List of books you can’t put down

10 Books You Can’t Put Down A good book is like a friend you want to talk to non-stop. In reading, as in life, there are fleeting acquaintances, but there are also those that last forever. From time to time you meet such friends again, get nostalgic and will certainly learn something new.

The ancient Roman philosopher Cicero said that he did not value reading without any pleasure. Superficial, joyless browsing is a problem for many people. It is quite difficult to navigate in the modern literary space. Much of what is written and actively replicated is not worth attention. These are one-day books whose voice will be drowned out for decades. But among the paper cake there are true literary diamonds that will always sparkle. To help enthusiastic readers, we have made a selection of 10 books that are impossible to tear yourself away from.

Somerset Maugham “The burden of human passions” (1915)

“The Burden of Human Passions” (original title Of Human Bondage) is one of the most famous works of the 20th century classic Englishman Somerset Maugham.

This is a philosophical drama about the life and existential quest of Philip Carey. From early childhood, he was haunted by misfortunes: orphanhood, congenital lameness, ridicule from schoolmates, loneliness. Adult Carey still remains timid and shy, falls in love with the wayward vicious Mildred and dutifully endures her beloved’s repeated betrayals. Life is damn unfair to Philip, and therefore he is trying to find out what is its meaning, on what laws life is built. Why does it give everything to some, while ruthlessly takes away even elementary grains of happiness from others. On the way to the truth, Carey turns to many philosophical teachings, is disappointed in God and faith, tries himself in various fields, trying to find his calling, falls in love, breaks hearts. Will the main character be able to shed the burden of human passions and answer the question, what is life?

Recommended reading for fans of philosophy, psychological puzzles and prose by Somerset Maugham.

Tartt “The Secret History” (1992)

Tartt’s Secret HistoryThe Secret History (originally The Secret Story) is the debut novel by Pulitzer Prize-winning American writer Donna Tartt. It was sold around the world in five million copies and sounded in 24 languages. It was with the “Secret History” that the loud glory of his “parent” began.

This psychological thriller tells the story of the students of a closed college in Vermont. Young people came to the educational institution to study the ancient Greek language. There are very few of them, they are young, smart, talented and fanatically in love with antiquity. Soon, the guys have an idea fix – they are superhumans, a special caste, the chosen ones. Many years later, student Richard Paypen recalls those days when he lived within the walls of a secluded college, believed in his uniqueness, and when that terrible murder happened …

Donna Tartt knows how to intrigue, dissect characters and break stereotypes. We recommend it to fans of suspense and talented criminalistics.

Fannie Flagg “Fried Green Tomatoes” (1987)

Evelyn Coach’s life is over. She is 48 and, despite the fact that she is married, she is infinitely lonely. Evelyn has long ceased to take care of herself, and chocolate bars have become the main joy of her life. In addition, now she has to go to a nursing home to visit her mother-in-law. It is here that the woman meets Ninny Threadgoode. This 86-year-old old woman lived a long and difficult life, but she was not at all disappointed in her and did not lose her optimism. Sitting in a government chair at a nursing home, Ninny brings back multiple memories and inspires her listener.

The novel “Fried Green Tomatoes” (original – Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe) from the talented American Fanny Flagg became a real bestseller in its time. Four years later, in 1991, a film of the same name was made based on it. The tape was directed by Jon Evnet (“War”, “Close to the Heart”).

For those who have lost their faith, who have succumbed to pessimism, who love a little sad nostalgia and touching life prose, we recommend Fanny Flagg’s novel.

Alexandre Dumas (father) “The Count of Monte Cristo” (1844-45)

Alexandre Dumas The Count of Monte Cristo Even those who have not read The Count of Monte Cristo will certainly know this literary character and at least in general terms have heard the story of the prisoner of the Chateau d’If.

Alexandre Dumas (father) is a true titan of literature. Centuries later, he is no longer tied to any particular country and culture, Dumas is a citizen of the world, and his legacy is the pride of mankind.

If you love adventure, intrigue, exciting plot twists and turns, put aside modern reading for a while and turn to the classics. The story of the sailor Edmond Dantes, his ups, downs, love, “death” and magical resurrection, will give you an unforgettable experience!

Françoise Sagan Leash (1989)

The famous Frenchwoman Françoise Sagan became famous all over the world for her unusual stories. This woman knows how to surprise. The Leash (originally La Laisse) was written in the last decade of her creative career. It tells about a married couple Vincent and Laurent. One of them is rich, earns money, the other plays the role of a toy, forced to live by the rules of a whimsical patron. A familiar story, isn’t it? However, the wayward Sagan turned everything upside down: her Vincent is a doll, and Laurent is a puppeteer.

The Leash will certainly appeal to fans of everyday drama, atmospheric French prose and the recognizable style of the great Sagan.

Arthur Hailey “Airport” (1968)

Arthur Hailey Airport On a January evening in 1967, a snowstorm hit Lincoln International Airport. At this time, a passenger plane crashes and urgently needs to land. The airport administration, led by Mel Bakersfeld, needs to quickly organize a landing in extreme conditions.

The novel “Airport” (in the original Airport), like other works of the Canadian Arthur Hailey, belongs to the genre of the so-called production novel, in which a person (a professional in his field) faces the solution of a complex informal task face to face. As a rule, it is necessary to solve it in a short time. So, Mr. Bakersfeld is given 24 hours to fight the snow element. One day in the life of Lincoln Airport turned out to be quite stressful.

Stefan Zweig “24 Hours in the Life of a Woman” (1927)

Stefan Zweig writes wonderfully all the time, whether it’s a historical novel, a biography, an essay, a dimensional work or a concise short story. “24 Hours in the Life of a Woman” tells about an unprecedented incident – a 33-year-old respectable lady left her two children and a wealthy husband because of a charming stranger whom she met the day before.

The narrator, who was vacationing in the same boarding house where the family drama took place, became an unwitting member of a circle that actively discussed the act of a frivolous fugitive. He, out of the goodness of his heart, joined the camp of those who tried to justify Madame. Among them was one elderly lady – 67-year-old Madame K. Imbued with sympathy for the young man, she told him her own love story, which flared up in just 24 hours, but left a mark on her soul for life.

Zweig’s novels are always sincere, deep, aphoristic, sensual and at the same time very chaste. Recommended to connoisseurs of the romantic genre, and not “pink” literature

Winston Groom “Forrest Gump” (1986)

Winston Groom Forrest Gump The novel “Forrest Gump” (original – Forrest Gamp) is a vivid example when the fame of a literary character far outstripped that of the writer. Not everyone knows that the story of a mentally retarded man named Forest Gump was created by an American writer and documentary filmmaker Winston Groom.

This fascinating, touching, sometimes funny and tear-jerking novel will not leave anyone indifferent. A masterpiece film will reinforce the impression of the book. The novel was filmed by the outstanding director Robert Zemeckis (Back to the Future, Cast Away). The role of Forest was brilliantly played by Tom Hanks (Outcast, The Green Mile). The film was so successful that it won six Oscars, including Best Director, Best Actor and Best Picture in 1994.

Joan Harris “Five Quarters of an Orange” (2001)

Another creation from the author of the masterpiece “Chocolate” will not leave indifferent sensual natures. Five Quortes of the Orange is a moving story about a woman named Framboise and the secret of her mother’s cookbook.

Even at first glance, a trivial plot in the creative processing of Harris will turn into a magical mystery. Those who have read or at least watched the film “Chocolate” will certainly understand what it is about and will want to read this amazing book.

Sebastian Japriso “Lady with glasses and a gun in a car” (1966)

Fans of the detective genre will appreciate the bestseller from the Frenchman Sebastian Japriso. “Lady with glasses and a gun in a car” is an action-packed story about a 26-year-old advertising agency worker named Dani.

Why is it necessary to visit the library Is there any sense and benefit Is there any sense and benefit in visiting the library in our time and why many people still cannot refuse this pleasure.

Books on the topic of post-apocalypse are now very popular, which have become real encyclopedias for those who are seriously thinking about the premature end of the world.

All her life, Dani lived by the rules, but one day the girl decided on a little prank – a ride in her boss’s car to the sea. However, instead of basking on the Cote d’Azur, Dani will have to hide from justice. In the trunk of the car, an unpleasant surprise awaited her – the corpse of a man with a gunshot wound. Now Dani is the main suspect in the murder case. To save herself, she will have to conduct her own detective investigation.

“Vanishing Earth”, Julia Phillips

Two sisters go missing in Kamchatka. The investigation comes to a standstill, and the story of 12 women involved in this incident unfolds before readers. Women want to start their own lives from scratch after the tragedy. While the girls’ mother is trying to move on, neighbors, witnesses and the investigator are experiencing drama. An abduction psychological thriller that explores the nature of evil, the power of patriarchy, and female vulnerability.

 The author Julia Phillips managed to create the atmosphere of Kamchatka, in order to write this book the writer lived there all year round. The novel was a finalist for the US National Book Award and received rave reviews from critics.

Marina herself held on. I went to work in the editorial office, wrote articles, supported secular conversations. If friends called for a visit, she accepted invitations. Regularly called the police – all of a sudden what news. But this was enough strength, and sometimes even these rituals seemed impossible. Once upon a time, the girl told fairy tales, knew how to joke, but now she has become a nobody. Alla Innokentievna got the hang of arranging holidays after her own loss, and Marina lost the meaning of life.

Someone called a woman. The hand is pressed to the chest. Under the back of the head is a hard prickly implacable board. Marina remembered what she had prepared for Sonya for breakfast that day: oatmeal in milk with frozen berries. Peeled the younger orange. Daughters’ shoulders over the table. Fragile, like porcelain cups.

“For a brief moment on earth, we are all beautiful” Ocean Vuong

Partly an autobiographical, lyrical novel by the famous Vietnamese American poet Ocean, about the role of the family, about first love, and about the redemptive power of words. An attempt to rethink the story of his own family, who left their homeland because of the Vietnam War.

 A letter from a son to his mother is touching and full of memories that sometimes you want to forget forever. The hero with warmth and nostalgia recalls the Vietnamese American childhood, difficult, but permeated with love. Vuong talks about a life that, like the existence of a butterfly, is as tragic as it is attractive.

This novel is about how to be heard, the novel is permeated with tenderness and compassion. The book has received numerous literary awards, and the story has been translated into 16 languages. The novel is written about family life, broken by military shells, about trying to understand each other, about the power of words and feelings of powerlessness.

“One in a Million” by Monica Wood

A touching story about grief, finding the strength to move on, and finding friends is not too late. An 11-year-old schoolboy helps an elderly lady named Una with the housework once a week during a scouting assignment. While the boy is doing housework, the woman tells the boy a story about her own life – a woman of 104 years old. Every Saturday, Una plunges into memories. But one day the boy does not come. This novel is about diverse things – about the loss of loneliness, about fortitude and friendship, about terrible secrets that people keep for years. A book that will push you to think about the value of life, inspire you to rethink your own life and will not leave anyone indifferent.

Quotes from the book:

“She was beautiful once. Is this twenty-first century boy capable of the flight of imagination it takes to imagine her youthful body, thin ankles, glossy shoulders, golden brown hair styled in egg white waves?

“Again she happened to see this strange, beautiful boy jumping for joy. Right in her kitchen. Joy had not entered her kitchen since Louise’s death. Joy took the form of this boy, who so easily convinced her to stay in this world for another twenty years.

Daphne du Maurier “My Cousin Rachel” (KSD, 2018, trans. Maxim Larchenko)

Philip, who lost his parents at an early age, was raised by his cousin Ambrose. The guys walked together in their native estate. Subsequently, Ambrose is forced to leave for Italy for treatment. There, the hero met a distant relative of Rachel, fell in love with her and unexpectedly decided to marry. However, after the wedding, the husband died mysteriously. Philip suspects his brother’s wife of murder. Ambrose wrote in letters about an attempt to poison. And when the charming Rachel appears at the estate, Philip doubts personal suspicions – the woman does not at all look like a killer. The heroine is so attractive and seductive that Philip is not able to resist the feeling … But who is this stranger. Cunning criminal or innocent victim.

“I’m coming back for you” Guillaume Musso

Disappointed in life, forced to relive the same day over and over again, and at the end of each such day a mysterious killer comes to him, whose image cannot be seen. Philosophical questions are raised in the novel: Is each of our steps predetermined in advance, or is life decided only by a person?

Ethan was born in a marginal neighborhood of Boston, the same fate haunted the hero as his peers: a dull, boring life. But he was able to change his fate – he received an education, became a popular psychoanalyst. Now the hero is rich and famous, but, alas, he is still unhappy. After all, in order to reach the heights of life, a man had to commit a betrayal. And as if in revenge for this, fate deprives the hero of his only love – Celine, a girl who is infinitely dear to Ethan and as a result, Celine marries another.

Quotes from the book:

“Our real enemies are ourselves”

“The door through which sadness enters us leads to a world of deceptive images and vanity.”

“In the blackness of the soul it is always three in the morning”

Letter from a Stranger, Stefan Zweig

Stefan Zweig is an Austrian writer and storyteller. The novels of the writer are distinguished by dramatic plots in which the complexities of human destinies are revealed. Stefan wrote three famous stories: “Amok”, “A Letter from a Stranger”, “Twenty-Four Hours in the Life of a Woman”. The works are dedicated to strong passion. The short story “A Letter from a Stranger” tells about the unrequited love of a woman for a man who did not remember the image of a woman and even her name. “Amok” is a dramatic story about a doctor who fell in love with a patient and started stalking the girl. The plot line of the works does not change, the texts are frank and expressive. Stefan Zweig professionally conveys every shade of the hero’s feelings. I want to read this novel without stopping.

Fannie Flagg “Fried Green Tomatoes at the Stop Cafe”

The writer’s books preserved feelings of pure joy and sincerity. This is the story of one small American town, in which, like everywhere else in the world, love and pain, fears and hopes, friendship and hatred are intertwined. The town is bright and warm, which you don’t want to leave because miracles happen there. Generations of European and Russian readers grew up on them. Each of these short stories, even at this time, delights, infuriates, makes you argue with the author and the characters, love the characters and hate, condemn and forgive.

“The Graveyard Story” by Neil Gaiman

Neil Gaiman is a British writer who has created a number of best-selling books, focusing on the direction of the genre towards science fiction and fantasy. The Graveyard Story won the 2009 Hugo Award. The product is addressed to children and teenagers. This book is suitable for every age category, adults are addicted to the book as well as children. The writer encourages the reader to think about death, courage and cruelty of life. The reader cannot stop reading this book. This book is about a boy. Who, as a baby, miraculously escaped after the killer attacked his family. The boy ended up in a cemetery, which was located near the house. The boy’s family died, and one married couple decides to take custody of the baby. The hero’s name is Niko. The boy grows up among ghosts, vampires and werewolves. Niko profits as enemies. So are friends. Gradually learns magic, knowing that these abilities will be useful in the future. Then the boy had to face the murderer of the family, in an effort to defeat this enemy.