Published in 1943, The Little Prince by Antoine by Saint-Exupery is one of the best-selling books ever. Even if at first sight can be considered a children`s book, The Little Prince is full of profound observations regarding human nature and life in general. The author, a French aviator, wrote the book inspired from his own experience in the Sahara, where his plane crashed, so he and his navigator Andre Prevot faced desert survival. Lost and dehydrated, they began seeing mirages, [ Read More ]
One of the best English-language books of all times, the dystopian novel 1984 was written by George Orwell and published in 1949. This book is a warning for the terrible dangers that humans can create on their way to build a utopian society. Many concepts of the book such as Big Brother, Newspeak, Memory hole or doublethink are now part of the contemporary vernacular. Plot summary After an atomic global war, in 1984 the world is divided into three superstates [ Read More ]
Animal Farm is a novel written by George Orwell, the pen name of Eric Blair, a political novelist and essayist. Published in 1945, the book is seen as one of the best English-language novels. Using a pointed criticisms for political oppression, Orwell disapproved with the Soviet Union and its policies and became a sharp critic of both capitalism and communism. The dystopian allegorical novel Animal Farm presents events prior and during the Stalin era before World War II, addressing corruption [ Read More ]
Written by Paulo Coelho, The Alchemist was published in 1988 and became one of the best-selling books ever, as it was sold in more than 65 million copies and established a world record for most translated book by a living author. There are many connections between the main character and the Brazilian author`s life. After this big success, Coelho wrote many other books which become best-sellers worldwide, even if some critics accuse him for writing mass-market fables as literature. Plot [ Read More ]
A literary classic, The Count of Monte Cristo written by French author Alexandre Dumas, father, was published in 1844. This famous adventure book is known worldwide and it was several times adapted for screen and plays. Plot Summary The intrigue is very complicated and there are many characters involved. Young Edmond Dantès is condemned to life imprisonment through a conspiracy. He stays in prison for fourteen years in the Château d`If where he becomes friend with another prisoner, Abbé Faria. [ Read More ]
A classic, Crime and Punishment was written by Fyodor Dostoevsky and first published in 1886. This great psychological book focuses on ex-student Rodion Romanivich`s moral dilemmas, internal struggle and obsessions. There are many profound political social and religious concepts approached in Crime and Punishment, making it one of the most valuable Russian novel ever written. Plot Summary Raskolnikov lives in a rented room in Saint Petersburg and does not accept any financial help. Instead, he plans to kill and rob [ Read More ]
Published in 1967, One Hundred Years of Solitude is considered the masterpiece of Colombian writer Gabriel Garcia Marquez. The author used non-linear narration through different time frames in order to create a magical yet realistic world. Plot Summary One Hundred Years of Solitude presents the intricate history of seven generations of the Buendía Family. José Arcadio Buendía and Úrsula (his wife and first cousin) leave their hometown in search for a better life. During their journey, the man has a [ Read More ]
Written by J. D. Salinger, The Catcher in the Rye is a novel published in 1945. The book tells the story of a teenager who is looking for his true self and finally finds it. In the same time, Holden Caulfield, the hero of the book, has become an iconic figure for teenage rebellion. Plot Summary Almost all action happens in December, 1949. Holden Caulfield has just been expelled from Pencey Prep School because of his poor academic results. He [ Read More ]
Jane Eyre was written by Charlotte Brontë and published in 1847. This influential novel is famous for its feminist approach considering the time it was created. Besides being a bildungsroman, Jane Eyre is a Gothic fiction with much social criticism. Plot Summary Jane Eyre is an orphan first living with her cruel aunt and cousins who treat the little girl like their servant. Jane`s terror seems to end when she starts attending Lowood School for Girls. At this charity school [ Read More ]
One of the best examples of how war shapes men, For Whom the Bell Tolls is written by Ernest Hemingway and published in 1940. This novel is considered one of the most important works of the Nobel and Pulitzer-prize winning author. Plot Summary Based on Hemingway`s own experience during the Spanish Civil War, For Whom the Bell Tolls is the story of Robert Jordan, an American expert in demolitions and explosives who goes to Spain to combat the nationalist forces [ Read More ]
