What

Perhaps the biggest best-seller of the decade is a psychological thriller with more unexpected plot twists than even the most demanding reader could wish for.

Plot

On their fifth wedding anniversary, Nick Dunn's wife, Amy, goes missing under suspicious circumstances, and he becomes the prime suspect in her possible murder.

Context

Critics called Flynn's book a "novel of mirrors": nothing can be trusted here, and on every page everything turns out to be not what it seems. It seems that the reader opens the book for the sake of it, so that he is thoroughly taken aback, but not only. Flynn composes, as it were, a fascinating reading on the favorite topic of a great novel - about the family. She takes two completely glossy protagonists, rips off all the covers from them, so what kind of marriage is there, it’s uncomfortable to stand next to such people, but at the same time she implies that such an impossible union of unpleasant people is the ideal formula for a strong marriage.

Screen adaptation

Young, successful, beautiful and, most importantly, emphatically Hollywood protagonists just ask to be on the screen - Flynn seems to be writing a novel about the secret life of American stars. In the novel, by the way, it is repeatedly emphasized what kind of blondes they are - and it seems that the very choice of Ben Affleck for the main role hints that Fincher is up to something out of spite of the text. In any case, this film adaptation will not be difficult to become better than the original - there is nothing in the text except the plot, and Fincher is just known for his ability to do beautifully.

Tom McCarthy "When I Was Real"

What

An avant-garde novel delightfully different from all other novels before and since.

Plot

The protagonist, waking up in the hospital after an unnamed disaster, is compensated for several million in damages and paranoid uncertainty about the reality of today - and spends a fortune to recreate the "real" pictures dormant in his mind. It all starts with the construction of an entire house in which a team of special people recreates the smell of fried liver, the sounds of music from a pianist from above, cats walking on the roof. But it doesn't end there - the scene of a street robbery is recreated behind the house, and then something worse.

Context

Tom McCarthy came to literature from modern art, and his novel is not about the state of modern society, but rather about the state of modern art. Like trying to find out how far Actionist art can go in its pursuit of reality. That is, not only the fantasies of the hero, who suffers from the inability to light a cigarette with the ease of De Niro in Mean Streets, are important here, but also the fact that a whole army of professionals helps him fulfill any whim: from casting to literally choosing wallpaper. This alienation of the process from the result is reminiscent of the movie - it is worth adding that Charlie Kaufman was inspired by this book when writing New York, New York.

Screen adaptation

It is logical that the film adaptation of the novel was also taken up not by the director, but by the artist, and not the last row: the video artist Omer Fast became famous precisely for his works, groping for the line between art and reality - in "Spielberg's List" (2003) he interviews the team of the film "Schindler's List" On the site of a concentration camp built near Krakow as a set for a film, in Casting, a soldier talking about his service in Iraq turns out to be an actor auditioning for the role of a soldier. The author of the book and the director wrote the script for the film together - and it seems that they understood each other: Fast describes the movie, where Tom Sturridge tries to reach his own forgotten past with the help of artistic reconstructions, as the story of an artist devoid of talent.

Laura Hillenbrand "Unbroken"

What

One of the top non-fiction bestsellers of the decade, Time Magazine's 2010 Book of the Year is about a man who survived.

Plot

The incredible biography of Louis Zamperini, the street boy who was raised to be an Olympic runner and sent to the Berlin Games. After he became a pilot during World War II, survived a plane crash, drifted on a raft in the ocean for a month - and all to be captured by the Japanese.

Context

An incredible and absolutely real story that Laura Hillenbrand found; our time needs heroes and, not finding them in the present, finds them in the recent past.

Screen adaptation

The script for Angelina Jolie's film, which we will see at the end of the year, was written by the Coen brothers, her joint photo with the main character, taken shortly before his death, bypassed the Internet, but it may turn out that the desire to make socially responsible cinema will play a bad joke on her: this an already pretentious story is easy to kill with bestial seriousness.

Jeannette Walls "The Glass Castle"

What

A wonderful book about a difficult childhood in a strange family.

Plot

Dad drinks, mom paints pictures, no one works, there is often no food at home and never money, children don’t go to school, but dad can tell them the best fairy tale in the world, and mom teaches them to play the piano - and everyone is happy.

Context

In fact, “The Glass Castle” is almost the best thing that has happened to young adults literature this decade: instead of the fictional suffering of teenagers from dystopias, there is a real difficult childhood, where the bohemian life of parents does not always turn out to be a joy for their four children.

Screen adaptation

The main name of the upcoming film adaptation is already known - this is Jennifer Lawrence, for whom this book will finally be a chance to get out of the Hunger Games swamp somewhere closer to the arthouse. With all the love for Lawrence, a lot depends on her in this film adaptation: the whole book is built on very subtle details, and the “Land of the Tides” should come out of this in a good way, and not just another teenage thriller.

Colm Toibin "Brooklyn"

What

Irish Colm Toybin, one of the most serious modern authors, tragically (for us) not translated into Russian, and his novel, which received the Costa Prize in 2009.

Plot

A young Irish woman leaves her native village for America for a better life- and although it is already difficult for her in Brooklyn, everything becomes even more difficult when the tragic events in her homeland force her to return home.

Context

Colm Toybin is one of the few authors who can write long, slow, unhurried texts and follow his characters with close attention and exceptional sympathy, which have been forgotten by world literature for more than a hundred years. His novel, however, can be read in a simpler way - as a novel about emigrants in reverse, where America becomes a place where you need to leave.

Screen adaptation

Saoirse Ronan, an apprentice confectioner at the Grand Budapest Hotel, will star in an upcoming - very Irish - adaptation of John Crowley: it looks like the heroine's inability to take life into her own hands will be the main plot here.

Kevin Powers "The Yellow Birds"

What

A novel about returning from the war, written by an Iraq War veteran, has become for Americans something like “All Quiet on the Western Front” in the 21st century.

Plot

Private John Bartle went to Iraq with his high school friend Murph. At the beginning of the war, they swear to each other not to die - but the hero returns alone. Survival is still half the battle: it turns out to be completely impossible to adapt back to peaceful life.

Context

The novel by Kevin Powers filled the empty niche of the Greater Iraq Novel; here, for the first time in the literature, all soldier's injuries are fully described - both in the fields and after the fields: why they leave, what they experience and how they return.

Screen adaptation

Benedict Cumberbatch, confirmed for the lead role in David Lowery's forthcoming film, says too much about the upcoming film adaptation: he doesn't look much like an Iraqi mercenary, which means that in the text, which is half poetry and the other half blood call, it's decided was to leave only poetry.

Sebastian Barry "Tables of Destiny"

What

A century of Irish history in notes from a lunatic asylum.

Plot

A hundred-year-old woman, sitting in a madhouse, keeps a diary in which the tragedy of her own life is inseparable from the tragic history of Ireland - and her attending physician sits around the corner and also keeps a diary, a little easier. Sooner or later they meet.

Context

The 2008 Costa Prize, the Booker Prize shortlist and a host of other awards prove, if not the importance, then the literary excellence of a text written by one of the finest Irish writers and playwrights alive today.

Screen adaptation

A rare case when already at the stage of preparation of the film it is clear that he will pay tribute to the original: Jim Sheridan in the directors, in the roles of the patient and her doctor Vanessa Redgrave and Eric Bana - and a whole sea of ​​​​famous names in flashbacks.

Elizabeth Strout "Olivia Kitteridge"

What

A collection of stories from the life of an American province, in which the main character manages to remain a minor character almost to the end.

Plot

13 stories from a small town in New England, from which the image of the main character gradually develops - an uncomfortable, domineering, aging school math teacher. We meet Olivia Kitteridge when she is not young, but we see her off as old - in general, this is a story, if not about aging, then about the loneliness that inevitably accompanies it.

Context

The 2009 Pulitzer Prize - and a whole host of other awards: Elizabeth Strout not only managed to find a new hero, but also completed the task of more difficult - with empathy to tell the story of an uncomfortable heroine.

Screen adaptation

Frances McDormand, who stars in the HBO miniseries due out this fall, doesn't fit well in the role of Kitteridge, as we're repeatedly told in the novel how big, physically uncomfortable her body is. By miniaturizing the heroine, television cut off the novel itself, turning it into a story about what happens to marriage after the children have grown up, a line that turns out to be far from the main one in the novel.

Jojo Moyes "Me Before You"

What

A sad story of impossible love that sells very well.

Plot

A girl at a crossroads loses her job and gets a job as a nurse for a smart, beautiful and completely paralyzed man after an accident.

Context

The genre of social romcom that Jojo Moyes invented with this novel and has been exploiting with might and main since then is an undoubted success. Here, in general, all the same Jane Austen, plus the problems of the first world in the XXI century. That is, poor beautiful girls have nothing to pay for loans, Mr. Darcy also cry, in the meantime - many details of the hard life of the working class, laughter through tears, but still more tears. It's not required reading, just a good girl's novel, but it proves that literature can be left-wing in a good way without even being too smart.

Screen adaptation

Estimated release - August 2015. Sentimental prose of this kind, as a rule, becomes something moderately marginal in film adaptations: gaining its strong hundred million (three times the budget), after which everyone tries to forget it, like an unfortunate misunderstanding. Without really counting on anything, the studio gave itself the freedom to play a little: it invited Thea Sharrock, who is more known for her theatrical work, to the director's chair (this will be her debut in a feature film, but she, as they say, is widely known on Broadway, in particular, it was her we owe naked Daniel Radcliffe with a horse), and called Emilia Clarke aka Khaleesi for the female lead. And Sharrock seems determined not to draw tears from the viewer, but to show him the injustice of the British class system.

It is often difficult to decide on the choice of a book for leisure. First, you want something ingenious, filled with kindness and generosity, then there is a desire to read an exquisite classic novel. Every time you need to go through a bunch of books before you find the most interesting one, which will win you over with its plot from the first pages. To make it easier to find the right literature, we have compiled a list of the best and most entertaining books, sorted into categories.

First of all, the book should be interesting. Whether it's a novel, a detective story, science fiction, mysticism or a classic, a work cannot become a bestseller without an interested audience. The most interesting books should be written competently and clearly. It is very important that readers are interested in characters, they must develop throughout the story. No less important is the elaboration of the details of the surrounding world, in which events take place. The description of the situation should be light, unobtrusive, so that the reader can imagine it to himself and observe the events with enthusiasm.

The top 10 most interesting books that everyone should read are presented below:

Take note!

To understand whether the book will be interesting, it is advisable to read the review in advance.

Popular Literature

List of the most famous and read books in the world:

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Good books for both adults and teens

There are moments when you especially want to surround yourself with warmth, kindness and happiness. Only an interesting and light book can help you spend a cold lonely evening really fun and unforgettable. With them you can forget for a while, plunging deeper and deeper into a fantasy world where good always wins. They can be read and re-read dozens of times. They push reality into the background and allow the reader to be himself, to become a child again.

It is with these books that ordinary reading turns into an adventure full of mystery:

• On Christmas Eve— Rosamund Pilcher. Five unfortunate children find themselves in a house in the north of Scotland. The approaching Christmas promises to bring amazing changes to their lives;
  
• Christmas and red cardinal— Fanny Flagg. Another warm fairy tale in which the approach of Christmas promises incredible events;
• practical magic— Alice Hoffman. This is the story of three generations of the Owens family through the female line. The heroines are endowed with a certain mystical gift and their everyday circumstances are different from the usual ones;
• Blackberry wine— Joanne Harris. Magic surrounds us everywhere, you just need to learn to notice it. In search of himself, the hero of the work goes to the village;
• Walking castle— Diana Wynne Jones. Sophie becomes a victim of a terrible curse of a vile witch. To escape, she has to seek help from a mysterious sorcerer, whose house is literally a moving castle;
• Diary of Bridget Jones— Helen Fielding. Many women can recognize themselves in this cool book about the main women's worries. The writer sincerely and witty talks about marriage, love, career and fashion, which so excites many ladies;
• The Strange Journey of Mr Daldry— Mark Levy. The fortune-teller prophesied to Alice a meeting with a man in Turkey, where she was destined to penetrate the secrets of her past. Unexpectedly, a neighbor offers her his help;
• Teahouse on Mulberry Street— Sharon Owens. A touching Christmas story in which the fates of the characters are strangely intertwined in a teahouse where delicious desserts are served. This place is truly amazing, full of mystery;
• Running after the moon- Sarah Edison Allen. Residents of the quiet town of Mallaby have long been accustomed to the miracles taking place there. Only Emily, who arrived in her mother's hometown, was not warned about this;
• Six stones for happiness— Kevin Alan Milne. Every day, Nathan Steen puts six pebbles in his pocket so that he does not forget to do good deeds. A deep and touching novel filled with kindness, care, humanity, true values.

Interesting!

Many of these works are included in the list of required for high school students in Europe and the United States.

Useful books for everyone

Some books teach good and beautiful things, form values, develop character. Here are the best of them:

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Books by great writers with deep meaning

Talented authors enrich culture, creating world masterpieces of literature. Unfortunately, the classics are not very popular these days, many things are incomprehensible to modern people, much is uninteresting, outdated by time. However, there are still connoisseurs of great, brilliant works.

This list is for:

Modern literature

As you know, there are not so many fans of world classics among young people, but they definitely like modern literature:

A good book is much more than a way to kill time. Wishing to get acquainted with unusual worlds, mysterious and strong characters and incredible adventures, the reader should get acquainted with the work of the most popular modern writers. Below are the most striking and famous works of recent decades - top 10 best modern books!

1. 11/22/63 (Stephen King)

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

The assassination of J.F. Kennedy was one of the greatest tragedies in American society. A popular politician was shot right during a huge parade in front of thousands of Americans. Could the president have been saved? Surprisingly, the answer to this question remains to be known by a simple teacher! 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 the time portal, which is located in the back of the cafe with his old friend Al. The owner of the device has long wanted to find the killer of Kennedy, but the disease upset all plans, so Jake must replace him! Go back, straight to the 60s, live there for several years, figure out the future executioner and stop him on the day 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 that was written by English writer Neil Gaiman in 2001.

America. Shelter of a huge number of migrants from all over the world. In search of a better life, people went to an unknown continent, hoping to get settled there and find long-awaited happiness. However, they did not travel alone: ​​each visiting guest brought with him a piece of his native culture. Gods, beliefs, rituals, customs - this is the true luggage of the settlers! Will different deities be able to get along together and what promises such a neighborhood? Shadows, the main character, who has recently been released from prison, will have to find out. Once free, he finds himself in a series of strange events and mysterious crimes that need to be unraveled.

3. The Wind Runner (Khaled Hosseini)

Closes the top three best book by contemporary American writer Khaled Hosseini. The work was born in 2003.

What is true friendship? Sometimes adults find it very difficult to answer this question. Much easier for kids. Amir and Hasan are two completely different boys who are connected by true friendship. That's just 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 knowing sorrow, the boys gradually grow up, and their friendship only becomes stronger. One day, serious changes are coming in the country that will test their strength and scatter friends on different sides. 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. There are two more books in the pipeline. The first publication took place in 1996. The book gained particular popularity after the release of the series "Game of Thrones", filmed by HBO based on its motives.

The unique fantasy world is inhabited by far from good fairies and cheerful gnomes. This is a world of several powerful powers that are desperately fighting for their heart's 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 place for honesty and nobility anymore. 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 a "tidbit" 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 Where…” is an interesting contemporary fantasy novel by the Armenian writer Mariam Petrosyan, published in 2009.

On the edge of the city is a boarding school 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 a new, unusual world in which there is more kindness and light than on bright city streets. The pupils of the house are divided into groups, each of which has its own leader. There are no names and surnames here - only bright nicknames. There is a lot of unknown and very little familiar. These are miniature societies with their vices and virtues. Children learn about the world, growing up, changing and trying to find their place in it.

6. Book Thief (Markus Zusak)

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

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

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 of the film of the same name.

How hard it is to know a person, even if you lived with him long years! An unusual incident turns the fate of the protagonist when his wife suddenly disappears. During a stormy celebration of their wedding anniversary, a woman mysteriously disappears. Arriving police discover blood and signs of a struggle, deciding that the man killed his wife and hid her body. Now the bewildered man is left to solve this incredible puzzle himself. Who knows, maybe the answer will turn out to 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, nothing connects. An American lawyer stranded on a tropical island while a ship is being repaired; a young English musician forced to sell his music and body to earn a living; a brave Californian journalist fighting against a powerful corporation; a London publisher facing criminals after the release of yet another bestseller; a clone from a Korean anti-utopia and a Hawaiian old man watching the decline of human civilization. All events and characters go through a difficult path at 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.

A sudden catastrophe changed the life of a young man, crossing out his past. He finds himself in a long-term 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 anew. Walk, move, work with hands and talk. All past life comes in the form of vague memories, and the hero endlessly wants 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 related? What happened that day? And how to become completely the same?

10 Anathem (Neil Stevenson)

And completes the top ten modern science fiction book "Anathem", written by American writer Neil Stevenson in 2008.

Arb is a distant and mysterious planet resembling Earth. People who worship science live here. Science, which completely replaced religion and managed to split society into two irreconcilable camps. 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 every ten years there comes a special date - the day when the two sides can change places. The monks will see the outside world, and secular people will be able to join the monastic life and worldview. Once such a change led to horrific consequences, and now the two sides must unite to prevent the impending disaster!

These creations have stood the test of time, captivating generations of readers all over the world with their fascinating stories. Permeated with the wisdom of the authors, they carry their message through the ages, finding a response in the hearts of new fans. We studied lists of popular books that (according to leading publishers and literary critics) every person should read at least once in a lifetime. In our article you will find 40 classic literary works of various genres.

1. "Moby Dick, or the White Whale" by Herman Melville

"Call me Ishmael"- with these words Herman Melville began his novel "Moby Dick, or the White Whale". And it is not for nothing that this book is considered a cult work in American history. literature XIX century. The sad irony of fate is that the great writer was practically forgotten even before his death, and in the New York Times obituaries he was even mentioned under the name "Henry Melville". The decline of the writing career occurred, in fact, precisely through the fault of "Moby Dick". Prior to this, Melville had written quite successful books about sea adventures, but this ambitious tale of a crazy captain long-distance navigation, obsessed with the idea of ​​pursuing a white whale, turned out to be misunderstood by the author's contemporaries. 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 about obsession with any goal, about the place of an ordinary person in nature and the need to find the meaning of one's being.

2. Dead Souls, Nikolai Gogol

The title of the book is familiar to everyone from an early age, however, due to the reputation of the author (known for his mystical stories about the inhabitants of Dikanka), many mistakenly believe that the plot is connected with something frightening and otherworldly. In fact, it is one of the most witty books of the 19th century. Written Nikolai Gogol(which had a great influence on the work of Tolstoy and Dostoevsky), the novel became a classic of Russian literature.

The plot tells of an enterprising young man who travels around Russia and buys up "dead souls" - dead peasants who were still considered alive by the landowners 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 wide-ranging, brilliant satire of society (Gogol pokes fun at everyone from gossiping housewives to cruel landowners and pompous officials), Dead Souls is considered one of the most elaborate creations, marking an entire era.

3. Bleak House, Charles Dickens

Although not as famous as Oliver Twist and Great Expectations, it is still one of the most ingenious creations. Charles Dickens. Seasoned generously with many detailed descriptions of Victorian London, the plot captures lovers of historical novels from the first words. A satire-filled critique of British law, the book mercilessly ridicules and condemns the corrupt servants of Themis, aristocrats and merchants who use the courts for their own selfish purposes. However, satire forms only one layer of the novel. It is also a story about forbidden love, family secrets and intrigue. And since we have before us the work of Dickens, then, of course, unforgettable characters appear before the eyes of the reader, including London itself. The chaotic development of the city and the swirling tentacles of fog have never been described with such artistic force by anyone.

4. Moll Flanders, Daniel Defoe

The most famous work of Daniel Defoe will forever remain Robinson Crusoe, but no less majestic and exciting is his other novel -.

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 funny, and sometimes tragic events: Moll repeatedly marries (once - for his own brother). The poor thing accidentally commits incest, becomes a prostitute, a swindler and a thief, and gets too familiar with the walls of a prison cell. Offering a breathtaking journey through the world of 18th century vice and glamor, 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 by Jane Austen

Many people are only superficially familiar with the novel (thanks to Colin Firth, who played in one of its adaptations). If you know the work only from television screens, then you should get to know it better. Jane Austen's most popular novel captivates from the first page, and is as much comical as it is romantic. Austin has managed to pull together all the ingredients of 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. In addition to him, the novel has a whole gallery of interesting characters, starting with the grotesque Lady Catherine de Boer, ending with the main character - Elizabeth Bennet - a lively, witty girl. Of course, Elizabeth would fit into the XXI century, where women (unlike the patriarchal society of the past) tend to have their own opinions. This is the best female novel of its time!

6. Wildfell Hall Stranger by Anne Brontë

Anne Brontë never became as popular as her sister Charlotte, which is not entirely fair, since it is one of the greatest novels of the 19th century. With this book, Ann Bronte launched the early women's rights movement. The plot tells about a beautiful girl who left her unfaithful and depraved husband in search of her own life path. main character(Helen Huntingdon) is one of the strongest female characters in English fiction. With her help, Bronte managed to display the throwing of the female soul, striving for something unknown to itself, but so desired.

7. Vanity Fair, William Thackeray

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 surpass Dickens, Thackeray created a wild, energetic epic novel about life in Britain, giving us a scoundrel heroine. This creation is named. While the work of Dickens is undoubtedly marked by generosity, the work of Thackeray is characterized by rather cruelty, a certain composure and the absence of excessive sentimentality.
Vanity Fair is the story of Becky Sharp, a delightfully wicked career woman who uses looks, charm and a fair amount of cunning to seduce men and accumulate as much money as possible. Before us is a sharp satire on 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, George Eliot

At first glance, a work subtitled "A Study of Provincial Life" may not seem like the most exciting reading in the world. Nevertheless, writer George Eliot is a serious contender for the title of first-rate 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. Yes, but the irony is that choosing the right path for righteous deeds is exactly what gets her into a lot of trouble. As they say, the road to hell is paved with good intentions. This is truly an example of English literature. And if the great Leo Tolstoy had been born in Great Britain, he would definitely have written something similar. Fortunately, Eliot did, giving the world what Virginia Woolf would later call "one of the few English novels written for adults".

9. "War and Peace", Leo Tolstoy

Here he is, the father of the classic novel, the epic story that has been called the greatest book of all time. Don't be put off by its sheer size and reputation as a complex and multi-layered work. You should definitely like him, even though at school he caused many awe and (to be honest?) disgust. Sadly, phenomenal work Leo Nikolaevich Tolstoy- remains underestimated by the masses, because acquaintance with him occurs at a too young age. This is not a book for teenagers!

Talking about the early years of his century, Tolstoy describes a group of Russian aristocrats facing the invasion of Napoleon's 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, the author was most interested in one assumption - how can one not affect morality, faced with the defects of this vicious world. A deep understanding of the human soul in all its aspirations - good or vicious - gave Tolstoy worldwide recognition. 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.

10. Madame Bovary, Gustave Flaubert

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. No wonder it tops the list of the most important works of this genre.

Emma Bovary's husband is a classic sweet guy - dependable, supportive and completely boring. And so Emma (desperately thirsting for passion and excitement), throws herself into the maelstrom of successive intrigues, the inevitable result of which is tragedy. The publication of this exquisite book provoked a scandal in the sanctimonious society, and French prosecutors even demanded that it be banned for obscenity. Instead, it 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 fruit of painstaking work was the story of adultery and the reasons that push people to treason and betrayal.

11. Crime and Punishment, Fyodor Dostoyevsky

Fyodor Dostoevsky managed to create a work that reflects all human vices, and touch on important issues relevant to all times and peoples. The author shows us the thoughts and souls of the characters "Crimes and Punishments", allowing you to see their true appearance - either repulsive with its immorality, or captivating with its nobility. And now we are already imbued with sympathy and respect for the street girl, but in fact - the kindest girl who sells her own body in a desperate attempt to feed her family. Of course, the key in the novel is the image of Raskolnikov. Why? Perhaps each of us was sometimes tormented by the same painful thoughts that haunted Rodion.

Rodion Raskolnikov is a talented young man who is forced to drag out a miserable lifestyle due to lack of funds. Driven to despair by poverty, Rodion is increasingly thinking about the meaning of life and his right to deprive a person of life. His victim is a greedy old pawnbroker, for whom someone else's misfortune becomes a way of making money. However, the carefully thought-out plan of the crime collapses when the pawnbroker's sister inopportunely returns home after witnessing a gruesome scene.

12. "Daniel Deronda", George Eliot

Dissatisfied with the creation of a stunning masterpiece (which is "Middlemarch"), George Eliot ended her career with another great work -. 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 their acquaintance and Deronda joining the Jewish community in London. Eliot deftly intertwines Daniel's self-development with the story of Gwendoline, a young woman who was originally presented as a spoiled girl by society. However, the character of the heroine gradually changes when the girl helps others. As a story about the society of Victorian England, the book is strikingly relevant to the events of the modern world. One of the key themes is the migration of Jews to that part of the Middle East, where Israel was later formed. However, the love story remains central to the plot, and Eliot does not allow political and philosophical ideas to overshadow the feelings of the characters she created.

13. "Red and Black", Stendhal

The French writer Stendhal knew how to deal with ladies. He was actually obsessed with romance and seduction, which may explain the character of the classic novel's protagonist. 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 for the hero, the seduction of the mayor's wife led to a series of unpleasant events that somewhat moderated his quest for wealth and power. Should Julien be admired? 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 perception of the world.

14. Persuasion, Jane Austen

All Jane Austen novels are incredibly popular. Everything except this. For some reason, never got the same hype as Pride and Prejudice, Emma, ​​or Senses and Sensibility. Although many admirers of Austin's work believe that this is her most intense work. Since the book was written later than the listed creations, it feels richer in the author's life experience.

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 how Austin handles the themes of regret about lost love. That is why the novel is the perfect complement to her other masterpiece, Pride and Prejudice.

15. Heart of Darkness, Joseph Conrad

Joseph Conrad wrote many true classics, but his best work, a relatively short novel, is probably the only subtle critique 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. Marlow learns about the duplicitous Kurtz, an ivory merchant who posed as a demi-god of the local tribes. Together with Kurz, Konrad demonstrates how the idea of ​​"civilizing" other races can ignite oncoming fire 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, Mark Twain

“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 ". Ernest Hemingway thought so, and (although he could have gone a little too far) the classic's praise captures the importance of the work remarkably well. Initially conceived by Twain as a simple adventure story, the book turned out to be a real call to freedom and resistance. Mark Twain is a master of words and it is important to note that American slang is one of the book's many phenomena.

Written from Huck's point of view, the story follows a teenager and a runaway slave named Jim traveling 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 bestows such strength on the work. However, 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, Oscar Wilde

The only novel published by the legendary Oscar Wilde, delightfully wonderful, as one might expect from him. Wilde's inherent desire for beauty is reflected in his iconic creation. Many believe that the prototypes of the characters "The Picture of Dorian Gray" became close friends of Oscar. Unfortunately, the stunning success of the work played a cruel joke on the author during the trial, when the intolerant society severely condemned the writer for his love affairs.

Dorian is a strikingly handsome and narcissistic young man who longs to escape old age. His wish came true, and instead of him his portrait ages, while Dorian's face and body still remain young and beautiful. Time passes and the picture shows not only wrinkles, but also traces of the growing cruelty and depravity of Dorian. Wilde's interpretation of the old Faust myth is a classic example of Victorian literature full of promiscuous opium-smoking dandies and debating art, sex, and morality. Undoubtedly, the novel was considered somewhat shocking in its time, especially for the hidden theme of homosexuality. Undeniably, this is a great book, touching on many intriguing issues. She teaches us how insidious beauty can be and how permissiveness is dangerous, destroying the soul. "The Picture of Dorian Gray" is a storehouse of wise thoughts that have become popular sayings.

18. The Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy, Gentleman, Laurence Sterne

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 surprisingly modern, full of so many gimmicks, obscenities, and lewdly mischievous interludes that you'd think the Monty Python company had written the novel.

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. Shandy's narrative begins at the moment of his conception, and continues with so many oddly related stories that he is only born after hundreds of pages have passed. Stuffed with sly jokes, bizarre digressions, and crazy accidents, the novel appears to be the most eccentric and bizarre literary classic of all time. By the way, this is one of the favorite works of Virginia Woolf.

19. Dracula, Bram Stoker

Maybe this book is written and not as beautiful as some of the others on our list, but it is recognized as the ancestor of its genre. After all, Bram Stoker's novel gave us a truly iconic character, whose image can be seen in numerous films, television shows, comics, cartoons, musicals, computer games and other works. However, before us is not just the story of a blood-drinking count, but a fascinating description of the morality and sexuality of the Victorian era. Dracula himself is an insidious tempter who corrupts innocent virgins, and only a group of heroes in camisoles can defeat this wild creature and restore proper etiquette and order. is still a great horror story that takes us on a journey from Transylvania to England and back again. So forget Buffy, Interview with the Vampire, Twilight, and other pathetic imitations. Sit back in your chair with Bram Stoker's original novel in hand and meet the vampire that started it all...

20. Wuthering Heights, Emily Brontë

Of course, one could not ignore the amazing tale of passion, love, tragedy and uncontrollable anger, written by the incomparable Emily Brontë. The work fell in love with admirers of romanticism, becoming the basis for many adaptations.

In the center of the plot is the bad boy Heathcliff, whose love for the Yorkshire girl Kathy is the only thing that balances his hatred for everything else. And when Cathy chooses a more respectable man for marriage, Heathcliff comes into an indescribable rage that destroys the lives of both heroes. Everyone thinks Brontë's novel is the story of Catherine and her rude, dangerous, conniving suitor, but the book also describes the lives of a second generation influenced by Heathcliff's vengeance. This is an epic, powerful and rather complex story.