Text: Alexandra Bazhenova-Sorokina

“THE BIG BOOK” IS THE MOST IMPORTANT RUSSIA PRIZE IN THE FIELD OF LITERATURE, handing out awards for the past year's achievements. The 2016 longlist included real heavyweights: from Pelevin and Ulitskaya to Belyakov and Yuzefovich. What’s especially nice is that this year it included writers from all over Russia, of different ages and with different status in the world of literature, authors of fiction and non-fiction. We have already written about “Mazepa’s Shadow” by Sergei Belyakov and “The Boy Following the Wild Duck” by Irakli Kvirikadze and, keeping them in mind, we have chosen a dozen more books that are worth adding to the reading list.

Autumn in your pockets

Andrey Astvatsaturov

The St. Petersburg philologist, author of the cult novel “Naked Men,” has released a third book about the adventures of his alter ego. Sad lyrical hero Astvatsaturova (also a bespectacled St. Petersburg philologist) plays with the writer’s biography, telling anecdotes from life in St. Petersburg, Paris and Italy, where he ended up thanks to the Gorky Prize (as a result of this trip, the collection “The Enchanted Island. New Tales of Italy” was published) .

Directly and indirectly quoting his favorite authors, Astvatsaturov creates the image of a non-heroic hero of a non-heroic era. But the very method of the game, the way the writer listens to the speech of any passerby, how Eliot, Pushkin, and Dante can be heard through his jokes, endow the novel with meaning. “Autumn in Pockets” falls apart and comes back together, intertwining discussions about the meaninglessness of existence with reflections on how to live with it.

Crystal
in transparent frame

Vasily Avchenko

Journalist and writer Vasily Avchenko is one of the ideologists of the new myth about Vladivostok, the most desirable city on the other side of the Urals. Avchenko is the author of the fictionalized guidebook “Globe of Vladivostok” and the book “Vladivostok 3000”, written, for a moment, in co-authorship with Ilya Lagutenko. This is the second time he has been on the long list of the Big Book: in 2009, his documentary novel Right Hand Drive was included there.

Today, Avchenko writes not just about “Vladik”, but about the Far East in general; not about the city, but about the sea, its inhabitants, fishing, driving and the Far Easterners. Fishing terms that are exotic for a non-primary resident, descriptions of living creatures, fishing and the author’s reflections on life in its diversity are fascinating, and in the lyrical non-fiction one can hear echoes of both “On the Paths of the North” by Basho and “The Fishes of the Amur” by Oleg Legky. After “Crystal in a Transparent Frame,” you will definitely be overcome by the desire to see the other side of the country.

Autochthons

Maria Galina

Maria Galina's novel begins quite ordinary. The main character is supposedly our contemporary: moving into a hotel that is being renovated in some small town in the post-Soviet space, he notes how everything Soviet is coming back into fashion, and is going to complain about the conditions on the forum. However, from the very beginning there is a feeling that something is a little wrong.

In fact, magical realism, post- and simply modernism, and most importantly, a fantastic story about the real and painful, unfolds before the reader. The way the “Europe - Russia” conflict, the 1922 production of the opera “The Death of Petronius”, “Jack of Diamonds” and “The Diamond Knight”, magic and everyday life are mixed, is very similar to how the human consciousness works in pre-sleep. In this sweet, strange and frightening half-sleep, both the hero of the novel and we, the readers, often want to live much more than where we wake up.

Jacob's Ladder

Lyudmila Ulitskaya

For many years now, Ulitskaya has been one of the authors defining the face of literature. Moreover, she is one of the few modern Russian writers whose name is truly known abroad. Ulitskaya is read by French intellectuals, and a few months ago “The Green Tent” was in the top of the English-language Goodreads network, which is a real rarity for a Russian text. This is a wonderful case when the situation does not cause any surprise: Lyudmila Ulitskaya knows how to write simply about complex things - a gift that is sometimes worth all others for a writer.

The novel “Jacob's Ladder” is another experiment in the interweaving of personal and public, real and fictional. It is based on documents from Ulitskaya’s own family, and most of the characters, having changed their names, did not change their lives and fates. The output, however, is not family chronicle, but a deep reflection on what happiness is and how to connect earth and sky time after time, when historical conditions They are not at all equipped for this.

Live broadcast

Valery Khazin

For lately most shining example that a book cannot be judged by its cover. Valery Khazin’s novel, framed in a frighteningly cheap way, is actually complex and interesting and gives you the opportunity to think about something far from the depressing here and now. The main character, who at some point will be called Barista the Second, escapes death and almost magically ends up in the city of Kotor in Montenegro. He is a writer who was wanted to be killed for his book “Mary and Miriam.” The motives and customers are unknown, but the seemingly detective plot turns into a story of searching and learning new horizons of one’s own capabilities.

Khazin's book is a sweet piece of postmodernism, with numerous references to Borges and Italo Calvino, tales of dreams and books of dreams, medieval Arabic and Chinese literature and philosophy. The word “ether” in the name is deliberately ambiguous: it is also the ether in which main character broadcasts, both where the human spirit soars in dreams, and the dreams themselves, and that state - not liquid, not solid, but unclear and fluid, in which reality and fiction are mixed in the text.

Lacquer "Ikarus"

Vladimir Shapko

The book by Ufa native Vladimir Shapko is another inspiring example that the “Big Book” is for the first time for a long time honors writers from across the country. “Lacquered Ikarus” is a very sad novel about seemingly useless people, leaving a warm feeling that “it was worth living and working.” Several main characters and time layers intersect and duplicate each other.

The reader jumps back and forth from the pre-Olympics of 1979, learning more and more about the life of the unsuccessful writer Serov and his friend Novoselov, as well as about many others, whose lives and stories make up separate stories, or even novels within a novel. in the world Soviet man, in which snitching is a reality, death from alcoholism or hopelessness is the norm, the point is not to change something, but to live. So the heroes live as best they can, but, most importantly, they remain human.

winter road

Leonid Yuzefovich

“On August 28, either Nina Ivanovna saw her husband off to the ship, or Pepelyaev put her and her children on a train to Harbin and parted with them on the platform.” According to one quote from Yuzefovich's novel, based on real events and collected from documents, the author's cool approach to the historical text is obvious. Confrontation white general Anatoly Pepelyaev and anarchist Ivan Strode in the snows of Yakutia at the end Civil War could become a historical epic, a soap opera or a tragedy, but the author is deliberately neutral both in assessing historical reality and in choosing the tone of its description.

The painstaking work of many years to recreate the duel between two completely superhumans is called a novel, but not for sentimental reasons, but for formal reasons. The author gives scattered documents and evidence a complete look and meaning, so that the composition and style make this story a real work of art.

Aviator

Evgeniy Vodolazkin

What might the plot of “Captain America” look like on Russian soil? Something like this: in the mid-20s, a prisoner on Solovki was frozen as a cryonics experiment, and he woke up thanks to a doctor in 1999. This is the premise of The Aviator. Mythologems of the hero who sat on the stove for thirty years, Virginia Woolf’s Orlando and many others are intertwined in part detective story, part philosophical history, unlike any other.

Vodolazkin’s hero Innokenty (translated from Greek as “innocent”) Platonov, in his diary tries to connect his past and present, but not in broad strokes historical events, but through memories of the most personal: the feelings of every day, which in big history are erased without a trace. Platonov, together with the other voices woven into the narrative, reflects on what is guilt and what is redemption, but the novel does not give a definite answer.

Genius

Alexey Slapovsky

On the border of Russia and Ukraine there is the village of Grezhin, in which Russians and Ukrainians coexist so closely that they cannot even imagine that there is a war going on very close between the two peoples. This village has its own life in full swing, far from that of Kyiv or Moscow to such an extent that it rather resembles a mirage.

Appears here amazing person, the local Don Quixote, the genius Eugene, a madman who sees right through people and tells them that he understands everything about them - like a writer creating a text in the third person. This detached, neutral mirror is what is most lacking in a world torn apart by an incomprehensible conflict brought from outside. Although even in Slapovsky’s world there is no real happy ending, the author seems to find the only possible weapon in the fight against a senseless war - detachment, reflection and empathy.

Kaleidoscope: consumables

Sergey Kuznetsov

The author of “Kaleidoscope” studied Pynchon’s prose and even translated it, which affects the entire text of the epic canvas. A kaleidoscope of events, perspectives and styles tells the story of the twentieth century in the world ordinary people. Subtitle " Consumables", apparently, refers precisely to them, as well as to the beginnings of several novels and a couple of dozen stories from which the text was derived. The way the puzzle pieces fit together, from Victorian England to modern Russia, from the fall of the Wall to Shanghai in the thirties, once again illustrates the butterfly effect. If a moth stomped its foot, if one girl met a guy from another country one day, in another country in another year these events will somehow resonate.

The enormous scope of the book and the almost unbearable number of characters justifies not only the mastery of Sergei Kuznetsov’s words, but also his truly global plan, in which, in addition to the author of “Lot 49 Shouts,” you can hear John Dos Passos, Umberto Eco, and simply the culture of the 20th century. Postmodernism, it seems, is now becoming a new return to the idea of ​​tradition, when the author not only juggles with images and plots, but integrates them into his work as a canon.

(estimates: 31 , average: 4,26 out of 5)

In Russia, literature has its own direction, different from any other. The Russian soul is mysterious and incomprehensible. The genre reflects both Europe and Asia, which is why the best classical Russian works are extraordinary, striking in their soulfulness and vitality.

The main character is the soul. For a person, his position in society, the amount of money is not important, it is important for him to find himself and his place in this life, to find the truth and peace of mind.

The books of Russian literature are united by the features of a writer who has the gift of the great Word, who has completely devoted himself to this art of literature. The best classics They saw life not flatly, but multifacetedly. They wrote about life not of random destinies, but of those expressing existence in its most unique manifestations.

Russian classics are so different, with different destinies, but what unites them is that literature is recognized as a school of life, a way of studying and developing Russia.

Russian classical literature was created by the best writers from different parts of Russia. It is very important where the author was born, because this determines his formation as a person, his development, and it also affects his writing skills. Pushkin, Lermontov, Dostoevsky were born in Moscow, Chernyshevsky in Saratov, Shchedrin in Tver. Poltava region in Ukraine is the birthplace of Gogol, Podolsk province - Nekrasov, Taganrog - Chekhov.

Three great classics, Tolstoy, Turgenev and Dostoevsky, were completely different people from each other, had different destinies, complex characters and great talents. They made a huge contribution to the development of literature by writing their best works, which still excite the hearts and souls of readers. Everyone should read these books.

One more thing important difference books of Russian classics - ridiculing the shortcomings of man and his way of life. Satire and humor are the main features of the works. However, many critics said that this was all slander. And only true connoisseurs saw how the characters are both comical and tragic at the same time. Such books always touch the soul.

Here you can find the best works classical literature. You can download books of Russian classics for free or read them online, which is very convenient.

We present to your attention the 100 best books of Russian classics. IN full list The books included the best and most memorable works of Russian writers. This literature is known to everyone and is recognized by critics from all over the world.

Of course, our list of top 100 books is just a small part that brings together best works great classics. It can be continued for a very long time.

A hundred books that everyone should read in order to understand not only how they used to live, what were the values, traditions, priorities in life, what they were striving for, but to find out in general how our world works, how bright and pure the soul can be and how valuable it is for a person, for the development of his personality.

The top 100 list includes the best and most famous works of Russian classics. The plot of many of them is known from school. However, some books are difficult to understand at a young age and require wisdom that is acquired over the years.

Of course, the list is far from complete; it can be continued endlessly. Reading such literature is a pleasure. She doesn’t just teach something, she radically changes lives, helps us understand simple things that we sometimes don’t even notice.

We hope you liked our list of classic books of Russian literature. You may have already read some of it, and some not. A great reason to make your own personal list of books, your top ones that you would like to read.

To make it easier for you now and in the future to find a book “to suit your mood,” we have started making monthly selections of interesting books for every taste.

They may contain literature of various genres, published either 10 days or ten years ago. It’s not a fact that you will meet sales record holders here (“You can’t wait for Fifty Shades of Grey”), because these reviews will not be done by a store that has the goal of “getting away with it,” but by a passionate reader who loves to write about books.

“This column will never contain anything that I didn’t like (at least in evaluating books, I will try to be frank), and it will also not contain reviews of books that I have not read. But, perhaps, you shouldn’t expect too much objectivity, because all markers have different tastes and colors, and the lists of books are not recommended by any important government bodies.

Sometimes this section will be thematic, sometimes it will just be a list of books read during the month that I am preparing this text; there are no rules here - only books. And one more small introductory point: I will write quite a lot about some books, less about some, but this absolutely does not speak about the quality or volume of the book, but simply about how the letters formed into words personally me".

All the books you love were published decades, or even centuries ago, but are you afraid to take on something modern because you don’t want to be disappointed?

Then here’s a selection for your attention modern books, which are definitely worth including in your personal library!

Anne Tyler - "A Spool of Blue Thread"

This is a family saga about three generations of the Whitshank family, told exactly the other way around: from the end to the beginning.

A story connected with the family home, the local way of life, morals, customs, habits, with a constant desire to break out of the boundaries of what surrounds us.

Like any family, the Whitshanks are united by joy, laughter, holidays, as well as grief, misunderstandings, conflicts and, of course, secrets and family secrets.

Tyler writes measuredly, in detail, showing simple life without any pretense, and wins over not with a fascinating plot, but with an honest, quiet, as if in a whisper, story.

John Thorne, Joanna Rowling - Harry Potter and the Cursed Child

The long-awaited continuation of the Harry Potter saga is a play staged on stage in London.

You should not expect a repetition of a fairy tale from childhood: the style, manner of presentation, plot structure - everything is different. But this is such a “hello” from the past, thanks to which you are immersed for several hours in the world of childhood and youth, remembering a little forgotten heroes and plunging with interest into their new adventures.

19 years have passed since the last events described by JK Rowling, and the children of the main characters are already the main characters of the story, forming the most unexpected alliances.

Narine Abgaryan - “Zulali”

These are simple stories about life, about Berd, about Armenia, about people, about recipes, about air, about parables... Narine Abgaryan invariably manages to create something amazing and completely beyond the usual description.

So “Zulali” absorbed all the love, all the tenderness, national flavor and simple human joys and sorrows.

Tears well up while reading, but a bright smile remains on your face, and you yourself somehow feel life in a special way.

Khaled Hosseini - The Kite Runner

Khaled Hosseini's gripping novel is largely autobiographical. It tells about the life of a boy in pre-war Kabul and his journey to the USA.

Children's life is not yet overshadowed by the war, but it has its own troubles and joys. For example, the father, it seems to the boy, does not love him enough and pays more attention to the servant’s son. And he himself grows up not as a worthy successor of the family, but as a coward and weak-willed. But is this really so?

A novel about Afghanistan, about nationalism, about friendship, about childhood, about the vicissitudes of fate. This is another world, sometimes incomprehensible, but existing in real time, very close to us, which sometimes makes it creepy...

David Mitchell - "The Hungry House"

Unnoticeable from the street, a quiet lane in the center of London, a small black iron door, which not everyone will notice, much less be able to open, and behind it is a huge Victorian house, which is unclear how it fit there.

All this is the beginning of a chilling story that you simply cannot tear yourself away from until the last page is turned.

Time passes, people change, but after a cycle the house receives its victim every time. Will this last forever? You can only find out by reading the book.

Stephen King called The Hungry House "a rare, magnificent thing"! And it’s impossible to disagree with him.

Dina Rubina - “Indian Wind”

Dina Rubina's new book is wonderful, as always. The story, which fits on 317 pages, tells about the fate of a woman in exile. Ordinary, perhaps, absolutely any woman, in whose life there was an indelibly bright childhood, great love, unbearable pain, and now only work, hard, exhausting, sometimes disgusting work, and this “diary” that she keeps for her “writer” .

And, of course, in her life there was and remains freedom, freedom of flight, balloons and an incredible love for the sky, she just forgot about it a little...

Amazing figurative language Rubina makes you not only empathize with the characters, but also feel total immersion into the story.

Donna Tart - "The Goldfinch"

The wildly twisted plot immerses you in the completely unrealistic jungle of the narrative: there are explosions, murders, drugs, and childhood problems. But it’s 828 pages, and therefore you sway on the waves of the text, immersing yourself in incredibly beautiful and naturalistic images.

Donna Tart is primarily about language and enjoying the process of reading itself, even if the story goes about drug intoxication. True, the immersion into it occurs so sharply and deeply that you want to quickly break through it.

But when it comes time for a text about art, I want to stretch out the chapters ad infinitum...

The world-famous picture runs like a red thread through the entire novel and the life of the main character, but it is impossible to say for sure whether it is a curse or a guiding thread.

The book is about many things, and it is simply worth reading for yourself.

Rune Belsvik - "Prostodursen"

The stories of a modern Norwegian writer about Prostodursen and his friends are becoming increasingly popular. Simple stories about simple things that are so necessary in childhood to distinguish good from evil, friendship from pretense. These books teach you how to live and make friends, and also answer questions about why the sky is blue, the grass is green and the wind blows. And most importantly: they talk about the fact that each person is individual and has the right to his own life.

I am me, this is me, this is me,

This is who I am.

Others are completely different

Who are they, who are they?

Each of us is more than we seem

There is something hidden in each of us.

Mikhail Shishkin - “Coat with a tab”

Not Shishkin’s main book, but in the absence of his new books, “Coat with a Flap” is a sip fresh air for fans of the author's work.

On the pages of the book you can find sketches from life, historical chronicles, and journalistic investigations. But all these seemingly incompatible texts have one thing in common - the author’s unique style. Mikhail Shishkin remains true to himself and, like no one else, precisely defines his prose: “The writer has no choice but to perform a miracle and resurrect dead words, make them alive again. And only with these revived words will we be able to talk about love. For me, the only way to resurrect words is to write them incorrectly. I sniff every phrase, and if it smacks of the manual “We speak and write correctly,” I cross it out. To say something correctly is to say nothing.”

A good book is much more than a way to “kill time.” Wanting to get acquainted with unusual worlds, mysterious and strong characters and incredible adventures, the reader should take a closer look at the works of the most popular modern writers. Below are the most striking and famous works last decades– top 10 best modern books!

1. 11/22/63 (Stephen King)

Topping our list of the best modern books is Stephen King's science fiction novel 11/22/63. The first publication of the work took place in 2011.

The assassination of J.F. Kennedy became one of the greatest tragedies of American society. A popular politician was shot dead during a huge parade in front of thousands of Americans. Could the president have been saved? Surprisingly, the answer to this question is for a simple teacher to find out! Jake Epping is an ordinary resident of a small town who works at a school and is not much different from thousands of his fellow citizens. However, by the will of fate, it is he who gets the chance to go through a time portal, which is located in the back room of the cafe of his old friend Al. The owner of the device has long wanted to find Kennedy's killer, but illness has ruined all plans, so Jake must replace him! Go back, straight to the 60s, live there for several years, identify the future executioner and stop him on the day of the terrible tragedy! Will he be able to change the course of history and even go back?

2. American Gods (Neil Gaiman)

American Gods is one of the best modern fantasy books, which was written by English writer Neil Gaiman in 2001.

America. Shelter huge number migrants from all over the world. Looking for better life people went to an unknown continent, hoping to settle there and find long-awaited happiness. However, they did not travel alone: ​​each visiting guest took with them a piece of their native culture. Gods, beliefs, rituals, customs - this is the true baggage of the migrants! Will different deities be able to get along together and what does such a neighborhood promise? Shadow, the main character, recently released from prison, will have to find out. Once free, he finds himself straight into a series of strange events and mysterious crimes that need to be unraveled.

3. The Kite Runner (Khaled Hosseini)

Rounding out the top three best book modern American writer Khaled Hosseini. The work was published in 2003.

What is true friendship? Sometimes adults find it very difficult to answer this question. Much easier for children. Amir and Hassan are two completely different boys who are connected by true friendship. Only one of them is an aristocrat, and the second is a poor servant! Coming from different social strata, they do not pay attention to the differences that are so important for adults. Playing, joking, sharing secrets and impressions, experiencing failures and experiencing grief, the boys gradually grow up, and their friendship only becomes stronger. One day, serious changes are coming to the country that will test their strength and scatter their friends in different directions. Can childhood friendship survive?

4. A Song of Ice and Fire (George Martin)

A Song of Ice and Fire is one of the most famous and best modern fantasy books. This is a whole series of works, consisting of five already published volumes. Two more books in the project. The first publication took place in 1996. The book gained particular popularity after the release of the series “Game of Thrones,” based on it, filmed by HBO.

The unique fantasy world is inhabited by far from kind fairies and cheerful gnomes. This is a world of several powerful powers who are desperately fighting for their hearts' content. Their goal is the throne of Westeros. Their means are weapons, intrigues, murders and rebellions. The Palace of Verteros is filled with vile and greedy people who are eager to seize the throne at any cost. There is no longer any place for honesty and nobility here. By arranging serious intrigues and organizing coups, the conspirators will do everything to undermine the situation in the kingdom. However, it is not only them that should be feared, because the cunning rulers of neighboring states are also not averse to snatching the “tasty morsel” during a cruel and blind turmoil! A real war for power is coming, ready to bury the old order forever.

5. The house in which... (Mariam Petrosyan)

“The House in Which...” is an interesting modern science fiction novel by the Armenian writer Mariam Petrosyan, published in 2009.

On the edge of the city there is a boarding house for abandoned children. This old and gray place seems very inhospitable and gloomy, but everything is not so simple... Once inside, a person can discover something new, unusual world in which there is more kindness and light than on the bright city streets. The pupils of the house are divided into groups, each of which has its own leader. There are no first and last names here - only bright nicknames. There is a lot of unknown here and very little that is familiar. These are miniature societies with their vices and virtues. Children learn about the world by growing up, changing and trying to find their place in it.

6. The Book Thief (Markus Zusak)

The Book Thief is a fascinating contemporary novel by an Australian writer, written in 2006.

Liesel Meminger is a little German girl whose childhood fell on a truly monstrous time. In 1939, the Nazi regime reached its peak, exterminating the disobedient and preparing to enslave the world. Horror, murder, robbery and terror became the daily companions of life for those who did not like the new government. After the death of her husband, Frau Meminger moves, trying to find a quieter corner for her daughter. But in vain... Looking around, Liesel sees the chaos going on through the eyes of an innocent child who does not understand this cruel and strange world adults. Growing up quickly, she has to learn and rethink a lot.

7. Gone Girl (Gillian Flynn)

Gone Girl is one of the best modern thriller books. The work was published in 2012 and became the basis for the film of the same name.

How difficult it can be to recognize a person, even if you have lived with him for many years! An unusual incident changes the fate of the main character when his wife suddenly disappears. During a wild celebration of their wedding anniversary, a woman mysteriously disappears. The arriving police discover blood and signs of a struggle, deciding that the man killed his wife and hid her body. Now the confused man is left to solve this incredible puzzle himself. Who knows, maybe the solution will be even more monstrous than the disappearance itself...

8. Cloud Atlas (David Mitchell)

The novel Cloud Atlas was written in 2004 by an English writer. Its plot is a complex interweaving of stories and destinies that, at first glance, have nothing in common. American lawyer stuck on tropical island while the ship is being repaired; a young English musician forced to trade music and body in order to earn a piece of bread; a brave Californian journalist fighting against a powerful corporation; a London publisher facing criminals after the release of another bestseller; a clone from a Korean dystopia and a Hawaiian old man watching the sunset human civilization. All events and characters go through a difficult path in different times gradually intertwining together.

9. When I Was Real (Tom McCarthy)

Tom McCarthy's novel “When I Was Real” continues our top 10 best modern books.

Sudden disaster changed life young man, erasing his past. He finds himself in a long coma, from which he, fortunately, manages to get out. But such a long process did not pass without a trace: now he needs to learn to live again. Walk, move, work with your hands and talk. All past life comes in the form of vague memories, and the hero endlessly desires to return to his former self. Moreover, some large corporation is ready to pay him a lot of money to keep the cause of the incident a secret. How are they connected? What happened that day? And how to become completely the same?

10. Anathem (Neal Stephenson)

And the top ten is completed by the modern science fiction book Anathem, written by American writer Neal Stevenson in 2008.

Arb - distant and mysterious planet, similar to Earth. People who worship science live here. Science, which completely replaced religion and managed to split society into two irreconcilable camps. The guardians of science are monks who were once scientists. They once worked and created for the benefit of progress, but their work led to something terrible. Now the monks live in the monastery, closed off from the outside, secular world. Their life is simple, calm and measured, but once every ten years a special date comes - a day when the two sides can change places. Monks will see the outside world, and secular people will be able to join the monastic life and worldview. One day, such a change led to terrifying consequences, and now the two sides must unite to prevent the impending disaster!

22 fascinating books that won't let you sleep

If you suffer from insomnia, or you simply don’t know what to do in the evening before bed, then start reading! But be careful, because some books are so interesting that you won't even notice the morning comes!

Photo: goodfon.ru

So, a list of fascinating books that will interest both “avid readers” and novice “book lovers”:

“The One Who Has Come in Large Numbers”, Narine Abgaryan

This is a tragicomedy about a young and ambitious girl who, at the beginning of the difficult 90s, decided to leave her native small mountainous republic and conquer the capital. And she immediately realized that each visitor, whom the author calls “who came in large numbers,” has his own Moscow. Some people see it in the millions of people scurrying through the streets, while others get the opportunity to get close to such people. And some of them protect, protect, care, help, support and simply love. The author of the book talks about his small piece of that very “common” life of a newcomer, which many indigenous people talk about big cities They have no idea. And there is room for heroic deeds, the most important of which is to decide to emigrate and accept a new place as it is, and to sincerely love it. And then Moscow will certainly reciprocate.

"The Collector" John Fowles

This is the author’s debut story, and for many it almost chills the blood, because this is a real psychological thriller that excites the mind. The plot is the destinies of two people connected with each other. He is a butterfly collector. There is an emptiness in his soul that he strives to fill with beauty. And one day Ferdinand finds himself a beautiful victim - the girl Miranda. It’s as if she was created to create and enjoy freedom. And he understands that he will give everything to have her. And so, Miranda becomes Ferdinand's prisoner. But can he keep it within the castle walls? real life, Beauty, Freedom and all the most beautiful things that can be in the human soul?

The story is built on the delicate relationship between the victim and the villain and allows you to rethink many of the stories of world classics that seemed to have long been worn out.

Forrest Gump, Winston Groom

This is the story of a mentally retarded guy, which he himself outlined on the pages of a now legendary book, which formed the basis of the film of the same name. The plot can be called practically the embodiment of the myth about that very “American Dream” that disturbed the minds of millions of young people who lived in the second half of the last century. But at the same time, this is a sharp and even slightly cruel satirical parody of the society of that time, which was not ready to accept people who were somehow different from the mainstream. Forrest Gump was different and therefore became an object of ridicule. But this boy is not crazy at all. He is different, and he has access to what others cannot see and feel. He's special.

Amsterdam, Ian McEwan

The author of the book is one of the representatives of the “elite” of modern British prose. And for the work, which became a real world bestseller, he received the Booker Prize. Viktor Golyshev, who translated this creation into Russian, also received the award. It would seem that the story is simple and very relevant. But how many nuances there are in it, how many thoughts, how many doubts! The main characters are two friends. One of them is a successful editor of a popular newspaper. The second is a brilliant composer of our time who is writing the “Millennium Symphony”. And they enter into an agreement on euthanasia, under the terms of which, if one falls into a state of unconsciousness and ceases to understand what he is doing, then the other will take his life.

"Amendment 22" by Joseph Heller

Although more than half a century has passed since the release of the first book, this work still remains legendary and one of the most popular, and many publications included it in the list of the best novels.

It's not really ordinary story about US Air Force pilots who took part in World War II. They all find themselves in absurd situations, encounter absurd people and rash actions, and commit incomprehensible acts themselves. And all this is connected with a certain amendment No. 22, which actually does not exist on paper, but states that every military man who does not want to carry out a combat mission is completely normal and therefore fit for service. But in fact, in this story one can see not so much an anti-war novel, but a deep and global mockery of modern everyday life, of society and current laws.

"A Conspiracy of Dunces" by John Kennedy Toole

The author of this book, who, by the way, lived to see the Pulitzer Prize awarded for this creation, was able to create a literary hero unlike any described in satirical literature. Ignatius J. Riley is a creative, imaginative and eccentric personality. He fancies himself an intellectual, but in reality he is a glutton, a spendthrift and a quitter. He looks like modern Don Quixote or Gargantua, who despises society for its lack of geometry and theology. He is reminiscent of Thomas Aquinas, who began his own hopeless war against everything and everyone: representatives of the unconventional sexual orientation, the excesses of the century and even intercity buses. And this image is so interesting, unusual and, unfortunately, relevant that everyone can see a part of themselves in it.

“Monday begins on Saturday”, Strugatsky Brothers

This book is a real masterpiece of Russian science fiction, a kind of embodiment of the utopia of the Soviet era, a kind of artistic fulfillment of the dream of possibilities modern man learn, create, explore and solve the mysteries of the Universe.

The main characters of the book are employees of NIICHAVO (Research Institute of Witchcraft and Wizardry). They are masters and magicians, real pioneers. And they will encounter many amazing events and phenomena: a time machine, a hut on chicken legs, a genie and even an artificially grown man!

"The Girl on the Train" by Paula Hawkins

This book became a real bestseller. It's mysterious and fascinating story the girl Rachel, who from the train window is watching, as it seems to her, ideal spouses. She even gave them names: Jason and Jess. Every day she sees the cottage of a man and a woman and understands that they probably have everything: prosperity, happiness, wealth and love. And Rachel had all this, but not so long ago she lost it all. But one day, approaching an already well-known cottage, the girl realizes that something is going wrong. She sees frightening, mysterious and disturbing events. And after that perfect wife Jess goes missing. And Rachel understands that it is she who must reveal this secret and find the woman. But will the police take her seriously? And, in general, is it worth interfering in someone else’s life? This is for the readers to find out.

"The Book of Life: Tuesdays with Morrie" by Mitch Albom

IN recent months Throughout his life, the old professor managed to make several important discoveries.

He realized that death is not the end at all. This is the beginning. And that means dying is the same as preparing for something unknown and new. And this is not scary at all, but even interesting.

Before leaving for another world, the old man passed on such knowledge to everyone who was with him in last minutes his earthly life. What will happen next? Will we find out?

"The Trial", Franz Kafka

The author is one of the most beloved, mysterious, readable and popular writers of the last century. He managed to create a unique artistic Universe, in which everything is completely different from real life. She is sad, dreary and almost absurd, but incredible and bewitchingly beautiful. Her characters constantly become participants in strange adventures, they search for the meaning of life and try to get answers to questions that have long tormented them. The novel “The Trial” is the work that will allow us to most clearly understand the mysterious nature of Franz Kafka’s work.

Lord of the Flies, William Golding

This book can be called strange, scary and incredibly attractive.

According to the plot, raised in best traditions the boys find themselves on desert island. The author told readers a philosophical parable about how fragile the world is and what can happen to people who forget about kindness, love and mercy. This is a dystopia with some symbolic overtones, which explores the behavioral characteristics of children who find themselves on a desert island during wartime. Will they be able to maintain their humanity or will they submit to natural instincts?

"Rita Hayworth or the Shawshank Redemption" by Stephen King

The plot of this book is the story of a man whose bad dream became a reality overnight. He, innocent of anything, was thrown into prison, into a real hell in which he would spend the rest of his life. And no one has ever managed to escape from this terrible place. But the main character does not intend to give up and put up with what was destined for him by fate. He took a desperate step. But will he be able to not only escape, but also get used to freedom and the new world, and survive in it? By the way, this work by the real king of fantasy Stephen King served as the basis for the film of the same name, which starred Morgan Freeman and Tim Robinson.

The events take place in England in 1960. Jennifer Sterling wakes up after a terrible car accident and realizes that she cannot remember who she is or what happened to her. She doesn’t remember her husband either. She would have continued to live in ignorance if she had not completely accidentally found letters addressed to her and signed with the letter “B”. Their author confessed his love to Jennifer and persuaded her to leave her husband. Next, the author takes readers to the 21st century. Young reporter Ellie finds one of the letters written by the mysterious “B” in the newspaper archives. She hopes that by taking up the investigation, she will be able to unravel the mystery of the author and recipient of the messages, restore her reputation, and even understand her own personal life.

“A lady with glasses with a gun in a car”, Sebastien Japrisot

The main character of the book is blonde. She is beautiful, sentimental, sincere, deceitful, restless, stubborn and clueless. This lady, who has never seen the sea, gets into a car and tries to escape from the police. At the same time, she constantly repeats to herself that she is not crazy.

But those around me do not agree with this. The heroine behaves more than strangely and constantly finds herself in ridiculous situations. She believes that wherever she goes, she can be harmed. But if she runs away, she will be able to be alone with herself and free herself from what she hides, from what worries her so much.

The Goldfinch, Donna Tartt

The author wrote this book for ten whole years, but it became a real masterpiece. It tells us that art has power and strength, and sometimes it can radically change and literally turn our lives around, and quite suddenly.

The hero of the work, 13-year-old boy Theo Decker, miraculously survived the explosion that killed his mother. His father abandoned him, and he is forced to wander around foster families and completely strange homes. He visited Las Vegas and New York and almost despaired. But his only consolation, which, by the way, almost led to his death, is the masterpiece of the Dutch old master, which he stole from the museum.

Cloud Atlas, David Mitchell

This book is like a complex mirror labyrinth, in which seemingly completely different and unrelated stories miraculously echo, intersect and overlap each other.

There are six main characters in the work: a young composer who is forced to sell his soul and body; 19th century notary; revealing a conspiracy large company journalist working in California in the 1970s; clone servant working in a modern enterprise fast food; a modern small publisher and a simple goatherd living at the end of civilization.

"1984", George Orwell

This work can be classified as a dystopian genre; it describes a society in which a strict totalitarian regime reigns.

There is nothing more terrible than the imprisonment of free and living minds in the shackles of social foundations.

"Blackberry Winter" by Sarah Gio

The events take place in 1933 in Seattle. Vera Ray kisses her little son good night and heads off to her night job at a hotel. In the morning, a single mother discovers that the entire city is covered in snow, and her son has disappeared. In a snowdrift near the house, Vera finds the boy’s favorite toy, but there are no traces nearby. A desperate mother is ready to do anything to find her child.

The author then takes readers to modern-day Seattle. Reporter Claire Aldridge writes an article about a snowstorm that literally paralyzes the city. By chance she learns that similar events already took place 80 years ago. As Claire begins to explore the mysterious story of Vera Ray, she realizes that it is somehow mysteriously intertwined with her own life.

"Blindness", Jose Saramago

Residents of a nameless country and a nameless city are faced with a strange epidemic. They all quickly begin to go blind. And the power to stop this strange disease, decide to introduce strict quarantine and move all sick people to the old hospital, taking them into custody.

The main characters of the work are an infected ophthalmologist and his pretending to be blind wife. They are trying to piece together the world and find order in this chaos that is gradually enveloping everyone.

“Three apples fell from the sky”, Narine Abgaryan

This book is the story of one small village, which is located somewhere high in the mountains.

Its inhabitants are all a little grumpy, a little eccentric, but at the same time, real treasures of the spirit are hidden in each of them.

This is a witty, sublime and unusual dystopia about modern society consumption, which is programmed at the genetic level. And in this world it unfolds sad story A savage whom the author regards as the Hamlet of modern times. He still retains remnants of humanity, but people divided into castes of social consumption do not want to recognize him or simply cannot do so.

If we list noteworthy books by contemporary authors, we cannot fail to mention the work “Social network “Ark” by Evgeny Vetzel, which consists of three parts.

The main character falls from the roof, but is reborn again. Having lived a little in the 11th century, he finds himself in the distant future - in the 36th century in Moscow. The author touches on many interesting devices, psychology and sales techniques, modern reflections on life, and reasons to think seriously about rhetorical issues. The second book describes life in America and the theory of one of the variants of a worldwide conspiracy. And the third part tells about the adventures of the hero on another planet where white angels live.

These were the most interesting books, which are worth reading even for those who think they don’t like to read. They will change your views and even your ideas about the world.

P.S. What books do you remember most?