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Summer has already finally declared itself, free time appears, it’s time to enjoy some pleasant reading. Experienced book lovers immediately ask themselves a pressing question: what books to take on vacation?

Of course, on vacation you need to relax, filled with positive emotions from nature, beautiful places and new people. It was given for this purpose, to lie on the golden sand and look at the sea. But you can spend your vacation not only pleasantly, but also usefully, if you take with you an interesting and fascinating book to read.

On vacation, there is always a time when you have nothing to do with yourself, you just want to lie down and read something. Reading serious books is, of course, good, but such literature is hardly suitable for relaxation.

Choose light books that do not have intricate plots, which will not constantly keep you in high suspense and you will not have to rack your brains to solve secrets and riddles. Such books should be easy to read, avidly. You will be impressed by relaxation all day long, and in your free time you can read a book, which also gives a lot of pleasure and benefit, but is not annoying.

We often take books on the go. If the publication is interesting and you can’t tear yourself away from it, the time on the road passes very quickly, and we are filled with even greater positivity and anticipation of new impressions. Such books, read avidly, leave their mark, and soon we can return to them again, for the same emotions and impressions that she gave us.

The book blog site offers you its selection of works for both women and men, which are literally read engrossed, you can’t put them down, so they are great for reading on vacation. Introducing ten of the best books for relaxation! And these are not only books about love.

A selection of books “In one breath.” Especially for vacation!

1. Vladimir Nabokov “Camera Obscura” (1933)
A book about love and betrayal, about passion and betrayal. “Camera Obscura” strangely evokes contradictions within every reader: the actions of the characters are repulsive, but at the same time the images are so vivid, the descriptions are so colorful that the book enchants. It is impossible to tear yourself away - in one breath.

2. Gabriel Marquez “Love in the Time of Plague” (1985)
One of the most beautiful love stories I've read.
The main character, Fermina Daza, rejects the advances of her childhood friend, believing that it was all just a naive episode of her younger years. At 21, she marries a doctor dedicated to fighting cholera. He is a very practical person and is passionate about science. They love each other, but then Fermina finds out that her husband was not faithful to her; he honestly admits that he had an affair during their marriage. After the death of her husband, the love between Fermina and her childhood friend unexpectedly flares up again... They travel on a ship, and in order to avoid unnecessary checks at customs, they hang a flag that means illness on the ship.
The novel is also very easy to read.

3. Stieg Larsson, Millennium trilogy (2004-2007)
Thriller. You've probably heard at least more than once about the film adaptation of this series, because films were made based on all three books. The first book, “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo,” is simply an excellent detective story: a fascinating storyline that keeps you in constant suspense, inimitable images of the characters, and an unexpected ending at the end. You will definitely enjoy reading it.

4. Haruki Murakami “1Q84” (2009)
A multi-volume psychological novel by a modern writer. Very easy to read, consists of two different stories, developing in two different realities and intertwined. A book for everyone. There are parallels with the previous novels of the Japanese writer, so I would not recommend starting your acquaintance with Murakami with these books. But - in one breath.

8. Scott Westerfeld "Ugly" (2005)
No, this is not a love story at all, it is a dystopia. “Ugly” is the first novel from science fiction writer Westerfeld in a series about a future world where most people are fantastically beautiful, thanks to the “beauty” operation. But Tally has not yet turned 16, and she is forced to wait, to live out her last part of life in an “ugly” guise. The girl will go against the whole world to show humanity true beauty.

9. John Fowles "The French Lieutenant's Mistress" (1969)
Another love story. The mysterious and delicious book by John Fowles can cause a storm of emotions. After reading, the question remains: what is the ideal ending for this book? You'll want to read it again.

10. Janusz Wisniewski “Mistress” (2007)
You will witness six mesmerizing love stories. Vishnevsky always makes you believe what he writes and feel it for yourself. As a result, you plunge headlong into it. Sensual, subtle, soulful.

When a person has free time, he may want to read. But what to read so as not to stop reading for a minute? What could be so exciting? Let's consider some aspects.

Reader interest

Mostly, people read for pleasure.. There are some exceptions, such as reading special technical literature or textbooks, but we won’t talk about that. The most successful books are those that hold the reader's interest until the very last pages.

A arouse interest man, here are the following moments in literature:

• Elaboration of heroes. An important aspect of fiction. It is interesting to read when you worry about the characters and imagine yourself in their place. The more the character's character resembles a real person, the better.
• Colorful descriptions. When the environment in a work is described in too much detail, it can harm perception. Balance is important here. But details and small details at the right moment can really hook readers.
• Story line. A well-thought-out and planned storyline can propel a book into the bestseller ranks, even with bad characters.

Comparative literature analysis

Characteristic	Movie	Video games	Literature
Story.	Cinema has been around for just over a hundred years.	Video games began to become widespread about 30 years ago.	Literature has existed since the invention of writing - thousands of years.
Labor costs.	Making a film requires the coordinated work of several hundred people. The plot, the scenery, the actors, the cameramen, the special effects specialists, and so on.	The production of any video game requires a team of a hundred people. Game designers, programmers, artists, marketers, beta testers and so on.	Writing a new fiction book requires two people - a writer and an editor.
Financing.	Budgets amount to hundreds of millions of dollars.	Budgets in the hundreds of thousands of dollars.
What does the user get?	An hour and a half of leisure time. A slight emotional uplift if you liked the picture. You can only observe.	From an hour to several weeks of immersion in an interactive universe where you can influence the course of the plot and make decisions.	From one evening to months of reading and thinking. The imagination builds its own pictures and its own images. The reader is immersed in the world that he imagines, in accordance with what is written.

The Cultural Significance of Reading Books

The importance of literature so much in comparison with other cultural phenomena that their works are studied throughout the entire period of an individual’s education, from kindergarten to university.

Neither cinema, nor animation, nor architecture, nor fine art, nor even music can be compared. Some of these phenomena, of course, take place in passing in secondary schools. Specialized universities study their aspect in more detail, but this is not about them. This state of affairs clearly indicates that reading is the foundation of personality development.

What kind of literature is there?

Such ancient art has developed into a very versatile phenomenon. Let's consider the most main directions:

• Historical- chronicles, magazines, chronicles. These are all documents confirming some events in the past.
• Documentary- a description of some events that actually happened.
• Artistic- description of events that are partially or completely fictitious.
• Academic- encyclopedias, textbooks, manuals, guidelines.
• Legal- constitution, bills, rules, charters.

1. Orson Scott Card - "Ender's Game" . The brightest representative of combat science fiction. The book tells the story of the brilliant boy Andrew Wiggin, who was brought up in post-war society as a future military leader. The book was adapted into a 2013 film of the same name.
2. Gordon James - "Why We Don't Fall Through the Floor" . A book for those who love physics and technology. Although it contains large amounts of scientific information, it reads like fiction. Describes the events of World War II from the perspective of materials science. Very light style and clear descriptions. Changes all ideas about surrounding objects.
3. Evgeny Zamyatin - “We” . Popular science fiction dystopia. The main character is one of the many inhabitants of the State, which is separated by a wall from the outside world. All citizens are so standardized that their names are shortened to a single letter, and the society is almost completely equal and has no free will.
4. Yuri Alkin - “The Price of Knowledge” . A fiction book that examines the philosophical side of the issue of immortality and the causes of aging. The main character finds himself in a secret social experiment related to immortality. It will be interesting for those who like to think about what they read.
5. JK Rowling - "Harry Potter" . World bestseller. A series of novels telling about the fate of a boy wizard. Films and computer games were made based on each of the books. This book is about heroism, friendship, good and evil. It will be especially interesting for teenagers, but should not be underestimated. Adults also enjoy reading these novels.
6. John Ronald Reuel Tolkien - The Lord of the Rings . Fantasy story about the adventures of the hobbit Bilbo. Films have been made based on these stories and an entire culture exists. People from all over the world come together to participate in joint events dedicated to the author or the plots of the novel.
7. Mikhail Bulgakov - “Heart of a Dog” . A fantastic story about Doctor Preobrazhensky and the dog Sharik. A professor experiments with a dog's brain, turning it into a human. The story touches on issues of morality, personality traits and communism. A film was also made based on it.
8. Dave Wolverton - "On the Way to Heaven" . A novel in the genre of adventure fiction and cyberpunk. Extremely eventful and dynamic. Raises questions of the private territory of the individual, the meaning of certain memories and morality. Connoisseurs of Isaac Aizimov and Stanislav Lem will especially like it.

The list can be continued endlessly, because many masterpieces have been written over the thousand-year history of literature. Therefore, what to read in order not to tear yourself away from the book depends entirely on your choice.

Below the video, blogger Nastya Skripkina will talk about the best books in her opinion, which are simply impossible to tear yourself away from:

And here Polina Martsinkevich will talk about the most interesting books that she has read over the past few years:

Even insomnia can be useful if you have an interesting book at hand. ELLE talks about eight ideal companions on an overnight journey: it doesn’t matter whether you’re traveling on a train or you just want to travel, these books will definitely not let you get bored.

"Letter from a Stranger" by Stefan Zweig

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A poignant novella by Austrian writer Stefan Zweig takes us to a tiny apartment in an ordinary residential area of ​​Vienna, where a man lives who one day receives a mysterious message. It was written by a woman with whom their paths had crossed one way or another over the years, but the man did not even know about her existence. In the letter, the woman describes all their fleeting meetings and leaves several riddles - they are gradually revealed by the hero. And in the end, he learns the woman’s terrible secret, directly related to him.

"Castle of Glass" by Jeannette Walls

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This book quickly became a bestseller and turned the young journalist Jeannette Walls into one of the most popular authors in America. Now a movie is being made based on the book, in which he will play the main role. Essentially, this is an autobiographical work - in it Walls talks about his childhood and growing up in an unusual family, where very shocking methods of education were practiced. The book is truly captivating and touches your heartstrings. By the way, many celebrities adore her, for example, Maria Sharapova.

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Nabokov is a master of words, so even in such a tiny book he was able to fit a story that will not leave any reader indifferent. The novel tells the story of art critic Kretschmar: he falls in love with 16-year-old Magda with a dark past and leaves his wife and daughter for her. Later, his daughter dies of the flu, and Kretschmar decides to go on a trip with his young lover and her homosexual friend Horn. However, it later turns out that Gorn is Magda’s former lover, and the story of his gayness was invented only to deceive Kretschmar. In the end, all this leads to tragedy: Kretschmar finds out the truth, and then an accident happens to him. It is quite possible to find out what will happen next before dawn.

"The Lovely Bones" by Alice Sebold

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A creepy and at the same time beautiful story about how 14-year-old Susie Salmon was raped and brutally murdered by a neighbor, whose guilt could only be established many years later. The book is interesting because the narration is told from Susie herself, even after her death - it is fantasy, but very believable and touching. The girl helps her family find the killer and a few years later a miracle happens. By the way, Peter Jackson filmed the novel in 2009, and Mark Wahlberg also played the main roles in the film of the same name.

"The Picture of Dorian Gray", Oscar Wilde

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The Picture of Dorian Gray is one of those classic books that you really can't put down: first-time readers will envy it, but it's also a great pleasure to re-read. The famous artist is inspired by the beauty of the young Dorian Gray, and he, having seen the portrait, expresses the desire for the painting to grow old, and he himself always remain young. This is what happens - now all the years, sins and vices are eating away at the portrait from the inside, and the young man himself remains just as beautiful.

"September Roses", Andre Maurois

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The main character is the aged writer Guillaume Fontaine, he has been married for 20 years, but his soul requires adventure. First he falls in love with a young artist, then with an actress and, of course, sees poetry in this. Of course, there is some drama. Guillaume evokes mixed feelings, but it is impossible to tear yourself away from the novel - Maurois so vividly describes the characters, their feelings and experiences.

"The Boy in the Striped Pajamas" by John Boyne

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The action takes place during World War II. This is a story through the eyes of a nine-year-old German boy, Bruno, who lives carefree in a beautiful five-story house in Berlin with his family and friends. One day Bruno comes home to find his maid Maria putting his things in a suitcase, as the family is forced to move due to his father's new assignment. But Bruno doesn’t like the new place, he goes in search of a friend and one day meets a Jewish boy, Shmuel, who lives on the other side of the fence. It turns out that they were born on the same day and have a lot in common. To help his new friend find his father, Bruno climbs over to Shmuel.

Perhaps all the stories of the brilliant Russian writer and journalist Sergei Dovlatov can be read in one night (even less) in one sitting. These are sketches from the lives of ordinary people: in this case, the story of Marusya Tatarovich and her entourage, representatives of the “third wave” of Russian emigration. Dovlatov knows how to portray the characters’ characters with amazing irony and speaks to the reader like a contemporary. You'll laugh until you cry all night.

Here are the best books of 2017 - reader rating. You will find out what to read so as not to put it down. New bestsellers for the last two years - 2016 and 2017 - are the first ones worth reading. Here are only the most modern and popular books, and not only fiction books for reading have joined our list of the best and most interesting, but also books for self-development (Russia and foreign ones).

Dan Brown. Origin

Edward Kirsch is a famous futurist and billionaire who decided to open his research to the whole world. He is going to tell you that all religions can be easily exposed. Having organized a ceremony at the museum, he invited all the famous scientists. It was at that moment when Kirsch was already giving a speech that an unknown person kills him. Among the guests was Robert Langdon. This is a Harvard professor who is familiar with the professor's research. Now he wants to restore the scientist's work and find his killer. Langdon will travel through Catalonia, church secrets and ancient codes. Further

Mark Manson. The subtle art of not giving a damn: A paradoxical way to live happily

In modern society, success is promoted: you need to be richer, smarter and better than everyone else. On social networks you can read a success story about how to earn millions in one day, and your feed is full of photographs of people who live better than you. However, such positivity once again reminds us of what we have not yet achieved. Is it possible to be happy under such circumstances? Mark Manson, a famous blogger, talks about his philosophy of life. He will teach you the art of not giving a damn. You will learn what you really need to be happy and how to cut out the unimportant in order to enjoy life and not show it to others. Further

Mikhail Zygar. The Empire must die

Revolutions don't happen just like that, and empires don't fall overnight. After 1917, we were able to understand why the empire demanded internal changes and why not everyone decided to make such changes. On the pages of his book, Mikhail Zygar will talk about how the once famous empire moved toward disaster. The focus is on Russian society. The Russian Empire was born, developed and disappeared in 1917. After reading the story from a hundred years ago, you will understand why such events occur today. Further

Tatiana Ustinova. Earth gravity

Before us are four heroes: a pilot, an art critic, an Altai shaman and a Moscow artist. Everyone leads their own lives, but an unusual situation arises that brings them together. They need to complete a task. It turned out that the director of the Tambov library died, and after this unusual phenomena began to occur: the library was destroyed in order to find world treasures. Apparently the library staff were under surveillance. But what is hidden in these books? Why are there only four of these people? The heroes know how to drive unusual vehicles, perform complex surgical procedures, solve codes and shoot perfectly. They will answer all your questions and unravel the tangle of events. Further

Victor Pelevin. iPhuck 10

Boris Akunin. Asian Europeanization. History of the Russian state. Tsar Peter Alekseevich

Tsar Peter Alekseevich carried out reformatory changes that could not but influence world history. All the circumstances that were present in his personal life, the nature of his mind, personal phobias and addictions became part of the national heritage and are perceived as something universally Russian. From this book you will learn how the Russians did not follow history, created it, and why they did it on a whim. Further

Alexandra Marinina. Price issue. Volume 1

The program fights against the System. And the System is omnipotent and corrupt. She has her own price, but at the same time she is not able to appreciate anything. Sharkov, a general of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, knows very well that the controlled program is his last chance to restore order in law enforcement agencies. However, one of the radicals disappears. After this event, strange double murders began to occur. Now it has become known that the fanatic killer is at large, and the program will be destroyed. What should General Sharkov do to restore his life’s work? Further

Jo Nesbø. Thirst

Harry Hole stepped out into the sun on an ordinary June day. He felt balance and a certain harmony. This is how Nesbø’s novel “The Police” ended. However, Detective Harry was deceiving himself all this time. The world is still cruel, imperfect and requires a strong hand to bring order to it. Harry Hole returned to Oslo to continue his police service and resume the hunt for a serial killer who attacked girls on dates using a dating site. However, having picked up the trail of a famous criminal, the detective will plunge into his own dark past. Further

Andrey Cruz. The land of the extra. Kommersant

If a battle is won, this does not mean that the war has been won. Alexander Barinov managed to fight off the Albanians, but this does not mean that now his existence has become calm and quiet. He still knows how to control the situation and is responsible for his actions. However, everything in life does not work out as planned, and the outlined path turns from theoretical to practical. Further

Dmitry Bykov. June

Dmitry Bykov knows how to experiment. In this novel you will learn about three different stories that are united by a single place and time. The thirties of the 20th century - this time intersects in an incredible way with the middle of the 41st year. The philologist - a former student of IFLI - returned from emigration, and it seems he decided that now he can influence what is happening in the country. There is already a war in the air, which some are afraid of, while others are rushing. And it seems that the beginning of the war will cut all the knots and provide all the answers. Further

Dmitry Glukhovsky. Text

Dmitry Glukhovsky wrote his first realistic novel called “Text”. This is a story about how generations collide, how love can become impossible and why retribution is futile. Moscow in modern times. The phone stores all the memories. There are photos and videos of our favorite moments here. In the mail you can find information about business negotiations and instructions from the mother. The browser stores what is interesting and hides it from others. In the chat we confess our love, say goodbye and seduce. This is our time. The phone is us. If someone gets the phone, he will turn into its owner. But by the time others notice, it will be too late. Further

Tatiana Polyakova. Time is the judge

After my mother disappeared, very strange phenomena began to occur. Four years have already passed. The official investigation remained unsuccessful, and private investigators failed. But my father and I have long come to terms with what is happening. But now I didn’t even know what to think. Did I really see my mother? Or maybe it's just a woman who looks like her? Every time I wanted to approach her, I ran away. Clearly someone was playing a cruel game with me. Now it's time for your own investigation. I now have an assistant, Leo Berzin. He is a successful businessman, handsome, and there have always been strange rumors about him. But can I trust him? Further

Dina Rubina. Indian wind

In this story, the main role is given to the woman. In her youth she was a skydiver and hot air balloon pilot. She had a personal tragedy that forced her to take up another business in another country. She went through the looking glass, where she works as a cosmetologist and lives in New York. The heroine is constantly faced with fantastic events, which are sometimes very discouraging. Everything you read in this book should be classified as 40+, because it is written cynically, intimately and as sincerely as possible. And it's all about love. Further

Mikhail Zygar. The entire Kremlin army. A Brief History of Modern Russia

From the book you will learn about the history of Russia during Putin's reign from 2000 to 2015. To write the book, the author used documents, reliable sources, unique interviews and information from the president’s inner circle. Here are brought together facts, events, opinions of various heroes who will tell about the complete picture of life in the Kremlin. Why did he suddenly turn from a pro-Western president with a liberal direction at the beginning of the 2000s into an authoritarian ruler and an ardent opponent of the West? Further

Marina Komissarova. Love. Secrets of defrosting

Marina Komissarova is a journalist, blogger and psychologist with 20 years of experience. She developed a unique system for working with personality - psychoalchemy. Her audience is constantly growing, and her blog has been translated into dozens of languages. You will learn how to unfreeze and pump up your love resources. Thanks to this book, hundreds of people have already overcome their personal life crisis. It is enough to refine yourself a little to increase your energy resources and achieve success by controlling your destiny. Further

Nadezhda Kuzmina. Firewind Witch

Life has always been amazing. You never fully know what awaits you around the corner, whether good will be bad or bad will be good. Did you become an orphan very early? Have you wandered around a lot and for a long time, trying to find a suitable job? So it's bad for you. But if you are young, pretty and have already found your place in the sun in the capital, then this is good. If you are slandered by a former boyfriend, then this is bad. But if someone managed to clear your good name, then that’s just great. But it turns out that you are a witch yourself and can learn magic at the Academy of Magic. If everything works out, you will live happily. Do you think it's too good to be true? What is truly valued by magicians? Honor, power, or knowledge? Will you eventually have to choose between your own freedom and security? Further

Galina Gromova. Bay of Hope. The task is to survive

Death has settled in the world. Civilization has disappeared, and its place has been taken by zombies, destroying everything in the area. Fear and destruction reign. There are only three survivors here. And each survivor will have to make a difficult choice that will determine his life path. Further

These were the best books of 2017. The reader rating (mainly Russia) will help you figure out what to read so as not to be put down. New bestsellers of 2017 and 2016 are now always at your fingertips. Add modern and popular books to read and the list of the best and most interesting to your bookmarks. Share in the comments which book you liked the most. 😉

22 fascinating books that won't let you sleep

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

Photo: goodfon.ru

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

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

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

"The Collector" John Fowles

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

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

Forrest Gump, Winston Groom

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

Amsterdam, Ian McEwan

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

"Amendment 22" by Joseph Heller

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

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

"A Conspiracy of Dunces" by John Kennedy Toole

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

“Monday begins on Saturday”, Strugatsky Brothers

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

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

"The Girl on the Train" by Paula Hawkins

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

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

In the last months of his life, the old professor managed to make several important discoveries.

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

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

"The Trial", Franz Kafka

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

Lord of the Flies, William Golding

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

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

"Rita Hayworth or the Shawshank Redemption" by Stephen King

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

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

"A Lady with Glasses with a Gun in a Car" by Sebastien Japrisot

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

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

The Goldfinch, Donna Tartt

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

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

Cloud Atlas, David Mitchell

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

There are six main characters in the work: a young composer who is forced to sell his soul and body; 19th century notary; a journalist working in California in the 70s of the last century who uncovers a conspiracy of a large company; a clone servant working in a modern fast food establishment; a modern small publisher and a simple goatherd living at the end of civilization.

"1984", George Orwell

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

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

"Blackberry Winter" by Sarah Gio

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

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

"Blindness", Jose Saramago

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

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

“Three apples fell from the sky”, Narine Abgaryan

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

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

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

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

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

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

P.S. What books do you remember most?