Modern Russian literature is rich in a variety of names. Many book resources compile their own ratings of the most read authors, best-selling books, top-selling books (RoyalLib.com, bookz.ru, LitRes. Ozon.ru, Labirint.ru, Read-Gorod, LiveLib.ru). We present the “twenty” of the most popular contemporary writers in Russia, whose works can be found in the collections of the Centralized Library System of Volgodonsk.
Speaking about modern Russian literature, one cannot help but recall the masters of writing novels.
Lyudmila Ulitskaya. A bright representative of Russian literature of the post-Soviet period. She began writing prose when she was already over forty. In her own words: “First I raised children, then I became a writer.” The first collection of stories by the writer, “Poor Relatives,” was published in 1993 in France and was published on French. Ulitskaya’s book “Medea and Her Children” brought her to the finalists for the 1997 Booker Prize and made her truly famous. The “Big Book” prize was awarded to: the collection of stories “Our Tsar’s People”, “Daniel Stein, Translator”, which soon received bestseller status. In 2011, Ulitskaya presented the novel “The Green Tent,” which tells about dissidents and the lives of people of the “sixties” generation. The writer’s autobiographical prose and essays were included in the book “Sacred Trash,” published in 2012. Fans of the writer characterize her work exclusively as bold, subtle, and intelligent.
Dina Rubina. Critics often call her a "women's writer", although her novel On the Sunny Side of the Street won a third prize. Big book” in 2007, when the first one went to “Stein” Ulitskaya. The 2004 novel “The Syndicate,” which describes the Moscow branch of the Israeli agency “Sokhnut” with a satirical intonation, quarreled her with many in Israel. But Russian readers still remain big fans of her work. The story “When Will It Snow” brought particular popularity to the author. The work went through several editions, was filmed, and played on theater stages. The writer's books are distinguished by their colorful language, colorful characters, rough sense of humor, adventurous plots and ability to speak clearly about complex problems and things. From latest works- trilogy “Russian Canary”. The plot, the character of the characters, the Rubin language - it’s impossible to tear yourself away from all this!
Alexey Ivanov.High-quality Russian prose in the genre of realism. The words of one critic that “Alexei Ivanov’s prose is the gold and foreign exchange reserves of Russian literature” are often reproduced on the covers of his books. Ivanov’s heroes - be they the mythical Voguls of the 15th century (“The Heart of Parma”), the semi-mythical raftsmen of the 18th century (“The Gold of Revolt”) or the mythologized modern Permians (“The Geographer Drank the Globe Away”), they say special language and think in a special way. All works are very different, but they are united by the author’s subtle humor, which gradually turns into satire. The writer Alexey Ivanov is notable for the fact that, while emphasizing his “provincialism,” he nevertheless carefully ensures that the plot follows all the laws of a Hollywood action movie in any novel. His latest novel, Bad Weather, was received ambiguously by the reading public. Some talk about the cardboardness and lifelessness of the characters, the hackneyed nature of the criminal theme, others speak with delight about the writer’s ability to create a portrait of our contemporary - a man brought up during socialism, who received a good Soviet education, and during the global breakdown of society, he was left alone with his conscience and questions. Isn't this a reason to read the novel and form your own opinion about it?
Oleg Roy. Bright name among novelists. He lived outside of Russia for a little over a decade. It was at this time that his creative career as a writer began. The title of the debut novel, “Mirror,” was presented to post-Soviet readers as “Amalgam of Happiness.” After this book he became famous in book circles. O. Roy is the author of more than two dozen books of various genres for adults and children, as well as articles in popular print publications. The writer's work will appeal to those who simply love good prose. Writes in the genre of urban novel - life stories, slightly seasoned with mysticism, which gives the author’s work a special flavor.
Pavel Sanaev.The book “Bury Me Behind the Baseboard” was highly appreciated by critics and readers - a story in which the theme of growing up seems to be turned upside down and takes on the features of surreal humor! A book in which the very idea of a happy childhood is parodied in a homerically funny and subtly evil way. The continuation of the now cult story was published only in 2010 under the title “The Chronicles of Razdolbay.”
Evgeny Grishkovets.
He started out as a playwright and performer of his plays, but then dramatic scene it seemed to him not enough. He added music studies to this, and then turned to prose writing, releasing the novel “The Shirt.” It was followed by a second book, “Rivers.” Both works, judging by the reviews, were warmly received by readers. Short stories and collections of stories began to be published. Despite the fact that the author works very seriously on each of his works and then proudly notes that his “author’s position” in this book is not at all similar to the “author’s position” in the previous one, one gets the impression that Grishkovets, with his plays, performances, in prose and songs all his life he writes the same text of his name. And at the same time, each of his viewers/readers can say: “He wrote this directly about me.” The author’s best books: “Asphalt”, “A...a”, collections of stories “Plank” and “Traces on Me”.
Zakhar Prilepin.His name is known to the widest circle readers. Prilepin spent his childhood and youth in the USSR, and grew up in the difficult 90s of the 20th century. Hence the frequent reviews of him as the “voice of generations.” Zakhar Prilepin was a participant in the Chechen campaigns of 1996 and 1999. His first novel, “Pathology,” which tells about the war in Chechnya, was written by the author in 2003. The writer’s best books are the social novels “Sin” and “Sankya,” in which he shows the life of modern youth. Most of the author’s books were warmly received by the public and critics; “Sin” received rave reviews from fans and two awards: “National Bestseller” and “Loyal Sons of Russia.” The writer also has the “Supernational Best” award, which is awarded for the best prose of the decade, as well as the All-Chinese award “Best foreign novel». New novel- “Abode”, about life in the Solovetsky special purpose camp, became a bestseller due to its historical and artistic content.
Oksana Robski.She made her debut as a writer with the novel “Casual,” which laid the foundation for the genre of “secular realism” in Russian literature. Books by Oksana Robski - “The Day of Happiness is Tomorrow”, “About LuOFF/ON”, “Oysters in the Rain”, “Casual 2. Dancing with Head and Feet”, etc. caused numerous and contradictory reviews from critics. According to some observers, the novels truthfully reproduce the atmosphere of “Rublevka” and indicate the lack of spirituality and artificiality of the world of the so-called Rublevka wives. Other critics point out numerous inconsistencies and say that Robski's works have little to do with the realities of everyday life of the business elite. The artistic merits of her works are generally assessed as low; At the same time, some critics emphasize that Robski, in fact, does not pretend to high artistic goals, but presents events easily, dynamically and in clear language.
Boris Akunin.Fiction writer. Akunin is a pseudonym, and not the only one. Publishes his works of art also under the names of Anna Borisova and Anatoly Brusnikin. And in life - Grigory Chkhartishvili. The author became famous for his novels and stories from the “New Detective” series (“The Adventures of Erast Fandorin”). He also created the series “Provincial Detective” (“The Adventures of Sister Pelagia”), “The Adventures of the Master”, “Genres”. In each of its “brainchild” creative person amazingly combines literary text with cinematic visuality. Positive reviews from readers indicate the popularity of all stories without exception.
Many readers prefer detective genres and adventure literature.
Alexandra Marinina.
She is called by critics nothing less than the queen, the prima donna of the Russian detective story. Her books are read in one sitting. They are distinguished by realistic plots, which makes the reader wholeheartedly experience the events that happen to the characters, empathize with them and think about important life issues. Some of the author's new works, which have already become bestsellers: "Execution without malice", “Angels Can’t Survive on Ice,” “Last Dawn.”
Polina Dashkova.The writer gained wide fame after the publication of the detective novel “Blood of the Unborn” in 1997. During the period 2004-2005. The author’s novels “A Place in the Sun” and “Cherub” were filmed. The writer's style is characterized by vivid characters, an exciting plot, and good style.
Elena Mikhalkova. Critics say she is a master of the "life" detective story. The best books of the writer are detective stories in which all the characters have their own story, which is no less interesting to the reader than the main one. storyline. The author takes ideas for plots for his works from everyday life: a conversation with a supermarket salesperson, leaflet texts, family conversation at breakfast, etc. The plots of her works are always thought out to the smallest detail, making each book very easy to read. Among the most popular books: “The Whirlpool of Other People’s Desires”, “Cinderella and the Dragon”.
Anna and Sergei Litvinov.
They write in the genres of adventure and detective literature. These authors know how to keep the reader in suspense. They have written more than 40 novels together: “The Golden Maiden”, “Sky Island”, “The Sad Demon of Hollywood”, “Fate Has Another Name” and many others. In their reviews, readers admit that the Litvinovs are masters of intrigue and exciting plots. They harmoniously combine in their texts a mysterious crime, bright characters and a love line.
One of the most popular literary genres among Russian readers is female romance novel.
Anna Berseneva. This is the literary pseudonym of Tatyana Sotnikova. She wrote her first novel, Confusion, in 1995. Anna Berseneva is the only author who managed to populate modern women's novels with extraordinary male heroes. After all, it is the lack of expressive male characters, according to sociologists, that is the reason that women's novels are practically absent from the domestic book market. A series of novels by A. Berseneva about several generations of the Grinev family - “An Unequal Marriage”, “The Last Eve”, “The Age of Third Love”, “The Catcher of Small Pearls”, “The First, the Accidental, the Only” - formed the basis for the multi-part television film “Captain’s Children” "
Ekaterina Vilmont.
Her books are loved by readers all over Russia. She wrote her first romance novel at the age of 49 (“The Journey of an Optimist, or All Women are Fools”). Then I tried myself in the genre children's detective. In their women's novels Vilmont reveals the inner world of modern, mature, independent women who are able to control circumstances, talk about their failures and victories, tragedies and joys, and about what worries every reader - about love. Ekaterina Vilmont's novels are full of humor, cheerfulness and witty titles: “In Search of Treasures”, “The Happiness Hormone and Other Nonsense”, “Incredible Luck”, “With All the Dope!” , "An Intellectual and Two Ritas". This is an ironic, light, lively prose that is read in one breath and charges readers with optimism and self-confidence.
Maria Metlitskaya.
Her works appeared on the market of modern women's love literature relatively recently, but have already managed to win the respect of fans. The first novel has been published since 2011. The writer's best books are known for their precision of detail, life-affirming mood and light humor. Reviews from her fans indicate that these books helped them find a way out of difficult life situations. Today, the list of the writer’s works includes more than 20 novels and stories. Among her latest works, it is worth highlighting the following: “Our Little Life”, “Mistake of Youth”, “The Road to Two Streets”, “Faithful Husband”, “Her the last hero"and others.
In Russian modern science fiction there is a whole galaxy of talented writers whose names and works deserve attention.
Sergei Lukyanenko.
One of the most widely circulated authors among science fiction writers. The first circulation of his book “The Last Watch” was 200 thousand copies. Films based on his novels became an important factor in increasing popularity. The release of the blockbusters “Night Watch” and “Day Watch” increased the circulation of this author’s books by more than seven times.
Nick Perumov.He gained widespread fame after his first publication in 1993 of the epic "The Ring of Darkness", set in the Middle-earth of John Ronald Reuel Tolkien. From novel to novel, Nick's style becomes more and more individual and unique, and the initial opinion of critics and him as a Tolkienist is a thing of the past. The best books by Perumov and his series are included in the treasury of Russian science fiction literature: “The Chronicles of Hjervard”, “Chronicles of the Rift”, “Soul Stealers”, “Black Blood” and many others.
Andrey Rubanov.His fate was not easy: he had to work as a driver and bodyguard in the difficult 90s, and live in the Chechen Republic at the height of the military campaign. But it gave him the necessary life experience and helped me successfully start my journey in literature. The most flattering reviews were earned by the works that are rightly included in the list of the best books of the science fiction writer: “Chlorophylia”, “Plant and it will grow”, “Living Earth”.
Max Fry.The author's genre is urban fantasy. Her books are for people who have not lost faith in fairy tales. Stories about ordinary life and a light style can captivate any reader. What makes the image of the main character popular and extraordinary is the attractive contrast: the male external role and behavior and the female motives for action, the way of describing and assessing what is happening. Among popular works: “The power of the unfulfilled (collection)”, “Volunteers of Eternity”, “Obsessions”, “Simple magical things”, “ Dark Side", "Stranger".
These are not all the names of modern Russian literature. The world of Russian works is diverse and fascinating. Read, learn, discuss - live with the times!
“Russian literature is the only unhindered guide in the West’s desire to understand the secrets of the Russian soul, its culture and identity. No restrictions or prohibitions, political hostility or sanctions for you. I bought a volume of a Russian classic and you get to know yourself quietly, dosing it - sitting, lying down, standing, in the subway, at home... Pushkin, Gogol, Lermontov, Tolstoy, Dostoevsky, Chekhov... Be careful with Chekhov - you can go on a drinking binge...”
Abroad began to become thoroughly acquainted with Russian literature through the writer Ivan Turgenev, who settled in Baden-Baden in 1863. Having become close to the most famous Western writers, cultural and artistic figures, with the intelligentsia and politicians of that time, Turgenev very quickly became the most famous and most widely read Russian author in Europe. It was with the works of Turgenev that the Western reader began to comprehend the full depth and richness of the Russian language.
In 1878, at the international literary congress in Paris, the writer was elected vice-president; in 1879 he was awarded an honorary doctorate from Oxford University. Chancellor of the German Empire Clovis Hohenlohe called Ivan Sergeevich Turgenev the best candidate for the post of Prime Minister of Russia. He wrote about Turgenev: “Today I spoke with the most smart person Russia."
But Ivan Turgenev’s main merit is propaganda. Throughout his entire life abroad, he tirelessly “promoted” Russian literature as the most undervalued within Russia itself. Thus, Europe met Pushkin, Lermontov, Gogol...
They say that people become interested in the literature of a particular country when they show interest in the country itself. This is partly true. In relation to Russia, this interest on the part of the West never ceased and reached its peak in the 21st century. It is noteworthy that once having discovered Pushkin, Lermontov, Gogol, Turgenev, Dostoevsky, Tolstoy, Chekhov and many other prolific masters of Russian literature, the West never ceases to associate Russian literature and Russia itself with these great names. Of course, in this regard, modern writers have a hard time, and oddly enough, Russian writers of the 21st century have to compete with Russians classics of the 19th century century. After all, there is still a huge demand for the export of Russian classics. The facts speak about this:
The film adaptation of Leo Tolstoy’s “War and Peace” speaks of the popularity of the Russian classic abroad - there are more than 7 different versions of the film. Another example is “Anna Karenina” - in different countries it has been filmed about 18 times.
Chekhov still remains the leader in the number of foreign film adaptations of Russian classics - his works became the basis for film/television versions about 200 times. He is one of the 3 most screened writers in the world.
“In the galaxy of great European playwrights... the name of Chekhov shines like a star of the first magnitude,” wrote George Bernard Shaw at the beginning of the 20th century.
However, if Tolstoy and Dostoevsky in the West are known more from books, then Chekhov is rather not read, but “watched”: the writer is little known as the author of humorous stories, but is rightfully considered a playwright of the first magnitude along with Shakespeare, Shaw and Wilde. His plays are some of the most popular in the world. But Chekhov himself did not foresee his future fame. He told his friend Tatyana Shchepkina-Kupernik: “They will read me for seven, seven and a half years, and then they will forget.”
One more thing is surprising. Fame in a writing career directly depends on its “promotion”. Writing with talent or genius is not enough. You need to invest in advertising and self-PR. And the best PR is a scandal. Take, for example, Nabokov’s world fame, having written the scandalous “Lolita,” he might not have written anything else. The scandalous plot itself, and all the attempts to ban the publication of the novel, made its publication an event and provided the book with huge circulations. Solzhenitsyn talentedly made his name “in politics” and the propaganda machine helped him.
Now it’s already difficult to play politics. It is almost impossible to implement a political intrigue on which you can “take off.” There is money left.
Nowadays, few Russian names are noticeable in the West - of course, primarily due to the language barrier. IN pre-revolutionary Russia there was not much difference between the bearers of Russian and European culture. All educated people in Russia spoke English, French, and German well. Tolstoy almost received the first Nobel Prize for Literature, Turgenev was absolutely recognized in Paris as a writer, Dostoevsky had a huge influence on Freud and many others. Then there was a single multilingual culture. Now it’s the other way around: globalization has led to a situation where English alone dominates. So it turns out that cultures are different, but all writers have the same language. At the same time, it cannot be said that bearers of Russian culture became victims of any special discrimination. There is simply one dominant culture and it is English-speaking.
But we digress.
And yet, which Russian writers, by modern standards, are the most famous abroad?
Leo Tolstoy - “War and Peace”, “Anna Karenina”;
Fyodor Dostoevsky - “Crime and Punishment”, “The Idiot”, “The Brothers Karamazov”;
Anton Chekhov - “Uncle Vanya”, “Lady with a Dog”, “Kashtanka”;
Alexander Pushkin - “Eugene Onegin”;
Nikolai Gogol - “Dead Souls”;
Ivan Turgenev - “Fathers and Sons”;
Mikhail Bulgakov - “Fatal Eggs”, “The Master and Margarita”;
Vladimir Nabokov - “Lolita”;
Alexander Solzhenitsyn - “The Gulag Archipelago”, “One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich”;
Ivan Bunin - “Sukhodol”, “Village”;
Alexander Griboedov - “Woe from Wit”;
Mikhail Lermontov - “Hero of Our Time”, “Demon”;
Boris Pasternak - Doctor Zhivago.
With modern Russian literature everything is much more complicated. Nevertheless, quite popular: Polina Dashkova, Dmitry Glukhovsky, Zakhar Prilepin, Mikhail Shishkin, Victor Pelevin, Sergei Lukyanenko, Boris Akunin.
In the 90s, the only modern Russian author whose books could be easily obtained in English was Pelevin - despite the fact that this was still a specific reading. Over the past ten years, however, some things have changed, others have been translated - Boris Akunin has had the greatest success: in England his detective stories still sell well... In the West they like a Russian writer to be bearded and serious.
In England it’s clear, but what about in the USA? According to the famous publicist Owen Matthews(Owen Matthews), “the literature of modern Russia cannot offer the American reader brought up on philosophical novels Tolstoy and Dostoevsky, something that can return them to the “magical land” open to them in the books of the classics.” That is why the percentage of Russian literature in modern America does not exceed 1-3%.
Deputy Head of Rospechat Vladimir Grigoriev believes:
“The fact that our writers have not been making stars lately is largely due to extra-literary issues.” Remember the growing popularity of Mikhail Shishkin in Western European countries after he spoke out against the Kremlin’s policies... And vice versa - as soon as Zakhar Prilepin, who was quite successfully translated and published in English-speaking countries, began to speak out in support of the so-called Novorossiya, we began to experience certain difficulties in its promotion."
We've really gone backwards. First, sport turned into a tool of political pressure, now literature. You look and Bolshoi Theater will stop touring the world. Perhaps the excitement for Russian painting will even subside. But nothing. But we began to export twice as much gas, oil, tanks and Kalash rifles...
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The best books are a relative concept. Good printed edition at the moment- this is a work that brings a person comfort, advice, knowledge, wisdom, and vivid impressions. Thus, the determining factor is whether the book satisfies the needs of a particular reader.
For some people, only specialized literature is valuable: documentary, scientific, technical, medical, industrial. But this is rather food for thought. However, most readers are still interested in fiction books. They are the ones who contribute to the formation of a spiritual image. They will be discussed in this article.
A fiction book is a unique invention. A galaxy of thinkers from different times and eras trusted paper with their hopes, observations, understanding of truth, life, and humanity. It’s wonderful when the vivid images created by these authors, together with deep and unique quotes (sometimes decades ago, and sometimes centuries ago) illuminate the lives of our contemporaries!
The role of the Russian Book of the Year competition
The current one in Russia is unusually fruitful and has characteristic features, inherent in decadence:
Send literary process in a constructive direction, to avoid erosion of the national and to stimulate truly talented beginnings in it is an extremely important task of modern Russian culture. An indicator of the success of books written by our contemporaries is the annual national competitions according to the “Book of the Year” type. They are organized with the aim of stimulating both writers and publishing houses.
For example, in Russian competition 2014, traditionally held in mid-September, 150 publishing houses participated, submitting more than half a thousand books to the competition. Winners were announced in 8 categories:
- prose works - the novel “The Abode” (Zakhar Prilepin);
- poetic work - translation of Shakespeare's "King Lear" (Gigory Kruzhkov);
- fiction for children - the story “Where is the cock's horse galloping?” (Svetlana Lavava);
- art book - “Kargopol Journey” (prepared by the local architectural and art museum);
- Humanitas nomination - artistic and documentary album “Lermontov” (State Archive of Arts and Literature);
- e-book - media project « Yasnaya Polyana" and "Yaroslavl Temples" (project bureau "Sputnik");
- nomination “Printed in Russia” - album “Vetka. Book culture";
- the main prize of the “Book of the Year 2014” competition is the three-volume “Russia in World War I” (a team of 190 researchers from universities, museums, and archives).
To summarize: the objectives of the above-mentioned competition are to increase the status of the book in current public life; stimulating the best authors and publishing houses. Over the sixteen years of its existence, this event has proven in practice its motivating role in the development of Russian literature.
At least, they nominated Russian writers who can rightfully be called classics:
- 2004, nomination “Prose” - “Sincerely yours, Shurik” (Lyudmila Ulitskaya); nomination “Bestseller” - “Night Watch” (Sergei Lukyanenko);
- 2005, nomination “Prose” - “Voltairians and Voltairians” (Vasily Aksenov);
- 2011, nomination “Prose” - “My Lieutenant” (Daniil Ganin).
International book ratings
As we have already mentioned, the best, most popular books, thanks to the thoughts crystallized in them, become real friends, advisers, and joy for their readers. And the authors who wrote them are called classics.
The best books created by talent are studied in schools and universities. educational institutions, they are widely quoted in everyday life.
At the very least, browsing the Internet reveals dozens of variations of the “Top 100 Books.”
Lists like these have some value. Thanks to them, it becomes much easier for a novice reader to find the truly best books to read among tens and hundreds of thousands of works. If a person feels his gaps in knowledge of world culture (an integral part of which is domestic and foreign literature), then such a rating can become a route map.
What direction should you choose for such a landmark? If you are really interested in world literature, then we would recommend using one of the ratings by version:
- English Broadcasting Company (BBC);
- The Observer;
- Union of Writers of Russia;
- French newspaper Le Monde;
- American publishing house Modern Library;
- Norwegian book club.
Of course, the news agency of each country, listing the best books, tries to give leading places in the compiled lists to fellow countrymen authors. And this is justified. After all, the talents of the recognized classics, who created their masterpieces from the times of the ancient world to the present day, are in fact incomparable. Each of them finds a path to the hearts of readers in their own way.
A phenomenon that has come down to us thousands of years later: the literature of the ancient world
The list of books that have come to us through millennia and inherited from other eras is quite limited. However, they also appear in modern ratings. That's why we write about them. Unfortunately, history has not preserved ancient libraries: Gentiles fought with books as well as with enemies. For example, the richest library of Alexandria, containing up to 700,000 papyrus scrolls, was destroyed.
Which books of our classical ancestors should be mentioned first when talking about the ancient world? Of course, Publius Virgil Maro, the author of the Aeneid, deserves fame in Latin, and Homer, the author of the Odyssey and Iliad, deserves fame in ancient Greek. Guided by Virgil's theory, the Russian scientist and poet Mikhail Vasilyevich Lomonosov developed a syllabic-tonic system of versification, which served as a launching pad for further development Russian poetry.
However, not only Virgil and Homer are considered ancient classics. Horace, Cicero, and Caesar also wrote in Latin, and Aristotle, Plato, and Aristophanes wrote in ancient Greek. However, it is precisely the two names mentioned earlier that best represent the literature of the ancient world.
Books from Europe during the emergence of capitalism
Foreign literature, of course, is represented by a much richer list of authors than Greece and Ancient Rome. This was facilitated by the rapid development of European states.
France, with its Great Revolution, awakened romantic human aspirations for freedom, equality, and fraternity. In the literature of Germany, which began to create its statehood, in unison with the French, romanticism also prevailed.
In contrast, industrialized, urbanized and politically stable Britain - ruler of the seas - exhibited the most powerful and mature literary process, leaning towards realism.
It is generally accepted that the most famous writers writing in French at that time were Victor Hugo (Les Miserables, Cathedral Notre Dame of Paris") and George Sand ("Consuelo").
However, speaking about the French contribution to world literature, the names of Alexander Dumas the Father should be mentioned (“The Iron Mask”, “The Three Musketeers”, “The Count of Monte Cristo”), Voltaire (the poem “Agathocles”), Charles Baudelaire (collections of poems “The Parisian Spleen”, “The Flowers of Evil”) , Moliere (“Tartuffe”, “The Tradesman in the Nobility”, “The Miser”), Stendhal (“The Perm Monastery”, “Red and Black”), Balzac (“Gobsek”, “Eugene Gande”, “Godis-Sar”), Prosper Merimee (“Chronicles of the Times of Charles IX”, “Tamango”).
Let us continue the list of romantic books characteristic of early bourgeois Europe by mentioning the works of the Spaniards and Germans. A brilliant representative of the Spanish classical literature is Cervantes (" Cunning Hidalgo Don Quixote of La Mancha"). Among the German classics, the most famous were Johann Wolfgang Goethe (“Faust”, “Wild Rose”), Heinrich Heine (“Journey to the Harz”), Friedrich Schiller (“The Fiesco Conspiracy in Genoa”, “The Robbers”), Franz Kafka (“The Missing Man”) ", "Process").
Romantic adventure books discarded the entourage real life, their plot was based on the actions of exceptional heroes in unusual conditions.
The Rise of British Literature
In the 19th century, British writers were rightfully considered the trendsetters of “book fashion” on the European continent. French authors, initiated by the Great Revolution, were less favored after the collapse of Napoleon Bonaparte.
The British had their own literary tradition. Back in the 14th century, the whole world recognized the genius of William Shakespeare and the innovative social ideas of Thomas More. Developing their literature in the conditions of a stable industrial society, British authors already in the 18th century began an evolutionary transition from the classic chivalric romance (romanticism) to social and psychological works.
More pragmatically than the French, they tried to answer the philosophical question: “What is Man and what is Society?” Such new thinkers were Daniel Defoe (“Robinson Crusoe”) and Jonathan Swift (“Gulliver”). However, at the same time, Britain marked a new direction of romanticism, as demonstrated by George Gordon Byron, author of Don Juan and Childe Harold's Pilgrimage.
The literary tradition of realism in the first half of the 19th century was powerfully developed by the following famous writers:
Brilliantly talented (whom F. M. Dostoevsky later called his teacher);
Intellectual to the point of uniqueness, stoically enduring hunger and poverty, Charlotte Bronte, known for the novel “Jane Eyre”;
The creator of the world famous Sherlock Holmes is Arthur Conan Doyle;
Kneeling and persecuted by the corrupt press (“Tess of the Dabervilles”).
Russian golden literature of the 19th century. The biggest names
The classics of Russian literature are associated in the world primarily with the names of Leo Nikolaevich Tolstoy, Fyodor Mikhailovich Dostoevsky, Anton Pavlovich Chekhov. Although in general in the 19th century (which is generally accepted) Russian literature turned into the most vibrant cultural phenomenon global level.
Let us illustrate the above. Tolstoy's style of writing novels has become an undisputed classic. Thus, the American writer Margaret Mitchell wrote her famous epic “ Gone with the Wind", imitating the style of Lev Nikolaevich.
The piercing psychologism of the highest standard inherent in Dostoevsky’s work was also generally recognized throughout the world. In particular, the famous scientist Freud argued that no one in the world could tell him anything new about inner world person, no one except Fyodor Mikhailovich.
And Chekhov’s innovation inspired authors to begin writing works based on the world of human feelings. In particular, the venerable British playwright Bernard Shaw recognized himself as his student. Thus, foreign literature in the 19th century received both powerful ideological support and a new vector of development from Russian literature.
A note about literary ratings
The fact remains: among hundreds of the best works, a significant part is occupied by books written in the 19th century. It is these writers who are usually studied in schools, for which inertial and unreasonably stable educational programs have been developed.
Is this fair? Not at all. It is more expedient to change the curriculum, taking into account the tastes of the real advanced reading audience. In our opinion, works of writers of the 20th and 21st centuries should occupy no less a share than the works of the 19th century in the curriculum.
The classics of Russian literature today are not only the works of Pushkin, Gogol, Turgenev, but also the books of Mikhail Bulgakov, Victor Pelevin. We deliberately express our thoughts figuratively, mentioning only individual names of famous poets and writers.
Raising the topic: “Which books are the best?”, it is reasonable to talk in more detail about the works of the classics of the present and past centuries.
Best book according to the BBC. Critical view
According to the BBC, the first place is occupied by John Ronald Tolkien's novel-trilogy “The Lord of the Rings”. Let's pay special attention in this article this work of fantasy. Books with such depth of plot development, based on ancient legends, are very rare.
What motivated the rating experts to give such a high rating? Indeed, the Oxford University professor has done Britain a great service with his fascinating work. Having deeply and comprehensively studied the folklore of Foggy Albion (hitherto scattered and fragmented), figuratively speaking, he unraveled it by thread and wove it into a single concept of the struggle between Good and Evil. It’s not enough to say that he did it with talent. An interesting fact testifies to the uniqueness of the trilogy. One day, an angry scientist colleague came to the author of “The Lord of the Rings” after his lecture and accused the writer of plagiarism.
Modern fiction, perhaps, has never had such associations before. The writer’s opponent turned out to be demonstrative; he brought the confused author of “The Ring” unknown copies of drawings from ancient British chronicles, which seemed to illustrate Tolkien’s work.
It happens! One person managed the impossible - to unite, systematize and, most importantly, presentably present the ancient folklore of his homeland. It is not for nothing that Queen Elizabeth II awarded the writer the honorary title of Knight of Britain.
Some other BBC rated books
- Children's fantasy trilogy "His Dark Materials" (Philip Pullman).
- To Kill a Mockingbird (Harper Lee).
- "1984" (George Orwell).
- "Rebecca" (Daphne Du Maurier).
- "The Catcher in the Rye" (Jerome Salinger).
- "The Great Gatsby" (Francis Fitzgerald).
Opinion of Russian readers
What assessment is given to fairness? British rating on Russian book lovers forums? The short answer is: ambiguous.
The work of the writer George Orwell is given a fairly high rating. For many readers, their favorite book has become an exciting novel with an unpredictable plot - “Rebecca”. For children to read, we can recommend the story of the journey of the girl Lyra Belacqua from Oxford through fantasy worlds by Philip Pullman.
However, there are also quite motivated comments. For example, for the domestic sophisticated reader who loves such books-novels as Bulgakov’s realistic-mystical novel “The Master and Margarita”, the work “Doctor Zhivago” from Boris Pasternak, as well as “Picnic by the Road” and “The Doomed City” from the Strugatsky brothers, To put it mildly, the BBC's rating priority criterion is not entirely clear.
Please understand correctly: we are by no means trying to lower the artistic value of a number of talented novels like “Catch 22”, “The Great Gatsby”, “The Catcher in the Rye” when we state a fact: their genre is an ideological novel. Can they, objectively speaking, compete with the voluminous and multi-problem work “The Master and Margarita”?
Such novel books, which consistently reveal only one idea of the author, should be rated lower! After all, their depth of meaning is initially limited by design, devoid of volume, multidimensionality. Therefore, in the opinion of our readers, the dubious positioning of novels-ideas in the list of books in positions higher in rating than “War and Peace” or “The Master and Margarita” is completely absurd.
Modern postmodern books
Postmodernist books today are perhaps at the peak of their popularity, since they represent an ideological antithesis to the stagnating society of mass consumption. Contemporary postmodern writers dissect the consumer lifestyle around them, filled with soulless advertising and primitive glossy glamor.
There are such ideological authors even in well-fed America. Recognized in his homeland as a true expert on the problems of consumer society, the writer Italian origin Don DeLillo (Underworld novels, White Noise). Another Italian scientist, professor of semiotics at the University of Bologna Umberto Eco, immerses the reader in such an intellectually rich outline of his work (“Foucault’s Pendulum”, “The Name of the Rose”) that his creations are in demand by an intellectual audience.
Another author demonstrates a softer postmodern. One of the representatives of Russian modern literature of this movement is Boris Akunin. The books of this modern classic (“The Adventures of Erast Fandorin”, “Azazel”, “The Adventures of Sister Pelageya”) are in demand among mass readers and have even been filmed. Many note the strength of the author’s talent, his masterful style, ability to create fascinating stories. In his reasoning, he demonstrates a special personal philosophy of an eastern character.
The latter is especially noticeable in his “Jade Rosary” and “Diamond Chariot”.
It is noteworthy that, captivating the reader detective stories, occurring in the general outline historical events Russia, does not avoid the problems of poverty, corruption and theft modern classic Akunin. His books, however, are not kept within the strict framework of a historical plot. In the West, this genre of prose is called folk-history.
The chronological point that determines the start of the concept of “modern Russian literature” is 1991. Since that time, hitherto closed works by sixties authors have become available to the general public:
- “Sandro from Chegem” by Fazil Iskander.
- “Island of Crimea” by Vasily Aksenov.
- “Live and Remember” by Valentin Rasputin.
Following them came into literature modern writers, whose worldview was initiated by perestroika. In addition to the above-mentioned Boris Akunin, other Russian literary stars of the first magnitude shone brightly: Viktor Pelevin (“Numbers”, “The Life of Insects”, “Chapaev and Emptiness”, “T”, “Empire V”) and Lyudmila Ulitskaya (“The Case of Kukotsky ", "Sincerely yours, Shurik", "Medea and her children").
Modern fantasy books
Perhaps a sign of the era of decadence was the remake of the romantic genre, revived in the form of fantasy. Just look at the phenomenon of popularity of the series of novels about Harry Potter by JK Rowling! This is really so: everything is returning to normal, romanticism is regaining lost ground from realism!
No matter how much they say that realism once (in the 30s of the 20th century) crushed romanticism to death, no matter how much its crisis is hidden, but it is again on horseback! It's hard not to notice. Let us remember just one of classical definitions of this literary style: “Exceptional heroes act in unusual situations.” Isn't that last statement in keeping with the spirit of fantasy?! What else can I add...
- “Night Watch”, “Day Watch” (Sergei Lukyanenko).
- “Forbidden Reality”, “Gospel of the Beast”, “Catharsis” (Vasily Golovachev).
- The cycle of novels “The Secret City”, the cycle “Enclaves” (Vadim Panov).
Let us also recall the popularity in Russia of the fantasy series “The Witcher” by the Polish writer Andrzej Sapkowski. In a word, adventure books are now again in favor with readers.
Looking through the forums of domestic readers, we found that among outstanding writers In the 20th century, non-European and non-American books are mentioned much less often. However, among them there are some very bright and talented works:
- “One Hundred Years of Solitude” (Colombian Marquez).
- “Woman in the Sands” (Japanese Abe Kobo).
- “Waiting for the Barbarians” (South African John Coetzee).
Conclusion
The bottomless fiction of its authors (meaning the best) the average person, unfortunately, a priori will not be able to read throughout his entire life. Therefore, navigation in the boundless book “sea” is extremely important. “Why do you need to read this purposefully?” - an uninitiated person will ask...
We will answer: “Yes, to decorate your life, to make real friends! After all, books are advisers, inspirers, and comforters.
In conclusion, we note that if in the future you are lucky enough to find at least a dozen books, each of which, like a tuning fork, will ideally suit you, your soul in a certain life situation, then we will consider that it was not in vain that we worked on this article. Happy reading!
The jury of 'The Top Ten: Writers Pick Their Favorite Books', led by a New York Times columnist, included such famous writers as: Jonathan Franzen, recognized by Times magazine as the best American novelist, author of the novel “The Emperor's Children” Claire Mesud, Joyce Carol Oates, famous American novelist, and many others. The writers compiled lists of the top 10 novels and writers by looking at 544 titles. The novels were scored from 1 to 10.
The ten greatest writers of all time, according to total points:
1. Leo Tolstoy – 327
One of the most widely known Russian writers and thinkers, revered as one of the world's greatest writers. Participant in the defense of Sevastopol.
A writer recognized during his lifetime as the head of Russian literature, whose work marked new stage in the development of Russian and world realism, becoming a kind of bridge between the traditions of classical novel XIX century and literature of the 20th century.
The most famous works of Tolstoy are the novels “War and Peace”, “Anna Karenina”, “Resurrection”, the autobiographical trilogy “Childhood”, “Adolescence”, “Youth”, the stories “Cossacks”, “The Death of Ivan Ilyich”, “Kreutzerova” sonata", "Hadji Murat", series of essays " Sevastopol stories", dramas "The Living Corpse" and "The Power of Darkness", autobiographical religious and philosophical works "Confession" and "What is my faith?" etc.
2. William Shakespeare – 293
English poet and playwright, often considered the greatest writer in the English language and one of the world's best playwrights. Often called the national poet of England. The surviving works, including some written jointly with other authors, consist of 38 plays, 154 sonnets, 4 poems and 3 epitaphs. Shakespeare's plays have been translated into all major languages and are performed more often than the works of other playwrights.
Most of Shakespeare's works were written between 1589 and 1613. His early plays are mainly comedies and chronicles, in which Shakespeare excelled considerably. Then came a period of tragedy in his work, including Hamlet, King Lear, Othello and Macbeth, which are considered among the best in the English language. At the end of his career, Shakespeare wrote several tragicomedies and also collaborated with other writers.
3. James Joyce – 194
Irish writer and poet, representative of modernism, Joyce significantly influenced world culture. He remains one of the most widely read English-language prose writers in our time. In 1998, Modern Library compiled a list of the Modern Library's 100 Best Novels, which included all three of James Joyce's novels: Ulysses (number 1 on the list), A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man (number 3), and Finnegans Wake "(number 77). In 1999, Time magazine included the writer in its list of “100 Heroes and Idols of the 20th Century,” saying that Joyce carried out an entire revolution. Ulysses has been called "the demonstration and summing up of the entire modern movement [of modernism]."
4. Vladimir Nabokov – 190
Russian and American writer, poet, translator and entomologist.
Nabokov's works are characterized by complex literary technique, a deep analysis of the emotional state of the characters combined with an unpredictable, sometimes almost thriller plot. Among the most famous examples of Nabokov’s creativity are the novels “Mashenka”, “The Defense of Luzhin”, “Invitation to Execution”, “The Gift”. The writer gained fame among the general public after the publication of the scandalous novel “Lolita,” which was subsequently adapted into several film adaptations (1962, 1997).
5. Fyodor Dostoevsky – 177
One of the most significant and famous Russian writers and thinkers in the world. Dostoevsky's work had a great influence on Russian and world culture. Literary heritage The writer is assessed differently both at home and abroad. In the West, where Dostoevsky's novels have been popular since the early twentieth century, his work has had a significant influence on such generally liberal-minded movements as existentialism, expressionism and surrealism. Many literary critics see it as the forerunner of existentialism. However, abroad Dostoevsky is usually assessed primarily as an outstanding writer and psychologist, while his ideology is ignored or almost completely rejected.
1. Gabriel José de la Concordia "Gabo" García Márquez(b. March 6, 1927, Aracataca, Colombia) - famous Colombian prose writer, journalist, publisher and politician; winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature 1982. Representative literary direction « magical realism" His novel One Hundred Years of Solitude (Cien años de soledad, 1967) brought him worldwide fame.
2. Umberto Eco(b. January 5, 1932, Alessandria, Italy) - Italian scientist-philosopher, medievalist historian, semiotics specialist, literary critic, writer. Most famous novels- "The Name of the Rose" and "Foucault's Pendulum".
3. Otfried Preusler(b. October 20, 1923) - German children's writer, by nationality - Lusatian (Lusatian Serb). Most famous works: “Little Baba Yaga”, “Little Ghost”, “Little Waterman” and “Krabat, or Legends of the Old Mill”.
4. Boris Lvovich Vasiliev(born May 21, 1924) - Soviet and Russian writer. Author of the story “The Dawns Here Are Quiet” (1969), the novel “Not on the Lists” (1974), etc.
5. Ion Druta(b. 09/03/1928) - Moldavian and Russian writer and playwright.
6. Fazil Abdulovich Iskander(03/06/1929, Sukhum, Abkhazia, USSR) - an outstanding Soviet and Russian prose writer and poet of Abkhaz origin.
7. Daniil Alexandrovich Granin(b. January 1, 1919, Volsk, Saratov province, according to other sources - Volyn, Kursk region) - Russian writer and public figure. Knight of the Order of St. Andrew the First-Called, Hero of Socialist Labor (1989), President of the Society of Friends of the Russian National Library; Chairman of the Board of the International Charitable Foundation. D. S. Likhacheva.
8. Milan Kundera(b. April 1, 1929) is a modern Czech prose writer who has lived in France since 1975. He writes in both Czech and French.
9. Thomas Tranströmer(b. April 15, 1931 in Stockholm) is the largest Swedish poet of the 20th century. Winner of the 2011 Nobel Prize in Literature "for the way his brief, translucent images give us a renewed view of reality."
10. Max Gallo(b. January 7, 1932, Nice) - French writer, historian and politician. Member of the French Academy
11. Jorge Mario Pedro Vargas Llosa(b. 03/28/1936) - Peruvian-Spanish prose writer and playwright, publicist, politician, winner of the 2010 Nobel Prize in Literature.
12. Terry Pratchett(b. April 28, 1948) is a popular English writer. The most popular is his satirical fantasy series about the Discworld. The total circulation of his books is about 50 million copies.
13. Yuri Vasilievich Bondarev(b. 03/15/1924) - Russian Soviet writer. Author of the novel “Hot Snow”, the story “Battalions Ask for Fire”, etc.
14. Stephen Edwin King(b. September 21, 1947, Portland, Maine, USA) is an American writer working in a variety of genres, including horror, thriller, science fiction, fantasy, mystery, and drama.
15. Victor Olegovich Pelevin(born November 22, 1962, Moscow) - Russian writer. The most famous works: “The Life of Insects”, “Chapaev and Emptiness”, “Generation “P””
16. Joan Rowling(b. July 31, 1965, Yate, Gloucestershire, England) is a British writer, author of the Harry Potter series of novels, translated into more than 65 languages and sold (as of 2008) more than 400 million copies.