Rating of literary works throughout history. Russian and foreign world classics: books (list of the best)

A good book is much more than a way to “kill time.” Wanting to get acquainted with unusual worlds, mysterious and strong characters and incredible adventures, the reader should take a closer look at the works of the most popular contemporary writers. Below are the most striking and famous works of recent decades - top 10 best modern books!

1. 11/22/63 (Stephen King)

Tops our list of the best modern books science fiction novel by Stephen King 11/22/63. The first publication of the work took place in 2011.

The assassination of J.F. Kennedy became one of the greatest tragedies of American society. A popular politician was shot dead during a huge parade in front of thousands of Americans. Could the president have been saved? Surprisingly, the answer to this question remains to be found out by a simple teacher! Jake Epping is an ordinary resident of a small town who works at a school and is not much different from thousands of his fellow citizens. However, by the will of fate, it is he who gets the chance to go through a time portal, which is located in the back room of the cafe of his old friend Al. The owner of the device has long wanted to find Kennedy's killer, but illness has ruined all plans, so Jake must replace him! Go back, straight to the 60s, live there for several years, identify the future executioner and stop him on the day of the terrible tragedy! Will he be able to change the course of history and even go back?

2. American Gods (Neil Gaiman)

American Gods is one of the best modern fantasy books, which was written by English writer Neil Gaiman in 2001.

America. A haven for a huge number of migrants from all over the world. In search of a better life, people went to an unknown continent, hoping to settle there and find long-awaited happiness. However, they did not travel alone: ​​each visiting guest took with them a piece of their native culture. Gods, beliefs, rituals, customs - this is the true baggage of the migrants! Will different deities be able to get along together and what does such a neighborhood promise? Shadow, the main character, recently released from prison, will have to find out. Once free, he finds himself straight into a series of strange events and mysterious crimes that need to be unraveled.

3. The Kite Runner (Khaled Hosseini)

Rounding out the top three best books and the modern American writer Khaled Hosseini. The work was born in 2003.

What is true friendship? Sometimes adults find it very difficult to answer this question. Much easier for children. Amir and Hassan are two completely different boys who are connected by true friendship. Only one of them is an aristocrat, and the second is a poor servant! Coming from different social strata, they do not pay attention to the differences that are so important for adults. Playing, joking, sharing secrets and impressions, experiencing failures and experiencing grief, the boys gradually grow up, and their friendship only becomes stronger. One day, serious changes are coming to the country that will test their strength and scatter their friends across to different parties. Can childhood friendship survive?

4. A Song of Ice and Fire (George Martin)

A Song of Ice and Fire is one of the most famous and best modern fantasy books. This is a whole series of works, consisting of five already published volumes. Two more books in the project. The first publication took place in 1996. The book gained particular popularity after the release of the series “Game of Thrones,” based on it, filmed by HBO.

The unique fantasy world is inhabited by far from good fairies and funny gnomes. This is a world of several powerful powers who are desperately fighting for their hearts' content. Their goal is the throne of Westeros. Their means are weapons, intrigues, murders and rebellions. The Palace of Verteros is filled with vile and greedy people who are eager to seize the throne at any cost. There is no longer any place for honesty and nobility here. By arranging serious intrigues and organizing coups, the conspirators will do everything to undermine the situation in the kingdom. However, it is not only them that should be feared, because the cunning rulers of neighboring states are also not averse to snatching the “tasty morsel” during a cruel and blind turmoil! Coming real war for power, ready to bury the old order forever.

5. The house in which... (Mariam Petrosyan)

“The House in Which...” is an interesting modern science fiction novel by the Armenian writer Mariam Petrosyan, published in 2009.

On the edge of the city there is a boarding house for abandoned children. This old and gray place seems very inhospitable and gloomy, but everything is not so simple... Once inside, a person can discover a new, unusual world in which there is more kindness and light than on the bright city streets. The pupils of the house are divided into groups, each of which has its own leader. There are no first and last names here - only bright nicknames. There is a lot of unknown here and very little that is familiar. These are miniature societies with their vices and virtues. Children learn about the world by growing up, changing and trying to find their place in it.

6. The Book Thief (Markus Zusak)

The Book Thief is fascinating modern novel Australian writer, written in 2006.

Liesel Meminger is a little German girl whose childhood fell on a truly monstrous time. In 1939, the Nazi regime reached its peak, exterminating the disobedient and preparing to enslave the world. Horror, murder, robbery and terror became daily companions in the lives of those who did not suit new government. After the death of her husband, Frau Meminger moves, trying to find a quieter corner for her daughter. But in vain... Looking around, Liesel sees the chaos going on through the eyes of an innocent child who does not understand this cruel and strange world adults. Growing up quickly, she has to learn and rethink a lot.

7. Gone Girl (Gillian Flynn)

Gone Girl is one of the best modern thriller books. The work was published in 2012 and became the basis for the film of the same name.

How difficult it can be to recognize a person, even if you have lived with him long years! An unusual incident changes the fate of the main character when his wife suddenly disappears. During a wild celebration of their wedding anniversary, a woman mysteriously disappears. The arriving police discover blood and signs of a struggle, deciding that the man killed his wife and hid her body. Now the confused man is left to solve this incredible puzzle himself. Who knows, maybe the solution will be even more monstrous than the disappearance itself...

8. Cloud Atlas (David Mitchell)

The novel Cloud Atlas was written in 2004 by an English writer. Its plot is a complex interweaving of stories and destinies that, at first glance, have nothing in common. An American lawyer stuck on a tropical island while a ship is being repaired; a young English musician forced to trade music and body in order to earn a piece of bread; a brave Californian journalist fighting against a powerful corporation; a London publisher facing criminals after the release of another bestseller; a clone from a Korean anti-utopia and a Hawaiian old man watching the decline of human civilization. All events and characters pass difficult path V different times gradually intertwining together.

9. When I Was Real (Tom McCarthy)

Tom McCarthy's novel When I Was Real continues our top 10 best modern books.

A sudden disaster changed the life of a young man, erasing his past. He finds himself in a long coma, from which he, fortunately, manages to get out. But such a long process did not pass without a trace: now he needs to learn to live again. Walk, move, work with your hands and talk. The whole past life comes in the form of vague memories, and the hero endlessly desires to return to his former self. Moreover, a certain large corporation is ready to pay him huge amounts of money in order to keep the cause of the incident secret. How are they connected? What happened that day? And how to become completely the same?

10. Anathem (Neal Stephenson)

And the top ten is completed by the modern science fiction book Anathem, written by American writer Neal Stephenson in 2008.

Arb is a distant and mysterious planet similar to Earth. People who worship science live here. Science, which completely replaced religion and managed to split society into two irreconcilable camps. The guardians of science are monks who were once scientists. They once worked and created for the benefit of progress, but their work led to something terrible. Now the monks live in the monastery, closed off from the outside, secular world. Their life is simple, calm and measured, but once every ten years a special date comes - a day when the two sides can change places. Monks will see the outside world, and secular people will be able to join the monastic life and worldview. One day, such a change led to terrifying consequences, and now the two sides must unite to prevent the impending disaster!

I'll quit smoking on Monday. Next week I'll start running and join the gym. This weekend I'll clean up my room and find a job. We should do something else, right?

2019 has fallen on our shoulders. It's time to get off the couch, open your eyes, drink mineral water and finally start. I have compiled for you 2 lists of books of world and Russian literature, which you should read at least in 2016, if you have not done so earlier. Let's start, perhaps, with the “boring” Russian classics. Listen!

Fyodor Dostoevsky "The Dream of a Funny Man"

Have you also thought about suicide at least once in your life? If not, then this is not a reason to ignore Dostoevsky’s story. Everyone knows this author purely from the book “Crime and Punishment,” however, in my opinion, in order to fully understand the essence of Dostoevsky, one should start with the story “The Dream of a Funny Man.” How can one understand the essence of human existence before the last shot in the head? How can you exchange paradise for world wars and hatred of your neighbor? And the main thing is how not to pull the trigger. The end of the story can be entitled with the expression “Cherchez la femme”; if you understand why, then everything was not in vain.

Anton Chekhov "Ward number 6"

Do you think Russian classics go better with a glass of vodka? I have a subjective opinion on this matter, but what about the views of Comrade Gromov? How to combine reading books, a glass of vodka, a psychiatric hospital and two brilliant people with completely different and at the same time identical views on existence in this world? This kind of oxymoron permeates the entire story about the sad truth of the cheerful Chekhov. Have you already figured out what to drink with your literature?

Evgeny Zamyatin “We”

Evgeny Zamyatin can safely be considered the founder of the great genre of dystopia. I am sure that if you chose him, you simply must know such great dystopians as Orrwell and Huxley. If these names mean anything to you, then without even thinking, buy yourself Zamyatin and start devouring it by the tablespoonful. The construction system, coupon relations and all capital letters. Instead of people. Instead of names. Instead of life.

Leo Tolstoy "The Death of Ivan Ilyich"

On the cover of this book I would write in huge red letters: “Caution! Causes frustration, pain and awareness. Sentimental stupid people are strictly prohibited.” Forget about the hackneyed book "War and Peace", here is a completely different side of Leo Tolstoy, which is worth all the volumes of the huge novel. Trying to find deep semantic subtext in the story “The Death of Ivan Ilyich”, you will miss the most important thing that lies on the surface. A banal, simple truth that is accessible to everyone, eludes us every time. If you found it in the story, and also learned to live by it, my bow and white envy to you.

Ivan Goncharov "Oblomov"

Here's something, and in the novel "Oblomov" it's easier than ever to find yourself. Alas. How wonderful it is to contemplate this life from the outside, when the stupid vanity of this world passes you by. The first love, which for some reason makes you get up from the sofa, obsessive friends who are always trying to drag your lazy ass into the world - how absurd this whole “bubbling life” is. Avoid it, contemplate, think and dream, dream, dream! If you are a like-minded person with this statement, congratulations, your soul mate has been found in the main character of the novel “Oblomov”.

Maxim Gorky "Passion-face"

It was no coincidence that Gorky’s work received such symbolic name“Passion-face”, because the story is impossible to read without trembling in the knees. If you love children too much, don't read. If you are impressionable and emotional, don’t read. If girls with syphilis absolutely disgust you, don’t read. In general, don’t listen to me now, open the book and start getting scared harsh realities this life. The social bottom, dirt, vulgarity and yet truly happy, “pure” people in children's and adults' swords about impossible happiness.

Nikolai Gogol "The Overcoat"

A little man against a huge scary society, or how to lose everything that is dear to you, even if it’s a simple overcoat. A stingy official, an unnecessary environment, little happiness in exchange for great disappointment and death as the only logical conclusion. It is through the example of Akakiy Bashmachkin that we will consider a large, weighty and significant problem of society - the theft of an overcoat.

Anton Chekhov "Man in a Case"

How do you maintain relationships with your work colleagues, classmates or friends? I would recommend one great way to improve your communication skills - come visit them and remain silent. I give you a 100% guarantee that society will be delighted with you. An umbrella in a case, a watch in a case, a face in a case. A certain shell behind which a person tries to hide, to protect himself from outside world. A man who even managed to stuff his sincere love into a cover and protect it not only from the object of love, but also from himself. So what about maintaining relationships? Shall we keep quiet?

Alexander Pushkin “The Bronze Horseman”

Once again we face a big problem little man, only this time in Pushkin’s work “The Bronze Horseman”. Evgeniy, Parasha, Peter and a love story, it would seem that what could be more ideal for the plot romantic drama? But no, this is not “Eugene Onegin”. We break love, we break a city, we break a person, add to this a drop of the symbolic image of the bronze horseman and we get the perfect recipe for one of Pushkin’s best poems.

Fyodor Dostoevsky "Notes from Underground"

And closing the list of Russian classics will be the one with whom we, in fact, started - the great beloved Dostoevsky. It is no coincidence that I put “Notes from the Underground” in the final place. After all, this work is not just exciting, it is wild in places, so to speak. Increased awareness of being - fatal disease. Activity is the lot of the limited and stupid. If you like these interpretations, then Dostoevsky will suit your taste, and if you have also humiliated prostitutes at least once in your life, then the “underground” will become your favorite place to stay.

About the 10 best foreign classic books read the second part of the list of books for 2016. Love Russian classics.

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By Russian classical literature we mean the works of classics: writers who are not only exemplary, but also who have become symbols of Russian culture. Only the person who knows classical works, appreciates their merits, feels their inner beauty, and can be considered truly educated. Today you will find out by opinion women's magazine Charla.

10 best books of Russian literature: “The Brothers Karamazov”

Perhaps this novel can be considered the most complex and controversial work of the great Russian writer. Critics have dubbed it an “intellectual detective story,” and many call it the best work about the mysterious Russian soul. This is the last and one of the most famous novels Dostoevsky, it was filmed both here and in the West, where, by the way, this work is held in special esteem. What is this novel about? Each reader answers this question differently. The author himself defined his great creation as “a novel about blasphemy and its refutation.” One thing is certain, this is one of the deepest philosophical works world literature about sin, mercy, the eternal struggle taking place in the human soul.

10 best books of Russian literature: “The Idiot” by Fyodor Dostoevsky

10 best books of Russian literature: “War and Peace” and “Anna Karenina” by Leo Tolstoy

Tragic romance about the love of married Anna Karenina for the handsome officer Vronsky - this is one of greatest masterpieces Russian literature, relevant today. "All happy families are similar to each other, each unhappy family is unhappy in its own way” - these lines are familiar to every person.

"Anna Karenina"- a complex, deep, psychologically sophisticated work that captures the reader from the first lines and does not let go until the end. The novel by the brilliant psychologist Tolstoy captivates with its absolute artistic authenticity and dramatic narrative, forcing the reader to watch intensely how the relationships will develop between Anna Karenina and Vronsky, Levin and Kitty. It is not surprising that this book captivated not only Russian readers, but also Europe and America.

10 best books of Russian literature: “The Master and Margarita” by Mikhail Bulgakov

10 best books of Russian literature: “Dead Souls” by Nikolai Gogol

The novel was originally conceived in three volumes. The first volume was published in 1842. However, subsequent events have a mystical connotation: having finished the second volume, Gogol completely burned it - only a few chapters remained in the drafts. And ten days after that the writer died...

10 best books of Russian literature: “Doctor Zhivago” by Boris Pasternak

10 best books of Russian literature: collection of stories “Dark Alleys” by Ivan Bunin

10 best books of Russian literature: “Quiet Don” by Mikhail Sholokhov

10 best books of Russian literature: “The Gulag Archipelago” by Alexander Solzhenitsyn

Of course, this is far from full list outstanding books of Russian literature. Nevertheless, these are books that every person who appreciates and honors Russian culture should know.

Alisa Terentyeva

Reading any book takes time and often a lot of it. The number of books, one might say, is endless, but life, alas, is the opposite. This means that you don’t have to read everything. This is where difficulties arise: “What is good and what is bad?” But, there is one small subtlety that makes it easier to find the answer to this question. Someone has already read any book before you. In the worst case - only the author and in the best - millions and millions. But the number of people who have read a particular book does not always indicate the quality of the book. Moreover, people have very diverse tastes. This means that you should first choose people whose opinions you can rely on.

100 best writers and 100 best books
XIX-XX centuries

That's how it all began. The result is the plate shown below. This is the result of a generalization of about 20 ratings, opinions of various literary authorities, lists of laureates of various awards (including the Nobel Prize). There is nothing personally from me in these ratings (author of this text: Andrey Matveev). The only thing that is mine here is the choice of period (19-20 centuries). Of course, these ratings do not mean that all works must be read and the biographies of all writers must be studied from cover to cover. Moreover, this list is based mainly on English-American ratings with a bias, naturally, on English-language literature. However, the result obtained is interesting and seems worth getting acquainted with.

Andrey Matveev, 2001

Top 100 Writers

100 best books

🔥 For readers of our website, a promo code for Litres books. 👉.

The most recognized classic literature - a list of the best books. World foreign and Russian classics. Highly recommended. 😉

Sylvia Plath. Under a glass cover

Esther Greenwood is invited to New York for an internship at a women's fashion magazine. She goes there, determined to conquer the city and become a writer. But behind the magnificent scenes hides an indifferent society and difficulties adult life. Esther loses control of herself and is overcome by depression and loneliness. Further

Ken Kesey. Over the cuckoo's nest

A work that describes harsh and extremely honest images of points of contact common sense and madness, brought Ken Kesey the title of the most talented writer. At the time of its appearance, the novel was popular among representatives of the beat movement and hippies, but even today it has not lost its relevance. Further

William Somerset Maugham. Theater

What does the book hide in itself? An elegant and sarcastic narrative by an incomparable, witty actress who is going through a midlife crisis while dating a young thief of women's hearts? Vanity stories of the roaring twenties? Or is this an exciting romance for all times? One thing is for sure, “Theatre” will appeal to even the most fastidious reader. Further

This book will be an assistant for schoolchildren of all ages. With it, neither children nor parents will have to spend a lot of their time searching for a specific work: the collection already contains a large amount of necessary literature, which teachers advise reading. Further

The main character, who is a bank employee, is suddenly arrested on the day he turns 30. But he is not taken into custody, and he takes advantage of this to try to figure out what he did wrong. In this process, he becomes more and more immersed in the judicial world. Will the hero be able to figure out what the accusation is? Further

Kerouac became famous all over the world thanks to his work “On the Road,” although the attitude of different people towards him was very contradictory. The novel, in a very unusual, non-linear way, tells the story of the plight and suffering of one generation of people, and in the center of attention is Dean, a witty man who loves drink and women. Further

Famous novel in Polish classics, written in historical genre. Events take place in the mid-16th century. Then the Swedes were eager to conquer Poland. But the Poles also caused confusion among their people: some went over to the side of their enemies, others tried with all their might to defend their land. And in the center of events are the adventures of a couple in love. Further

A novel that will be relevant at all times. The book touches on themes of religion and philosophy, which are perfectly revealed in an ideally constructed plot: the actions of each hero carry within them makes a lot of sense. In this work, the author showed how one can avoid immorality in society. Further

The original opposite of the well-known dystopia “O wonderful world" What's worse for people? A consumerist society driven to the point of meaninglessness? Or a society with a predominance of ideas, which led to ideal perfection? Orwell believes that the worst thing is the massive loss of freedom. Further

The book tells the story of generations of the Buendia family. Events during the war, forbidden love between family members, the appearance of new people, magic - all this can be found in the work of Marquez. The novel involves the reader in the feelings of each character: his experiences and loneliness are acutely felt. Further

Tragedies of people in war times, problems lost generation. This book will reveal the range of all feelings from love to betrayal. The heroes of the novel are three friends who are united by the front; their feelings, thoughts about the past, desires and dreams are described. This work is for those who want to immerse themselves in the life of the last century. Further

The book that laid the foundation for the culture of European postmodernism. It can be perceived in different ways: a masterpiece of avant-garde novel written in the style of surrealist philosophy, or, on the contrary, a masterpiece philosophical story, written in the style of a novel with surrealism. Further

The busy life of the 20s of the last century, when it was popular to throw luxurious parties, when people were confident that they would find happiness only after achieving great heights of power and wealth. And Gatsby, who fruitlessly chased the dream of love, had all of this. Further

The boys, who had only recently graduated from school and had not yet had time to experience adult life, found themselves in a war that spares no one, together with their teacher. Young men try to find joy in the most ordinary things, in things that they never paid attention to before, because every day could be their last. Further

Events take place in a sanatorium where there are people suffering from tuberculosis. I feel acutely cut off from the rest of the world, with which I can occasionally communicate via mail. Here no one is afraid of death anymore, everyone desperately clings to the slightest manifestations of relationships between people, this helps not to go crazy. Further

A masterpiece of literary art that will never lose its relevance: people of all times will read this book with great pleasure. Jane Austen was the first to show that the novel could be a serious genre without the superficiality of its plot. With this she won everyone's love. Further

A book that draws you into the story of difficult fates two brothers and a sister who begin to live separate lives after their father dies. Everyone along the way encounters many obstacles that prevent them from finally achieving their dreams. The work teaches you to find happiness in what you already have, but have not yet learned to appreciate. Further

Hugo writes about how people who are not accepted by society live. For example, a man who was sentenced to 20 years because he was caught stealing bread because his poor family was starving; or the boy who lived on the street. The novel touches on themes of crime, police, politics and the church. Further

At the time of the first submission of the novel, books were subject to strict censorship; the publication of forbidden topics could not be allowed, therefore this work was cut by almost a third. This option the book is compiled from all materials that were found in the archive, it is the first full edition, which you can read. Further

An excellently written work that was awarded a film adaptation. But if you want to feel the whole gamut of emotions and be completely immersed in a deep story about a crazy woman who leads nowhere, unrequited love beautiful paralyzed girl to a soldier, it's worth reading this novel Zweig. Further

It was the world's most popular classic literature - a list of the best books. Not everyone here is Russian and foreign classics, but if you have favorite works, write about them in the comments and we will add them to the list. 😉