Finist - Clear Falcon. Andrey Rubanov
Either a dark fairy tale or an upbeat Slavic fantasy just won a National Best Seller Award, and that means something. Rubanov writes oral experience - the storytellers, of whom there are three, pass on their incredible stories from mouth to mouth, because of this the text turns out juicy, lively, and conversational. The plot is unusual: three Ivans, a buffoon, a blacksmith and a robber, meet on their way the green-eyed girl Marya, who has lost her head because of an unknown non-human named Finist - the Clear Falcon. The three Ivans, each in their own way, help her find her beloved, although they themselves fall in love with Marya so much that even grass won’t grow.
Conversations about happiness. Arkady Panz
Are you thinking about happiness and the meaning of life? A kind, sincere and informative book by Arkady Pantz will definitely give you a couple of interesting ideas. Psychiatrist, psychotherapist and psychoanalyst Arkady Panz shares his experience, observations, thoughts and feelings that he has accumulated over thirty-five years of professional activity. especially suitable for those who are currently looking for themselves, trying to understand what exactly HIS happiness lies in.
Food block. Aleksey Ivanov
Alexey Ivanov ( , ) is a multifaceted person. Whatever he writes about, it always turns out incredibly exciting. His novel is about... vampires in a pioneer camp. And also about the conflict between dry pioneer ideology and sunny, joyful childhood.
Like everything that comes from Ivanov’s pen, this story is outwardly simple, driving and even funny. But the deep questions that the author raises require the reader to think seriously.
Killing the commander. Haruki Murakami
Sometimes on vacation you feel drawn to long meditative discussions, and then you can pick up Murakami with his paradoxical, not quite Eastern and definitely not Western prose. A new book about an artist who decides to retire to a quiet Japanese province and listen to himself. Everything would have been peaceful and calm if not for the painting “The Murder of the Commander” found in the attic, if not for the ringing of a Buddhist bell at night, if not for the strange crypt that emerged from under a stone mound in the middle of the thickets, if not for a meeting with the esthete Mensiki, who for fabulous money asked to paint a portrait - first of himself, and then, perhaps, of his daughter, if not for his attempts to understand himself.
Knife. Jo Nesbø
If you like detective stories, you are probably already familiar with Jo Nesbø's Harry Hole series. As if especially for the holiday season, the Scandinavian released his twelfth book about the detective. A dynamic and sinister noir this time about what demons are hidden in the depths of the detective’s own self.
A brutal murder has been committed in Oslo. In this case, Harry Hole plays an unusual role - he heads not the investigation, but the list of suspects. Hole is confident that he is innocent. Or... almost sure.
Threshold. Sergei Lukyanenko
A hot new product from - a book - written in the genre of space opera. It has new galactic civilizations, spaceships, a universal threat, a rich plot, humor and well-written characters. Lukyanenko has again created an entire Universe, and “Threshold” becomes an exciting and detailed Intro to the new world in which the heroes of his subsequent stories will exist. A must read for all fans of quality science fiction!
Stranger. Stephen King
- a new product from, which once again confirms: the King of Horrors does not age. Take it with you on vacation if you want to completely disconnect from everyday problems and immerse yourself in a very dynamic, chilling read.
King, as always, skillfully juggles genres: horror, thriller, detective - it’s all in one. The body of a boy is found in a park in the small town of Flint City. All evidence and witness statements point to the youth baseball coach, English teacher, husband and father of two daughters. Is he really capable of this?
The silent patient. Alex Michaelides
The life of Alicia Berenson, a famous artist, seems ideal. She married a fashion photographer and lives in a luxurious house in one of the most attractive and expensive areas of London. One late evening, when her husband Gabriel returns home from another shoot, Alicia shoots him five times in the face. And since then he hasn't said a word. The criminal psychotherapist assigned to Alicia understands that not everything in this case is smooth and obvious. He has to talk to his silent patient, but will he regret it?..
Sex is always a good idea! Even if we are talking about a book of the same name. In this popular science guide, Daria Varlamova and Elena Foer will tell you a lot of new things about various aspects of human sexuality, from the neurochemistry of libido and the phenomenon of wandering erogenous zones to why middle-aged housewives willingly watch gay porn.
I would like to write, they say, with interesting facts from “Sex” you can surprise your pretty neighbor on the sunbed, but in fact the book is really useful and important, because it’s never too late to understand your own sexuality.
What could be better than lounging on the beach and reading a captivating novel about the vicissitudes of love? Yes, in general, nothing could be better. All you have to do is choose what you like best. The most romantic ones should pay attention to the book "Brooklyn" by Colm Toibin, filmed last year (the film, by the way, was even nominated for a Golden Globe), and those who prefer to combine lyrics with a good dose of humor should run for the novel Titiu Lecoq "The Law of the Sandwich" about what to do with an ex-boyfriend who unexpectedly published an intimate video on the Internet with you in the lead role. Also, lovers of intricate stories will like the book "The Girl from Brooklyn" by Guillaume Musso full of mysteries of the past. Well, young ladies who work a lot should read the novel "Sorry, they're waiting for me..."– about a woman who didn’t notice how she had become completely lonely by the age of 30 (spoiler: an unexpected meeting with a childhood friend will turn her world upside down!).
On long journeys, it is good to read long books with a slowly developing plot. And, of course, the ideal option for such reading is family sagas or novels that tell about the lives of people from several generations. We learn about life on a small island and follow the fates of four generations of the family in the book "The House at the Edge of Night" by Katherine Banner; We explore the relationship between personal freedom and family life in the novel Alice Ferney "Look for a Woman"; studying the history of the 20th century using the text Michael Chabon "Moonlight" and read the book of a classic of American literature to the core Anne Tyler "The Accidental Tourist"– about how to overcome the most difficult situations in life.
For anyone who wants to avoid noticing how a long flight went, we advise you to stock up on books with a fair amount of humor. In connection with the release of the film "Ideal", this year the novel by the main rebel of French literature, Frederic Beigbeder, about the journey of the tireless Octave Parango to Russia was republished; young girls will definitely love this book Kristen Walker "Seven Ways to Win You" about how a young student tries to win the love of classmates who dislike her, and supporters of sad and deep humor should definitely get acquainted with the new text by the amazing Russian writer Laura Beloivan about life in the provinces.
Summer is the time for real lyricists. Light wind, long evenings, the ocean nearby. Ideal for reading good poetry. In addition, a collection of lyrics was recently released Alexey Koshcheev, who is not only an excellent poet, but also a neurosurgeon (professional terminology, by the way, is very successfully reflected in the author’s texts). Also this year, a collection of poems was published “It doesn’t get any more tender” one of the main poets of our time, Vera Pavlova. Well, the book by a great author deserves special attention Boris Ryzhy– a key (and undeservedly forgotten) figure in Russian literature of the late 20th century. A must read.
When taking children on a trip, you should make sure that the vacation is not completely in vain - and to do this, be sure to take with you several books that you can read with your child. This year the great Russian poet Vera Polozkova published a book for children “Responsible Child”; excellent children's poems can be found in Yulia Simbirskaya in collection “Ant in my hand”. A book will help teach you not to be afraid of the adult world. "Girl with a Lamp"(in which the girls are preparing for the “Little Miss” competition), but lovers of the classics should remember the amazing Astrid Lingren and her iconic work “Mio, my Mio!”
If you cannot do without action-packed literature, we know a way out in this case too: you should take a novel with you on the road David Grann's The Lost City of Z, the film of which was recently presented at the Berlin Film Festival. Science fiction fans can't do without this book. "Rogue One", dedicated to the universe created by George Lucas - by the way, a great gift option for a teenage son (or for his father!). Another good option for lovers of mysterious (and very scary) stories would be the book Ekaterina Barsova “Night at Dyatlov Pass”– yes, about that very mysterious pass.
Some people don’t like to completely relax even on vacation, preferring to learn something new even while traveling (in addition to historical information about the host country). Especially for such people, we have prepared a list of very informative books that have been published recently. Firstly, an ideal complement to a holiday in France or Italy would be a thorough work on wine - "Wine. Practical leader". Secondly, literature lovers will definitely enjoy reading a series of lectures about famous authors “Alone: a hundred nights with readers” by the poet Dmitry Bykov. Thirdly, those interested in startups and success stories should definitely take with them book about Jack Ma, founder of Alibaba. And finally, everyone who has had time to “eat, pray and love” needs to read Elizabeth Gilbert’s new book about the nature of creativity - "Big Magic".
Do you remember how in school we took classical literature on trips? At the time, this was sometimes very annoying, but now many even miss such mandatory reading. Therefore, we suggest not to forget to put something from the classics in your travel suitcase - which will be the ideal addition to long and languid summer evenings. Our “book basket” has everything your heart desires: sentimental Bunin, tragicomic Nabokov, lyrical Tyutchev, sarcastic and funny Pushkin and eternal Anton Pavlovich!
A good way to distract yourself from thoughts about work, which many people don’t let go even on vacation, is to pick up someone’s autobiography. Someone else's life (especially if we are talking about an interesting person) is always fascinating. Especially if the legendary actress talks about herself Jane Fonda or Francine du Plessis Gray(daughter of Tatyana Yakovleva, Vladimir Mayakovsky’s last love). Reading the correspondence will keep every person occupied for a long time Boris and Evgenia Pasternak– full of tragedy and love.
Many believe that now is not the time for short prose, that is, for stories. However, this statement is no longer as true as it was just 10 years ago, and the number of excellent collections of short stories that have appeared on bookstore shelves over the past few years is impressive. You should definitely take one of these collections with you on the road! Particularly noteworthy is the collection “ Light Worlds by Tatiana Tolstoy, which is permeated with humor and sadness; book Alice Munro "The Secret No One Tells", close in spirit to Chekhov’s stories; collection “Live in St. Petersburg”, which includes texts by leading contemporary Russian authors, from Evgeny Vodolazkin to Tatyana Moskvina.
- Jane Austen's novels are the perfect beach read: behind the decency and decency, real passions simmer in these books about love. And the most important thing for us is that there is always a wedding in the end.
- Mar Levy “Between Heaven and Earth” is pure female emotions: love, tears - and thoughts about what is important. One late evening, a beautiful unknown girl appears in the apartment of a lonely architect...
- Margaret Mitchell "Gone with the Wind" Young Scarlett does not yet know that a civil war will soon begin and life will change.
- Bill Bryson A Brief History of Almost Everything. A brilliant popular science book: you will learn almost everything important about the world.
- Jonathan Tropper "Move on with your life." A real hymn to the male midlife crisis (as, indeed, the other five books by this author). What happens when a man searches for himself, breaks everything and rebuilds it, makes terrible mistakes, but does not lose his sense of humor? Oddly enough, in the end everything works out just fine.
- Dina Rubina "Russian Canary". A family saga in three volumes: the story of several generations and different worlds, the heroes sometimes diverge, sometimes meet, connected by the past.
- Pelham Grenville Woodhouse "Jeeves and Wooster". An exemplary butler, a charming slacker, endless prim aunties - in general, the best example of English humor. Who do you like more - Jeeves or Bertie?
- “Planet Water” by Boris Akunin is a new, albeit retrospective, story of the heroic handsome Fandorin. However, any book from this series can be re-read again and again - despite the fact that Erast is inevitably getting older.
- Gregory David Roberts "Shantaram". On the one hand, a classic adventure novel - chases, fights, mafia and smugglers. On the other hand, this is an unexpectedly deep philosophical book in which the author seeks answers to the main questions of existence.
- Donna Tartt "The Goldfinch" It’s not for nothing that the American writer’s third novel became a bestseller. He makes you cry and laugh, be indignant and sincerely sympathize with all the characters.
Booker Prize: smart book
If you think a Booke Prize-winning book isn't the best holiday read, The Luminaries author Eleanor Catton will convince you. The events of the book take place in New Zealand at the height of the gold rush. 12 people (among them a priest, a pharmacist, a local newspaper publisher, two Chinese and a Maori native) meet in a run-down hotel to discuss the mysterious incidents in which each of them has become involved. From the first pages you will be enveloped in an atmosphere of mysteries, omissions and almost mystical coincidences. By the middle it will seem that it is completely impossible to understand this tangle of intricacies. And only in the last chapters such a clear and understandable chain of events will suddenly line up that you will feel ashamed of your own short-sightedness. An important point: the book is large and sincere. If you are going to take it on vacation, buy the electronic version.
Women's novels: This is love!
Psychologists say that by reading about other people's experiences, we become more acutely aware of our own happiness. This is probably why the lists of favorite women's books are always headed by novels about love. Pay attention to two new items this summer. “Sad Jam” by Elena Werner is a bright and emotional story about twin sisters. One of them has a whole life ahead of them, and the second dies at 29 years old. The ability not to lose faith in the best, the ability to love, forgive and admit one’s mistakes are eternal topics that the author managed to look at from an unexpected angle.
Another book that should not be missed for those who love emotional prose is “Supporting Heroine” by Anna Berseneva. The artist Maya is 42 years old, she is used to going with the flow and is not able to take fate into her own hands, because she is not one of those women whom fate has endowed with a strong character. Is it worth fighting for love and a place in the sun? Or will the sun itself appear from behind the clouds at the right moment? These are all questions that each of us has faced.
Books for children
For children: summer reading
It turns out that in the summer you can read with your children not only about fairy-tale adventures, but also learn new amazing facts. The books “Sophie in the World of Trees” and “Sophie in the World of Flowers”, Stefan Casta, Boo Mosberg (Albus Corvus Publishing House), are dedicated to all children who are sure that buns grow on trees, and to all parents who cannot distinguish an elm from an ash . What are the names of the plants of the middle zone, what insects live on them and why they chose each other, says an ant named Sophie, the heroine of the books by Stefan Casta and Boo Mosberg. And the new book by writer and artist Zina Surova, “Summer in the Village” (publishing house “Mann, Ivanov and Ferber”) describes the events of village life from the perspective of an 11-year-old boy. Here you will find not only funny stories about children, village life and nature, but also many games and creative ones for the summer leisure of children and parents.
The main thing is not to think that it is enough to give your child this book and withdraw from yourself: study and implement these ideas all together!
Natalya Kochetkova,
presenter of the Knizhkin Dom and Pochitayka programs on Children's Radio
SILKE LAMBEC "MR. ROSE"
"CompassGuide"
Mister Poppy could be Carlson's uncle and Mary Poppins' cousin. This kind wizard with impeccable manners appears where a child is sad and turns his life into a fairy tale.
LAURA INGLES WILDER "LITTLE HOUSE IN THE BIG WOODS"
"Pink Giraffe"
The theme of nature and subsistence farming is continued by the book by the daughter of American settlers. The most interesting pages of the story are descriptions of household chores: hunting, picking mushrooms and berries, preparing vegetables for the winter.
KATE DICAMILO "FLORA AND ODYSSEY"
A miracle turns an ordinary squirrel into a superhero named Odysseus. However, the main thing in this story is not magical abilities, but the ability of loved ones to find a common language.
ROALD DAHL "PIGGIES"
"Scooter"
This storyteller was distinguished by his ability to tell the unpleasant truth - if a person is stupid, greedy and clueless, Dahl wrote about it that way. The heroes of his story, Mr. and Mrs. Pig, are just like that - smelly, disgusting and ugly. And they will not go unpunished!
For inspiration
Tatiana Lazareva,
TV and radio presenter
I don’t like reading just for the sake of reading; even on vacation, my brain needs to work. This year I was preparing to read “Total Dictation”, the text for it was written by the writer Evgeny Vodolazkin, and I decided to get to know the author better. First there was the famous “Lavr”, then - “Soloviev and Larionov”. These are amazing books. Vodolazkin chooses his words in such a way that it is impossible to tear yourself away. Alexander Chudakov’s novel “A Darkness Falls on the Old Steps” made the same strong impression on me. A subtle, philological approach to the text, the amazing Russian language - you just bathe in it. You should not only know such books yourself, but also be sure to read at least parts of them to your children. The third book I’m reading right now is “Atlas Shrugged” by the American writer Ayn Rand. One of her ideas is that it’s not always what the majority wants, right, you don’t always need to follow what seems obvious to the majority. This question is in the air today, and the book is a good reason to think about it.
For inspiration
Learning to dream
Barbara Sher's new book is a continuation of the bestseller “It's Not Harmful to Dream” (Mann, Ivanov and Ferber Publishing House). We have already seen that the ability to dream (and the absence of fear to do so) makes our lives much more fulfilling. It's time to take the next step - to understand what we really want and how to achieve it. And for this you will have to work hard: learn to be aware of your desires, calm down the inner critic, cope with a negative attitude, stop waiting for luck to knock on your door and start taking action. Yes, perhaps the road to your goal will be quite winding, but the strategies, tips and exercises proposed by the author (and, most importantly, personally tested by her) will certainly help you not only go after your dream, but also find it. “You can do anything if you just know what you want,” says Barbara Sher. “And this will happen soon.”
Simply ideal!
Many of us are familiar with the “excellent student syndrome”: who in childhood was not told something like: “If you’re going to do it, do it well”? American psychologist Elizabeth Lombardo begins the book “Better than Perfection. How to Curb Perfectionism" (Mann, Ivanov and Fehrer Publishing House) with an admission that she was a perfectionist most of her life and what exactly she lost because of the desire for perfection. But you can get to know your perfectionism better and understand which of its traits will be useful to you. The author offers readers the most valuable thing - his experience, and at the same time seven working strategies that allow you to get rid of the irrepressible desire to live “at an A plus.” Why is this necessary? And then, so that instead of stress, insomnia, anxiety and fear, happiness, health, calmness and confidence appear in your life. Not a bad deal, right?
Bestsellers
Bestseller: Best Story
“All the Light We Cannot See” by Anthony Dorr is a book about the most important things. About love and fear, about cruelty and kindness, about the countless facets of the human heart. Reality and mysticism are intertwined here so masterfully that you will not always be able to distinguish one from the other. Sweet, touching, unforgettable stories are strung on top of each other like precious pearls. Get ready to laugh, cry, empathize and then fanatically advise all your friends and acquaintances. "Hot Season" by Penelope Lively is another book that is surprising in its strength and sincerity of storytelling. A deceptively simple story that begins with an English idyll, develops into drama, and ends completely unexpectedly. Suffering, passion, jealousy, inexorable and demanding maternal love - all these are emotions that accompany us through life, testing the strength of fragile family happiness every day.
For parents
How to hear
Doctor of Philosophy Oscar Breniffier is sure that you need to talk to children - and not just like that, but as with adults, even if children's questions sometimes baffle you. His new book, “Making Our Children Happy: Talking to Children about Life and Freedom” (Clever publishing house), is published in the “Philosophical Dialogues” series. “Think! - the author calls. — In dialogue, it is important to understand each other, to understand what is happening in the child’s soul. And then even silence can tell you something.”
How to cope
This new book from the “World Parents” series (Sinbad Publishing House) is intended especially for mothers of boys. Its author, Hannah Evans, is a sailor's wife and mother of three sons. She knows exactly how to survive in this world full of men, and, most importantly, how to channel the violent energy of boys into peaceful channels. Hannah not only reveals the secrets of “boyhood,” shares recipes—educational and culinary—and supports other mothers, but does it with a sense of humor and great optimism.
How to communicate
The book by psychologist and writer Olga Makhovskaya with the long title “American children play with pleasure, French children play according to the rules, and Russian children play until they win” (Eksmo Publishing House) is essentially an encyclopedia of modern pedagogy. The author analyzes the experience of parents from different countries and invites parents to abandon schemes and dogmas, and look at the child’s personality first and foremost - and encourage the development of his strengths.
Lying on the shore of a fabulous pond - it doesn’t matter whether it’s a lake, river, sea or ocean - is always pleasant. At these moments we forget about the city bustle and problems. In addition, there is time to look through something fun, fairy-tale, romantic, but not serious literature. Vacations are designed to completely relax.
If you agree with this and are ready to go on vacation, we offer a rating of books that are worth reading while listening to the sound of the waves and a light breeze.
Palham Woodhouse. Jeeves and Wooster series
This popular series of comic works about the adventures of a young English aristocrat Bertie Wooster and his valet Jeeves is familiar to most from the series of the same name. It was he who revealed Hugh Laurie and Stephen Fry to us back in the 90s. The playful aristocrat and his imperturbable servant, who always has to get out of all the juicy and detective situations, are an ideal company for a summer vacation. And subtle humor and incessant comic situations will make you completely forget about such a distant noisy office.
Narine Abgaryan. Manyunya
Here is a book that will make you laugh out loud anywhere. An amazing story about two Soviet girl friends living in Armenia, about their formidable grandmother, comparable in temperament to the well-known Freken Bock, about a bunch of relatives who constantly find themselves in awkward situations. And just about childhood - carefree and happy.
Alessandro Baricco. 1900 or The Legend of the Pianist
The story is about how one day a newborn baby was abandoned on a liner heading to America. In all his thirty years he never went ashore. But he became a brilliant pianist. Such as the world had never known before him. He, like no one else, merged with the instrument and became a real legend - a sad legend, saturated with the salty spray of the ocean and the fiery sounds of jazz.
Francis Scott Fitzgerald. Night is tender
Fitzgerald's works, as a rule, are imbued with great, but, alas, failed hopes, love triangles and slight sadness. So here we are transported to the era of jazz and unbridled fun, against the backdrop of which a psychiatrist marries his rich patient, builds a private clinic with her money, falls in love with an actress with whom he is not destined to be, and quietly begins to become an alcoholic.
Alex Garland. Beach
The main character goes in search of earthly paradise - a place that many people know about, but only a few have found the way. Paradise turns out to be exactly what his imagination pictured: snow-white beaches, emerald water, blue skies, great company and complete freedom - what else is needed for happiness? However, clouds begin to gather over the beach, and people in the isolated society begin to go crazy.
Jerome K. Jerome. Three in the boat, not counting the dog
This story is a kind of humorous guide between Kingston and Oxford. The plot centers on three gentlemen and their faithful dog, who decide to take a short trip along the river, during which they constantly get into trouble. But the main thing here is Jerome’s humor, with which he describes mediocre musicians, snobs and hypocrites, bourgeois interiors and all kinds of liars.
Gregory David Roberts. Shantaram
This book is more like a telephone directory, but don't be intimidated by the nearly 900 pages, you won't even notice how you flip through the last one. The story is based on real events. The main character is a drug addict and thief, escaped from an Australian prison and reached Bombay, where he was a counterfeiter, a smuggler, took part in showdowns with the local mafia and, of course, found his love. But the main value of this book is in the description of India, its traditions, local people and their way of life.
Helen Fielding. Bridget Jones's Diary
Bridget is a loser and a slob. She gorges herself on cakes, promises herself every day to go to the gym, start living within her means, and asks the Universe to send her a good groom. She is who she is. And the book itself is a kind of funny encyclopedia of female weaknesses.
Neil Gaiman. Never (Outdoor)
Gaiman is a true storyteller of our time. It can be read anywhere and anytime. Never will take the reader to a dark and foggy city that exists near London and is inhabited by dangerous creatures. This world is full of evil and violence, terrible things happen in it, it smells very bad, but it is incredibly interesting there. And you are unlikely to want to go back.
Georgy Danelia. Stowaway. The toastee drinks to the dregs
The author of this book is a genius of Soviet cinema. And the whole thing is thoroughly saturated with the atmosphere of that time. This is not an ordinary memoir, but a fun trip into the past. With its incredibly bright people, sunny Georgia, movie stories and the ability to laugh at oneself.
Stephen King. Shine
Life has fallen apart and Jack Torrance and his family settle for the winter in an old mountain hotel that needs a caretaker. At first glance, the prospect is not the worst. But this is Stephen King. But he can’t live without dead boys and chilling ghosts. Therefore, the hotel begins hunting for its new guests. And it’s not for nothing that this novel has been featured in various ratings of the most terrible books in world literature for more than 30 years.
Elizabeth Gilbert. Eat, Pray, Love
A story about how sometimes it can be useful to drop everything and do what you really want. Go to Italy and enjoy delicious ice cream. Find yourself among the sages in India. Or suddenly fall in love with the man of your dreams on an endless Indonesian beach.
Colin Butts. Ibiza
The author of the book lives in Ibiza, has his own bar and every night plunges into the thick of the events described. What, exactly, do we know about Ibiza? And Ibiza is a vibrant and restless nightlife, crazy tourists, drugs and pills, guides who trade in all this, as well as friendship and sex.
Joan Harris. Chocolate
The carnival wind blows a mother into a godforsaken town, accompanied by a strange child and a stuffed kangaroo. Who are they - good fairies, evil witches or just lonely refugees looking for a home? Vianne Rocher opens a chocolate shop in the city that changes the way of life. Along with the book, you should grab a couple of chocolate bars. No other way.
James Clavell. Shogun
A historical epic about an English sailor who was the first of his compatriots to end up in Japan in the 17th century. The novel is filled with an exciting plot, political intrigue, national traditions of the land of the rising sun, and in it you can learn almost everything about the code of samurai and ninja.
Johan Theorin. Night storm
Scandinavian literature is famous for its gloomy atmosphere, but there is something in it that even in the summer heat will make you read without stopping. So, on a distant northern island, washed by storms, a farm has been built from logs washed ashore after shipwrecks, where a young family moves to live. Soon, under mysterious circumstances, the sea takes Catherine. Her husband knows that the house is full of ghosts and fears they will come for Christmas, even if Kat will be with them. However, it is not the dead that he should fear.
Allison Pearson. And how does she manage to do this?
Kate, a Manhattan businesswoman and mother of three children, can do ten things at once: selling stocks, changing diapers, monitoring the Dow Jones index, baking pies, running to school, flying on a business trip. And all this against the backdrop of chronic lack of sleep, lack of free time, condemnation from friends and the eternal fear of not being on time somewhere. A kind and very funny book about the life that remains on the other side of vacation.
Francoise Sagan, Hello, sadness
This book is permeated with melancholy and slight sadness, the salty smell of the sea, the warmth of a sun-warmed beach, the intoxicating notes of first love and vacation. Cecile was intoxicated by this summer, the relationship with a handsome guy, new sensations and the illusion of love. But the summer flew by, the holidays ended and it turned out that there was no love at all.
Stephen Fry. Hippopotamus
An old lecher, a former reporter who was kicked out for drunkenness, and a longtime drinker, Ted Wallis is tasked by his niece, who is dying of cancer, to find out what the hell is going on at her family estate. Ted is seduced not so much by the task as by the whiskey reserves for which the old mansion is famous. He has little idea where to start the so-called investigation and suddenly begins to hear more and more often about a certain Miracle of the Lord, which interests him very much.
Ilya Ilf, Evgeny Petrov. The twelve Chairs
Who doesn’t know about the adventures of Ostap Bender and Ippolit Matveevich Vorobyaninov? But with each reading, this satirical feuilleton, like good wine, becomes better, the characters become more comical, the quotes become sharper. What can we say about him? You know everything yourself.
Summer vacation is a good reason to finally read books that have been waiting for a long time, or discover new literary names.
It’s so nice to relax in the shade under a palm tree with an interesting novel, and an exciting detective story will help you while away a long flight. We have made a selection of books from a variety of genres, but we think all of them are perfect for travel.
Perhaps some of them will end up in your suitcase?
"The Door to Summer" Robert Heinlein
When I started reading this book I was expecting "light" science fiction, but I got so much more.
The main character, Daniel Boone Davis, is a talented roboticist inventor, obsessed with the idea of creating robots that will save women from hard housework. This is the meaning of his life, this is his beloved cat Pete. Together with a friend in 1970, he organized a small company, but he betrayed him. Having lost everything, he decides to go into suspended animation (freeze himself, and, of course, the cat) in order to wake up 30 years in the future - distant 2000.
The development of new technologies, robot assistants everywhere, time travel, the description of this futuristic future evokes nostalgia and a slight smile, reminiscent of the famous “5th element”. In 1956, this is exactly how the author imagined the future, which had already become our past.
This is a slightly naive, very kind fairy tale, after reading which you feel warm in your soul and want to smile. She looks like a child who, with eyes sparkling with delight, shows something she has made with her own hands.
Written in simple language with lots of jokes, it is nevertheless full of wisdom and captivating in such a way that it is impossible to put it down - I devoured the book in 4 hours. If you are looking for a light, but not stupid work, I recommend “The Door to Summer”.
“Just Together” Anna Gavalda
The subtleties of cutting beef carcass or the rules for fighting cockchafers? Or maybe a biography of Henry IV? What can unite an anorexic girl with deep depression and a dark past, who works as a cleaner at night, just to isolate herself from this world, a narcissistic alpha male cook, an eccentric, stuttering and terribly shy nobleman selling postcards outside a museum, and an old woman with Alzheimer's disease?
They... are just together, despite everything. They are not just different - they are polar, but miraculously do not allow each other to fall into the abyss of despair. This is a story about life without embellishment, harsh, cruel, which hits in a big way and gives no respite.
But the book is not about the difficulties of life, but about overcoming them, about how, being so different, we prevent each other from falling into the abyss, or... help each other reach the bottom in order to push off well and rise to the surface. About how important it is to be yourself, with all your eccentricities and oddities, because only then can you find those who will be close in spirit. And, of course, about love. About love for yourself, your neighbor, your friend and everyone around you. It's a sad story that makes you laugh and a comedy that makes you cry. It doesn't grab you from the first page, but once you feel the atmosphere of this strange place, you won't be able to put it down. I read the book twice, 8 years apart, and only now was I able to truly understand it. It's really worth your time.
"Men Without Women" by Haruki Murakami
The relationships between people, especially men and women, how can I say... need to be considered somewhat more broadly. Everything about them is more confusing, selfish and unbearable.
After a long break, Japanese writer Haruki Murakami released another collection of short stories. I united them under the title “Men without Women”, there is no metaphor here - everything is literally.
The red thread of the collection is men who, for various reasons, were left without lovers, without whom life was no longer the same.
In all the stories and novels Murakami has read, there are invariably present: jazz; Tokyo and its streets; whiskey; bars where they play jazz; husbands cheating on their wives and wives cheating on their husbands; sex and arousal in general - he constantly raises this topic in every work, such is Murakami-san’s point. And girls with flaws. Either lame, or ugly, or hunchbacked, or something else. Some kind of fetishism.
The stories are united by one theme, but they are all quite different. You will like some more, some less, but overall this is a very enjoyable and interesting read, showing the emotional side of men usually hidden behind furrowed brows and tightly pursed lips. If you have already read Murakami and you like him, then you will enjoy it; if you are not familiar, then the collection will be a good start, but if you don’t like it, it’s probably not worth it. The translation by Andrey Zamilov is very good, Murakami’s style is preserved, and it’s a pleasure to read. I recommend.
P.S. If you haven’t read it, try “South of the Border, West of the Sun”, I really liked the novel.
Novels and stories by Sergei Dovlatov
It’s quite difficult for me to single out holiday books as a separate category; it’s not entirely clear what criteria to use to do this, since everyone has different preferences. On the beach I read exactly the same things as outside of it. And my choice depends not on where I am, but on my mood, which is constantly changing.
But one thing is important for me - if I’m flying somewhere, I try to take with me either just a phone with a huge number of books on it, or I try to choose the lightest paperback editions possible. This way you can save at least a little space in your suitcase. It doesn’t always work out, but on my last trip I took Sergei Dovlatov’s books with me, and it was ideal, primarily not because of the convenient format of the books, but because of the content.
On the warm sandy Cretan beach, I fell in love with Sergei Donatovich with all my heart! We met him at the perfect time and in the perfect place. Fate, and nothing else. It's beautiful and I don't even know what to add to it. Such sad, but at the same time incredibly light and funny stories close to every person from the post-Soviet space. He writes about his difficult fate, and there is so much irony, humor, and melancholy in these short stories.
I regretted only one thing, that I had only three Dovlatov books, but my soul asked for more.
"Neapolitan Quartet" Elena Ferrante
#Ferrantemania continues to gain momentum and the Neapolitan quartet is becoming more popular every day. And this is not surprising! After all, the story is very similar to a fascinating series that you can’t tear yourself away from. And it seems to me that this is a great option for a vacation.
The second half of the twentieth century, Naples, Italy is very turbulent. A difficult time against the backdrop of which the difficult relationship between Lila and Lenou develops. Both heroines really annoy me. And their “frenemy” is a very painful connection.
I read many enthusiastic reviews, where readers wrote that Ferrante so accurately hit the heart and described true female friendship. After these books, I was horrified that so many people consider this dependence, this envious rivalry, to be true friendship. I understand that everything could have been different if one had kept her nasty character in check, and the other had been a little more self-sufficient and firm. I involuntarily and uncontrollably rolled my eyes at impulsive, illogical actions so often that I was close to squinting. But then I caught myself that in these two unfortunate, unloved girls I see women I know who cannot live without looking at others. Who need to prove every day that they are better than others. To seem, not to be. Not for my own sake, but to make my “girlfriends” jealous.
It’s so strong that you perceive the characters as real real people, with their own cockroaches, weaknesses and shortcomings. Because we see them every day on the streets, hear their conversations in transport, and bump into them at the checkout counter in the store. Ferrante wrote about herself and about each of us, which is why she is so loved. And I highly recommend her books to you.
"Snobs" Julian Fellowes
If you are a true fan of English literature, then you will definitely like this novel. It is absolutely unhurried, measured, but at the same time filled with small details of that era and discussions about hierarchy and titles. You shouldn’t expect sharp turns and an enchanting finale from him, just as you shouldn’t expect from representatives of the aristocracy, but you will get full pleasure from a good style and elaborate visualization. But what am I talking about, Fellowes lived up to his name a long time ago, having written scripts for the famous “Downton Abbey”, “Little Lord Fauntelroy” and many others. He received an Oscar in 2002 for his original screenplay for Gosford Park. So prejudice should be put aside.
The plot of "Snobs" introduces us to a young girl, Edith, whose parents have dreamed of marrying her off as a member of the nobility since childhood. She herself, however, is also not against it, although she tries to pretend that such a desire is stupid, and that love rules the world. Chance brings her together with a charming count, who invites her for a cup of coffee and, soon, proposes to her. Everything is perfect, dreams come true, but life among snobs turns out to be quite boring, and the count, although he has an enviable title, is not a very smart comrade and a stupid interlocutor. After a while, filming of a second-rate TV series begins at the young man’s estate, starring a handsome actor. And something sinks in Edith’s heart; the girl feels more and more that she made a mistake with her choice. But maybe it's not too late to fix everything?
I repeat, every turn of the book is predictable and understandable, but that doesn’t make it any less interesting. In addition, such stories are ideal for reading on vacation; you can close the book at any time, and open it again to immerse yourself in it. It doesn’t drag on and doesn’t steal all the attention, but at the same time it’s interesting and, in its own way, delicious. So if this summer you throw it into your reader when going on your next trip, you definitely won’t regret it! The world of snobs is still attractive, mysterious and beautiful.
"Origin" Dan Brown
Those who love Brown have probably already gotten to his latest book, and those who have not read it yet can do so while traveling. Why not? The author writes dynamically, interestingly, with a dose of riddles and fascinating descriptions of cathedrals and city attractions. True, “The Origin” has the least number of beautiful locations, but if you suddenly spend time in Spain, you will probably be inspired to compare the text with the real appearance of the cathedrals. I personally periodically put many attractions into the search and now I dream with redoubled force of walks in Barcelona (Sagrada Família, like the rest of Gaudí’s creations, simply did not leave me a chance!).
The plot is again centered on the inimitable Professor Langdon, who comes at the invitation of his best friend Edmond Kirsch to a closed conference. It is there that Kirsch is going to reveal the secrets of the universe, answering the main questions - where we come from and what awaits us. But everything goes wrong, Kirsch is killed before the ceremony begins, and Langdon, along with the beautiful presenter Ambre Vidal, escapes the hands of criminals and begins a search for what their talented friend wanted to convey to the whole world. Then everything follows the standard pattern - secrets, chases, James Bond and his next girlfriend, unexpected plot twists and a rather bright finale.
I repeat, I liked this book less than the others; I read it a couple of months ago and had already completely forgotten how it ended. But, nevertheless, it is easy and interesting to read; it is an excellent option for vacation, airplane and lying on the beach. Although Brown is trying to stir up the world by encroaching on the foundations of religion and the church, he does it weaker and weaker each time. For me, this is nothing more than another entertaining detective story with a good style and gorgeous descriptions of Barcelona cathedrals; there is no depth or philosophy here. Therefore, feel free to throw "Origin" into your suitcase, especially if you are traveling to Spain. Eh...
"My Husband's Wife" by Jane Corrie
Quite an entertaining new entry in the “new level detective” series. The story is told in two time frames and begins with the marriage of a young lawyer, Lily, and a talented artist, Ed MacDonald. They are just starting their life together, trying to get used to each other in order to become a happy family. On the same landing with them lives a lonely beautiful Italian woman with her little girl Carla. Lily sometimes looks after her while her mother works, and Ed enthusiastically paints portraits of the girl, hoping to create a masterpiece. Karla is still only nine years old, but she watches with interest the lives of her neighbors and, like a sponge, absorbs their every secret. Life soon takes them in different directions for twelve long years, but when they meet again, secrets will accumulate in full. So all you have to do is speak and your life will go downhill, because, as you know, not all grievances have a statute of limitations. Quite an unusual plot and a good style, the book is read in one breath. Everything is confused, mixed and intertwined into one tangle of difficult destinies.
For me, this is not a thriller or a detective story, but the story of one very unsuccessful marriage. The women here are not naive at all, but smart, which also adds poignancy to the work, while Ed makes him want to hit him on the head with something heavy. The characters are bright and expressive, and I really liked the story. Especially this jumping through the time period and close observation of the characters growing up. I even wanted to discuss their actions later with those who also read Corrie. So if you like light psychological books with detective overtones, then I can safely recommend that the book is definitely good in its genre.
"The Last of the Stanfields" by Mark Levy
Levi always writes books that are perfect for summer, sun and holidays. Beautiful stories with a romantic touch, good writing and an interesting plot. Maybe sometimes simple, but always worthy. This time, the love line faded into the background, revealing the problems of fathers and children. How many of you know what their parents did before you were born, what they dreamed of, what they sacrificed, who they loved? What do you remember when looking out the window on dark evenings?
The main character Elinor-Rigby definitely didn’t want to think about it, and having received an anonymous letter with an offer to reveal a secret from her late mother’s past, she was truly scared. Why? Maybe because she was firmly convinced that the real life of her parents began only with the birth of their children, or maybe because she was fixated only on herself, without having much interest in her old people. In the end, journalistic curiosity takes over, and the girl goes in search of the past. Very soon, her path will cross with the son of her deceased mother’s best friend, about whom Elinor has heard absolutely nothing. It turns out that the guy also received a similar letter, and now everything will get even more confused. But that’s what makes it more interesting, isn’t it?
Here you will find love, secrets, relationships between children and parents, and a turbulent past - a real cocktail for enjoyable reading. The story is told in three time frames, but everything is written quite well, and you won’t be able to get lost in the dates and characters. I personally liked it very much, Levi is still as good as before, masterfully touching the heart and soul.
"My beloved Sputnik" by Haruki Murakami
Haruki Murakami is the first name that comes to mind when talking about holiday books. His novels have the right balance of regularity, leisurely but with unexpected plot twists, a little philosophy, a little provocation and very easy to read, beautiful literary language.
My favorite companion is a novel about love, loneliness, and finding oneself. The Japanese are generally quite strange guys, and if you've ever wondered why fewer and fewer people want to get married or have relationships, then you'll find the answers in Murakami's novels. Here, for example, are the heroes of this novel: teacher K., on whose behalf the story is told, the eccentric Sumire, who dreams of becoming a writer, and the attractive but cold businesswoman Miu. Three very different people, each with their own quirks, their own subtype of loneliness, and their own personal orbit. The point of their intersection was one of the small Greek islands, where, without leaving a note, without taking documents and a wallet, Sumire disappeared without a trace, like smoke. A leisurely story filled with everyday life and everyday details about a love triangle, starting from this point, it takes on an almost mystical character.
The text, as always with Murakami, is leisurely, slightly melancholy, like a quiet, beautiful melody. It seems that everything is simple and clear, but only after closing the last page do you realize how many mysteries and secrets there are in this novel.
"The Help" by Kathryn Stockett
If for some reason you have not yet read this wonderful book, then vacation is the best time to catch up. A smart, subtle, ironic novel that is so addictive that it is impossible to put down.
On the one hand, this is a historical retrospective: America in the 60s, the colorful south, all this racial obscurantism, stereotypes and snobbery, and on the other hand, these are very personal and sincere stories of different women. It often seems to us that in American films/news/culture discrimination and the rights of African Americans are very often mentioned, and there is some kind of unhealthy fixation on that topic. This is natural, we don’t have these memories in our background, but if you read “The Help”, you will see this problem in a completely different way. Just think, just some 50 years ago, i.e. during the youth of our grandparents, there were still separate buses, schools, and toilets for “blacks.” Smart and educated people sincerely believed that they could catch some kind of infection from blacks and that they could only work as servants and laborers.
But don’t think that this is a complex and difficult work, quite the opposite. The book is very easy to read, the plot is actively developing, the charismatic heroines weave intrigues, gossip, make friends, love, and take revenge. And you unwittingly become an accomplice, spying on one miss through the window, eavesdropping on another at the door, and then discussing these ladies in the kitchen with the servants. And only after reading the novel to the end does one realize that with all these sad and funny life stories, dialogues, secrets, the author managed to put together a complex and voluminous puzzle.
I read this book on the plane and I swear it was one of the shortest and most effortless flights of my life. Only occasionally she came off from reading to share his husband with emotions and said a “Negro” a couple of times. Naturally, without any negative context, but I almost got into trouble myself, although that’s a completely different story. And, of course, everyone should read the book, but choose expressions if you are discussing the plot with someone, especially on international flights and beaches :).
"Goddess of Vengeance" Jo Nesbø
I don’t know about you, but I love reading detective stories on vacation. But not all, only interesting and fascinating ones, in which the plot is twisted, the characters are charming and there is not too much blood. Jo Nesbø has exactly that. This Norwegian author has been writing a series of detective stories for many years about Inspector Harry Hall, a smart, insightful, ironic, alcoholic from the Oslo police who does not know how to build relationships. For all his shortcomings, it goes without saying that Hole has the highest murder clearance rate. These books do not have to be read in order, you can start with any one; each detective story has its own storyline, and if heroes from previous ones appear, their role is briefly described.
In "Goddess of Vengeance" (in recent editions the name was changed to "Nemesis"), Harry and his new partner need to find out who and how carried out the perfect bank robbery: there are no fingerprints left, the face of the criminal is not visible on the camera from any angle, and he couldn’t even recognize his voice; he forced a bank employee to speak instead of himself. Everything went like clockwork, but for some reason, without any obvious reasons for this, the robber decided to kill the cashier girl. The case is interesting, but everything is as usual: routine questioning of witnesses, collection of evidence. If there was one more problem: in the evening Harry was supposed to meet with his ex-passion, and apparently there was a date after all. But our inspector again abuses and in the morning he cannot remember anything, and the girl was found dead in her apartment. Someone is clearly aware of the whole difficult situation and is sending Harry anonymous letters by e-mail.
The solution is not at all on the surface, and you will have to rack your brains together with Harry, unraveling these seemingly unrelated crimes.
"Tea with the Birds" by Joanne Harris
You may already be familiar with Joanne Harris and have read her most famous novels: “Chocolate” (the same one on which the film with Johnny Depp was based), “Sleep, Pale Sister” or “Blackberry Wine”. If you haven’t read it, then you can safely take any of them with you on a trip. But I want to recommend not novels, but a collection of short stories. It’s not the most popular genre right now, but it seems to me that it is in the form of short prose that the author’s imagination and skill best emerge. Harris has both in abundance. Often the stories in the collections are similar to each other, there is some common style and the plots have something in common.
But in “Tea with the Birds” all the stories are so different, original and dissimilar that one is even surprised how one person could have written all this. Some stories are realistic and instructive, others are ironic, some are fabulous, and sometimes phantasmagoric, with elements of magical realism and dystopia. The themes are very feminine and always relevant: the desire for an ideal appearance (“A Place in the Sun”), about the masks we wear every day (“Sister”), about cooking and English endurance (“Gastronomicon”), about arranged marriage and the Neapolitan miracles ("Fish").