Books that make you think. Russian writers about the meaning of life “The Fault in Our Stars” John Green

The word is truly a powerful weapon, especially when it is in the hands of a talented master. We have collected 35 books for you, the power and piercing depth of which can work real miracles and can radically change your thoughts and views. Do not miss the invaluable lesson of morality that is embedded in each one, because perhaps it is her advice that you are missing so much right now!

1. “The Diving Bell and the Butterfly” by Jean-Dominique Bauby

This harrowing memoir, written by Jean-Dominique Bauby, chronicles the life of a narcissistic editor who finds himself hospitalized after suffering a sudden stroke. He is paralyzed and has no way to communicate with others.

Bobi's book helps us understand and truly feel how important other people are in our lives, and how precious every moment we live is. This is one of the most touching stories that will not leave anyone indifferent!

2. “Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance” by Robert Maynard Persig

Do you feel like you are missing some kind of motivating stimulus in your life? Read this wonderful philosophical novel and Robert Persig will help you understand how important it is to pay as much attention as possible to what you do and care about what you want to achieve. In other words, if you need your motorcycle fixed, then do just that! Don't do something else at the same time. Take at least small but confident steps towards what you need to achieve, and then you will have every right to be proud of yourself!

3. “In Cold Blood” Capote Truman

The novel is based on real events. The plot centers on the murder of the Clutter family, which happened in 1959. The author tries to analyze: why did the murderers Perry and Dick commit this serious crime? Truman Capote allows the reader to draw their own conclusions about the criminal system, justice, and the nature of violent crime.

4. The Curious Night-Time Murder of a Dog by Mark Haddon

This book is special because it tells the story from the perspective of an unusual person, and people like him don’t often write books. Our narrator is a 15-year-old boy named Christopher John Francis Boone, and he is a brilliant mathematician who unfortunately suffers from behavioral disorders. (Some say it's Asperger's syndrome, others say it's autism, but the author himself believes it's not about any one specific disorder.) Christopher has a knack for numbers, but he doesn't get along with people at all. And then one day, when he discovers that a neighbor's dog has been killed, the boy starts an investigation that will change his life. In any case, about prejudices and biased opinions.

5. “The Middle Sex” by Jeffrey Eugenides

A stunning, subtle and sensual novel revolves around Calliope Stefanides, who slowly and with great suffering begins to realize that she is, in fact, him. This book is great for anyone interested in gender issues and will help you take a closer look at how family and biology shape our personalities. Probably it is!

6. The Invisible Men by Chuck Palahniuk

An unusually disturbing novel by an American writer. The model loses the lower part of her face due to a rifle shot, and now she is forced to constantly hide it and, of course, cannot speak. A complex and twisted tragedy proves that nothing is ever what it seems. Now the heroine must take revenge on those for whom she is forced to remain invisible forever, and she writes her story with her own blood.

7. “Eat, Pray, Love” by Elizabeth Gilbert

Gilbert's bestseller has gained worldwide fame thanks to the issues raised by the author that do not lose their relevance. What is the true meaning of life? How to survive dramatic changes and a breakup with a once loved one? The heroine of the book strives to cope with a painful divorce and goes on a journey. The first stage of healing is enjoying delicacies in Italy, the second is acquiring spiritual food in an Indian monastery, the third is traveling to Bali and being ready to open your heart to love again.

8. "Cat's Cradle" by Kurt Vonnegut

Of all Vonnegut's works (which you may have read), this book will explore the most significant and serious social issues. The hero-narrator of the work wants to write a book about the possessed inventor of the atomic bomb, Dr. Felix Hoenikker. The reader is asked to answer the question: should there be any restrictions on the pursuit of knowledge? Cat's Cradle will make you think seriously about the power of guns. In addition, it touches on such a controversial and sensitive topic of science and religion.

“Listen - once upon a time, two wives ago, two hundred and fifty thousand cigarettes ago, three thousand liters of alcohol ago... Then, when everyone was young... Listen - the world was spinning, the rich were languishing from stupidity and boredom, the poor had only one thing left - to be free and smart. The truth was more improbable than any fiction. The women were angry and beautiful, and the men were unhappy and full of stupid hopes. And life spun and spun, became more and more confused - like a wild, strange game called “Cat’s Cradle” ... "(c) Kurt Vonnegut.

9. “Hell, or the Joy of Passion” Vladimir Nabokov

Don't get me wrong, Nabokov's Lolita is an absolutely perfect novel. But “Ada, or the Joy of Passion” is much more complex and deeper. The romantic plot involving Van Veen and his cousin Ada explores the theme of the nature of time - the author seeks to show us how time can change everything and nothing.

10. “One Hundred Years of Solitude” by Gabriel Garcia Marquez

The wonderful creation of a great writer does not need advertising. Easily immersed in the world of Macondo, you forget that One Hundred Years of Solitude is not just a masterpiece of magical realism. It is a wonderful allegory of colonialism, the human condition and political struggles in Latin America. The repeating names of men of the Buendia family is a clever author’s device that creates a sense of the cyclical nature of life. Get a family tree of the Buendia family so that while reading you won’t get lost in the endless series of Arcadio and Aureliano.

11. “Beloved” by Toni Morrison

A stunningly disturbing novel about a mother's love, about a black woman who kills her daughter in order to save her from the horrors of the slave system. This work embodies a successful attempt to confront the problem of slavery decisively. And yet, despite all the tragedy, Toni Morrison's novel will fill you with hope.

12. “It” Stephen King

Of course, if we have a Stephen King book in front of us, it will be really scary. The story of a group of children terrorized by a stranger, the very embodiment of hell, goes beyond the superficial horror. She explores the sensitive topic of childhood trauma and the power of memory, and also describes the unspoken ugliness that sometimes hides in the values ​​of small town residents.

13. “The Giver” by Lois Lowry

In the dystopia “The Giver,” the author takes us to Jonas’s world, where there is no pain, no suffering, no war, no fear, and everything is under control. However, at the age of 12, the hero learns about the existence of pain, fear, passion and emotions that he had not experienced before. Ultimately, Lowry's novel has a wonderful way of reminding us that life is pain, but it is what makes our existence so beautiful. Every day we make choices that, of course, may be wrong, but each choice we make gives our lives purpose and defines our aspirations.

14. World War Z by Max Brooks

Yes, believe it or not, a book about zombies can change your life. That's because it's not just about eating brains. Max Brooks's work points the reader to cultural differences, the intricacies of politics, the horrors of war and all kinds of conflicts that seem small and insignificant until the fate of humanity is threatened. The story of amazing zombies becomes a sensational revelation.

15. “A Brief History of Time: From the Big Bang to Black Holes” by Stephen Hawking

Since we are talking about the creation of a scientist, it may seem as if this is not the easiest work in the world to understand. However, you should not deny yourself reading this masterpiece. Hawking is a well-known popularizer of science and knows how to explain the most complex phenomena in accessible language. A Brief History of Time is full of incredible ideas, and after the very first chapters you begin to comprehend the amazing characteristics of time. In the process of reading, you come closer to understanding the most complex laws of the Universe, which means that Hawking’s brilliant creation benefits our education and erudition.

16. “The Fault in Our Stars” John Green

Warning: This book will make you cry a lot! The amazing characters, gripping plot and beautiful language of this work will inevitably inspire you to live joyfully and truly enjoy every moment. The global bestseller is one of those powerful ones.

17. “Sofia’s World” by Justijn Gorder

"Who are we?" and “Where did our world come from?” 14-year-old Sofia faced these two difficult questions. Thus begins a tale of Western philosophy, wrapped in a fictional story, in which a girl gradually discovers the world through the letters of an unknown philosopher.

The book presents incredibly deep thoughts, presented in an easy-to-understand form. Moreover, it sheds light on the importance of certain discoveries and achievements in our society.

18. “Crime and Punishment” Fyodor Dostoevsky

Dostoevsky's complex philosophical novel provides a surprisingly detailed description of the inner workings of the human mind and the consequences of committing a crime. Observing Raskolnikov’s mental and mental torment, together with him we think about the purpose of man. “Am I a trembling creature, or do I have the right?” - this question, one way or another, was asked by every thinking person. The story of sacrifice, freedom, love and pride is still read in one breath.

19. “The Artist’s Way” by Julia Cameron

The Artist's Way is more than just a book. It will be an invaluable contribution to self-development and will help you awaken your creative nature, if that is what you strive for, of course. Following the author's advice, you can immerse yourself in the bright and extraordinary world of creativity.

20. Life of Pi Yann Martel

This is the story of a little boy from India who found himself at sea in a lifeboat with a tiger. Some people may mistakenly think that this is about religion, but the main point of the book is actually that you should believe in at least something, be it God, the world, goodness, or even yourself. The author is trying to tell us that life is filled with millions of possibilities if you just let them happen.

Tears of tenderness, compassion and despair, as well as all shades of experiences from light sadness to devastating catharsis. During the most lyrical time of the year, we have selected books for you that will make you cry and that will make you a little better.

American writer Bruce Cameron's book "The Life and Purpose of a Dog" will touch you no less than "Hachiko" or "White Bim Black Ear", and you will reach for a handkerchief after the first third of the book. But these will be, rather, tears of tenderness. After all, Cameron's novel, which tells about a dog who is born again every time to live a happy life next to a new owner, is about how each of us needs a friend. If you believe the writer, it turns out that we are not responsible for those we have tamed, but our four-legged friends were sent to us to support us in difficult times. So the main character of the book “The Life and Purpose of a Dog” turns out to be vitally necessary for his owner every time, be it a woman disappointed in life, a man who has lost everything, or a lonely boy.

January 1939. Germany. A country holding its breath. Death has never had so much work to do. And there will be even more. The mother takes nine-year-old Liesel Meminger and her younger brother to their adoptive parents near Munich, because their father is no longer there - he was carried away by the breath of the alien and strange word “communist”, and in the eyes of the mother the girl sees fear of the same fate. On the road, Death visits the boy and for the first time notices Liesel, a girl who loves books. She finds herself on Himmel Strasse - Heavenly Street, where she will spend the war years, see human tragedies with her own eyes, and at a young age comprehend all the horrors of fascism. Books become not only an outlet for Liesel, they literally make up her entire life, measuring out the most important events - both good and terrible. Australian Markus Zusak, talking about the Second World War, managed to find the only right intonation that ensured his novel phenomenal success.

Alice Peterson's work was highly appreciated by Jojo Moyes, a master at squeezing tears not only from traditionally more emotional women, but also from stern men. The life of the main character of the book “Just be with me!” Cassandra Brooks shared the “before” and “after” of a spinal fracture. Life before the tragedy was like a dream come true, in which there were wonderful parents, mutual love, and studying at the prestigious Queen's University with a good job in the future. Life after, when Cassandra became disabled, is like a nightmare. The lover, not ready to take care of her, leaves, friends, feeling guilty, gradually move away, and dreams of success in the professional field remain dreams. All that remains for Cassandra is a vague hope for happiness and the desire to overcome her illness. But is this enough to bring back passion for life itself?

This year, the name of Boris Vasiliev was constantly remembered in connection with the new film adaptation of his story “The Dawns Here Are Quiet”, while forgetting about another brilliant work “Tomorrow There Was War”, which, in the absence of descriptions of military operations, demonstrates all the horrors of war. The story tells about the students of 9th "B", their growing up and development, friendship and love, their first serious moral choice, plans and dreams. Vasiliev, who himself experienced the collapse of hopes and the loss of close friends, wrote about the everyday life and experiences of ordinary teenagers in such a way that the reader, behind their every word and deed, feels the breath of the approaching war, which quickly ended their youth.

After finishing reading the novel by Cyril Massarotto, you will not only burst into tears, but also want to call your parents as soon as possible. After all, this is a book about the love of a son - the young writer Tom - for his mother, forced to watch how Alzheimer's disease day after day takes away the person closest to him. Day after day, an insidious disease conquers a new part of the brain, taking away the most valuable thing - memories of shared moments, sorrows and joys. For all its poignancy, Cyril Massarotto’s novel reconciles with life. After all, Alzheimer's disease can take away memories and reason, but it cannot take away love. And Tom, when it hurts the most, will receive confirmation that his mother remembered him and loved him - always.

Anatoly Pristavkin spent the years of the Great Patriotic War in an orphanage, so “The Golden Cloud Spent the Night” was, as the author himself admits, largely autobiographical. The topic of war orphanhood had been touched upon by many before him, but only Anatoly Igorevich was able to write so expressively about the children of war, about the people around them and about the fact that everyone has their own truth. The story was translated into many languages, brought its author world fame and rightfully entered the golden fund of Russian literature.

Daniel Keyes managed to tell the story of an experiment on the artificial development of intelligence in a mentally retarded person in such a way that it contained the entire tragedy of human existence. Before the reader's eyes, the janitor Charlie Gordon, through the efforts of scientists, goes from a happy and good-natured, but mentally handicapped person to a deeply unhappy genius, irritable and at times cruel. The book, presented in the form of Charlie's own diary entries, allows you to penetrate so deeply into the hero's inner world that you involuntarily begin to think about what fate you would choose for yourself.

Everyone knows that books develop a person and expand his horizons. But there are literary works, after reading which, people begin to think about the correctness of their lives. Such books are thought out for a long time and scrupulously. And it is precisely this kind of literature that is considered especially valuable, because it plays a significant role in the formation of a person’s personality. Therefore, a list of books was created that will really help everyone think about the meaning of their existence.

Books that make you think

1. Mindfulness

Today, most people forget about real relaxation. For many, peace of mind has long been an unfulfilled dream. People are always in a hurry to get somewhere, but there is still not enough time. As a result, the person quickly gets tired and no longer feels happy. This book will help its reader find inner harmony through meditation, which takes only 10-20 minutes a day. It should be noted that many who have already achieved success meditate daily. This makes them more focused, and with renewed vigor they set out to conquer new heights.

2. Niilang: the story of a boy who sold his fantasies dearly

The main character of the book was a boy who always differed from those around him with his unusual ideas. The book will be especially useful for those who already have children, but those who do not have them can also learn a lot of new things. It's never too late to nurture your personality. And yet, this book is not a guide to raising children. Have you ever been told that your ideas are not promising, that you won’t get rich from it? This work will help you overcome your inner barrier and start doing and earning money from what you really like.

3. 5. Where will you be in five years?

There are people who are simply used to living an ordinary life, and they are not at all concerned about their future. This book was written specifically for them. Each person controls his own destiny. Many people often blame their failures on some circumstances, but nothing in life can stop a purposeful person, so it is necessary to constantly act, constantly strive for something. And this is the only way to achieve success.

4. Zen consciousness, beginner's consciousness

It was this work that prompted the legendary Steve Jobs to become interested in Zen Buddhism. The book will be useful even for those who do not have the slightest idea about this philosophy. The book will teach you to see the world around you differently and inspire new ideas. Of course, any philosophy, one way or another, prompts people to think about the meaning of existence, but Zen Buddhism best suits modern reality.

5. The art of living simply

How often in modern reality the environment imposes on us certain needs that in fact are not necessary. A person constantly strives to get the newest and best, be it gadgets, clothes, accessories. But at the same time, a person forgets about something more important - moral values. In this book, a person plunges into the philosophy of Japan, and gets a unique opportunity to understand how much useless stuff really exists around us now.

6. Chapaev and Emptiness

This work will certainly make you think about the meaning of life for a long time. Everything that the plot describes is so disparate that the mind simply cannot believe it at first. But if you read the work slowly, thinking about every sentence written, then a new world will open up. The pages of this book will make everyone think about something, something intimate.

7. Life without boundaries

Perhaps every person at least once in his life was dissatisfied with his appearance in some way. People tend to look for flaws. Many people turn such ideas into real complexes that prevent them not only from achieving their goals, but also from simply being happy. Extra pounds, birthmarks, baldness, or any other external shortcomings that people think really don’t matter in life. In his book, Nick Vujicic makes people think about the meaning of such experiences. The author is trying to convey the idea that every person can achieve happiness in life, and appearance does not play any role here.

8. To hell with everything! Take it and do it!

Any good book influences a person in some way. Richard Branson's next work was no exception. This book will awaken the thinking of any person, encourage him to start living happily, getting everything from life. The author himself managed to achieve a lot in life. He has his own business, all thanks to his unbridled optimism. You must always look for the positive sides in everything, and then nothing can push you away from the true path to your goals.

9. A Clockwork Orange

Power is to some extent detrimental to the people, especially when it comes to a totalitarian regime, when all human individuality is harshly suppressed. The main character of the book was a man who did not fit into the social framework established by the government at all. The authorities did everything possible to make him an ideal citizen of the country, they broke his personality, suppressed his will, and knocked out his ideas. And no one ever even thought about what kind of consequences might arise as a result. The modern world has a different system of government, however, many parallels can be drawn with what happens in the book.

10. One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest

Perhaps you have not yet seen the film based on the book, then you should definitely read this work. Even if you have already seen the film, you still need to read the book, because the film did not reflect even half of what the author wanted to convey. The thoughts and experiences of the main character seem so stupid at first glance, but as soon as the reader manages to understand them, it immediately becomes clear how deep the meaning they reflect. In any case, the book deserves to be read.

We've compiled a list of 25 insightful books about peace, society, politics, fiction, history, and human possibility that have stood the test of time.

Next time you're looking for a compelling read, check out this list.

"1984", George Orwell

George Orwell's dystopian novel, first published in 1949, has become a timeless classic of the dystopian genre.

In this book, for the first time, the idea of ​​the existence of “Big Brother” and a totalitarian regime appears, which remains relevant today, as at the time of writing.

Orwell presents readers with his vision of the world, captivating from beginning to end.

"Brave New World" by Aldous Huxley

In this powerful science fiction masterpiece, Huxley's "world controllers" create an ideal society.

Most people are content with a world based on genetic engineering, brainwashing and strict caste divisions. But there is always someone who longs to break free.

Huxley's captivating story takes readers through a frightening and thought-provoking fictional world imbued with the hallmarks of modern society.

Frankenstein, or the Modern Prometheus, Mary Shelley

This is a novel by an English writer about the scientist Victor Frankenstein, who achieves his goal and creates a living creature from inanimate matter, but it turns out to be so terrifying that the doctor gets scared and runs out of the laboratory in disgust.

Tortured and isolated, the innocent creation will come to hate its creator. The plot then unfolds in the spirit of a gothic thriller that touches the hearts of readers and provokes reflection on the dangers of scientific research and human judgment.

"The Trial", Franz Kafka

Kafka wrote the novel “The Trial” from 1914 to 1915, but it was published only in 1925, after the writer’s death. This is a unique story about a bank employee, Josef K., who is arrested for an unknown reason and struggles to find out what he is accused of.

Kafka wanted to burn the novel, but the writer's friend Max Brod prepared the manuscript for publication, organizing the scattered chapters of the work after the author's death.

Neuromancer, William Gibson

The science fiction novel in the cyberpunk style Neuromancer became the first work in its genre to receive three prestigious awards - the Nebula (1984), the Hugo (1985) and the Philip K. Dick Prize.

This book contains the definition of the matrix, as well as the ideas of cyberspace, artificial intelligence, virtual reality and the worldwide computer network, which subsequently attracted the close attention of both writers and readers.

"The Things They Carried" by Tim O'Brien

The Things They Carried is a groundbreaking reflection and powerful narrative of war, memory and imagination.

Tim O'Brien uses many metaphors to weave an insightful exploration of the condition of men in war, based on his own experiences in the Vietnam War from 1969 to 1970.

With his "semi-autobiographical" characters, O'Brien creates a style that blurs the boundaries between fiction and non-fiction.

Slaughterhouse-Five or the Children's Crusade by Kurt Vonnegut

Slaughterhouse-Five is one of the world's greatest anti-war books. This is the story of the bombing of Dresden, seen through the eyes of Billy Pilgrim, a man abducted by aliens.

The narrative is woven from different phases of the pilgrim's life, showing the heartbreaking events seen by the hero and based on the writer's own impressions, who, as an American prisoner of war, was in Dresden at the time of the Allied bombing.

Fahrenheit 451, Ray Bradbury

Fahrenheit 451 is a frighteningly prophetic novel about a dystopian future where there are no books.

To the main character, Guy Montag, all this seems normal until he gains insight into the past and joins an underground group of misfits.

The book surprisingly draws readers into its fictional world with a gripping plot and compelling characters.

"A Conspiracy of Dunces" by John Kennedy Toole

The book's key character is Ignatius J. Reilly, a 30-year-old man living with his mother in New Orleans. This is a hero who has no analogues in world literature. He is an intellectual and an ideologist, a glutton and a quitter. Toole perfectly combined the comic nature of Reilly with deep melancholy.

"In Cold Blood" ("Ordinary Murder"), Truman Capote

“In Cold Blood” is a novel based on a true event that occurred in 1959, when four members of the Clutter family were murdered in Holcomb, Kansas.

The motives for the crime and evidence were practically absent. Capote, interviewing local residents and investigators, collected a huge amount of information and wrote his story in the style of “new journalism.”

This work by Truman Capote has received many positive reviews for its eloquence, high level of detail and layered storytelling.

Lord of the Flies, William Golding

William Golding's allegorical novel Lord of the Flies became a bestseller and was required reading at some colleges and universities in the 1960s. This is a story about a group of boys stranded on a desert island. When problems arise, the cruel traits of human nature immediately begin to appear.

This book has always been perceived ambiguously. In 2005, Time magazine included it among the 100 best novels written in English since 1923. Although the American Library Association included it in its list of the 100 most controversial books.

The Alchemist, Paulo Coelho

A story of self-discovery and an inspiring tale of an Andalusian shepherd who wants to find the world's treasures. But his desire leads him to wealth that he never imagined.

A motivational story filled with wisdom about how following your dreams can lead to the discovery of great miracles.

Tuesdays with Morrie, Mitch Albom

Tuesdays with Morrie is the touching story of Mitch Albom and his mentor Morrie Schwartz.

Many of us become separated from our mentors and their ideas slowly fade from our memory. But Mitch gets a second chance to meet his sociology professor, who has only months to live. And he starts visiting him every Tuesday.

This non-fiction book is one of the most read memoirs of all time. It was composed of basic life lessons that became the theme of weekly meetings.

"The Picture of Dorian Gray", Oscar Wilde

Wilde's philosophical novel originally appeared as a short story in Lippincott's Monthly Magazine in July 1890. Moreover, the editors, fearing an “inappropriate” reaction from readers, removed part of the text before publication.

In response, the writer revised, expanded and published his work as an intellectual novel in a decadent style.

This is a story about a man who sells his soul for eternal youth and beauty. The book provoked a scandal in society and sharp criticism, but never ceases to arouse public interest and has been filmed more than 30 times.

A Clockwork Orange, Anthony Burgess

A Clockwork Orange is a classic nightmare where the future is filled with criminals roaming the streets after dark. A frightening tale of good and evil and what it means to be free.

The novel's central character, Alex, was named the 10th greatest movie villain by the American Film Institute (AFI).

Stanley Kubrick's cult dystopian film of the same name, released in 1971, is based on this novel by Anthony Burgess.

"Think slow...decide fast" by Daniel Kahneman

Daniel Kahneman's decades of research in psychology led him to win the Nobel Prize in Economics in 2002 "for his application of psychological techniques to economic science."

He delved into the two systems that control our thinking: system #1 or fast and emotional thinking; system No. 2 or slow and logical thinking. Kahneman exposed the flaws and biases of some thought processes.

The book challenges readers by examining our abilities to control our reactions, judgments, and choices.

"The Name of the Rose", Umberto Eco

Umberto Eco's first novel quickly became an international sensation. The Name of the Rose has sold 50 million copies worldwide.

This is a historical novel, a detective story, and a philosophical and cultural reflection, where the action takes place in 1327. The plot centers on a character named William of Baskerville, who is investigating a murder. He uses Aristotle's logic, the theology of Thomas Aquinas, and the ideas of Roger Bacon to decipher secret symbols and manuscripts.

"The Stranger" (or "The Stranger"), Albert Camus

The Stranger explores what Camus called "the nakedness of man in the face of the absurd" through the story of a man accused of murder.

This story by Albert Camus takes first place in the list of “100 books of the century according to Le Monde”. The writer raises complex questions in it that resonate in existential philosophy; explores themes of alienation, fear, spiritual doubt and the qualities that underlie human character.

"Geniuses and Outsiders" ("Outliers"), Malcolm Gladwell

In the book “Geniuses and Outsiders: Why do some have everything and others have nothing?” Malcolm Gladwell explores the world of the brightest, most successful and famous people on the planet, and also answers the question of how they differ from others.

We pay too little attention to successful parenting. The author discovers certain patterns that explain the secrets to the success of software billionaires; reveals what it takes to become a great footballer; why Asian students excel in math; which allowed the Beatles to become the greatest rock band.

"Ender's Game" Orson Scott Card

In the militarized reality of Orson Scott Card's sci-fi universe, a group of children are trained in a special program, preparing to fight insectoid aliens. One of the future commanders, Andrew Wiggin, suffers from the isolation, competition, pressure and fear that exist in this community of young soldiers. But it is he who combines the qualities that allowed him to become the tactical genius of the group.

"Catch-22", (Catch-22), Joseph Heller

Joseph Heller's classic story of the loss of faith and sanity as bureaucratic power grows.

The key character, Captain Yossarian, serves in Italy in a bomber regiment during World War II. But his main enemy is not the Nazis, but the army in which he serves. The bombardier finds himself in a bind due to a Catch-22 that prevents him from leaving the service.

Catch-22 is ranked 11th on the BBC's 200 Best Books and 7th on the New Library's 100 Best Novels.

Animal Farm, George Orwell

“Animal Farm” is another book by George Orwell, which became a brilliant political satire on the theme of rotten ideals, class conflicts, the revolution of 1917 and subsequent events in Russia.

The farm animals rise up to overthrow human rule and take matters into their own hands, but over time they realize that things are not going as they expected.

This satirical story-parable is actually endowed with deep meaning.

“Einstein walks on the moon. The Science and Art of Memory by Joshua Foer

Einstein Walks on the Moon is the story of Joshua Foer's quest to improve his memory. His experiments continued for a year. The author addressed cutting-edge research, the history of memorization methods and mnemonics.

He studied the ancient methods used by medieval scientists to memorize entire books and other techniques to unlock the potential and greatly improve his memory.

This fascinating book will not only help improve your memory, but also remind you how much our memories affect us.

Watchmen (Sentinels), Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons (illustrator)

Many critics call Watchmen the greatest graphic novel in history. He received a number of awards, including a Hugo Award.

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Spring... there is so much in this word. A thawed heart after the cold, the expectation of an unclear miracle, a warm wind that excites the blood, sun rays, the first greenery, life is blooming around and happiness is blooming. Even ossified cynics feel a vague restlessness of the soul in the spring. At this time, it is impossible to behave as before, and you want to read special books - piercing, awakening sensuality. Therefore, we offer you a list of such works that are ideal for reading in the spring.

1. April Witchcraft by Ray Bradbury

Of course, the great Ray Bradbury needs no introduction. Although he wrote science fiction all his life, he was known as one of the main romantics in literature. His works are lively, imbued with feelings and bright colors; the way he describes nature and the world around him allows the reader to leave the gray world and rush into the romantic clouds. This book is the quintessence of springtime magical realism and will truly make you feel young, joyful, and ready for adventure.

The plot tells about the creature Cecy - she can take any form. Here it is a drop falling to the bottom of a well, and here it is soaring like a bird over the forest. One day a girl drinks water from a stream, and Cecy turns into a person, into an attractive young lady who will have to experience for herself what feelings the human race experiences. This story is permeated with romance against the backdrop of the most magical time - spring. It is, of course, about love and the ability to love.

2. “The Orange Girl” by Jostein Gorder

Another truly spring book. She is sentimental, sensual, but in no way refined or banal. Deceptively light, “The Orange Girl” quietly awakens the soul and pierces it with contradictory and touching feelings. And I must say that the whole world appreciated her. Norwegian writer Jostein Gorder woke up famous with it, topping all sorts of ratings and collecting a decent crop of awards. This is a kind of book within a book - the story is told from the perspective of two narrators. A fifteen-year-old boy finds a letter from his father, who died 11 years ago. It turns out that before his death he wrote this work, wanting to shed the truth on his life story to his son and reveal to him the secret of the Orange Girl. It is likely that the subsequent plot will make you cry with emotion.

3. “Violets in March” Sarah Gio

Many people are well aware of the writer Sarah Gio, who has repeatedly occupied the first lines of New York Times bestsellers and whose novels have been translated into more than 20 languages. Perhaps, each of her books could easily be included in this rating, since the writer creates non-trivial and very romantic stories, but “Violets in March” can rightfully be called the most spring book.

Emily used to be very lucky and successful, she lived in New York, but now her life is falling apart at the seams - her husband cheated, her family doesn’t understand, her creativity is in complete crisis. The girl escapes to Bainbridge Island, where she spent her childhood with her great-aunt in a small house where violets grow on the porch and the ocean lies around the corner. There she finds a diary of an unknown person, dated 1943. And Emily will have to learn all the secrets of the island, and maybe find love thanks to this. This story touched the whole world, and at the same time, it is fascinating to read thanks to the action-packed plot line.

4. “Lavender Room” Nina Gheorghe

This novel was translated into Russian in 2015, and it immediately blew up all sorts of ratings and won praise from critics. Worldwide it has been translated into several dozen languages. If your soul is languishing in sadness, and you are experiencing anxiety, a feeling of crossroads, then this novel will become a lifeboat in finding yourself.

Imagine a small shop on the water, whose owner believes that books can cure any disease. Like a medieval pharmacist, he selects this or that product for his “patients” - unfortunate and lost customers. In his opinion, books cure sorrows, negative emotions, disappointment and unhappy love. Unfortunately, they did not cure the store owner himself, who has not been able to recover from a terrible loss for 20 years. But a new spring and new circumstances breathed life into him, and he weighs anchor to go to Provence, to meet new feelings and adventures.

5. “Mashenka” Vladimir Nabokov

It wouldn’t be amiss to add some great Russian writers to this list, because it was they who at all times paid great attention to feelings and “longing of the heart.” But let’s not go down completely banal paths. If you haven’t read Nabokov yet and are afraid of his snobbery and intellectuality, “Mashenka” will dispel your doubts and will probably serve as that very spark of nascent love. Not the writer's most famous novel, but one of the most sentimental, romantic and touching. Add to this the wonderful language praised by all and sundry, and you get Nabokov's exquisite prose. The story of Lev Ganin, a Russian emigrant in Germany, recalling his life and first love, is suspiciously similar to the fictional biography of Nabokov himself.

6. “Goddess of Spring” by F. K. Cast

This story is suitable for all modern witches. Even if you don’t sit over a cauldron at night, you still have a feminine, primordial power that stretches upward in the spring, like a sprout from the ground. Let her have free rein with this wonderful book.

A young girl mixes up ancient culinary recipes, suddenly finding a spell among them, and chance takes her straight into the body of the beautiful Persephone, into Hades. Now businesswoman Francesca is the goddess of spring in person. Trying to get her life back, the girl fails Demeter's mission, falls in love with Hades, the ruler of the kingdom of the dead, and challenges all the gods, trying to save her love. A truly hot and exciting story with an unusual plot, without the banal moves and pink refined sugar so often found in women's novels.

7. “Book of Complaints” Max Fry

Want a reboot book that masterfully hides under the cover of entertaining fiction? There you are. "Complaint book". Do you like to whine and curse fate, compare yourself with others, blame your life? Well, here's a cautionary tale about why you shouldn't do that. A smiling salesman, an old lady on the subway, a passerby - all of them can happily live your life a hundred times brighter and more interesting, and they will send you to vegetate beyond the boundaries of your destiny. They are called Nakhi and they live next to people and are always ready to take their lives. What, it doesn’t seem like your home, friends, family are so banal anymore? But it's too late. You can escape from cursed creatures only through courage and self-acceptance. Fry is the author who will not only brighten up your spring, it is quite possible that in every snowdrop and light breeze you will begin to see secret signs and imprints of magic.

8. “The Witch of April” by Maigull Axelsson

Do you know the feeling of aching and incomprehensible melancholy that arises at sunset in April, when the air is fresh and the bell rings? Then, most likely, you will like the novel by Maigull Axelsson, which made her famous throughout the world. For it she received Sweden's main literary prize - August Strindberg Prize. “The April Witch” has been translated into many languages, including Russian.

In the center of the plot is an unusual heroine, from that breed who are like witches, who can immediately comprehend the essence of things, who easily overcome time and space with the power of thought. And this is the only way, because she is paralyzed, left by her mother to social services, but her mind is sharp and knows no boundaries. The heroine has three sisters - some more successful, some less. The girl loves them all, but knows that one of them stole her life, which was intended for Desiree (that’s the heroine’s name). And she is ready to do anything to find out who. Her body is not an obstacle to true love, growing up, complex family drama and overcoming loneliness. In this novel, magic and reality are intertwined into an unforgettable phantasmagoria.

9. “Possess” by Antonia Byatt

I am ready to sing odes to this novel and put it on the pedestal of must read in the spring and precisely in the spring, because I have never seen more beautiful and at the same time intellectual prose about love. It’s hard to call the novel a women’s novel. It was not for nothing that at one time he received Booker Prize(and the author received Order of the British Empire) and does not lose its relevance and leading positions in many ratings to this day. He is called best novel of the 20th century, which in itself says a lot.

Starting slowly and even timidly, it hides all the most fascinating things further, in the depths. Here is a chivalric romance in a new way, and a detective story that will not let you tear yourself away from it until the morning, and a truly large-scale drama that will last for more than one generation. Several facets of the work shimmer and beckon, turning to the reader on different sides. Through the maze of the plot, two young philologists, Roland and Maud, make their way into the past, exploring a new clue in the biography of the Victorian writer Henry Holly. They will have to discover the most mysterious love story of the past, and along the way, find their own destiny.

10. “Cold Spring in Provence” by Dean Rubin

Oh, if you have read at least one book by Rubina, you are unlikely to have to explain why it is worth loving and reading, and then re-reading. Kindly sentimental, femininely understanding, whimsical in plots and their interweavings, with a soft, captivatingly beautiful language. Her prose seems to be woven from spring itself. And it’s better to meet her with a volume of “Cold Spring in Provence.” Short sketches and essays are anything but a banal travel book. This is a flowery and motley, fragrant and poignant canvas of stories from different people and different times. The common denominator is, in fact, Provence, the time of action is spring. Before you know it, the book will end, to your regret, and something in your soul will turn over and shift.

11. Practical Magic by Alice Hoffman

Another book that will enchant modern witches. After all, we are all women with a little sin, and if you wish, with a spark. By the way, the world-famous Alice Hoffman in February, which has already received positive reviews from critics. And “Practical Magic” is, perhaps, a classic that is a must for every self-respecting woman. Moreover, even if you have seen the famous film adaptation with Sandra Bulock and Nicole Kidman, then read the book anyway – it’s a hundred times better.

Two heroines today possess the ancient gift of witches. The whole novel is about such women, who are witches, who wield feminine magic in a harsh, male world. And, of course, any witches deserve personal happiness. But who knows whether the gift will help him find it or destroy him?

12. “Blackberry Wine” by Joanne Harris

If the famous book by Joan Harris “Chocolate” and its film adaptation with Johnny Depp can be considered truly, a list of which you can also find, then her “Blackberry Wine” is a real ode to spring. It is bright, colorful and incredibly atmospheric, reading it as if in reality one feels the smells of mown grass, just picked berries, a suburb immersed in greenery, the earth reviving after the rain. This book will inspire you and serve as great motivation.

In the story, the unfortunate writer Jay, whose fame has long passed, finds six bottles of homemade wine brewed by his childhood friend - the missing old man Joe. The taste of the drink literally creates magic and changes the hero’s life. How else can one explain his sudden purchase of a home in a village far away in France and subsequent adventures?

13. “Queen Sugar” Sarah Edison Allen

Josie is 27 years old, she lives with her mother and is dependent on her, because she is so quiet and modest. She has no friends, no normal social life, she is painfully shy of people and dreams of independence only in her dreams. Her life is brightened up by sweets and books hidden in the dressing room, where she consumes them in incredible quantities. So this gray mouse would have lived in the shadow of her mother, but one day, opening the door of her closet with supplies, she was surprised to find Della Lee there, a local troublemaker. From that day on, Josie's life changes. Perhaps yours will change too, thanks to this good book. In it, magic imperceptibly bursts into seemingly ordinary life. This is not just a fairy tale story, but a touching and unforgettable plot that can make you cry from light sadness.

14. “Tenderness” David Fonkinos

Who better than a Frenchman to create sensual, breathtaking, erotic and bewitching books about love. The young writer David Fonkinos fully confirms this opinion. He is called the brilliant novelist of his time; he already has dozens of novels and millions of copies to his credit. And his novel “Tenderness” is a wonderful book for the spring season, as the title itself hints at.

This is a love story between a different man and woman, a love that is subtle, graceful and intricate. They say about such people “not a couple.” Everyone around her and even her boss are in love with Natalie. She is sweet, sympathetic, beautiful. But having experienced a bereavement, she seemingly forever closes her heart to relationships, turning all suitors around. It is not a macho man who can melt such a heart, but a person who is anxious and ready to wait, even if he is completely inconspicuous at first glance. And after the book you can watch a wonderful film adaptation with Audrey Tautou.

15. “The Matchmaker of Périgord” by Julia Stewart

Let’s complete our selection with a light book, sometimes funny, permeated with good English humor. Despite this, it also has a double bottom with touching moments and love that melts the heart. This is a real tragicomedy about the difficult paths of love and its unusual, non-trivial forms. Hairdresser Guillaume lives in a village with only 33 inhabitants. He, like no one else, feels that love is necessary for everyone. And when he finds out that half of his fellow villagers go to the neighboring village to see another master, he is not upset and opens a marriage agency. This is where a series of amazing, funny and romantic stories of searching for worthy couples begins. Against the backdrop of a green village and wonderful descriptions of dishes, you can get real gourmet pleasure from reading The Matchmaker of Périgord.

We hope your spring will not only be bright, but also rich in good books. And if this list is not enough for you, then you can find something for yourself from