Brain training is necessary for every person. Without load, problem solving, and information processing, the skill of thinking, analyzing, and reasoning is lost. To increase your intelligence you need to work every day. It is impossible by drinking vitamins or reading one book in a year. New information makes the brain think and increases IQ level. What to read for intellectual development, outlook and erudition?
Ways to develop intelligence
The IQ level depends on a person’s literacy, education, and innovative thinking. For intellectual development, train your brain daily. One of the ways to develop intelligence is by reading books. Select your reading list carefully: the best books for the general development of intelligence, vocabulary and speech in adults can really improve the quality of life. But modern detective stories and romance novels do not provide enough information - such reading relaxes, but does not teach.
Before directly moving on to solving the now pressing question “what useful books should you read for the development of the brain, consciousness, memory, logical thinking, and competent speech?”, you should realize that the development of intelligence is impossible without acquiring the following skills:
Memory upgrades. Necessary for remembering information. Data is recorded and retrieved when necessary.
Increasing vocabulary. A conversation takes on an intellectual tone if the interlocutor knows how to speak beautifully. An extensive vocabulary helps to come across as an intelligent person.
Ability to think figuratively. Mentally stimulating audiobooks and intellectual reading that develop speech contribute as a person lives through the story described. Experience is formed, images are remembered, and in a similar case, information emerges and is used.
The skill of speed reading helps to absorb information and process tons of literature. Interesting intellectual literature for reading and developing the mind of an adult, books on self-organization and efficiency motivate, force you to follow your goals.
What books should you read to improve your intelligence?
Most intellectual sites offer a list of books for developing the mind, improving speech and increasing vocabulary in communication - such a list includes literature that touches on various areas of life. The development of memory, improvement of vocabulary and the ability to think is the basis that is used to process information: in order to become a well-rounded person, it is necessary to expand knowledge in the main areas.
Scientific works. We are not talking about reference books and encyclopedias consisting of continuous incomprehensible terms. Read books that tell the story of the creation of the world, about natural phenomena, the development of culture and art. Remember Darwin's theory, read Hawking's works on the history of time.
Philosophical literature. Scientific books are built on theories, evidence and teach you to understand the world. Philosophy is a branch that initiates into the secrets of human actions and actions, studies the thinking of people. Include biblical publications of various religions in the list of philosophical literature. Today, many are interested in Eastern authors and share their wisdom on social networks. A prominent representative of Eastern philosophy is Omar Khayyam and his Rubai. Interesting to read, easy to learn by heart. Supplement your study of philosophy with books by the Strugatskys, Nietzsche, and Kant.
Works of art. Knowledge of the classics is like an exam for entry into an intellectual society. The smartest books for adults that develop the intellect, brain and personality will be useless without the foundation received in due time - the foundations are laid from school, a love of poetry and prose is instilled. If you missed this period without wanting to, then it’s time to catch up. Works of fiction help to replenish vocabulary and improve literacy. Start with the following books: “The Master and Margarita” by Bulgakov, “Forget-Me-Nots” by Prishvin, “Crime and Punishment” by Dostoevsky, “Red and Black” by Stendhal, “War and Peace” by Tolstoy. The modern intellectual writer Dyusimbiev Gazinur and his stories will perfectly complement the list of classic works.
Historical books. Man is accustomed to comparing today's events with past ones. An intellectual is able to draw parallels at a high level, since he knows the history of the development of his country and other states. Reading historical books gives knowledge about significant events in the world and reveals the peculiarities of the lives of famous people. History helps us understand life. Find works by popular authors: Lawrence, Bushkov, Yuri Mukhin.
Reading poetry. Poems are one of the oldest ways of transmitting information to descendants. The genre is light due to rhyme, euphony and beauty of speech. Constantly reading poetry helps improve memory and expand vocabulary. The works of Akhmatova, Shakespeare, Brodsky are suitable for the development of intelligence.
There is no specific list of literature for the development of intelligence. There are reading recommendations for schoolchildren, students, and applicants preparing to enter universities. The main thing is to develop reading skills. Use your free time to get information. Modern gadgets and audiobooks will come to help. Over time, you will notice that reading will become a habit. There will be a need to immerse yourself in a fascinating world filled with knowledge and discoveries.
List of books for the development of intelligence
The foundations are laid during school years. Therefore, many books have been published with a growing audience in mind. But it’s never too late to learn, gain knowledge, and train your memory. Intellectual development has no age restrictions. The main thing is the desire to become smarter and regularity of actions.
List of books for the development of intelligence:
“Intelligence training”, Rodionova A. After reading the works of this business coach, a person receives the following results: thinking processes are launched, vocabulary is replenished. The book is built on the principle of educational literature: read and implement. The author makes it clear that human capabilities are unlimited, it is never too late to achieve perfection. The reader is offered options for developing mental abilities. 
"Develop your intellect..." Carter Philip's works include tests to help develop intelligence. Suitable for those who are ready to solve a variety of charades and puzzles. Practical exercises will help in the development of thinking, improve memory, and make a person more intelligent. The book is very addictive, the answers to the problems are given.
“Brain 100%.” The author will tell you how. For an ordinary person, it is in a dormant state. Watching TV series and doing monotonous work causes the brain to go into hibernation, and the skills acquired at school are lost. Olga Kinyakina suggests making the brain work. The book contains all the necessary exercises, tasks and problems to improve memory and develop intelligence. The intensive program promotes the development of thinking,...
"Basics of rote memorization." Zach Belmore's book is suitable for all ages. Moreover, for better assimilation of information and to achieve results, the author divided the book into chapters. Each section is intended for a specific age group. By performing exercises, a person learns to memorize large amounts of information and text. The memorization process is simplified and becomes arbitrary.
Recommended intellectual reading for the mind, good classical literature for speech development are a set of exercises for training the brain. Just as a person needs water to live, the brain needs information for thought. Eat food for your mind every day by reading at least 1 hour a day.
What do smart people read for spiritual development and intelligence?
Literature that can trigger thinking processes and help activate memory is suitable. Wanting to increase their IQ level, many people rely on the number of books they read. If the plot is not captivating, the exercises described seem ridiculous and useless, then it is better to put the book down and move on to the next one. Just reading won't make you smarter, since the material will not be used in life.
Works of Edward de Bon. If you want to learn how to think differently, and are ready to break away from the standards, then start with the book “Six Thinking Hats.” While studying the material, you will have the opportunity to play. To get results, act and complete the author’s instructions. The book is interesting due to the inclusion of various life situations, to which the reader is invited to choose his thinking hats. Practical exercises help make thinking original and non-standard. Another entertaining book by the author is “Teach Yourself to Think.” The plot is based on Edward's technique, which helps instill in the reader the skill of wanting to learn and develop. The proposed methodology is aimed at improving the thinking mechanism. The book can be called a self-instruction manual, as it includes 5 stages. Gradual implementation of steps leads to the desired result.
Books by Ron Hubbard. The book “Teaching Technology” received good reviews. It is a textbook whose main task is to teach the reader to learn. People who followed the author's tips increased their intellectual level by 15%. Ron Hubbard is convinced that a person's IQ is formed from several components. And the main one is the ability to learn, or in other words, the systematic acquisition of new information throughout a person’s life. In the book “Self-Analysis” the author focuses on human memory. If you do not remember an interesting fact or historical information in a timely manner, then there is no point in talking about intellectual development. The books you read will be forgotten after a few days if your memory is not fully activated. The book contains practical recommendations that help a person improve himself. The author pays special attention to visual memory, believing that there is a possibility of its development. 
"Memory development for dummies". The title of the book makes clear its main purpose. Before you start studying, take it as a basis that there are no universal and simple ways to improve memory. To achieve results, techniques are combined. The more ways you use, the better the effect. Interestingly, the combination of methods brings results regardless of age. John Bogosian Arden, the author of the book, is confident that the properties of memory are the same in a student and a pensioner, and therefore can be developed in the same way.
Before you start reading books, check your level of intellectual development. There are tests on the Internet and suggested times for completing tasks. On your first playthrough, don’t rush to invest within the deadline. By answering test questions, you are already developing as you solve problems and puzzles. The data obtained will help you decide in which direction to move, what you lack: vocabulary, creative thinking, and the ability to memorize information. Then start correcting the situation by studying and practicing the suggested books.
Conclusion
Given that people speak, think and read in different languages, lists of intellectual literature from different compilers can vary greatly: It is impossible to create a universal list– it will be too voluminous. Therefore, always read, try to continuously and consistently improve your intellect - let this become a useful habit that prolongs life and improves communication with people around you. Read with benefit and pleasure!
17 March 2014, 15:32No matter how unusual it may sound, in the modern world of various gadgets, applications and IT technologies, our youth still read books, many modern authors with a new style and approach to writing books speak about this.
What kind of books are these, or rather, stories that excite the modern reader?
Let's find out what they are - the most interesting modern books. Although it will not be easy to make a choice among the huge amount of interesting literature, we will still try to do it.
E.L. James - Fifty Shades of Gray
Well, how can we remember the most sensational and scandalous book under the intriguing title “Fifty Shades of Gray”? This half-romantic and half-erotic story of the touching and hot relationship between a journalist and a successful businessman created a real sensation, and also had the effect of an exploding bomb.
For the first time in many years, someone dared to write not only about sex, but also about the capabilities and desires of a person during times of lust and passion.
What a fitting title for this love story, as this is the problem with the modern world. Yes, yes, the Internet is a destructive web; it gives as many opportunities as it takes away. People get to know each other, meet and communicate in the virtual world, forgetting about real emotions and experiences. And when, having met in the real world, they are not suitable for each other, they cannot understand what is the matter and why virtual love and sympathy are so different from the real world, because everything was perfect on social networks...
George R.R. Martin A Song of Ice and Fire. Game of Thrones"
We couldn’t ignore the most discussed and popular novel of the 21st century. A whole series of fantasy novels captivated the minds of young people and made an entire generation fans of this trilogy. The plot of the book unfolds around the fictional continent of Westeros and its mysterious, and I would even say, slightly mystical inhabitants. A mysterious saga about the life of seven kingdoms, where love reigns, hate reigns and the war for the Iron Throne never stops. Here, as is customary in science fiction novels, there are dragons, magicians and fearless warriors. If you are no longer a child, but still love fairy tales, then this series of books about the Magic Kingdom is just for you.
Markus Zusak - "The Book Thief"
A very touching story about a girl who was adopted as an adult. The plot takes place during the Second World War in a small German town, where everyone is afraid of death and repression. But a strong girl named Liesel finds strength and a great desire to comprehend science and read books that are interesting and beyond her age. Although she gets them in a not very honest and humane way, and simply put, she steals from the library of a person respected by everyone, but the end justifies all the means, doesn’t it? This book is a must read for everyone, it's easy to read and the plot is amazing.
John Green - "The Fault in Our Stars"
Love is the most important and primary feeling in our lives and throughout the world. At the same time, a very romantic and sad love story between two terminally ill people. Hazel Grace and August Waters meet at a cancer support group and fall in love. They know that imminent death will separate them, but they are happy that before leaving they experienced tender feelings and found happiness. An unusual love story, where pain is intertwined with tenderness and happiness, and which is a must read.
Pavel Sanaev “Bury me behind the baseboard”
A touching and very life story about how love turns into hatred and tyranny. The story is autobiographical, it is told by a little boy who was abandoned by his own mother, leaving him in the care of his grandparents. And they, in turn, are not too happy about this prospect, but are ready to fulfill this duty of conscience without unnecessary feelings and emotions. The strict grandmother is confident that she will raise the boy to be an obedient and emotionless robot. Only Sasha Savelyev doesn’t think so and has his own opinion on everything... Yes, you wouldn’t even dream of such a childhood... This story is on the list of books that are definitely worth reading.
Bernhard Schlink - "Reader"
Each of us has our own secrets and mysteries. The book “The Reader” is a rather complex psychological story of love, passion, hopelessness and betrayal.
A fifteen-year-old boy and a fully grown woman start an affair, they are united by an interest in books, and an educated guy reads important and interesting, in his opinion, books to his illiterate lover.
Stormy passion and unusual relationships end as unexpectedly as they begin. But fate is preparing another meeting for the former lovers, only the circumstances will not be too pleasant for them. For those who have not read this popular story, we highly recommend reading it, because this is one of the books that will make you think and touch every note of your soul.
Mitchell David - "Cloud Atlas"
The novel is on the verge of fantasy - that’s what critics dubbed it. The plot tells about six different people from different time periods, namely the past, future and present, but as it turns out later, they have one soul, it is simply subject to reincarnation and wanders, visiting first one body, then another. Everything is very confusing and the storylines are very intertwined, although the meaning and morality are still present here. But what they are is up to you to decide. But to do this, you first need to read the book from beginning to end.
Moyes, Jojo - "Me Before You"
We all have our own past, and throughout our lives we all meet the right and important person for us, who will once and for all change it beyond recognition.
This touching novel is about exactly that. Already in the first weeks of sales, more than half a million copies were sold, and the book itself entered the top bestsellers according to the New York Times. And this turn of events is not at all surprising, because we all love love stories that end with a happy ending.
Khaled Hosseini - The Kite Runner
The story is about the friendship that two eastern boys Amir and Hasan carried through their entire lives, despite all the differences and social inconsistency, because they are from different social strata and classes. Life has scattered them to different places and forced them to be on opposite sides of the barricades, but despite this they are faithful to their conscience and friendship.
A very moralizing and life story, which came from the pen of a talented writer, showed the whole world how to value friendship, and no matter what, not turn into blood enemies and take care of friendly relations with all your might.
Sebastian Barry "Tables of Fate"
An interesting story about how a poor old woman, who has already turned a hundred years old, living her old age in a mental hospital, keeps her own diary, where she writes down difficult and sad memories associated with her fate and the country in which she was born.
Ray Bradbury - "Dandelion Wine"
An ordinary life story that takes place in a small town. Every summer, two boys come to the village to visit their beloved grandfather and help the old man collect dandelions for his drink according to his own recipe. This interesting wine contains their family history, traditions and memories, as well as all-consuming love, friendship, quarrels and tragedies.
Colm Toibin - "Brooklyn"
The best novel of the year about a young girl and a real wanderer who returns to her native land after so many years of wandering and searching for herself. Life forces her to leave her native Ireland and settle in New York's Brooklyn. Maybe this is for the better, because the chance of finding love here is much higher.
Homesickness makes her thoughts constantly return to her native land, and when Eilis gets used to a foreign city and becomes her own in it, life circumstances return her to Ireland.
What is this? Joke or simple irony of fate? What will happen next and what trials does fate have in store for her? To find out the whole truth you need to read the most interesting novel of 2017.
Gillian Flynn - "Gone Girl"
The detective of the decade will tell us how you can live with a person for five years and not know him at all. A married and, at first glance, happy couple is preparing to celebrate their wedding anniversary, but in an instant everything changes.
The thing is that the main character disappears without a trace, leaving a lot of bad evidence pointing to her death and even more questions. But we will find out the answers to them only when we read this interesting book.
Gregory David Roberts - "Shantaram"
The story of an Australian guy who chose the wrong path in life and ended up in prison. By chance, he manages to escape, and to get out of sight, he goes to Bombay. In India, a guy named Lindsay does not reform and again becomes a swindler and a deceiver. The moral of this novel is “people don’t change.” This is such a strange life story, but we will not reveal all the secrets and will give you a chance to read this book yourself.
Bernard Werber - "Empire of Angels"
We all ask ourselves the question: “Is there life after death and what awaits us beyond that?” A story that touches on this topic and gives us a chance to reflect and understand what evil and good are, why we were given life and how to use it correctly.
The main character of a science fiction novel named Michel Panson goes to heaven after death (that's lucky), and becomes a Guardian Angel and receives three wards.
It turns out that it’s not so easy to watch worldly life and be on the other side of the screen, and his new profession is not an easy one. This is the author’s imagination that brought him and his novel worldwide fame. The topic is simply very interesting and in demand. After all, we are not eternal...
Intelligence is perhaps the most valuable currency today. You can’t buy it with money, but it’s what can make you stand out in a crowd of people. Investing in your IQ is the most important investment in life. We offer you books that every smart woman should read.
Essentialism
If you feel constantly busy, your head is literally aching from the number of things to do, and everyone around you calls you a very hardworking person, it’s time to read this book. It will help you change your attitude towards life: cope with overwork, find what is most important and, finally, breathe freely. Greg McKeon is sure: constant time pressure is not the road to success; the ability to prioritize is much more valuable in life.
From good to great
What separates a smart person from a mediocre one? The answer is simple: the ability to find what is important and valuable, the desire for excellence and the desire to become number 1 in everything you do. This is what Jim Collins' outstanding bestseller is about. He will not only help you understand complex business processes, but will also tell you how to separate the wheat from the chaff. And this is a truly valuable step on the path to success.
Take it and do it!
This book is a top 20 hit in the Marketing section of Amazon.com. And this is the best assistant for a business woman. The author’s simple and practical advice will help make your work more effective and fill it with new meaning. All the author’s recommendations are easy to put into practice. Open the book and get started right away!
Self confidence
Do you want to have less stress in your life, and to feel happier and more confident in yourself at meetings, work negotiations and at home? This book will help and support you in difficult situations. Numerous tests and exercises, and the author’s practical recommendations will help you see your strengths, become more resistant to any troubles and cope more effectively with criticism.
How to talk to anyone
Every day we have to communicate with a variety of people. For some it seems like an adventure, for others it seems like a real challenge. In the meantime, any conversation can continue if it is started correctly. But often our fears, self-doubt or shyness prevent us from taking the first step, depriving us of great opportunities. This book will help you become more sociable and perceive any new meeting as an exciting process. Who knows, maybe the author’s advice will change your life for the better.
Emotional intellect
If you think that the most important thing in life is intelligence, then you are only partly right. Emotions are no less important for achieving professional heights and building a personal life. After all, the ability to manage your own negative feelings is a quality that will help you get out of the most difficult situation. And the author of this book, a psychology guru, helped millions of people around the world find it. Perhaps you should try it too.
Memory doesn't change
A magical remedy that will help you become smarter and maintain excellent memory for many years. Exciting puzzles and tasks for training your mind and memory will help pump up your brain. And most importantly, they are universal: suitable for any age and help maintain memory at a good level. Remember: there is no such thing as a bad memory. There are only lazy people who do not want to train her.
The Brain: A Quick Guide
This book will help you open the secret storehouses of your brain: it will teach you to think creatively, tell you how to get rid of stress and become more productive. Rest assured: the brain needs to be trained just like the muscles, because this is the investment that will pay off handsomely. Use the simple, powerful exercises in this book to improve your brain's efficiency.
Great, not big
A smart person never puts money first. He understands: it is much more important to become a professional, to help people or to fill someone's life with meaning. Bo Burlingham's book is about just that. She talks about how to prioritize at work and in life and learn to enjoy the process, giving up the pursuit of profit.
Reflections on personal development
In order to find answers to the most important questions, you need a whole life or one single book. This was written by one of the smartest people of our time, Isaac Adizes. His new book does not concern business issues, it is about what concerns each of us - the meaning of life, happiness, love, human destiny. Isaac Adizes gives wise and understandable answers to complex philosophical questions. According to Mann, Ivanov and Ferber and Cosmopolitan.
“Call me Ishmael” - with these words Herman Melville began his novel Moby Dick - probably the most important novel in the history of American literature of the 19th century. But this great writer was largely forgotten even before his death and was referred to as Henry Melville in obituaries in the New York Times.The decline of his writing career occurred, in fact, precisely thanks to Moby Dick. Melville had previously written quite successful books about sea adventures, but this ambitious tale of a mad sea captain obsessed with chasing a white whale proved too much for the readers of the time, who never understood it.
Even critics were taken aback by Melville's poetic, almost biblical, style. And only after his death the book was recognized as a masterpiece of world literature - a truly powerful work that touches on serious themes of the place of the ordinary person in nature, the need to find the meaning of life and American nature in general.
2: Dead Souls
Although the name is familiar to many from an early age, it can be frightening with its gloominess. In fact, Dead Souls is one of the wittiest books of the 19th century, written Nikolai Gogol, who had a great influence on the work of Tolstoy and Dostoevsky. Dead Souls is the writer's only novel that tells the story of an enterprising young man traveling around Russia and buying up "dead souls" - deceased peasants who were still listed as living by landowners according to registered census data. By buying them and registering them in his name, he hopes to create the illusion of being the owner of many peasants, which would allow him to receive large loans from the state, become rich and achieve high social status.
A broad, brilliant satire of society (Gogol satirizes everyone from gossipy housewives to cruel landowners and pompous officials), Dead Souls is considered the first novel of Russian literature.
3: Bleak House
Although not as famous as Oliver Twist and Great Expectations, Bleak House is still the greatest novel Charles Dickens. He crammed it with everything he knew about Victorian London, and reading it is like traveling back in time. On the surface it is a satirical (but still meaningful) critique of British law - corrupt lawyers, aristocrats and merchants who use the court for their own selfish ends. But this satire forms only one layer of the novel. It is also a story of forbidden love, family secrets and intrigue.
Well, since this is Dickens, then, of course, the book is simply stuffed with unforgettable characters, including London itself. The chaotic development of the city and the swirling tendrils of fog have never been described with such artistic force by anyone. This is the most compelling escapism in literature.
4: Moll Flanders
Daniel Defoe's most famous work will forever remain Robinson Crusoe, but his other novel, Moll Flanders, is much grander and more exciting. Moll is the daughter of a convict, born in prison, and firmly determined to become a decent, rich lady. This decision is followed by a series of often funny and sometimes tragic events, as Moll marries repeatedly, one of them to her own brother, commits incest purely by accident, becomes a whore, a con artist and a thief, and becomes too familiar with the walls of a prison cell.
Offering a breathtaking journey through the glitz and glitz of the 18th century, the novel also gives us one of the most charismatic female protagonists in literature. Beautiful, witty and ruthless, Moll is ahead of her time. And with all this, she is charmingly sweet and vulnerable, making you want to help you figure out your life.
5: Pride and Prejudice
Many people are only superficially familiar with the novel Pride and Prejudice, and only thanks to Colin Firth, who played in one of his film adaptations. But, if you know the work only from television screens, then it’s worth getting to know it much closer. Jane Austen's most beloved novel is funny from the first page, and is as comedic as it is romantic. Austen has managed to capture everything about romance, love and courtship: awkward flirting, confused messages and how love can fool even the smartest and strongest among us.
Of course, everyone knows Darcy, one of literature's greatest romantic heroes, which is quite an achievement considering his prudishness and lack of humor. But the novel also has a whole gallery of delicious characters, starting with the grotesque Lady Catherine de Bourg, ending with the main character - Elizabeth Bennet - a lively, witty girl who could easily fit into the 21st century. This is the best women's urban novel of its time!
6: The Stranger of Wildfell Hall
Anne Bronte never became as popular as her sister Charlotte, which is not entirely fair, since The Stranger from Wildfell Hall- one of the greatest novels of the 19th century.With this book, Anne Brontë launched the early women's rights movement. The novel tells the story of a beautiful woman who leaves her unfaithful and depraved husband to find her own path in life. The main character, Helen Huntingdon, is one of the most powerful female characters in English fiction.
Although there is a huge difference between this novel and the distorted, ordered world of Jane Austen. Helen's story is about alcoholism, decadent sex and social scandal, and the novel's emotional power almost rivals Wuthering Heights.
7: Vanity Fair
Charles Dickens may be the king of literary London in the mid-19th century, but one of his main rivals and contender for the throne was William Makepeace Thackeray.Determined to outdo Dickens, Thackeray created a riotous, energetic epic novel about life in Britain, gave it a scoundrel heroine, and named it Vanity Fair. While Dickens was undoubtedly a writer of greater scope and greater generosity, Thackeray was cruel, cold-blooded and completely unsentimental.
Vanity Fair is the story of Becky Sharp, a deliciously amoral social climber who uses looks, charm and a fair amount of cunning to charm men and amass as much money as possible. It is a biting satire on British society and the hypocrisy of the upper classes. This Victorian era novel is for those looking for a decent drama with a fast-paced comic plot.
8: Middlemarch
At first glance, a novel with the subtitle "A Study of Provincial Life" may not seem like the most exciting read in the world. But writer George Eliot's Middlemarch is a strong contender for the title of greatest British novel of the 19th century.Eliot uses a small fictional town as a model for an entire civilization, exploring the nature of love, integrity, family, virtue and vice. The central character, Dorothea, is a real angel, or at least wants to be one. But the irony is that choosing the right path to do the right thing is what gets her into a lot of trouble.
This is truly an English novel. And if the great Leo Tolstoy had been born in Great Britain, he would definitely have written something similar. But fortunately, Eliot did it, giving the world what Virginia Woolf would later call “one of the few English novels written for adults.”
9: War and Peace
10: Madame Bovary
The French novelist, Gustave Flaubert, was shy, self-confident and irritated by society. But this misanthrope is also behind one of the most sensual and moving images of women's lives ever written.Emma Bovary's husband is the classic nice guy - reliable, supportive and completely boring. And so Emma, desperate for passion and excitement, enters into a series of heated romances, the inevitable result of which is tragedy. When this exquisite book was published, it sparked a scandal and a demand from French prosecutors to ban it for obscenity. But instead it became a bestseller, and its clean, fresh style influenced many later writers.
This style was the result of Flaubert's manic perfectionism. He could write one page for a week, rewriting every sentence until everything seemed perfect to him. The result was a story about adultery and the reasons that push people to treason and betrayal.
9: War and Peace
Here it is, the father of the classic novel, the epic tale that many call the greatest book of all time. Don't let its size and reputation scare you. You should definitely like him, even though he caused awe and disgust at school.Set in the early years of the 19th century, Leo Tolstoy's masterpiece describes a group of Russian aristocrats facing the invasion of Napoleon's army. Although the novel's many battle scenes are quite graphic and bloody, the book excels in its depiction of conflict in human relationships. In the end, Tolstoy was most interested in one assumption - how it is possible not to affect morality when faced with the defects of this vicious world.
With such a vast novel, it is not surprising that so many writers have compared Tolstoy to Shakespeare (even though Tolstoy himself never liked Shakespeare). War and Peace is one of those novels that you live, and not just read. Find time for it, and you will understand that it is not in vain that it is so praised, and it is in vain that you did not read it at school.
12: Daniel Deronda
Unsatisfied with creating the stunning masterpiece that is Middlemarch, Eliot ended her career with another great novel, Danielle Deronda. Today it is known as one of the first and most sympathetic novels about British Jews.Sweet and handsome Daniel Deronda saves a charming singer from suicide by preventing her from jumping into the Thames, which leads to him meeting and joining the Jewish community in London. Eliot deftly weaves Daniel's self-development with the story of Gwendolyn, a young woman who initially appears as a spoiled girl by society but gradually recovers by helping others.
For a story about the society of Victorian England, the book is strikingly relevant to events in the modern world. One of the themes is the migration of Jews to the part of the Middle East where Israel was later formed. But this is only a love story, and Eliot does not allow political and philosophical ideas to overshadow the characters she creates.
13: Red and black
The French writer Stendhal knew how to treat the ladies of the 19th century. He was actually obsessed with romance and seduction, which may explain the character of the classic novel's protagonist Red and black. The book follows an unscrupulous young lout, Julien Sorel, who uses his looks and intelligence to force his way into French society in the years following the fall of Napoleon. Unfortunately, he made the wrong choice in his method of conquest, and his affair with the Mer's wife sets off a chain of events that somewhat temper his quest for wealth and power. But is Julien worth admiring? It is this question that makes the novel so intriguing. The book challenges our own assumptions, showing a man who is deceitful and selfish, but at the same time no worse than those he manipulates. By analyzing his motives, you may reconsider your own perception of the world.14: Reason
All of Jane Austen's novels are incredibly popular. Everything except this. For some reason, Persuasion never attracted the same adulation that Pride and Prejudice, Emma or Feelings and sensitivity. But to some extent, this is her most intense work.This may be because the book was her last and was published after her death. Unlike Austen's other novels, which focus on up-and-coming society ladies experimenting with first love, this one explores the life of a more mature woman. The main character, Anne Elliot, convinces herself to turn down a suitor because he is not “respectable” enough. Many years later, Anne's old flame returns as a rich and respectable man, but is it too late?
Persuasion is a thought-provoking, nostalgic novel. It's nice to see how Austen deals with themes of regret over lost love instead of straight-up courtship. That is why the novel is an ideal complement to her other masterpiece - Pride and Prejudice.
15: Heart of Darkness
Joseph Conrad created many true classics, but his best work, the relatively short novel Heart of Darkness, is perhaps his only subtle critique of colonialism.The book is about Marlow, an Englishman who needs to transport a shipment of ivory down the Congo River in an area of Africa occupied by Belgium. During his journey, he witnesses many atrocities against native Africans at the hands of the colonialists, and also learns of an ivory trader named Kurtz, who has revealed himself as a demigod among the tribes of the region.
Together with Kurtz, Conrad demonstrates how the idea of "civilizing" other races can ignite a backfire and corrupt the occupiers. This is a powerful tale that can be applied to many other historical moments. Francis Ford Coppola, for example, used this story to explore the Vietnam War in his film Apocalypse Now.
16: The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
“All modern American literature comes from one book by Mark Twain called The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. There was nothing before it, there was nothing as good after it.”I thought so Ernest Hemingway, and while he may have gone a little overboard, it says a lot about the importance of the piece. Twain intended it as a simple adventure story, but the book turned out to be a real call for freedom and resistance.
Written from Huck's point of view (and American slang is one of the book's many phenomena), the story follows a teenager and a runaway slave named Jim as they travel on a raft on the Mississippi River. Along the way, they encounter many undesirable people and situations that only strengthen their decision to reject mainstream society.
It is this merciless critique of the destructiveness of slavery that gives the book such power. But it is also a beautiful tale of childhood, contrasting the innocent idealism of youth with the violence and depravity of the adult world. Try to see Hemingway's reverence with your own eyes...
17: The Picture of Dorian Gray
This is the only novel published by the legendary Oscar Wilde, which is every bit as deliciously wonderful as you'd expect it to be. Dorian is a strikingly handsome and narcissistic young man who does not want to grow old. His wish came true, and instead his portrait ages, and then traces of Dorian’s growing cruelty and depravity appear on it.This is Wilde's interpretation of the old Faust myth. This is a classic example of Victorian literature, full of debauched dandies smoking opium and discussing art, sex and morality. Undoubtedly, the novel was considered somewhat shocking in its time, especially for its hidden theme of homosexuality.
This is a great book, but it's worth reading just to arm yourself with a few killer one-liners to use at your next social gathering.
18: Life and opinions of Tristram Shandy, gentleman
When a priest named Laurence Stern published Life and opinions of Tristram Shandy, gentleman in the mid-18th century, the sheer originality (and strangeness) of the text caused many critics to roll their eyes. Even Samuel Johnson said that “Tristram Shandy will not last long!”But he did last, perhaps precisely because the book's sense of humor was surprisingly modern, filled with so many clever antics, obscenities and depravedly stupid interludes that you would think the novel was written by a drunken group of Monty Python show creators.
The plot itself is quite simple. This is the story of the life of little Tristram Shandy, as told by himself. But what makes the book unusual is its surprisingly chaotic style. Shandi begins with the story of his conception, and continues through so many strangely related stories that he is born only after hundreds of pages have passed.
Packed with sly jokes, strange asides and crazy accidents, the novel is the most eccentric and strange literary classic of all time. But it was also Virginia Woolf's favorite book.
19: Dracula
This book may not be as beautifully written as some of the others on this list, but it is clearly the most famous of them all. After all, Bram Stoker's novel, Dracula, gave us a truly iconic character who can be seen in numerous films, television shows, comics, cartoons, musicals, computer games and other books.But the book is much more than the story of a bloodsucker count. This is a fascinating depiction of Victorian morality and sexuality. Dracula himself is a tempter who completely corrupts the sweet Victorian virgins, and only a group of heroes in doublets can send this wild creature out and restore proper etiquette and order.
Dracula is still a great horror novel that takes us on a journey from Transylvania to England and back again. So forget Buffy, Interview with the Vampire, Twilight and other pathetic imitations. Sit back in your chair with Bram Stoker's original novel in your hands and meet the vampire who started it all...
20: Wuthering Heights
And finally... Of course, it was impossible to ignore the amazing tale of passion, love, tragedy and uncontrollable anger of Emilia Brontë...Unfortunately, this novel also did not become as popular as numerous works by the writer’s sister, Charlotte Bronte, but personally, in my opinion, the book more than deserves a place in the school curriculum on foreign literature, not to mention the fact that every lover of reading, I must read it more than once in my life.
In the center Wuthering Heights– Heathcliff is the original literary bad boy, whose love for the Yorkshire girl Cathy is the only thing that balances his hatred of everything else. And when Cathy chooses another, more respectable man for marriage, Heathcliff flies into a rage, which destroys both of their lives.
But that's only half. Everyone thinks that Bronte's novel is the story of Catherine and her rude, dangerous, treacherous admirer. But the book also describes the lives of the second generation, which was influenced by Heathcliff's thirst for revenge. It's an epic, powerful and quite complex story.
Today there are more than 129 million books in the world. It would not take several generations to read them all. Therefore, I have compiled a list for you of 10 must-read books in 2019. Take the time - it's worth it.
A few weeks before the election, a popular talk show host mysteriously disappears. Among the suspects are all Ukrainian presidential candidates. This could very well happen in reality. But for now, this is just the plot of the political detective story “Caesari.” The dense dynamic action of the book is only a cover for a subtle satire on the entire Ukrainian politics and the search for answers to eternal questions that have long worried Ukrainians.
This novel by Colombian Marquez is well known all over the world. The work, written in the direction of magical realism, has been translated into more than 35 languages. If you have not yet had time to enjoy the lines of the book “One Hundred Years of Solitude,” we advise you to still read it. The novel is quite extensive and consists of twenty chapters, describing a long story looped in time. It all starts with the founding of the village of Macondo, and then the author talks about the people, their destinies, the development and decline of the village. Despite its volume and many plot lines, the novel is read in one breath and is incredibly captivating.
Among the best examples of world literature, there was a place on our list for a book that was published in 2015. In this book, close and well-recognized characters, intertwined with the realities of our lives, transform the fairy tale genre, actually creating a new direction - “fairy tales for adults.” Light and sophisticated style, exciting storylines, philosophical reflections on eternal questions and unexpected allusions - all this distinguishes “Fairy Tales for Adult Children” among modern (and not only) literature.
This detective novel is the first book in Larson's Millennium trilogy. The work begins with Mikael Blomkvist, a journalist for the Swedish political magazine Millennium, losing a lawsuit and having to serve three months in prison. But soon Blomkvist receives an offer to conduct a rather complicated investigation, and he agrees. From this moment the fun begins. The book has it all: riddles to be solved, the influence of money, disappointments and love.
This book is a science fiction story about mentally retarded Charlie Gordon, who at the age of 37 works as a floor cleaner and one day agrees to participate in an experiment to improve his intelligence. A similar experiment has already been successfully carried out on a mouse named Algernon, so why not conduct the same on a person? After surgery, Charlie's life gradually changes, he learns to read, write, and becomes much smarter. But what happens if the hero becomes smarter than the professors who worked on his intelligence? And what will happen if Charlie realizes that any rise ends in a fall, and progress is characterized by regression...
Echoes of this story - the theme of duality - can be seen in many films and read in hundreds of other books. The story in the book tells about Dr. Jekyll, who suddenly began to often lock himself in his office, refuse to go out into the world, and, moreover, address people in a strange voice. At the same time, a certain Mr. Hyde appears in the city, who calmly commits atrocities and disappears. We advise you to definitely read this story, written with a touch of science fiction.
"Shantaram" is partly an autobiographical novel: the characters in the book are fictional, but the events are real. The action of the work takes place in India in the 80s of the last century. The plot describes the hero, a former drug addict and robber, who escaped from an Australian prison and ended up in Bombay. There he receives the name “Shantaram”, which means “peaceful person”. It is better to read for yourself what will happen to the hero next. The book is fascinating.
The book describes the coming of age story of the young maximalist and idealist Holden Caulfield. An angry, touchy, somewhat wild, somewhat confused, sincere and vulnerable boy. What can a story about him teach the reader? Perhaps to show the reality in which we all live.
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. This is what happens. With every terrible thing Dorian does in life, the Dorian on canvas becomes older and uglier. The story ends tragically. “The Picture of Dorian Gray” is really worth reading, it perfectly reveals the psychology of narcissism.
Friends, what to do if all the books have already been read? Then it's time to go on a trip! Choose and discover the amazing beauty of our country.
