Books that everyone should read. List of books that an educated person should read Works that everyone should read
Famous aphorism says: “To become smart, you only need to read ten books, but to find them, you need to read thousands.” We have increased the list to 15 titles, selecting those that have had greatest influence for the development of literature.
Homer's Iliad
Peculiarity. The Iliad is the oldest surviving monument of ancient Greek literature. Along with The Odyssey, it is the world's first poem in the genres of fantasy, thriller, action and family drama.
A little about the book. The poem was probably written in the 8th or 7th century BC and describes the siege of Troy by the Achaeans. It is based on folklore tales about the exploits of ancient heroes. For a long time, researchers even argued about whether the poem was based on real events or Trojan War just a fiction. However, during excavations in Troy, a culture was discovered that corresponded to the descriptions in the Iliad. And the deciphered Hittite inscriptions contained a number of names hitherto known only from the Greek poem.
"The Adventures of Oliver Twist" by Charles Dickens
Peculiarity. Charles Dickens's second novel and first English literature, the main character of which was a child.
A little about the book. The orphan boy Oliver will have to face baseness and betrayal, go through many adventures, try to avoid dangers, become the epicenter of criminal troubles, in order to finally find happiness and love in his family of relatives. The genre is an acute social novel.
"Pride and Prejudice" by Jane Austen
Peculiarity. Jane Austen, who was outraged by the dependent position of women in the Victorian era, was one of the first to create the image of a free woman. The heroine of her book makes her own decisions, in particular the decision to marry or not to marry this or that man, and is able to overcome all life’s difficulties and pressure from society with her head held high.
A little about the book. A seemingly simple love story between the poor but sensible and independent noblewoman Elizabeth Bennet and the noble aristocrat Mr. Darcy. The plot develops in a spiral - from the first mutual unpleasant impression to a declaration of love and reciprocal feelings from the two main characters.
"Faust" by Goethe
Peculiarity. Goethe's Faust - national drama. The very emotional conflict of her hero, the obstinate Faust, who rebelled against vegetating in German reality in the name of freedom of action and thought, is already national. Such were the aspirations of the people of the rebellious 16th century when the poem was created. In "Faust" we're talking about not only about Germany, but about all of humanity, called upon to transform the world through joint free and reasonable labor. Thus, the author builds the plot not on one life conflict, as was customary before him, but on a consistent chain of deep conflicts throughout a single life path.
A little about the book. Goethe wrote the novel Faust throughout his adult life. The work is based on the famous German myth about Doctor Johann Faust, who made a deal with the devil, exchanging his soul for worldly pleasures and eternal youth. According to the terms of the agreement, Mephistopheles will receive the soul of Faust when he exalts some moment. Both main characters believe that they will emerge victorious in the argument. There is no doubt about the devil’s art of tempting, and Faust faces many temptations.
"Arc de Triomphe" by Erich Maria Remarque
Peculiarity. The book became a kind of confession of Remarque, an attempt to recover from an unsuccessful romance with Marlene Dietrich, who became the prototype of the main female character, Joan Madu. But what is surprising is that the German writer depicted a love story against the backdrop of the fight against fascism. It is not surprising that in his homeland he was strictly prohibited.
A little about the book. The novel takes place in France in the late 30s. German surgeon Ravik, a participant in the First World War, who does not have French citizenship, lives and works in Paris. He is one of those emigrants who lives under the constant threat of arrest and deportation from the country. He begins an affair with the Italian actress Joan Madu, in whose image many were inclined to see the features of Marlene Dietrich. Thus, love is intertwined with war.
"Crime and Punishment" by Fyodor Dostoevsky
Peculiarity. Here the author first acted as the creator of a fundamentally new novel in world literature, which was called polyphonic. While working on the work, the writer mainly sought to trace the “psychological process of the crime.” Hence the peculiarity of the novel - the lack of consistency and logic in the conveyance of the feelings and experiences of the characters, which is determined by their state of mind.
A little about the book. Having paraphrased the most important question in literature, “To be or not to be?”, Fyodor Mikhailovich asks: “Who am I, one who has the right or a trembling creature?” The writer confronts his hero Rodion Raskolnikov with such an insidious dilemma. The theory of the crime, the murder of the old pawnbroker and her sister, the subtle psychologism of the investigator, the torment of the hero and saving love in the form of the fallen woman Sonechka Marmeladova.
"War and Peace" by Leo Tolstoy
Peculiarity. The author was the first to portray one of the most difficult periods of our history in a multifaceted and historically correct manner - Patriotic War 1812. In the epic novel, world events are described in plot and scope, all classes of society are involved from the emperor and the royal family to ordinary soldiers, in total there are more than 550 characters and the psychology of the Russian people is fully presented. It is known that Leo Tolstoy, before starting to write War and Peace, began a serious study of the era, studying documents and materials available in the historical, memoir and epistolary literature of that time.
A little about the book. The epic novel describes Russian society during the era of the wars against Napoleon in 1805–1812. The work has many chapters and parts, most of which have a complete plot. Short chapters and many parts allow the writer to move the narrative in time and space and thereby fit hundreds of episodes into one novel.
"One Hundred Years of Solitude" by Gabriel Garcia Marquez
Peculiarity. The Colombian writer's novel is the epitome of magical realism. The work contains the main features of this direction of the 20th century: a certain fusion of the real and the fictional, the ordinary and the fabulous, the obvious and the miraculous, a special way of seeing the world through the prism of folk-mythological consciousness.
A little about the book. The book consists of twenty unnamed chapters, which describe a story looped in time: the events of Macondo and the Buendia family. The plot of the novel is woven using the patchwork technique, fantasy and reality are taken for granted, and following the fate of the heroes becomes increasingly difficult with the appearance of each new namesake and member of the Buendia family.
Hopscotch by Julio Cortazar
Peculiarity. The Argentine writer's experimental novel is his most famous work and one of the first examples of postmodern literature. Cortazar tries to go beyond traditional work, provoking the birth of a creatively active reader, capable of not only thinking, but also speculating. The structure of the novel contributes to this. You can read it in the usual way, from beginning to end, or, following the author’s prompts, jump through chapters and parts, finding your own key to the cipher.
A little about the book. According to the preface left by the writer himself, the book contains many books at once. Hence there are two reading schemes. Although, it would seem, the plot is simple: the main character of the novel, Horacio Oliveira, indulges in reflection on the ins and outs of his existence and complex relationships with the outside world. The catalyst for his thoughts is communication with acquaintances: his beloved from Paris named Maga, the Parisian “Club” of intellectuals and Argentine friends Traveler and Talita.
"Hamlet" by William Shakespeare
Peculiarity. The plot of Hamlet was probably the subject of a number of ancient legends. But Shakespeare shifted his attention from the external struggle to the spiritual drama of the hero. If previously the avengers were portrayed as energetic people, obsessed with the desire to accomplish the task facing them, then Shakespeare for the first time creates a hero of a completely different mental make-up. Its extreme is reflection, introspection, which paralyzes a person’s ability to act. It is no coincidence that Hamlet is an “eternal image” in world literature.
A little about the book. The tragedy is based on the legend of a Danish ruler named Amlethus, recorded by the Danish chronicler Saxo Grammaticus in the third book of the Acts of the Danes, and is primarily concerned with revenge - in it the main character seeks revenge on the death of his father. Researchers believe that the plot was borrowed by Shakespeare from a play by Thomas Kyd.
"Eugene Onegin" by Alexander Pushkin
Peculiarity. The novel in verse, written in 1823–1831, is one of the most significant works of Russian literature. Alexander Pushkin was the first writer to create an encyclopedia novel, from which you can learn everything about the era: how they dressed, what was in fashion, what people valued most, what they talked about, what interests they lived with. Briefly, but quite clearly, the author showed the fortress village, lordly Moscow, secular St. Petersburg.
A little about the book. The book covers events from 1819 to 1825 - from foreign trips The Russian army after the defeat of Napoleon before the Decembrist uprising. These were the years of development of Russian society, the reign of Alexander I. The plot is centered on a love story.
"The Picture of Dorian Gray" by Oscar Wilde
Peculiarity. By genre it is philosophical novel, written in a decadent style. The psychology of narcissism is perfectly revealed here. And the preface is a manifesto of aestheticism - a movement in art that emphasizes the predominance of aesthetic values over ethical and social issues.
A little about the book. The book tells about a young and beautiful guy Dorian, who absolutely does not want to grow old. One day, the talented artist Basil Hallward paints an incredibly beautiful portrait of a young man, after looking at which Dorian Gray expresses a desire to remain forever young, even if it would be better for the man in this picture to grow old. Interestingly, the plot of the novel has significant similarities with the legend of Faust.
After the publication, a scandal erupted in society. All English criticism condemned the novel as an immoral work, and some demanded that it be banned and the author subjected to judicial punishment. Wilde was accused of insulting public morals. However, it was received enthusiastically by ordinary readers.
"Metamorphosis" by Franz Kafka
Peculiarity. The novella is the most vivid expression of the tragic worldview of Franz Kafka. He sharpens the hero’s doom to the limit with the help of a terrible metonymy: he conveys his complete spiritual isolation through an incredible metamorphosis of appearance. Multiple symbolic and allegorical images emphasizing tragedy human destiny, her loneliness and powerlessness before the absurdity of the surrounding reality make the work innovative.
A little about the book. One ordinary morning, young Gregor wakes up to a disgusting bug, a terrible muck that his family is afraid to even look at. Thus, the story reveals the tragedy of a lonely, abandoned and guilty person in the face of an absurd and meaningless fate.
"The Fifteen-Year-Old Captain" by Jules Verne
Peculiarity. The unusual situations in which the heroes find themselves, the poignancy of the plot, full of mysteries and unexpected turns of events, make Jules Verne a master of the adventure novel. The peculiarity of the novel is that the author explains even amazing things with scientific precision, and the riddles he offers do not contain anything mystical. In particular, the writer gives a true picture of the tragic fate of the indigenous population of Central Africa even after the abolition of the slave trade.
A little about the book. The book describes the adventures of passengers on the whaling schooner brig Pilgrim. One day, the entire crew of the ship dies and fifteen-year-old junior sailor Dick Sand has to steer the schooner. Naturally, many adventures await travelers ahead.
"The Catcher in the Rye" by Jerome David Salinger
Peculiarity. The work became a turning point in the history of world literature. The title of the book and the name of the main character, Holden Caulfield, became a code for many generations of young rebels - from beatniks and hippies to representatives of modern radical youth movements. Interestingly, John Lennon's killer, Mark Chapman, told the police that he found a coded order to kill Lennon in the pages of The Catcher in the Rye. At the same time, the man was declared sane.
A little about the book. The book, from the perspective of a 17-year-old boy, Holden, talks in a very frank manner about his perception of American reality and his rejection of the general canons and morality of modern society. True, at the same time he does not want and cannot change the world.
Between 1961 and 1982, The Catcher in the Rye was the most banned book in American schools and libraries. Holden was described as a "bad example" for young people, and it was argued that he encouraged rebellion, drunkenness and debauchery in children. Prohibitory actions often led to the opposite effect - the novel only attracted more interest.
In the modern world, there are fewer and fewer people reading. Sad but true. If previously meeting a person with a book on public transport was something in the order of things, now it is a real rarity. Gadgets are crowding out literature, leaving it somewhere in the margins. After all, it’s much easier to turn on a toy or climb into in social networks than to immerse yourself in a complex fantasy world. Reading has become work, not accessible entertainment. It is sad. After all, books form a point of view on the world, religion, politics, art, love. They allow you to broaden your horizons and gain experience from the mistakes of others, and foster humanity and compassion. No computer game or Facebook will give you this.
Therefore, to expand the boundaries of your own consciousness, you need to read. At least worldwide famous works, the so-called classic books that everyone should read.
Russian literature
Not everyone can wade through the jungle of ancient Greek or Roman cultural heritage and understand the works of Socrates, Aristotle or Plutarch. Therefore, it is better to start with what is closer in mentality: books of Russian classics that everyone should read. These can be works that have been known since school, but are perceived completely differently in adulthood, when no one forces you to read under pressure. So are books recognized as modern classics.
"Eugene Onegin"
First love, mental anguish, jealousy, choice - all this is on the pages famous novel in verse. And what previously eluded will sparkle with new colors and make you empathize with the heroes.
In addition, the novel perfectly conveys the spirit of its time and describes the realistic life of the nobility.
"Crime and Punishment"
One of the first psychological novels, enjoying worldwide popularity, was written by Dostoevsky back in 1866. This work is included in the list of “100 Classics Everyone Should Read.”
Anyone can decide that they have the right to administer justice, but what is the cost of these actions? Is it internal freedom or crime? The lines between evil and good are so blurred that it is easy to slip. And the hand will be given by the one who himself is considered to be beyond the bounds.
"Fathers and Sons"
Turgenev’s novel touches on the issue of generations: “they are not like us” and the desire to prove that the new is better than the old. However, the ideological struggle fades when feelings come into play. What will the main character choose: following ideals or love for a woman, the desire to change the world and rebuild it, or a quiet life in his native village? After all, maybe the ideals of fathers are not as bad as they seem.
"Master and Margarita"
If you are interested in more modern novels with elements of mysticism and fantasy, pay attention to Bulgakov. This is a classic that everyone should read. It has everything: partings and meetings, atrocities and retribution, execution and resurrection. Several parallel lines, one more interesting than the other, ambiguous characters... The novel has been filmed several times and is based on theatrical performances. And debates around the meaning and main characters are still ongoing.
"Quiet Don"
Which everyone should read are so varied and diverse that you can find something to like. Those who are interested in history will be interested in this work by Mikhail Sholokhov. Together with the main characters, the reader will live through the First World War and Civil War, will see events through the eyes of the participants.
“Not on the lists”
The story by Boris Vasiliev tells about a simple Russian guy who, instead of the easy path, chose the difficult one and put his civic duty to the Motherland first.
"We"
Now the dystopian genre has become popular, but few people remember that Russian authors have works of this kind.
However, such a work was written by Yevgeny Zamyatin back in 1920 and has not yet lost its relevance. It is also on the list of “classics that everyone should read.”
Thirty-second century. A society with strict totalitarian control over everything and everyone. There are no names - numbers instead. There is no freedom of choice, even in clothes - instead of it there is a uniform. There is no personal space. Even in your own home it is impossible to find salvation from the all-seeing eye - glass walls do not hide anything. There should be no place for love or attachment to anything. But what to do if they arise? Either inform, or join the opponents of the existing system. However, can small group to resist a huge and well-functioning machine?
Foreign literature
"Romeo and Juliet"
A young girl and a young guy from opposing families should have a priori hated each other, but instead they fell in love. Instead of obediently following their parents' will, they decided to go against tradition and fight for their happiness.
"Dracula"
The cult book has been filmed several times, but nothing can overshadow the impression of the printed source.
Main character travels to Transylvania to sell a house to his client - a strange, eccentric old man, Dracula. Not listening to the warnings of random fellow travelers, the young man finds himself in the midst of terrible events, which he himself initiated. But who could have guessed that his client was the real Evil. Miraculously escaping from captivity, the young man returns home. But the nightmare does not stop even in London.
"1984"
George Orwell's work is suspiciously reminiscent of Zamyatin's book. The same atmosphere of hopelessness, the same attempts to break out of control, doomed to failure in advance.
In a world where every step of a person is known almost in advance and the future is predetermined, it is difficult to resist the system. It's difficult and scary. What happens to those who go against the grain? They disappear... And then they appear brainwashed. The main character tried to be like everyone else, allowing himself only a little dissent. Maybe because he knew a little more than others. Meeting with an unusual girl, completely changed his life. She brought new colors into it and became a catalyst for many events.
"A little prince"
The list of “books - classics - that everyone should read” includes this unusual fairy tale for adults. Saint-Exupery talks about the adventures of the Little Prince, about his acquaintance with the Earth, but at the same time he talks about more important things: love, friendship, fidelity.
"Three Musketeers"
The adventure novel by Alexandre Dumas is known to many thanks to numerous film adaptations. But nothing can better convey the atmosphere of medieval France than a book. On its pages, beloved characters come to life again and details that the films are silent about are revealed.
Young D'Artagnan comes to Paris from the provinces in search of better life and finds her by enrolling military service to the privileged part. And at the same time, true friends long years, no less loyal and insidious enemies, and, of course, adventure.
"Catcher in the rye"
Salinger's novel is considered by some, but not every teenager can understand it.
The narration comes from the perspective of an ordinary seventeen-year-old guy Holden, a student at a closed American school. One day he was kicked out for his behavior and had to spend several days in New York alone.
It's hard to say what this novel is about. About everything and nothing in particular. The hero reflects on the meaning of life, his place in it, his goals and aspirations. His thoughts are mostly depressive. However, the story pulls you in and doesn’t let go until the end.
For children
There is no point in reading or giving to younger children school age complex works, as many parents like to do. It is unlikely that they will be able to understand and appreciate them. In addition, there is a lot of excellent literature designed specifically for young readers. So what are the books (classics) that every child should read?
"The Wizard of Oz"
The story of the adventures of little Ellie and Totoshka will not leave you indifferent. A girl who, by chance, found herself in magical land, adventures full of dangers await. The yellow brick road turned out to be not as simple as it seemed at first. However, new friends will help you overcome all difficulties and find your way home.
"Adventures of Tom Sawyer"
Restless Tom brings nothing but problems to his family, he is such a restless and inventive boy. He can even turn punishment to his advantage. Tom manages to find adventures even where there couldn't be any! But together with his faithful friend Huck, he is able to overcome any difficulties. Even bring out the scary Injun Joe.
"The Adventures of Dunno and His Friends"
In the Flower City, everyone does their own thing: Znayka invents, Vintik and Shpuntik repair, Tube draws, Doctor Pilyulkin treats... Only Dunno is idle and composes fables. But he has the most beautiful hat and tie - no one else has them. Due to the carelessness of Dunno, the remaining residents Flower City often get into trouble. But he’s not out of malice... And he’ll try to correct what he’s done.
For teenagers
The list of “books (classics) that every teenager should read” includes works recognized as the “golden fund” of literature.
"Lord of the Flies"
Golding's novel should appeal to those who love young adult books. It is one of the first books written in this direction, and its echoes can be found in many authors.
A group of boys miraculously survived a plane crash and ended up on a desert island. At first everything was fine: the sea, palm trees, hunting, fruits, hope of salvation, organization of life in the image and likeness of Robinson Cruz. Two boys wanting to be leaders and realizing there can only be one. From a tiny spark of enmity, a whole bonfire of hatred flared up, in which every idea of humanity burned out.
"Treasure Island"
Pirates, treasures, dangers at every turn - this is not what the young man was looking for when he searched the guest's chest in search of money. But in addition to what he was looking for, the young man finds a tattered map of the island, where the location of the treasure is marked. Having enlisted the help of his older comrades, he goes in search of treasure. But pirates go to the island with them... Who will get the treasure found?
Modern classic
"Do not let me go"
There are books (classics) that everyone should read. And this is one of them. created a stunningly atmospheric work. At first it’s not entirely clear what we’re talking about, but then it’s impossible to tear yourself away, even realizing the horror of what’s happening on the pages.
These children grew up without knowing their parents, without knowing love, but convinced that they had a special purpose. They were told about this since childhood, and they got used to considering it something ordinary, not strange and not scary.
"Chocolate"
This is very unusual story from English writer Joanne Harris. Mystical, beautiful, with an indescribable feeling of immersion in the Middle Ages, although the novel takes place in the early 1960s.
A new resident arrives in a small French town with her daughter. She opens a shop of sweets, which she prepares herself according to old recipes. Everyone who tries them will definitely come back for the delicacy again, and this looks very suspicious in the eyes of the local priest. And a woman is not as simple as she seems. She and her daughter are hiding a big secret.
"Perfumer. The story of a killer"
The story of a genius who turned into a monster, wanting to create the perfect scent. Even if this meant committing a crime, the main character did not doubt for a minute. What does the life of a young innocent girl mean? Nothing. She is just the desired ingredient in a complex perfume composition.
After the film adaptation was released, the book produced the effect of a bomb exploding: stunned, disgusted, delighted. There were no indifferent people.
Instead of an afterword
Classic books everyone should read educated person, it is difficult to compile into a list limited by any framework. There are too many worthy works, all people have different tastes, so you just need to read and look for your own, not limiting yourself to just “chewing gum for the brain.” Books that make you think and leave a mark on your memory are worth your time.
Three years ago, AiF already called on everyone who loves literature to help us compile a list of the main books by participating in the vote. April 23, World Book Day, we decided to remind you about this list. Despite the fact that not only Russian, but also foreign works, the vast majority of favorite books on this list are works of domestic authors.
1
. Bulgakov M., “The Master and Margarita” - 5470 votes
2
. Pushkin A., “Eugene Onegin” - 5219 votes
3
. Tolstoy L., “War and Peace” - 4667 votes
4
. Dostoevsky F., “Crime and Punishment” - 4604 votes
5
. Gogol N., “Dead Souls” - 4533 votes
6
. Lermontov M., “Hero of Our Time” - 4365 votes
7
. Chekhov A., stories - 4310 votes
8
. Shakespeare W., “Hamlet” - 4306 votes
9
. Saint-Exupéry A., " A little prince» - 4303 votes
10
. Defoe D., “Robinson Crusoe” - 4188 votes
11
. Green A., " Scarlet Sails" - 4165 votes
12
. Sholokhov M., “Quiet Don” - 4078 votes
13
. Turgenev I., “Fathers and Sons” - 4072 votes
14
. Tolstoy L., “Anna Karenina” - 4049 votes
15
. Griboyedov A., “Woe from Wit” - 3968 votes
16
. Pushkin A., “Ruslan and Lyudmila” - 3945 votes
17
. Dumas A., “The Count of Monte Cristo” - 3918 votes
18
. Russians folk tales- 3826 votes
19
. Twain M., “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn” - 3804 votes
20
. Andersen G. H., fairy tales - 3794 votes
21
. Hugo V., “Cathedral Notre Dame of Paris» - 3692 votes
22
. Carroll L., “Alice in Wonderland” - 3458 votes
23
. Bible - 3435 votes
24
. Chekhov A., " The Cherry Orchard» - 3404 votes
25
. Shakespeare W., “King Lear” - 3382 votes
26
. Goethe I. V., “Faust” - 3310 votes
27
. Shukshin V., stories - 3287 votes
28
. Dostoevsky F., “The Brothers Karamazov” - 3215 votes
29
. Swift J., “The Adventures of Gulliver” - 3130 votes
30
. Krylov I., fables - 3114 votes
31
. Mitchell M., “Gone with the Wind” - 3048 votes
32
. Ostrovsky A., “Dowry” - 3006 votes
33
. Dante A., " The Divine Comedy» - 2992 votes
34
. Pasternak B., “Doctor Zhivago” - 2978 votes
35
. Nekrasov N., “Who lives well in Rus'” - 2965 votes
36
. Milne A. A., “Winnie the Pooh” - 2959 votes
37
. Khayyam O., poems - 2935 votes
38
. Wilde O., “The Picture of Dorian Gray” - 2919 votes
39
. Cervantes M., “Don Quixote” - 2893 votes
40
. Tvardovsky A., “Vasily Terkin” - 2864 votes
41
. Remarque E. M., “All Quiet on the Western Front” - 2861 votes
42
. Solzhenitsyn A., “The Gulag Archipelago” - 2846 votes
43
. Reed M., “The Headless Horseman” - 2811 votes
44
. Goncharov I., “Oblomov” - 2808 votes
45
. Bulgakov M., " White Guard» - 2803 votes
46
. Hemingway E., “A Farewell to Arms” - 2783 votes
47
. Yesenin S., “Black Man”, poems - 2739 votes
48
. Homer, "Odyssey" - 2737 votes
49
. Salinger J.D., “The Catcher in the Rye” - 2735 votes
50
. Dreiser T., “American Tragedy” - 2727 votes
51
. Hugo V., “Les Misérables” - 2725 votes
52
. Stendhal, “Red and Black” - 2702 votes
53
. Bronte S., “Jane Eyre” - 2635 votes
54
. Kuprin A., “Pit”, “Duel” - 2612 votes
55
. Bunin I., " Dark alleys» - 2611 votes
56
. Dickens Ch., “The Adventures of Oliver Twist” - 2588 votes
57
. Cooper F., “The Last of the Mohicans” - 2572 votes
58
. Fonvizin D., “Minor” - 2568 votes
59
. Strugatsky, “It’s hard to be a god” - 2558 votes
60
. Maupassant G., “Dear Friend” - 2519 votes
61
. “The Tale of Igor’s Campaign” - 2507 votes
62
. London J., “Martin Eden” - 2501 votes
63
. Simonov K., “The Living and the Dead” - 2500 votes
64
. O'Henry, "Kings and Cabbage" - 2491 votes
65
. Shakespeare W., “Macbeth” - 2464 votes
66
. Turgenev I., " Noble Nest» - 2425 votes
67
. Nabokov V., “Lolita” - 2406 votes
68
. Shaw B., “Pygmalion” - 2376 votes
69
. Marquez G. G., “One Hundred Years of Solitude” - 2359 votes
70
. Akhmatova A., “Requiem” - 2311 votes
71
. Galsworthy J., “The Forsyte Saga” - 2267 votes
72
. Bradbury R., stories - 2218 votes
73
. Moliere, Tartuffe, Don Juan - 2195 votes
74
. Blok A., “Twelve” - 2172 votes
75
. Dostoevsky F., “Demons” - 2170 votes
76
. "A Thousand and One Nights" - 2154 votes
77
. Flaubert G., “Madame Bovary” - 2118 votes
78
. Beaumarchais P.-O., “The Marriage of Figaro” - 2050 votes
79
. Saltykov-Shchedrin M., “Gentlemen Golovlevs” - 2038 votes
80
. Boccaccio G., “Decameron” - 2024 votes
81
. Thackeray W., “Vanity Fair” - 2014 votes
82
. Kesey K., “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” - 1979 votes
83
. Aitmatov Ch., “The Scaffold” - 1956 votes
84
. Tolkien J.R.R., "The Lord of the Rings" - 1920 votes
85
. Gogol N., “Petersburg Tales” - 1894 votes
86
. Mayakovsky V., “Cloud in Pants” - 1861 votes
87
. Rasputin V., “Farewell to Matera” - 1839 votes
88
. Shakespeare W., “Richard III” or “Henry VI” - 1791 votes
89
.According to E. A., stories, poems - 1790 votes
90
. Austen J., “Pride and Prejudice” - 1765 votes
91
. Maugham S., “The Moon and a Penny” - 1746 votes
92
. Rabelais F., “Gargantua and Pantagruel” - 1646 votes
93
. Gumilyov N. Poems - 1557 votes
94
. Strugatsky, " Inhabited island" - 1514 votes
95
. Berggolts O., “Leningrad Diary” - 1508 votes
96
. Nietzsche F., “Thus Spoke Zarathustra” - 1505 votes
97
. Balzac O., “Lost Illusions” - 1504 votes
98
. Orwell J., “1984” - 1479 votes
99
. Bogomolov V., “In August '44” - 1443 votes
100
. Chernyshevsky N., “What to do” - 1395 votes
Surely many people believe that classical works, by their definition, are long, boring, have been written for many years, and therefore are not always understandable to modern reader. This is a common mistake. After all, in fact, classics are everything that is not subject to time. The themes revealed in such works are relevant for any century. And if a 19th century author wrote such a book now, it would again become a bestseller. We bring to your attention the best classic ones. They captivated millions of readers. And even those who claim that they are dissatisfied with the author’s creation, believe me, did not remain indifferent.
1.
The novel consists of two different but intertwined parts. The first one is set in modern Moscow, the second one is in ancient Jerusalem. Each part is filled with events and characters - historical, fictional, as well as scary and amazing creatures.
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What forces move people? They are the result of the actions of individuals - kings, generals - or a feeling such as patriotism, or there is a third force that determines the direction of history. The main characters are painfully searching for the answer to this question.
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The novel is based on the experience that Dostoevsky received in hard labor. Student Raskolnikov, who has vegetated in poverty for several months, is convinced that a humane goal will justify the most terrible act, even the murder of a greedy and useless old money-lender.
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A novel that was ahead of its time and came out long before the emergence of such a cultural phenomenon as postmodernism. The main characters of the work - 4 sons born from different mothers - symbolize those irrepressible elements that can lead to the death of Russia.
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Should I stay with my husband, who has always been indifferent to her? inner world and never loved her, or give yourself with all your heart to the one who made her feel happy? Throughout the entire novel, the heroine, the young aristocrat Anna, is tormented by this choice.
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The poor young prince returns home to Russia by train. On the way, he meets the son of one of the rich merchants, who is obsessed with a passion for one girl, a kept woman. In a metropolitan society obsessed with money, power and manipulation, the prince finds himself an outsider.
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Despite the title, the work itself is in no way connected with the mysticism that is mainly inherent in the work of this writer. In the tradition of “harsh” realism, the life of landowners in the Russian province is described, where a former official comes to carry out his scam.
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The young St. Petersburg rake, fed up with love and social entertainment, leaves for the village, where he develops a friendship with a poet who is in love with one of the daughters of a local nobleman. The second daughter falls in love with the rake, but he does not respond to her feelings.
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A famous Moscow surgeon decides to conduct a very risky experiment on a stray dog in his large apartment, where he receives patients. As a result, the animal began to turn into a human. But at the same time he acquired all human vices.
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People come to the provincial town who, it would seem, cannot be connected by anything. But they know each other, since they belong to the same revolutionary organization. Their goal is to create a political riot. Everything goes according to plan, but one revolutionary decides to quit the game.
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Cult work XIX century. At the center of the story is a student who does not accept traditional public morality and opposes everything old and non-progressive. For him, only scientific knowledge is valuable, which can explain everything. Except love.
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He was a doctor by profession, a writer by vocation, whose talent was fully revealed when creating short humorous stories. They quickly became classics all over the world. In them, in an accessible language - the language of humor - human vices are revealed.
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This work is on a par with Gogol's poem. In it, the main character is also a young adventurer who is ready to promise everyone something that, in principle, cannot be done. And all for the sake of a treasure that several other people know about. And no one is going to share it.
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After a three-year separation, young Alexander returns to the house of his beloved Sophia to propose to her. However, she refuses him and says that she now loves someone else. The rejected lover begins to blame the society in which Sophia grew up.
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What should a real nobleman do if the life of a young noble girl depends on him? Sacrifice yourself, but not lose your honor. This is what guides the young officer when the fortress in which he serves is attacked by the impostor king.
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Terrible poverty and hopelessness are strangling the old resident of Cuba. One day, as usual, he goes to sea, not hoping for a big catch. But this time he catches a large prey on his hook, with which the fisherman fights for several days, not giving it the opportunity to escape.
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Ragin selflessly serves as a doctor. However, his zeal is fading; he sees no point in changing the life around him, because it is impossible to cure the madness that reigns around him. The doctor begins to visit the ward daily where the mentally ill are kept.
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What is more destructive - to do nothing and just indulge in dreams about how to live, or to get off the couch and start implementing your plans? The young and lazy landowner Ilya Ilyich initially occupied the first position, but after he fell in love, he woke up from his sleepy state.
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You can write magnificent works not only about the life of a big city, but also about the life of a small Ukrainian farm. During the day, the usual rules apply here, but at night, power passes to supernatural forces that can both help and at the same time destroy.
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A talented surgeon settles illegally in Paris, but is not prevented from practicing medicine. Before moving, he lived in Germany, from which he fled, but at the same time allowed his beloved to die. In a new place, he quickly begins another romance.
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A Russian tutor goes on a trip with the family in which he serves. At the same time, he is secretly in love with the girl Polina. And so that she understands all his nobility, he begins to play roulette in the hope of getting big money. And he succeeds, but the girl does not accept the winnings.
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The world of family comfort, nobility and true patriotism is breaking under the onslaught of social catastrophe in Russia. The escaped Russian officers settled in Ukraine and hoped that they would not fall under the rule of the Bolsheviks. But one day the city's defenses weaken and the enemy goes on the offensive.
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A series of small works written in different artistic styles. Here you can find a romantic duelist and sentimental stories about eternal love, and a harsh picture of reality in which money rules, and because of it a person can lose the most important thing.
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What Pushkin failed to do in his time, Dostoevsky did. The work is entirely a correspondence between a poor official and a young girl who also has a small income. But at the same time, the heroes are not poor in soul.
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A story about the invincibility and perseverance of a man who does not want to be someone's faithful soldier. For the sake of freedom, Hadji Murat goes over to the side of the imperial troops, but does this in order to save not himself, but his family, which is captured by the enemy.
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In these seven works, the author takes us through the streets of St. Petersburg, which was built with the help of strength and ingenuity on swampy terrain. Beneath its harmonious façade lies deception and violence. The inhabitants are confused by the city itself, giving them false dreams.
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This collection short stories- the first major work that won the author recognition. It is based on personal observations while hunting on his mother's estate, where Turgenev learned about the mistreatment of peasants and the injustice of the Russian system.
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The main character is the son of a landowner, whose property was confiscated by a corrupt and treacherous general. After the death of his father, the hero becomes a criminal. For achievement ultimate goal- revenge - he resorts to more cunning means: he seduces the daughter of his enemy.
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This classic war novel is written from the perspective of a young German soldier. The hero is only 18 years old, and under the pressure of his family, friends and society, he enters military service and goes to the front. There he witnesses such horrors that he dares not tell anyone about.
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Mischievous and energetic, Tom enjoys childhood pranks and games with his friends. One day, at the city cemetery, he witnesses a murder committed by a local tramp. The hero makes a vow that he will never talk about it, and so begins his journey into adulthood.
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The story of a pathetic St. Petersburg official whose expensive overcoat was stolen. No one wants to help him return the item, which eventually makes the hero seriously ill. Even during the author’s lifetime, critics adequately appreciated the work from which all Russian realism was born.
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The novel is on a par with another work of the author - “The Call of the Wild”. Much of White Fang is also written from the point of view of the dog whose name appears in the title. This allows the author to show how animals see their world and how they see humans.
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The novel tells the story of 19-year-old Arkady, the illegitimate son of a landowner and a maid, as he struggles to improve his situation and “become a Rothschild,” despite the fact that Russia remains tied to its old value system.
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The novel is about how the hero, who is very broken and disillusioned due to a failed marriage, returns to his estate and finds his love again - only to lose her. This reflects the main theme: man is not destined to experience happiness except something ephemeral.
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A dark and engrossing tale that follows the struggle of an indecisive, alienated hero in a world of relative values. The innovative work introduced the moral, religious, political and social themes that would dominate the author's later masterpieces.
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The narrator arrives in Sevastopol, which is under siege, and makes a detailed inspection of the city. As a result, the reader has the opportunity to study all the features of military life. We find ourselves at a dressing station, where horror reigns, and at the most dangerous bastion.
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The work is partly based on life experience author who took part in the war in the Caucasus. A nobleman, disillusioned with his privileged life, enlists in the army to escape the superficiality of everyday life. A hero in search of a full life. 38.$
The author's first social novel, which is partly fictional introductory remarks for those who belonged to a previous era, but lived at a time when political and social movements began. This era has already been forgotten, but it is worth remembering.
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One of the greatest and most successful dramatic works. A Russian aristocrat and her family return to their estate to oversee the public auction of their house and huge garden for debt. The old masters are losing in the struggle to new trends in life.
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The hero was sentenced to death on charges of murdering his wife, but was subsequently exiled to Siberian penal servitude for 10 years. Life in prison is hard for him - he is an intellectual and experiences the anger of other prisoners. Gradually he overcomes his disgust and experiences a spiritual awakening.
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On the eve of his wedding, a young aristocrat learns that his bride was having an affair with the king. This was a blow to his pride, so he renounces everything worldly and becomes a monk. This is how many years of humility and doubt pass. Until he decides to become a hermit.
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The editor falls into the hands of a manuscript that tells about a young and depraved man who worked as a forensic investigator. He becomes one of the “corners” in a love triangle in which a married couple is involved. The outcome of the story is the murder of his wife.
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A work banned until 1988, in which, through the fate of one military doctor, the story of a people who perished in the turmoil of the revolution is told. From the general madness, the hero, together with his family, flees into the interior of the country, where he meets someone whom he does not want to let go.
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The main character, like all his friends, is a war veteran. He is a poet at heart, but he works for a friend who runs a small tombstone manufacturing business. This money is not enough, and he earns additional income by giving private lessons and playing the organ at a local mental hospital.
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In someone else's war, Frederic falls in love with a nurse and tries to seduce her, after which their relationship begins. But one day the hero is wounded by a fragment of a mortar shell, and he is sent to a Milan hospital. There, far from the war, he heals - both physically and mentally.
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During breakfast, the barber discovers a human nose in his bread. With horror, he recognizes him as the nose of a regular visitor who holds the rank of collegiate assessor. In turn, the injured official discovers the loss and submits an absurd advertisement to the newspaper.
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The main character, a boy, seeking independence and freedom, escapes from his alcoholic father by faking his own death. And so begins his journey through the south of the country. He meets a runaway slave and they float down the Mississippi River together.
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The plot of the poem is based on the events that actually took place in St. Petersburg in 1824. The political, historical and existential questions that the author articulates with dazzling force and brevity continue to be the subject of controversy among critics.
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To save his beloved, who was forcibly taken away by an evil sorcerer, the warrior Ruslan will have to go on an epic and dangerous journey, encountering many fantastic and terrible creatures. This is a dramatic and witty retelling of Russian folklore.
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The most famous play describes a family of aristocrats who have difficulty finding any meaning in their lives. Three sisters and their brother live in a remote province, but they struggle to return to the sophisticated Moscow where they grew up. The play captures the decline of the “masters of life.”
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The hero is obsessed with an all-consuming love for one princess, who is unlikely to know about his existence. One day socialite receives an expensive bracelet for his birthday. The husband finds a secret admirer and asks him to stop compromising a decent woman.
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In this classic literary representation gambling the author explores the nature of obsession. Secret and otherworldly clues alternate with the story of the passionate Herman, who wants to make his fortune at the card table. The secret of success is known to one old woman.
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Muscovite Gurov is married and has a daughter and two sons. However, he is not happy in family life and often cheats on his wife. While vacationing in Yalta, he sees a young lady walking along the embankment with her small dog, and is constantly looking for opportunities to get to know her.
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This collection is in some ways the culmination of the work he did throughout his life. The stories were written on the eve of a terrible world war in the context of collapsing Russian culture. The action of each work concentrates on a love theme.
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The story is told from the point of view of an anonymous narrator who recalls his youth, in particular his time in a small town west of the Rhine. Critics consider the hero a classic " extra person- indecisive and undecided about their place in life.
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The four laconic plays, later known as "Little Tragedies", were written at a time of heightened creative strength, and their influence cannot be overestimated. Being the author's adaptation of plays by Western European authors, "Tragedies" offers readers current problems.
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This story takes place in Europe, in a hedonistic society during the Roaring Twenties. Rich girl A schizophrenic woman falls in love with her psychiatrist. As a result, a whole saga of troubled marriages, love affairs, duels and incest unfolds.
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Some scholars identify three poems in the work of this author, which embody one original idea. One of them is, of course, “Mtsyri”. The main character is a 17-year-old monk who was forcibly taken away from his village as a child, and one day he escapes.
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A completely young mongrel runs away from his permanent owner and finds a new one. He turns out to be an artist who performs in a circus with acts in which animals participate. Therefore, a separate number is immediately invented for the smart little dog.
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In this story, among its many themes, such as Europeanized Russian society, adultery and provincial life, the theme of a woman comes to the fore, or rather, planning a murder by a woman. The title of the work contains a reference to Shakespeare's play.
61. Leo Tolstoy - Fake coupon
Schoolboy Mitya desperately needs money - he needs to repay his debt. Depressed by this situation, he follows the evil advice of his friend, who showed him how to change the denomination of a banknote. This act sets off a chain of events that affects the lives of dozens of other people.
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The most outstanding work Proust, which is known for its length and theme of involuntary memories. The novel began to take shape back in 1909. The author continued to work on it until his last illness, which forced me to stop working.
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The lengthy poem tells the story of seven peasants who set out to ask various groups of the village population if they were happy. But wherever they went, they were always given an unsatisfactory answer. Of the planned 7-8 parts, the author wrote only half.
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The story is about the sad life of a young girl who lived in extreme poverty and suddenly became an orphan, but she is adopted by a rich family. When she meets her new stepsister, Katya, she instantly falls in love with her and the two soon become inseparable.
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The main character is a classic Hemingway hero: a violent guy, an underground liquor dealer who smuggles weapons and transports people from Cuba to the Florida Keys. He risks his life, dodges the Coast Guard's bullets and manages to outsmart them.
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While traveling on a train, one of the passengers overhears a conversation going on in the compartment. When one woman argues that marriage should be based on true love, he asks her: what is love? In his opinion, love quickly turns into hatred, and tells its own story.
67. Leo Tolstoy - Notes of a Marker
The narrator is a simple marker, a person who keeps score and places the balls on the billiard table. If the game turns out well and the players are not stingy, then he gets a good reward. But one day a very gambling young man appears at the club.
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The main character is looking for peace in Polesie, which should invigorate him. But in the end he ends up with unbearable boredom. But one day, having lost his way, he comes across a hut where an old woman and her beautiful granddaughter are waiting for him. After such a magical meeting, the hero becomes a frequent visitor here.
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The focus is on a tall and powerfully built janitor. He falls in love with a young washerwoman and wants to marry her. But the lady decides differently: the girl goes to the always drunk shoemaker. The hero finds his solace in caring for a small dog.
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One evening, three sisters shared their dreams with each other: what they would do if they became the wives of the king. But only the third sister’s pleas were heard - Tsar Saltan took her in marriage and ordered her to give birth to an heir by a certain date. But envious sisters begin to play dirty tricks.
Recently it has become very popular to compile lists of the 100 most necessary and popular all books times and peoples. Each such list is a curious and controversial spectacle. Which is not at all surprising, because there is and cannot be any exact guideline for such a choice: the books were selected from a purely subjective point of view. Each of us has our favorite novels, which we are very happy to recommend to others for reading. But this is just the opinion of one individual, based on his tastes and preferences. We approached this issue more realistically and compiled our own list of books. Of course, the site’s editors are well aware that there cannot be complete objectivity in such a list. However, we tried to approach this issue impartially and conduct independent research.
Book selection method
The lists were examined best books nine publications, corporations and communities. Of course, there are many other lists and online surveys, but we have chosen the most popular and objective, in our opinion, at the moment. The works included in them are classics: they touch on issues of faith and choice, talk about culture and life different nations, talk about world historical events and about the history of a particular country, they turn to universal human values - love and betrayal. There are also works for children, but also useful for adults to read. It is worth mentioning that such lists include only “thick” books, that is, novels. We present these lists for your viewing pleasure:
- List of the 200 best novels published in 2003 by the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC). More than one million TV viewers participated in the survey.
- A list of 100 books of the twentieth century, published by the French publication Le Monde. Journalists and librarians worked on the list, and then ordinary citizens took part in the survey.
- List of 100 books presented by the Norwegian Book Club. The books were published under the title “World Library”. Famous novelists from different countries peace. The books they chose are not rated; as the compilers stated, they are all equal in importance.
- 100 works of the 20th century published in English. The list was compiled by editors and published in 1998 by the American publishing house Modern Library.
- List of 100 novels announced in 2009 by the American socio-political publication Newsweek.
- "Library of World Literature", published by the publishing house " Fiction" in USSR. Includes two hundred volumes, divided into three series: literature ancient world, nineteenth and twentieth centuries. The publication is very popular and has great literary significance.
- A list of “100 books” for schoolchildren, recommended for independent reading. Incorporated books on history, cultural studies, and literature of Russia. Approved in 2012 by the Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation.
- 100 novels that had a huge impact on culture and literature, according to the newspaper "NG-Ex libris". This is popular Russian edition, which analyzes the modern literary situation abroad and in Russia.
- "110 must-read books" published by the British broadsheet newspaper The Daily Telegraph. The publication included in its list of books by famous world authors that are necessary to read in order to be considered an educated person.
During the analysis, we selected all works that were discussed in each of these nine lists. The rating was compiled in such a way that the leading places were taken by those books that were most often found in each list.
The list of books recommended for reading that we have provided has nothing in common with other similar lists. This is a kind of “list of lists”. The result was a unique list literary works, covering a large historical range: from ancient times to the present. This includes world-class works by English- and Russian-language authors, without whom literature is unthinkable, as well as modern novels and bestsellers. With great surprise, our editors discovered previously unknown works by new authors. Of course, there are a number of other wonderful books that could not make it into this list due to its less popularity. But when choosing, we tried to take into account the historical and cultural significance of the book, its exceptional popularity and relevance at the moment. We confidently recommend this list of works for reading, because it is compiled in such a way that every reader can find something necessary and useful in it.
