New classics: The main writers of the 21st century that you need to read. Famous UK writers Popular English authors
Everyone knows the plot of Daniel Defoe's novel. However, the book contains many other interesting details about the organization of Robinson’s life on the island, his biography, and inner experiences. If you ask a person who has not read the book to describe Robinson’s character, he is unlikely to cope with this task.
In the popular consciousness, Crusoe is a smart character without character, feelings or history. The novel reveals the image of the main character, which allows you to look at the plot from a different angle.
Why you need to read
To get acquainted with one of the most famous adventure novels and find out who Robinson Crusoe really was.
Swift does not openly challenge society. Like a true Englishman, he does it correctly and witty. His satire is so subtle that Gulliver's Travels can be read as an ordinary fairy tale.
Why you need to read
For children, Swift's novel is a fun and unusual adventure story. Adults need to read it to get acquainted with one of the most famous artistic satires.
This novel, although artistically not the most outstanding, is definitely iconic in the history of literature. After all, in many ways he predetermined the development of the scientific genre.
But this is not just entertaining reading. It raises problems of the relationship between creator and creation, God and man. Who is responsible for creating a being who is destined to suffer?
Why you need to read
To get acquainted with one of the main works of science fiction, as well as to experience complex issues that are often lost in film adaptations.
It is difficult to single out Shakespeare's best play. There are at least five of them: “Hamlet”, “Romeo and Juliet”, “Othello”, “King Lear”, “Macbeth”. The unique style and deep understanding of life's contradictions made Shakespeare's works an immortal classic, relevant at all times.
Why you need to read
To begin to understand poetry, literature and life. And also to find the answer to the question, what is better: to be or not to be?
The main theme of English literature in the early 19th century was social criticism. Thackeray in his novel denounces his contemporary society with the ideals of success and material enrichment. To be in society means to be sinful - this is approximately Thackeray’s conclusion regarding his social environment.
After all, the successes and joys of yesterday lose their meaning when a well-known (albeit unknown) tomorrow looms ahead, which we all will sooner or later have to think about.
Why you need to read
To learn to relate more simply to life and the opinions of others. After all, everyone in society is infected with “fair ambitions” that have no real value.
The language of the novel is beautiful, and the dialogue is an example of English wit. Oscar Wilde is a subtle psychologist, which is why his characters turned out to be so complex and multifaceted.
This book is about human vice, cynicism, the difference between the beauty of the soul and body. If you think about it, to some extent each of us is Dorian Gray. Only we do not have a mirror on which sins would be imprinted.
Why you need to read
To enjoy the stunning language of Britain's wittiest writer, to see how much one's moral character can deviate from one's appearance, and to become a little better person. Wilde's work is a spiritual portrait not only of his era, but of all humanity.
The ancient Greek myth about a sculptor who fell in love with his creation takes on a new, socially significant meaning in Bernard Shaw's play. How should a work feel towards its author if this work is a person? How can it relate to the creator - the one who made it in accordance with his ideals?
Why you need to read
This is Bernard Shaw's most famous play. It is often staged in theaters. According to many critics, Pygmalion is a landmark work of English drama.
A universally recognized masterpiece of English literature, familiar to many from cartoons. Who, at the mention of Mowgli, does not hear Kaa’s drawn-out hiss in his head: “Man-cub...”?
Why you need to read
As an adult, it is unlikely that anyone will take up The Jungle Book. A person has only one childhood to enjoy Kipling's creation and appreciate it. So be sure to introduce your children to the classics! They will be grateful to you.
And again the Soviet cartoon comes to mind. It's really good, and the dialogue in it is almost entirely taken from the book. However, the images of the characters and the general mood of the story in the original source are different.
Stevenson's novel is realistic and quite harsh in places. But this is a good adventure work that every child and adult will read with pleasure. Boarding boards, sea wolves, wooden legs - the nautical theme beckons and attracts.
Why you need to read
Because it's fun and exciting. In addition, the novel is divided into quotes, which everyone should know.
Interest in the deductive abilities of the great detective is still great today thanks to the huge number of film adaptations. Many people are familiar with the classic detective story only from films. But there are many film adaptations, but there is only one collection of stories, but what a one!
Why you need to read
H.G. Wells was in many ways a pioneer in the genre of science fiction. Before him, people were not at odds with, he was the first to write about time travel. Without the Time Machine, we would not have seen either the film Back to the Future or the cult TV series Doctor Who.
They say that all life is a dream, and a bad, pitiful, short dream at that, although you won’t have another dream anyway.
Why you need to read
To look at the origins of many science fiction ideas that have become popular in modern culture.
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07.05.14 12:34
Brilliant classic detective stories and love stories full of tragedy, lengthy biographies and incomparable subtle humor, a world of bewitching fantasy and adventurous adventures. British literature is rich in masterpieces!
Famous British writers and their best works
Pioneer geniuses
In order to tell about all the most worthy representatives of Great Britain who created wonderful works (from plays and poems to stories and novels), you will need a voluminous volume. But let’s get acquainted (more or less adhering to the chronology) with at least some of them!
Geoffrey Chaucer is considered to be the pioneer of English literature. It was he (this was in the 14th century) who was the first to write his works in his native language (and not in Latin). Among his “programmatic” creations, we note the ironic “Canterbury Tales” and the voluminous heroic-romantic poem “Troilus and Chryseis”. In Chaucer, the earthly is intertwined with the sublime, vulgarity is adjacent to moralizing, and everyday pictures are replaced by passionate scenes.
Recently, here and there, controversy has arisen about another recognized classic - William Shakespeare. They doubted his authorship and attributed his works to other personalities (up to Queen Elizabeth the First). We will adhere to the traditional point of view. The immortal lines of sonnets, the colorful characters of tragedies, the life-affirming optimism of the Great Bard's comedies are still contemporary today. His plays are leaders in theater repertoires (in terms of the number of productions), and they are endlessly filmed. More than fifty “Romeo and Juliet” films alone have been filmed (counting from the silent film era). But Shakespeare worked in the distant 16th-17th centuries!
Novels for ladies, and not only
“Women’s” prose in British classics is vividly represented by Jane Austen (who hasn’t read the book “Pride and Prejudice”, which was transferred more than once to the silver screen!). And also the Bronte sisters. Emily's emotional and tragic Wuthering Heights and Charlotte's very popular (again, thanks to film adaptations) Jane Eyre are the best examples of literature of the first half of the 19th century. But both sisters died very early, and many of their plans remained unrealized.
Powerful prose writer Charles Dickens is the pride of Britain. In his works one can find realism and sentimentalism, fairy-tale beginnings and riddles. He did not have time to finish “The Mystery of Edwin Drood,” and readers are still scratching their heads over it. But this novel could have become the best detective work of that era.
Mysteries and adventures
In general, the founder of this genre is Dickens's friend, Wilkie Collins. His "The Moonstone" is considered the first detective story written in English. The novel “The Woman in White” is very interesting and full of mysticism and secrets.
Two Scots - Walter Scott and Robert Louis Stevenson - made their contribution to British literature. These were unsurpassed masters of historical adventure novels. “Ivanhoe” by the first and “Treasure Island” by the second are masterpieces.
Two more personalities stand out: the dark romantic John Gordon Byron and the ironic Oscar Wilde. Read their lines! It `s Magic. Life did not spoil both of them, but the emotions in the works were even stronger.
Elegant prose, humor and detective masters
Wilde was persecuted for his homosexuality. Another of his compatriots, Somerset Maugham, also suffered from it. An English intelligence officer, he is the author of the most elegant prose. If you are in a bad mood, re-read “Theater” or watch a movie - even with Via Artmane, or even an American one, with Annette Benning, a wonderful medicine!
Other authors who do a great job of bringing back the spirit are Jerock K. Jerome and Palham G. Wodehouse. Didn’t you chuckle when reading about the adventures of “three men in a boat” or the misadventures of the stupid aristocrat Bertie Wooster, under the care of the prim valet Jeeves?
Even those who do not like detective stories will sooner or later turn to the works of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. After all, his hero Sherlock is the favorite subject of modern filmmakers.
What can we say about Lady Agatha! Christie is perhaps the most famous detective (may she forgive us such a dissonant word!) of all times. And words are unnecessary here. Poirot and Marple glorified the British woman for centuries.
In the arms of fantasy
A huge amazing world - with its own language, geography, funny (courageous, terrifying, cute, and not very different!) inhabitants - was invented by John Ronald Reuel Tolkien, honor and praise to him. The Lord of the Rings is to fantasy fans what the Bible is to believers.
Among contemporary British writers, JK Rowling has achieved the greatest fame and success. Having once seen some images while half asleep and decided to write down a story about an orphan boy that came to mind, a poor housewife became one of the revered prose writers of our days. The film adaptation of Potter was seen by millions, and the author herself became a multimillionaire.
The erotic escapades of David Lawrence's characters, the throwing of John Fowles' heroes, the other worlds of H.G. Wells, the tragic plots of Thomas Hardy, the evil satire of Jonathan Swift and Bernard Shaw, the ballads of Robert Burns, the realism of Galsworthy and Iris Murdoch. This, too, is the wealth of British literature. Read and enjoy!
What is a book to us? For some, a book is a way for self-development, for others it is an opportunity to hide from the world around them. One way or another, a book is a whole world, be it educational or fantastic.
We immerse ourselves in it to our fingertips, getting an exciting experience. But how can you combine business with pleasure? After all, it happens that we need to learn something, and we are faced with a difficult choice: take up a boring textbook and cram it from cover to cover, or immerse yourself in a story of adventure, love and drama.
A good book is a source of pleasure in itself, as well as a tool for expanding your horizons and vocabulary.
When reading a boring story, you don’t want to make any effort to understand it. There is a desire to find something special for yourself, a book that would make you remember every new word, be imbued with the story and empathize with the characters.
We tried to help you choose just such a book by compiling a list of ten excellent modern books written in English. You can try reading them in the original to improve your linguistic skills.
1. "Just Kids", Patti Smith ("Just Kids", Patti Smith)
For those who want light reading and stories about bohemian life.
The book captivates you from the very first pages: before you have time to read the first one, you find yourself already on the tenth page. If you like the spirit of the 60s and the spirit of New York, this book is just for you.
This is a story about creative people who, despite incredibly difficult living conditions, searched for themselves, their happiness, and also believed in a bright future.
Poverty, drugs, the first ups and downs, all-consuming love against the backdrop of the complete chaos of America in the 60s - in a wonderful story about how adults really lived like children, enjoying the little things. Love, over which neither time, nor space, nor sexual orientation has power, and Art rises above all this.
This book can inspire madness and the search for beauty in everything.
2. "The Thousand Autumns of Jacob de Zoet", David Mitchell
For lovers of history and intellectual plot.
The plot is interesting for its extraordinary themes, historical orientation, and peculiarity of presentation, which is unique to Mitchell.
At the end of the 18th century, the young Dutchman Jacob de Zoet went to Japan to earn money. The reason for his journey is the desire to achieve his beloved Anna. But he has disagreements with his beloved’s father, because he does not agree to marry his daughter to a poor man. The main character will have to spend almost his entire life in Japan, where he will meet and lose his new love.
A book about the clash of cultures between East and West, the differences between sciences, religions and interests.
3. "Flowers in the Attic", Virginia Andrews ("Flowers in the Attic, V. C. Andrews)
For those who want to experience strong emotions.
The novel “Flowers in the Attic” tells the reader about the Dollanganger couple. The couple has four wonderful children, and everything is going well until one day the head of the family gets into a car accident. The ideal life of the main character collapsed in an instant. The only thing she could do was to go with her children to her parents, who expelled her many years ago. To have a chance to inherit the fortune of her harsh and cruel father, the heroine will have to win his trust.
The obstacle in this regard is children, about whom no one should know. A loving mother decides to hide her children on the top floor of her parents' house in a small and cramped room, where there is nothing interesting except four walls.
Will the children be able to survive what fate has given them when the only thing they see is one room with access to the attic?
4. “A Brief History of Time”, Stephen Hawking
For those who want to understand physics, but are afraid.
The famous English physicist Stephen Hawking tells us in a fascinating and accessible way about the origin of the Universe and its possible fate.
The author is passionate about everything that happens around him and conveys his interest to the reader. The book is about physics, but in practice you will see only one formula, which Stephen himself describes with a touch of humor. If you want to expand your horizons by learning more about cosmology and the microworld, this book will be a revelation for you.
Despite some difficulties that may arise when reading, we can conclude: physics can be incredibly exciting.
5. “The Shack”, William Paul Young ("The Shack", William Paul Young)
For those who are lost in themselves or disappointed in life.
The main character Mac's youngest daughter has disappeared. In a painful search, Mac comes across an abandoned hut, where he discovers evidence of the death of his daughter at the hands of a maniac. After this event, Mac is unable to continue to live normally; he is disappointed in the world, in himself, in God, who failed him.
After four years of painful suffering, the main character receives a letter in which God advises him to visit that very hut. Mac thinks he's gone crazy, because the addressee is God himself. He decides to hit the road and check who played such an evil joke on him.
6. "Watership Down", Richard Adams
For seekers of British children's literature and fairy tales.
The main characters of this book are rabbits. These wonderful creatures left their hometown and went on an unforgettable adventure (and trouble). However, do not worry, fast paws always come to their aid.
Both children and adults will enjoy the book, so you can confidently put it in the “family reading” category. The author talks about the life of animals in the forest, and readers follow them step by step and develop sympathy for the little furry creatures.
7. “Mindset”, Carol Dweck
For those who want to deepen their knowledge in psychology.
This book tells the story of intelligence research conducted by renowned psychologist Carol Dweck over 20 years. The author describes in detail examples of flexible and fixed consciousness.
People with a fixed mind believe that they have innate intelligence and talent. All their lives they prove to the world around them that they possess certain qualities, instead of developing them. The biggest misconception of such people is that they believe in their talent, which will lead them to success.
We can talk a lot about the role of personality in history, but we are much more interested in the topic of the role of personality in the development of the English language. After all, there is no doubt that a number of people whose names we know for sure made an invaluable contribution to English with their literary works. Of course, we are talking about the most famous writers in Great Britain.
William Shakespeare often called the greatest British writer and one of the world's brightest playwrights. The writer was born in 1564 in Stratford-upon-Avon in England. During his career, Shakespeare created about two hundred works, which were translated into many languages and constantly staged. In addition, Shakespeare himself performed in theaters for a long time. Among the author’s most famous works are the famous tragedies “Romeo and Juliet”, “Hamlet”, “Othello”, “Macbeth”, “King Lear”.
Oscar Wilde- another famous and interesting representative of British literature. He was born in 1856 into an Irish family. Oscar Wilde's talent and sense of humor are recognized throughout the world, as is his most famous novel, The Picture of Dorian Gray. The writer always said that aesthetic feelings are the driving force of human development, and he repeatedly touched on this topic in his works. Oscar Wilde left a large number of magnificent fairy tales, plays and novels, which are often staged in our time.
Charles Dickens- a British writer who gained popularity during his lifetime and is a recognized classic of world literature. Dickens was born in 1812 in Porsmouth, England, and grew up in a large family. From childhood, the writer was forced to earn a living, and his hardships were later reflected in such famous works as “Oliver Twist”, “Great Expectations”, the heroes of which were poor orphan boys. No less famous works are Dombey and Son, A Tale of Two Cities and The Posthumous Papers of the Pickwick Club, which brought him great fame.
Agatha Christie often called the queen of detective stories. The writer, who was born in 1890, is one of the most frequently published writers. Agatha Christie gave the world about a hundred works, including detective and psychological novels, short stories and plays. Christie's most famous creations are the play "The Mousetrap", the detective novel "Ten Little Indians", "Murder on the Orient Express" and many others.
Another great detective master is considered Arthur Conan Doyle, which gave the world the legendary detective Sherlock Holmes and many other colorful characters.
Among contemporary authors, the British writer stands out especially Joanne Rowling, famous for the series of books about the wizard Harry Potter and the magical world. These books not only brought her worldwide fame, but also turned her from a single mother living on welfare into a multimillionaire. After the release of all the Harry Potter books, Rowling published several books for adult readers, including under the pseudonym "Robert Gilbraith."
This list can be continued for a long time, but we have listed the real “giants”. Without them, the English language, which you can study in courses at, would be completely different. That's why it's so important to remember them and know their names.
Nick Hornby is known not only as the author of such popular novels as Hi-Fi and My Boy, but also as a screenwriter. The writer’s cinematic style makes him very popular in adapting books by various authors into film adaptations: “Brooklyn”, “An Education of Sentiments”, “Wild”.
In the past, an ardent football fan, he even expressed his obsession in the autobiographical novel “Football Fever.”
Culture is often a key theme in Hornby's books; in particular, the writer does not like it when pop culture is underestimated, considering it to be limited. Also, the key themes of the works are often the hero’s relationship with himself and others, overcoming and searching for himself.
Nick Hornby now lives in the Highbury area of North London, close to his favorite football team's stadium, Arsenal.
Doris Lessing (1919 - 2013)
After the second divorce in 1949, she moved with her son to London, where at first she rented an apartment with a woman of easy virtue.
The topics that worried Lessing, as often happens, changed during her life, and if in 1949-1956 she was primarily occupied with social issues and communist themes, then from 1956 to 1969 her works began to be psychological in nature. In later works, the author was close to the postulates of the esoteric movement in Islam - Sufism. In particular, this was expressed in many of her science fiction works from the Canopus series.
In 2007, the writer was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature.
The novel "Bridget Jones's Diary", which was born from the column that Helen wrote in the Independent newspaper, brought the writer worldwide success and the love of millions of women.
The plot of "The Diary" repeats in detail the plot of Jane Austen's novel "Pride and Prejudice", right down to the name of the main male character - Mark Darcy.
They say that the writer was inspired to write the book by the 1995 TV series and especially by Colin Firth, since he migrated without any changes to the film adaptation of “The Diary.”
In the UK, Stephen is known as an esthete and a great original, driving around in his own cab. Stephen Fry incomparably combines two abilities: to be the standard of British style and to regularly shock the public. His bold statements about God confuse many, which, however, does not in any way affect his popularity. He is openly gay - last year, 57-year-old Fry married a 27-year-old comedian.
Fry does not hide the fact that he used drugs and suffers from bipolar disorder, about which he even made a documentary.
It’s not easy to define all of Fry’s areas of activity; he jokingly calls himself “a British actor, writer, king of dance, prince of swimsuits and blogger.” All of his books invariably become bestsellers, and interviews are analyzed for quotes.
Stephen is considered a rare owner of a unique classic English accent; an entire book has been written about the art of “speaking like Stephen Fry.”
Julian Barnes has been called the "chameleon" of British literature. He is excellent at creating works that are different from each other without losing his individuality: eleven novels, four of which are detective stories, written under the pseudonym Dan Kavanagh, a collection of short stories, a collection of essays, a collection of articles and reviews.
The writer was repeatedly accused of francophony, especially after the publication of the book “Flaubert's Parrot,” a kind of mixture of a biography of the writer and a scientific treatise on the role of the author in general. The writer's attraction to everything French is partly explained by the fact that he grew up in the family of a French teacher.
His novel “The History of the World in 10 ½ Chapters” became a real event in literature. Written in the dystopian genre, the novel seeks answers to a number of philosophical questions about the essence of man, his past, present and future.
A favorite of children and adults around the world, the restless Paddington Bear was “born” in 1958, when Michael Bond realized at the last moment before Christmas that he had forgotten to buy a gift for his wife. Out of hopelessness, the author, who had already written many plays and stories by that time, bought his wife a toy bear in a blue raincoat.
In 2014, a film was made based on his books, where London became one of the characters in the story. It appears before us as if through the eyes of a little guest from dense Peru: at first rainy and inhospitable, and then sunny and beautiful. In the picture you can recognize Notting Hill, Portobello Road, streets near Maida Vale station, Paddington station and the Natural History Museum.
Interestingly, the writer now lives in London just near Paddington station.
Rowling went from welfare dole to author of the best-selling book series in history in just five years, which became the basis for films that in turn are recognized as the second highest-grossing franchise.
As Rowling herself said, the idea for the book came to her during a train trip from Manchester to London in 1990. .
Neil Gaiman is called one of the main modern storytellers. Hollywood producers are lining up for the film rights to his books.
He also wrote scripts himself more than once. His famous novel Neverwhere was born from just such a script for a mini-series filmed at the BBC in 1996. Although, of course, the opposite is more often the case.
Neil's scary tales are also loved because they blur the lines between intellectual and entertaining literature.
The writer is a winner of prestigious awards; many of Ian’s works have been filmed.
The writer's first works were distinguished by cruelty and great attention to the theme of violence, for which the author was awarded the nickname Ian Macabre. He was also called the black wizard of modern British prose and a world-class expert on all types of violence.
In subsequent work, all these themes remained, but seemed to fade into the background, running like a red thread through the fate of the heroes, without lingering in the frame.
The writer spent his childhood on the run: he was born in Czechoslovakia into an intelligent Jewish family. Due to her nationality, his mother moved to Singapore and then to India. Almost all of the writer’s relatives died during the Second World War, and his mother, having married a British military man for the second time, raised her children as real Englishmen.
Stoppard became famous for the play “Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead,” a reimagined tragedy of Shakespeare’s “Hamlet,” which, under Tom’s pen, turned into a comedy.
The playwright has a lot in common with Russia. He visited here in 1977, working on a report about dissidents who were kept in psychiatric hospitals. "It was cold. Moscow seemed gloomy to me,” the author shares his memories.
The writer also visited Moscow during the production of a play based on his play at the RAMT Theater in 2007. The theme of the 8-hour performance is the development of Russian political thought of the 19th century with its main characters: Herzen, Chaadaev, Turgenev, Belinsky, Bakunin.
