writing at the age of 4. In 1926 she moved to America, where she remained until the end of her life. She wrote a number of philosophical works, but the most popular books were Atlas Shrugged and The Source.

About the book:"Atlas Shrugged" is without a doubt deservedly included in the TOP 10 books worth reading. Bestseller, one of the most popular motivational and business publications in the world. It took 12 years of the author's life to write the work, 2 of which were spent on the speech of the protagonist, John Galt. Included in the TOP 10 inspiring.

The plot is fictional: events unfold in America. The political elite ousts business from all industries, destroys competition, puts its people in leadership positions large companies, although the latter do not understand anything about it. After that, large entrepreneurs begin to disappear without a trace one by one. This continues until they all disappear and the country plunges into chaos. Not surprisingly, book sales skyrocketed after the 2008 crisis. People find answers to their questions in it at such moments. Three inspiring volumes intrigue, inspire and motivate.

Feature of the book: surprisingly fascinating plot, thoughts of great philosophers ancient greece allows you to look at the world with different eyes.

Who is it for: for all successful and striving for success.

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4. “Everywhere is at home: how we sold our house, changed our lives and saw the world”

About the author: When Lynn was 69, she and her husband (Tim) decided they wanted to travel more before they got old. They sold the house, got rid of unnecessary things, found new owners for their dog, collected all their savings, made a plan and went to travel the world.

About the book: undisputed bestseller. One of the best travel publications. This is an amazing, inspiring story about two pensioners who decided to discover new unexplored places in the vast world that surrounds us. They got rid of everything superfluous, sold all their belongings and went on an unforgettable journey: Mexico, Argentina, France, Portugal, England, Ireland, Morocco, Turkey ... All this despite their zodiac signs - Libra.

We guarantee that it will draw you in from the first pages. A fascinating and unforgettable story. Among other things, it is surprising how harmonious their relationship is and how much they love each other, and this is at their venerable age. Read in one breath. Inspiring, uplifting, energizing. The publication is included in our fascinating ten .

Feature of the book: in fact, this is an instruction for travelers: what needs to be done before the trip, what you will encounter and what nuances should be taken into account. Lynn shares wise thoughts towards her husband. They proved that there may not be a “retirement age” - it all depends on you.

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5. "Brain Development: How to Read Faster, Remember Better, and Achieve Bigger Goals"

About the author: Roger is a professional public speaker and personal growth coach who is used by employees of many large companies. Roger has the rare trait of making it easy and simple to explain how to do personal growth and best of all, it's all in a fun way. No complicated recommendations and "water". Perhaps this was facilitated by his past work - a pop comedian (more than 8 years).

  • set goals that inspire you;
  • use your time effectively;
  • train your brain;
  • read 2-4 times faster;
  • and… something else useful.

This is your personal trainer, and serious, but with a sense of humor. He does not invite you to change, but to become a little better. Not 100%, but just change the degree under which you can see the situation differently. It is read in one breath, but you will have to make stops - do exercises (very interesting and practical). You will improve your memory, your reading speed, focus on your priorities and, as a result, become a better person. Effective methods from the "here and now" series always delight and inspire. But "simple" does not mean "easy". Get ready to work.

Feature of the book: simple, effective, from the "here and now" series, exercises will help you quickly develop basic skills for personal effectiveness. No "water".

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About the book:"Amazing book, it can change your life" - so said Tom Peters about this edition. The Times ranked it as one of the 25 most influential business publications. Over 20 million sales worldwide. It is included not only in our TOP "Books worth reading", but in many others. Seven skills that will take your standard of living to new heights:

  1. Be proactive.
  2. Starting with the end goal in mind.
  3. First do what needs to be done first.
  4. Think win-win.
  5. First try to hear, and then be heard.
  6. Achieve synergy (strive for creative mutually beneficial interaction).
  7. Sharpen the saw (constantly improve).

Steven took the position that a person can always choose how to react to what is happening around: someone stepped on your shoes in public transport, someone called you a fool, someone deceived, etc. The bottom line is that no one can offend you without your consent. It will help you not only understand and shape your life goals, providing everything for this necessary tools but also reach them. 100% guarantee that after reading you will become a better person. Use this masterpiece road map. The publication is included in our list of the best business books.

Feature of the book: well structured material, vivid examples, simple recommendations.

Who is it for: for anyone who wants to improve their productivity and improve their lives. A must read for those who want to climb the career ladder or create their own successful business.

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About the book: The Psychology of Influence is written in an easy and accessible manner. A lot of interesting and funny examples clearly illustrate the work of certain principles and techniques of persuasion. At the most modern scientific level, the mechanisms of motivation, assimilation of information and decision-making are analyzed. The author identifies 6 basic principles of persuasion:

  1. Reciprocity: give something to another in order to get something in return.
  2. Commitment: people want their beliefs to match their values.
  3. Social Proof: there is nothing stronger than a feeling based on observing the actions of other people.
  4. Power: you will obey me!
  5. Sympathy: the more you like someone, the stronger their effect on you.
  6. Deficit: when you realize that something is missing, you will want it more.

If you are looking for books to read and want to clearly understand how to negotiate when they are trying to manipulate you, improve your communication skills, then be sure to read this one. Included in the list of the best in psychology.

Feature of the book: in fact, this tutorial in social psychology, conflictology and management. Everything is extremely simple and clear.

Who is it for: for sales professionals, speakers, executives, entrepreneurs, anyone whose work involves persuading others.

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About the book: Tina teaches to think outside the box, to see opportunities where most see only problems. One of the assignments she gave her students in class: You have $5 and only 60 minutes to earn money. As a result, the winners received up to 650 dollars. Question: “What did they do to make 600 with 5 dollars in 60 minutes?”. You will learn the answer to this and many other questions on self-development by reading this publication.

Feature of the book: each chapter is a challenge to everyday thinking, suggestions and recommendations that allow you to see problems as opportunities. Only practice.

Who is it for: for entrepreneurs and people who want to learn how to think outside the box. A must read for entrepreneurs.

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About the authors: famous couple from Australia. Alan Pease wrote his first bestseller (Body Language, over 20 million copies sold worldwide) at the age of 26. Now the author has dozens of popular books on psychology. Barbara is a model and fashion magazine publisher in the past.

About the book: an expanded edition of the previous bestseller ("Body Language"). After reading, you will be able to easily determine when a person is unhappy, trying to deceive you or showing sincere interest, and much more.

Feature of the book: everything about body movements, their interpretation, evaluation, possible consequences. Everything is accompanied by a detailed description, examples and photographs.

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10. “Willpower. How to develop and strengthen willpower

About the book: Who among us at least once did not want to strengthen willpower? After all the research, Kelly came to the conclusion that willpower is the same muscle as the biceps or chest muscles. It can and should be trained. Who would have thought that sleep and rest affect our willpower so much. From the book you will learn how to train it, strengthen it and develop it to unprecedented heights.

Feature of the book: each chapter describes one key idea and how it can be applied to your goals. All together is a 10-week educational course to develop your willpower.

Who is it for: absolutely for everyone who was waiting for the "magic pendal" and those who have problems with willpower.

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The novel, on which Mikhail Afanasyevich worked for more than ten years, is read and re-read all over the world. The author was able to skillfully reveal not just a few storylines: love, historical and fantastic, but also to raise such eternal questions as meaning and price human life, Evil and Good, death and immortality and many others. Starting reading from the very first words, each of us, at any age, plunges headlong into the world of the Master, Margarita, Pontius Pilate, Woland and other heroes of the novel, discovering more and more of its facets.

George Orwell "1984"

Can there be anything worse and worse than total lack of freedom? It is this question that permeates every line of George Orwell's most famous dystopian novel. This work, whose name has already become a household name, is a brilliant satire that mercilessly denounces every form of totalitarianism. Every day a person, surrounded by political propaganda, lies and violence, loses his identity and individuality, plunging into a life full of fear and restrictions.

William Shakespeare "Romeo and Juliet"

The immortal work of the great playwright and poet is one of the must-reads both in school years and in adulthood. The story of love and enmity between two ancient families, the Montagues and the Capulets, leaves an indelible mark on the soul of everyone. The main characters teach us kindness, selflessness and purity, inherent only in young romantics. The tragic story has become a classic, and the names of the heroes have become common nouns. "Romeo and Juliet" is a work that can revive faith in beauty, in love - a feeling that knows no misfortune, and even death.

Homer "Iliad"

The real name of the creator of the legendary poem of the VIII-VII centuries. BC, which is the source of ideas, plots, characters in all areas of art, is hidden in the fog of myths. The story of the Trojan War and the return of Odysseus, the king of Ithaca, to his homeland, told by him in the smallest detail, for a long time raised doubts among researchers with its authenticity. However, after excavations in Troy, a culture was discovered that corresponded to that described in the Iliad. Thus, covered with age-old secrets and legends, the ancient Greek poem becomes that literary and, in many ways, historical school that every person must go through in his life.

Erich Maria Remarque "Arc de Triomphe"

This work is one of the most beautiful and saddest European novels of the 20th century. Its action develops in Paris, where the main character, the German surgeon Ravik, who survived the horrors of the First World War and is accustomed to fear and hatred, falls in love with an Italian actress who does not think about love and lives only in every minute victories. The born passion between two people who have lost themselves, doomed to tragedy in advance, gives each of them a particle of warmth that they will never be able to feel again.

Fyodor Dostoyevsky "Crime and Punishment"

Having created a fundamentally new novel in world literature, called polyphonic, the author revealed in the work many themes that are most important for every person: crime and punishment, love and sacrifice, freedom and pride. An analysis of the psychological process of realizing and accepting guilt for a crime committed - that's what Dostoevsky wanted to say. This novel should be read several times - the deep psychologism of the characters contributes to a better understanding not only of the meaning of the novel, but also of one's own life.

One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez

The novel of the Colombian writer is the personification of magical realism, in the plot of which reality and fictional reality, everyday life and fabulous elements coexist. One Hundred Years of Solitude is one of the greatest books of the 20th century, a whimsical story of the city of Macondo, lost somewhere in the jungle, and the lineage of the Buendia family, from creation to decline. The novel will take you to a very real parallel world, where miracles are commonplace, which you should not even pay attention to, men are strong and courageous, and women are proud and incredibly beautiful.

The Catcher in the Rye by Jerome David Salinger

The only novel by an American writer became a turning point in the history of world literature, and the name of the main character, Holden Caulfield, became a code for many generations of young rebels. The book tells the personal perception of life by the 16-year-old hero himself: his rejection of modern American reality, established social canons and morality of modern society. This young man is the prototype of each of us at that age when we believed that we could change the world and go against all existing laws.

Alexander Pushkin "Eugene Onegin"

The novel in verse "Eugene Onegin" is one of the most significant works of Russian literature. From the encyclopedia of Russian life (as Belinsky rightly called the novel), one could learn almost everything about the era: the style of dress, the demeanor of people from high society, interests and moral attitudes. In the reflections of the characters, their emotions, hidden under the shell of education and imposed values, we recognize ourselves. This novel is required reading in school years and at a more conscious age.

Leo Tolstoy "Anna Karenina"

“All happy families are alike, each unhappy family is unhappy in its own way,” this is how one of the most famous and brilliant novels in the treasury of Russian literature begins. This is a book about eternal values: about family, love and faith, about human dignity, and the issues raised in it have been and remain relevant. History about conscious choice, which every person must do, about the irreconcilable conflict between duty and feeling - a novel for centuries, for all times and for all generations.

"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 mentioned as Henry Melville in obituaries in the New York Times.
The decline of his writing career was, in fact, thanks to Moby Dick. Prior to this, Melville had written quite successful books about sea adventures, but this ambitious tale of a crazed sea captain obsessed with the idea of ​​chasing a white whale turned out to be excessive for readers of the time who never understood it.
Even critics were stunned 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 topics of the place of an 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 frighten with its gloominess. In fact, Dead Souls is one of the wittiest books of the 19th century, written by Nikolai Gogol, which had a great influence on the work of Tolstoy and Dostoyevsky.
Dead Souls is the writer's only novel that tells about an enterprising young man traveling around Russia and buying up "dead souls" - dead peasants who were still considered alive by the landlords according to the registered census data. By buying them and registering them in his own name, he hopes to create the illusion of the owner of many peasants, which would allow him to receive large loans from the state, get rich and achieve a high social status.
Presenting a sweeping, brilliant satire of society (Gogol pokes fun at everyone from gossiping housewives to cruel landowners and pompous officials), Dead Souls is considered the first novel in Russian literature.

3: Cold House

Although not as famous as Oliver Twist and Great Expectations, Bleak House is still the greatest novel ever. Charles Dickens. He stuffed it with everything he knew about Victorian London, and reading it is like traveling back in time.
On the surface, this is a satirical (but still meaningful) criticism of British law - corrupt lawyers, aristocrats and businessmen who use the court for their own selfish purposes. But this satire forms only one layer of the novel. It is also a story about forbidden love, family secrets and intrigue.
Well, since this is Dickens, then, of course, the book is simply crammed with unforgettable characters, including London himself. The chaotic development of the city and the swirling tentacles 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, when Moll marries repeatedly, one of them to his own brother, accidentally commits incest, becomes a whore, a swindler and a thief, and gets too familiar with the walls of a prison cell.
Offering a breathtaking journey through the filth and glamor of the 18th century, the novel also gives us one of the most charismatic protagonists in literature. Beautiful, witty and ruthless, Moll is ahead of her time. And with all this, she is charmingly sweet and vulnerable, causing a desire to help sort out her life.

5: Pride and Prejudice

Many people are only superficially familiar with the novel. Pride and Prejudice, and then only thanks to Colin Firth, who played in one of his adaptations. But, if you know the work only from television screens, then you should get to know him much closer.
Jane Austen's favorite novel is funny from the first page, and as much comical as it is romantic. Austin managed to put together everything about romance, love and courtship: awkward flirting, confused messages, and how love can fool even the smartest and strongest of us.
Of course, everyone knows Darcy, one of the greatest romantic literary heroes, which is already a great achievement, considering his hypocrisy and lack of sense of humor. But the novel also has a whole gallery of delicious characters, from the grotesque Lady Catherine de Boer to the main character, Elizabeth Bennet, a lively, witty girl who would easily fit into the 21st century. This is the best women's urban novel of its time!

6: The Stranger from Wildfell Hall

Ann 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, Ann Bronte launched the early women's rights movement. The novel is 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 strongest female characters in English fiction.
Although there is a huge difference between this novel and the distorted, orderly 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

Maybe Charles Dickens and the king of literary London in the middle of the 19th century, but one of his main rivals and contender for the throne was William Makepeace Thackeray.
Determined to outdo Dickens, Thackeray created a wild, energetic epic novel about life in Britain, gave it a villainous heroine, and called it Vanity Fair. While Dickens was no doubt 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 delightfully wicked career woman who uses looks, charm and a fair amount of cunning to charm men and accumulate as much money as possible. It is a poignant satire of British society and the hypocrisy of the upper classes. This Victorian novel is for those who are looking for a decent drama with a fast-paced comic plot.

8: Middlemarch

At first glance, the novel, subtitled A Study in Country Life, might not seem like the most exciting reading in the world. But writer George Eliot's Middlemarch is a serious contender for the title of the 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, wholeness, family, virtue and vice. The central character - Dorothea - is a real angel, or at least wants to be. But the irony is that choosing the right path to do the right thing is exactly 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 a shy, presumptuous and irritated society. But this misanthrope is also behind one of the most sensual and touching images of female life ever written.
Emma Bovary's husband is a classic sweet guy - dependable, supportive and completely boring. And so Emma, ​​desperate for passion and excitement, enters into a series of hot romances, the inevitable result of which is tragedy. When this exquisite book was published, it provoked a scandal and a demand by French prosecutors to ban it for obscenity. But instead, she became a bestseller, and her clean, fresh style influenced many writers of later times.
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 story that many call the greatest book of all time. Don't let its size and reputation scare you. He 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 depicts a group of Russian aristocrats facing an invading Napoleonic army. While the many battle scenes in the novel are pretty intense and bloody, the book excels at its moments of conflict in human relationships. In the end, Tolstoy was most interested in one assumption - how one can not touch morality, faced with the defects of this vicious world.
With such a vast novel, it's no wonder 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 in vain you did not read it at school.

12: Daniel Deronda

Dissatisfied with producing 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 his acquaintance 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, but gradually recovers by helping others.
For a story about the society of Victorian England, the book is strikingly relevant to the events of the modern world. One of the themes is the migration of Jews to that part of the Middle East, where Israel was later formed. But this is only a love story, and Eliot does not allow political and philosophical ideas outshine the characters she created.

13: Red and black

The French writer Stendhal knew how to deal with 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 boor, 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 made the wrong choice of method of conquest, and his affair with the mer's wife sets off a series of events that somewhat moderate 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 notions, showing a man who is deceitful and selfish, who is at the same time no worse than those he manipulates. By analyzing his motives, you may reconsider your own perception of the world.

14: Reasoning

All Jane Austen novels are incredibly popular. Everything except this. For some reason, Persuasion never evoked the same groveling that Pride and Prejudice, Emma or Feelings and sensibility. But to some extent, this is her most intense work.
Perhaps this is because the book was her last and was published after her death. Unlike other Austen novels that focus on up-and-coming socialites experimenting with first loves, this one explores the life of a more mature woman. The main character, Anne Elliot, convinces herself to turn down a suitor because he isn't "respectable" enough. Many years later, Anne's longtime "love" returns as a wealthy and respectable man, but is it too late?
Reasoning is a thought-provoking, nostalgic novel. It's nice to see Austin deal with themes of regret for lost love instead of straight-forward courtship. That is why the novel is the perfect complement to her other masterpiece - Pride and Prejudice.

15: Heart of Darkness

Joseph Conrad created many real classics, but his best job- a relatively short novel Heart of Darkness - probably the only subtle criticism of colonialism.
The book is about Marlow, an Englishman who needs to smuggle a shipment of ivory down the Congo River in Belgian-occupied Africa. During his journey, he becomes an eyewitness to many atrocities against the native Africans by the colonialists, and also learns about the merchant ivory named Kurtz, who posed as a demigod among the tribes of the region.
Along with Kurtz, Konrad 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 the 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 her, there was nothing as good after.
Thought so Ernest Hemingway, and while he may have gone a little overboard, that says a lot about the importance of the piece. Twain conceived 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 down the Mississippi River. Along the way, they encounter many unwanted people and situations that only reinforce their resolve to reject mainstream society.
It is the ruthless critique of pernicious slavery that gives the book such strength. But it is also a beautiful tale of childhood, presenting a contrast between the innocent idealism of youth and the violence and depravity of the adult world. Try to see Hemingway's awe with your own eyes...

17: The Picture of Dorian Gray

It is the only novel published by the legendary Oscar Wilde, which is as delightfully wonderful as one would expect from it. Dorian is a strikingly handsome and narcissistic young man who does not want to grow old. His wish came true, and instead of him his portrait ages, and then traces of the growing cruelty and depravity of Dorian appear on it.
This is Wilde's interpretation of the old Faust myth. This is a classic example of Victorian era literature full of promiscuous dandies smoking opium and discussing art, sex and morality. Undoubtedly, the novel was considered somewhat shocking in its time, especially for the hidden theme of homosexuality.
It's a great book, but it's worth reading just to arm yourself with a few killer witticisms to use at your next social gathering.

18: The Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy, Gentleman

When a priest named Lawrence Stern posted The Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy, Gentleman in the middle of the 18th century, the sheer originality (and strangeness) of the text made many critics roll their eyes. Even Samuel Johnson said that "Tristram Shandy won't last long!"
But it did last, perhaps precisely because the book's sense of humor was remarkably modern, full of so many clever antics, obscenities, and perversely silly interludes that you'd think the book was written by a drunken Monty Python production team.
The plot itself is pretty simple. This is the story of the life of little Tristram Shandy, told by himself. What makes the book unusual is its surprisingly chaotic style. Shandi begins with the story of his conception, and continues with so many strangely related stories that he is born only after hundreds of pages have passed.
The novel is stuffed with sly jokes, bizarre digressions, and crazy accidents, and seems to be the most eccentric and bizarre classic literary work of all times and peoples. 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 that 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 blood-drinking count. This is a fascinating description of the morality and sexuality of the Victorian era. Dracula himself is a tempter who completely corrupts the lovely Victorian virgins, and only a group of heroes in camisoles can expel this wild creature and restore proper etiquette and order.
Dracula is still the 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 an original Bram Stoker novel in your hands and meet the vampire who started it all...

20: Wuthering Heights

And finally ... Of course, one could not ignore the amazing tale of passion, love, tragedy and uncontrollable anger by Emilia Bronte ...
Unfortunately, this novel also did not become as popular as the numerous works of the writer's sister, Charlotte Bronte, but personally, in my opinion, the book more than deserves a place in the school curriculum for foreign literature, not to mention the fact that every reading lover, I must read it, and more than once, in my 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 for everything else. And when Cathy chooses another, more respectable man for marriage, Heathcliff becomes furious, which destroys both their lives.
But that's only half. Everyone thinks Brontë's novel is the story of Katherine and her rude, dangerous, conniving suitor. But the book also describes the lives of a second generation influenced by Heathcliff's lust for revenge. This is an epic, powerful and rather complex story.

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