Books that start with o
#BookRecommendations with titles that start with the letter ‘O’ #GreatReads
Posted on March 12, 2022 by Fictionophile
Last year I started going through the entire alphabet, one letter per month. For March 2022, the 15th month of my endeavor, I’m listing all of my favourite novels that begin with the letter ‘O‘. I am choosing these titles from the books I’ve read since I began this blog. There are 11 books recommended here.
If the title begins with an initial article such as The, A, An etc., I will be using the second word. For instance, “A Man called Ove” will be included in my M post. “The Silent Patient” will be listed in my S post.
Hopefully you’ll find something that interests you from these posts.
As always, I’ve linked the book cover to Goodreads, and the title link will take you to MY review of the book.
“One Step Behind” by Lauren North
“Our House” by Louise Candlish
“Of Sea And Seed” by Annie Daylon
“Ordinary Grace” by William Kent Krueger
“Odd Child Out” by Gilly Macmillan
“Out Of The Blue” by Gretta Mulrooney
“The Old Religion” by Martyn Waites
“The Old Jest” by Jennifer Johnston
“Only Human” by Diane Chandler
““Outside Looking In” by Michael Wood
“Old Lovegood Girls” by Gail Godwin
If you have already read any of these titles, I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments.
When someone asks me to recommend a book…
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About Fictionophile
Fiction reviewer ; Goodreads librarian.
Retired library cataloger - more time to read! Loves books, gardening, and red wine. I have been a reviewer member of NetGalley since October 2013. I review titles offered by Edelweiss, and participate in blog tours with TLC Book Tours.
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Letter O Book List
Today, we’re sharing 8 books in our Letter O Book List that fit nicely while teaching the letter o.
Of course, you are more than welcome to use these books ANY time, but they compliment the activities you’ll find in our free letter o packs:
- Learning the Alphabet Letter O Printable Pack
- Reading the Alphabet Letter O Lesson
*This post contains affiliate links.
Letter O Book List
The books in this list feature these letter o words: octopus, opposites, old, otters, owen, over, ocean and ox.
Octopus Opposites by Stella Blackstone isn’t your average opposite book. With brightly colored illustrations, featuring different animals, your child will be entertained. She not only compares different sea animals, but sometimes shows how one sea animal can do opposites, like sea urchin out, sea urchin in. Such a cute book!
Old MacDonald Had a Farm with Pete the Cat by James Dean features the groovy, well-loved cat and the classic song of Old MacDonald.
While the book has him in some of the illustrations, the song does not mention him, but sticks to the classic words. For my toddler, seeing Pete the Cat was enough, but it may not be for other tots and preschoolers.
The Level 1 readers of National Geographic are GREAT! And there are a ton of them! The text is written at a higher level, so older readers {about late 1st grade/early 2nd grade}, but the photographs are interesting enough for preschoolers and some tots. Sea Otters shares lots of information about sea otters, but I don’t read each and every fact with my toddler and preschooler. More than anything, we flip through the book and talk about the pictures {and I can read the text when they ask questions about the pictures.}
Owen, by Kevin Henkes- Owen carries his blanket everywhere he goes. When a nosy neighbor keeps mentioning to his parents that it isn’t proper for him to take that blanket everywhere, his parents begin to help him get rid of it.
But Owen just won’t have it. He continues to carry it everywhere. But what will happen when he goes to school? Owen’s mom has a plan that just might work!
While the book may be a bit too lengthy for younger toddlers {at least it is for my 3 year old}, preschoolers and up will enjoy the story line.
I must say that the images in Over in the Ocean by Marianne Berkes have got to be some of the most amazing images I’ve seen in a picture book in some time! The story is written to the tune and rhythm of Over in the Meadow and is such a fascinating book. It is longer, but my younger ones enjoy it more when we sing the words and add some clapping or even hand motions as we read along.
My Very Own Octopus by Bernard Most is a cute book about the benefits of owning an octopus. It’s fun to read the book and then think of other benefits that having a pet octopus would have. With older kids, I’ve compared this book with Who Wants a Cheap Rhinoceros? by Shel Silverstein, as the books are very similar in theme.
Ox-Cart Man by Donald Hall has got to be one of my favorite books to read around Thanksgiving, but it can be read any time of the year. It follows the journey of a New-Englander throughout the year, showing how life was before TV’s and cars, the fast food drive-thru, and even having lots of cash to spend. The pictures are a wonderful springboard and I love the language such as flax and embroidery needle that kids don’t hear very much these days.
See all our Letter of the Week book lists & printable packs HERE.
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top interesting books that you can't put down
There are books that you need to read slowly and thoughtfully, gradually getting used to the characters and what is happening.
And there are those that capture from the first pages and make you forget about everything until the last lines. When you need to pass the hours on a long drive or keep yourself occupied on a cold evening, the best choice is books that are read in one breath. It can be a dynamic detective story, a cult fantasy, an action-packed drama or a humorous story.
The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde
The Picture of Dorian Gray is the most famous and relevant work of all time by the English writer Oscar Wilde.
Dorian is a handsome and vain young man. He is afraid of old age and ugliness. One day, admiring his own portrait, he voices a secret desire: that instead of him the image would grow old, and Gray himself would forever remain beautiful. And so it happens ... Long years of depraved and criminal life pass, but time leaves no trace on Gray's fresh face. And he already regrets his gift.
The book is written in a lively and ironic manner. Watching the gradual and inevitable degradation of the main character is frighteningly interesting.
The Boy in the Striped Pajamas, John Boyne
John Boyne is a contemporary Irish author of children's and adult literature. He became famous thanks to the novel "The Boy in the Striped Pajamas". The book was nominated for several prestigious awards and successfully filmed.
The story tells about little Bruno. In the background is World War II. A naive boy knows nothing about fascism, military operations, concentration camps. His family moves to the Auschwitz neighborhood because his father has been promoted. While exploring new territories, the boy finds a friend, Shmuel. He lives on a "farm" behind barbed wire. One day Bruno decides to visit Shmuel "on a visit", and it turns into a tragedy.
..
Behind the touching story is a harsh reality. The book is small, it can be read in one evening, completely immersed in experiences. And the result is a rethinking of the terrible pages of history.
Zapovednik, Sergey Dovlatov
"Reserve" is a short ironic story by the Soviet-American writer Sergei Dovlatov. It is ideal for the first acquaintance with the author.
The divorced writer Boris Alikhanov gets a job as a tour guide in the Mikhailovskoye Museum-Reserve. He mockingly and cynically describes local orders in the form of anecdotal stories. Gradually life in the museum fades into the background. The sad and difficult past of the hero comes to the front. "Reserve" is very aphoristic and has long been sold in quotations. Dovlatov's characteristic humor makes you laugh on almost every page.
Stephen King Rita Hayworth
The famous film "The Shawshank Redemption" is included in the list of the best pictures of world cinema.
It is an adaptation of the book of the same name by Stephen King, also known as Rita Hayworth. The story is written in the genre of psychological realism, unusual for the "king of horrors". Like the movie, the book draws you in from the very beginning.
The protagonist Andy Dufresne, an intelligent and cold-blooded banker, is convicted of murdering his wife and her lover, which he did not actually commit. In Shawshank High Security Prison, he tries to get justice. Strikes up relationships with powerful prisoners, helps the administration with financial matters and plans an escape for 27 long years. "Rita Hayworth, or The Shawshank Redemption" is a capacious, concise book that keeps you in suspense until the last pages.
Dummies Guy de Maupassant
French writer Guy de Maupassant is a master of the short story. His first short story "Pyshka" was recognized as a masterpiece and glorified the author overnight.
The story takes place during the Franco-Prussian War. Several gentlemen from the upper strata of society, two nuns and a good-natured plump courtesan nicknamed Pyshka leave the occupied city on a stagecoach. The road is long and difficult. Pyshka has to learn from her own experience how hypocritical and cruel seemingly decent and virtuous people can be. Maupassant depicted locations, characters and relationships in detail and realistically. Despite the small volume of the work, you are completely immersed in what is happening.
Ten Little Indians (There Were Ten), Agatha Christie
Agatha Christie's best-selling detective story "Ten Little Indians" is not like the measured investigations of Poirot and Miss Marple. This is a creepy psychological thriller. According to the author, the novel was the most difficult to write. By the way, in France, for reasons of political correctness, the book is now published under the title "There were ten of them.
"
Ten strangers gather on a small island off the English coast. Some received an invitation to rest, others were called for work. During lunch, the gramophone plays a recording of the accusations of murder. The guests understand that they have fallen into a trap ... Someone starts killing them one by one, as in an ominous counting rhyme found by each of them in the bedroom. There is not a soul on the island anymore - it remains to suspect each other.
Agatha Christie perfectly conveyed the gloomy atmosphere of fear and distrust. A dynamic narrative keeps you in suspense until an unpredictable and spectacular denouement.
The Fault in Our Stars, John Green
John Green is a popular American writer and best-selling author for teens. One of his most famous works is the novel The Fault in Our Stars, about terminally ill lovers.
The book tells about the meeting and relationship of sixteen-year-old Hazel and seventeen-year-old Augustus. Both do not have long to live, but they know how to enjoy life, joke and love. Despite the heavy themes of illness and death, The Fault in Our Stars is a bright and life-affirming book. Easy to read and quick - great for the weekend. But paper handkerchiefs can come in handy.
Chocolat, Joanne Harris
British writer Joanne Harris rose to fame with her third book. It was a mystical melodrama "Chocolate". The novel won several literary awards, hit numerous best-seller lists, and formed the basis of a successful film that was nominated for five Oscars.
A young woman, Vianne Rocher, arrives in a fictional French town to open a chocolate shop. She has magical powers and uses them in the art of confectionery. Thanks to her sweets, the neighbors once again felt the taste for life.
But the local priest is unhappy with the situation. A desperate confrontation begins.
Island in the Sea, Annika Tor
An Island in the Sea is the first book by children's author Annika Thor. The novel was noted by the jury of the Janusz Korczak International Literary Prize. A small instructive story suitable for family reading.
The plot takes place during the war. Two Jewish girls - Steffi and Nelli - are forced to leave their parents and move as refugees from Austria to Sweden. In a foreign country without loved ones is not easy. The heroines will have to cope with fear, powerlessness, despair and shame. But life goes on, and there will always be a place for hope, friendship, love and mutual assistance. A touching story makes you empathize with the characters and follow the fate of the girls with excitement.
Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes
The cult novel by American writer Daniel Keyes was born from the short story of the same name.
For both works, the author received two of the most prestigious awards in the genre of science fiction: "Hugo" and "Nebula".
The book is written in the form of reports compiled by mentally retarded janitor Charlie Gordon. He participates in an experiment to increase the level of intelligence. The brain surgery was successful. Charlie is getting smarter every day. Soon, his IQ becomes higher than that of the professors who conducted the experiment ... The first parts of the novel are written in clumsy, illiterate language, which improves as Charlie's intelligence grows. It is fascinating to follow the success of the hero, the development of his personality and emotions about what is happening.
French Lieutenant's Woman John Fowles
John Fowles is an outstanding English writer, a prominent representative of postmodernism. He created the immortal novels The Collector and The Magus.
One of his most popular books was The French Lieutenant's Woman, a mysterious and intriguing work. The brilliant Meryl Streep played in the film adaptation.
The characters and scenery of the novel resembles a Victorian one. However, the author deliberately narrates from the position of his contemporary, who already knows about the sexual revolution, the theory of psychoanalysis and postmodern ideas. The main character, a poor young gentleman Charles Smithson, meets an outcast woman. She is called the mistress of the French lieutenant. For her sake, Smithson leaves the bride. Whether this story has a happy ending depends on the reader, with whom Fowles masterfully plays throughout the novel.
Fried Green Tomatoes at Stop Stop Café by Fannie Flagg
The world-famous and beloved book by American writer Fanny Flagg.
In the story, the cheerful and charming resident of the nursing home, Ninnie Threadgood, tells her new friend Evelyn about her past.
Her quiet provincial life in the town of Half Station was full of events. Conversations charge Evelyn with enthusiasm and energy. The book has the same effect on readers. Charismatic characters, a warm atmosphere and a pleasant simple style - all that you can appreciate.
Stranger, Max Frei
"The Outsider" is the first volume of the famous series of science fiction books "Labyrinths of Echo". By the way, if you didn’t know, Svetlana Martynchik writes under the pseudonym Max Fry.
The book consists of several stories that introduce readers to the story of Sir Max. He got into the magical world of Echo and began a career in the Secret Investigation. Together with his boss, the powerful magician Juffin Halli, he investigates strange cases. At the same time, he studies a new world and becomes more and more sympathetic to it. The amazing events in Echo are so addictive that you don’t want to return to the real world.
Secret Place Tana French
Irish writer Tana French is the author of popular detective novels that have been highly acclaimed by critics and juries of literary awards. The Secret Place is the fifth installment in the Dublin Police series. But this is a self-sufficient, holistic book that, in addition to intrigue, reveals many important topics.
A student is killed in a prestigious private school. An anonymous note on the bulletin board for girls' secrets becomes a new lead. The author immerses the reader in a day of investigation painted by the minute. In parallel, we are witnessing the prehistory of the tragedy.
"Viy", Nikolai Gogol
The case when a book from the school curriculum is read in one breath. The mystical story "Viy" stands out among the rest of Gogol's works with fascinating twists and an eerie atmosphere.
The hero of the story is a student of the Kyiv Theological Academy Khoma Brut. He must read prayers in a locked church over the body of a dead girl for three nights. The deceased turned out to be a witch. She came to life and began hunting for Khoma, calling for help from the evil spirits, led by the monstrous Viy. It's scary to read, but hard to put down.
Books that make us cry
Books that touch us to the core and bring tears to our eyes are usually remembered for a lifetime and become the most loved ones. For this, a sad story is not enough, you need a well-built plot, a well-chosen style, realistic and solid characters, so there are few such works.
Our selection of the saddest books includes classic and modern novels by Russian and foreign authors. Here are a variety of genres: drama, tragedy, memoirs, fantasy and non-fiction.
"Bury me behind the plinth", Pavel Sanaev
The autobiographical story “Bury Me Behind the Plinth” is the debut book of the Russian writer, translator and screenwriter Pavel Sanaev.
This book has become legendary among Russian readers and has received wide recognition abroad.
“Bury me behind the plinth” is a story about a nine-year-old boy Sasha Savelyev, who is brought up by a harsh, authoritarian, aggressively caring grandmother. She treats her grandson for non-existent diseases, washes in unbearably hot water, calls him a bastard and curses his mother. And all this is presented through the eyes of a child and described in his language in such a way that it looks naive, creepy and very comical.
The book is often called funny, but it is laughter through tears. Despite the light and ironic language, it is very heavy: about an unhappy childhood, the horrors of Soviet upbringing, and psychological trauma. It generates mixed emotions, making both disgust and laugh, hate and pity the characters at the same time. But the main thing is that it causes a sharp, painful compassion to the point of tears.
Sophie's Choice, William Styron
Sophie's Choice is the most famous work of the Pulitzer Prize-winning American writer William Styron.
It was made into an equally successful Oscar-winning film starring Meryl Streep.
Formally, Sophie's Choice is the autobiography of New York-based aspiring writer Stingo. But as the story progresses, the focus shifts from the author to his neighbor, a young beautiful Polish woman, Sophie Zavistowska, who fled to the United States from occupied Poland. Getting to know her closer, Stingo reveals new terrible details of her life: a difficult relationship with her lover Natan Landau who saved her, the loss of her parents during the genocide in Poland, the hell of Auschwitz and the painful cruel choice that the Nazis forced her to make.
In this book, the emphasis is not on scenes of violence and physical cruelty, but on emotional suffering. Sophie's Choice is a heartbreaking tale of unbearable guilt that cannot be redeemed. The last, most terrible episode from Sophie's memories is described sparingly and almost indifferently, but it is impossible to hold back tears.
"White Bim Black Ear", Gavriil Troepolsky
“White Bim Black Ear” is a Soviet classic, a favorite story for both children and adults.
Voronezh writer Gavriil Troepolsky received the State Prize of the USSR for this story.
The book tells about the fate of a faithful and intelligent dog - a white Scottish setter Bim, devoted to his master, retired hunter Ivan Ivanovich. When the owner gets to the hospital, the neighbor takes the dog to her. But Beam runs away from the apartment and begins to wander around the city in search of Ivan Ivanovich. He meets many people and endures different treatment, but he continues to believe in human kindness and hope for the best.
"White Bim Black Ear" is a sad and sentimental story. Human callousness, cruelty, betrayal, indifference, pity, kindness, love - from the face of an unfortunate dog, and this is very touching. The story makes you cry from the first pages and ends sadly, but leaves behind bright and warm feelings.
Boy in the Striped Pajamas John Boyne
The Boy in the Striped Pajamas is a 2006 novel by contemporary Irish writer John Boyne.
Upon publication, the book immediately became a bestseller, it was nominated for several literary awards and was translated into 50 languages.
The events of the novel are told from the perspective of a nine-year-old German boy Bruno. He lives in a rich and prosperous family, which protects him from knowledge of what is happening in the world. One day, the father is transferred to another position, and they have to move to Auschwitz. At the new location, Bruno explores the neighborhood out of boredom and meets the boy Shmuel in striped pajamas behind barbed wire. They become friends, but soon Bruno's naivete leads to an irreparable tragedy.
The novel "The Boy in the Striped Pajamas" is written in easy, almost childish language. However, it is not intended for children - this little book contains a very heavy and scary story. We see her through the eyes of a carefree child, and this contrast is especially powerful.
"War has no woman's face", Svetlana Aleksievich
“War does not have a woman’s face” is a legendary documentary book by the Belarusian writer Svetlana Aleksievich, Nobel Prize winner in literature.
This book, written at 1984, became the beginning of the cycle "Voices of Utopia".
These are separate essays about the participants of the Great Patriotic War. Aleksievich, a professional journalist, interviewed several dozen Soviet women who went through the war. The heroines of the book are translators, doctors, nurses, radio operators, snipers and pilots.
“War does not have a woman's face” tells about real events. It consists of scary, painful stories that are difficult to read without tears in your eyes. War through the eyes of women is not heroism, but brutal scenes, everyday trifles, heavy human emotions. There is no pathos, chanting or denigration in the book, only facts. And this is worse than any fictional prose about the war.
"Don't Let Me Go", Kazuo Ishiguro
Kazuo Ishiguro is a famous British writer, winner of the Booker Prize for The Remains of the Day and the Nobel Prize in Literature.
In 2005, he wrote Don't Let Me Go, an intellectual dystopia with elements of science fiction. The novel became a bestseller and was included in the list of 100 best English-language books according to Time magazine.
The book takes place at the end of the 21st century. Thirty-year-old woman Katie recalls her unusual life: childhood in a strange closed school Hailsham, friendship with two other pupils, constant medical examinations, art lessons, teachers' fear of their students and other suspicious facts and events. Gradually, we learn who Katy and her friends are, what fate awaits them and how they cope with it with the help of love.
Kazuo Ishiguro writes with special meticulousness, focusing on minor details - words, gestures, fleeting thoughts, which form an emotional, hopeless, tense atmosphere. "Don't Let Me Go" is a story about hopelessness, the inevitability of fate, before which even great love is powerless.
Fried Green Tomatoes at Stop Cafe by Fannie Flagg
"Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe" by American writer Fanny Flagg is a classic of modern literature, standing on a par with "To Kill a Mockingbird" by Harper Lee.
After translation into Russian at 19In 1999, the novel became a cult in Russia.
The main character Evelyn Coach is 48 years old, she has adult children, a difficult relationship with her husband, overweight and depressive thoughts. While visiting her unloved mother-in-law in a nursing home, Evelyn meets the cheerful, cheerful Ninny Threadgood, 86 years old. The women become friends, and the old woman tells Evelyn about her life in the small town of Half Station in Alabama. Ninny has a difficult fate, but she has maintained an optimistic attitude. Her stories help Evelyn look at her problems from a different perspective and find the path to happiness.
Fried Green Tomatoes is a kind and sincere family saga that tells about the inhabitants of one cozy town from 1929 to 1969. Sad stories that make you shed tears are replaced by joyful events that cause a thirst for life not only in Evelyn, but also in readers.
Life and Purpose of the Dog by Bruce Cameron
Bruce Cameron is a famous American writer, author of several good and interesting novels about dogs.
The most touching of them is "The Life and Purpose of a Dog." This book was on the New York Times bestseller list for about a year.
The main character of the novel is a loyal and intelligent dog, which after death each time is reborn into another puppy and continues on its way. She tries to understand her destiny, serves her masters, saves people, accumulates knowledge. Through her eyes the history of several generations is shown. The dog gets different owners, she has to visit different circumstances and experience all kinds of emotions, from delight and love to despair and compassion.
The Life and Purpose of a Dog is a fascinating book. Her plot, full of adventures and unexpected moments, does not let go until the last pages. The novel has many funny stories that uplift the mood and cause laughter. But even more sad moments - animal lovers will find it difficult to keep from crying.
While I'm Alive Jenny Downham
While I Live is a tragic novel about illness and death that made British writer Jenny Downham famous all over the world.
The book was nominated for several literary awards and filmed under the title Now is the Time.
Sixteen-year-old Tessa Scott has been suffering from leukemia for four years. Cancer struck the central nervous system and began to peripheral. It is pointless to continue treatment, and Tessa begins to prepare for death in an unusual way - with the help of a wish list. The list is constantly updated, and her best friend, family and neighbor, with whom Tessa develops a romantic relationship, help her to fulfill her wishes.
"While I'm alive" is a bitter, even merciless story. From the first pages, she makes it clear that there is no hope, and it is very difficult to read about the last months of a young girl. This book isn't sentimental, the main character evokes conflicting emotions, and her list doesn't seem like the best idea for accepting death. But Tessa's story does not leave anyone indifferent: she makes some people sympathize and cry, others get angry and fear death.
"My sister lives on the mantelpiece" by Annabelle Pitcher
My Sister Lives on the Mantelpiece is the first novel by the young British writer Annabelle Pitcher.
He immediately became popular and won several British literary awards.
The story is told from the perspective of a ten-year-old boy, Jamie. Five years ago, his sister died in a terrorist attack. Since then, the urn with her ashes has stood on the mantelpiece, becoming a family shrine. But the family is not the same as before. Parents cannot survive grief and actually forget about two living children who need love, attention and care so much. Jamie does not grieve for her dead sister, does not like the urn, desperately waits for her mother who left them and hides her friendship with a Muslim girl from her alcoholic father.
The book is written in a straightforward, easy children's language that captivates from the first lines. But its content turns out to be difficult: grief for a dead child, conflicts in the family, lack of parental attention. And yet this is a kind and optimistic story in which there is a place for humor, friendship, love.
Lady of the Camellias, Alexandre Dumas son
The Lady of the Camellias is a famous novel about the tragic love of Alexandre Dumas son.
Its plot served as the basis for Verdi's opera La Traviata and several dozen adaptations and theatrical productions.
The novel tells about the love between the Parisian courtesan Marguerite Gauthier, who is dying of tuberculosis, and the handsome young man Armand Duval. For the sake of her lover, the girl abandons her patrons and renounces social life, and later commits an even more difficult self-sacrifice, which leads to a dramatic denouement.
Alexander Dumas son wrote this sad book on the basis of his tragic experience. The writer's lover, the young courtesan Marie Duplessis, died early of tuberculosis. Dumas found out about her death abroad and managed to get to the sale of her property, where he bought a gold chain. He described his tragedy in a book that is still considered one of the most beautiful and sad love stories.
Uncle Tom's Cabin Harriet Beecher Stowe
Uncle Tom's Cabin is the most popular and best-selling novel of the mid-19th century.
According to some historians, this scandalous book by American writer Harriet Beecher Stowe led to the American Civil War.
"Uncle Tom's Cabin" describes the most embarrassing stage in US history - slavery. The protagonist of the novel is Negro Tom, a slave from Kentucky. He is an honest, kind, pious man with firm principles. He lives and works with his family in a rich house, for good service he receives the position of manager, becomes the best slave of his master. But one day he is sold for debts, from which his misadventures begin.
The book describes the real horrors of slavery: separation of mothers and children, severe beatings and humiliation, cynical treatment of slaves as soulless creatures. For the modern reader, the events of the book cause shock, indignation, horror, compassion. This heavy and dark story is written in very simple language, is a fast read and is suitable for children and teens.
The Grapes of Wrath, John Steinbeck
The Grapes of Wrath is a legendary novel by American writer John Steinbeck, winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature.
At 19The book won the Pulitzer Prize in 1940.
The events of the book unfold against the backdrop of the economic catastrophe in the United States in the 1930s - the Great Depression. A terrible drought forces Oklahoma residents to leave their farms and go in search of a better life. A poor family of Joad farmers makes a trip to fertile California in an old car along the famous Route 66. They have no choice but to believe in the future - in a stable job, their own home, a school for their children.
"The Grapes of Wrath" is called a prophetic novel: it not only helps to understand the historical events of a hundred years ago, but also reminds of modern world problems - the economic crisis, financial abuse, the dominance of corporations, unemployment and slums on the outskirts of large cities. Steinbeck, who has traveled to California seasonal labor camps more than once, has managed to create an incredibly realistic atmosphere of hope and fear.
What Dreams May Come Richard Matheson
Richard Matheson is a famous American writer and screenwriter, author of the popular screened novels I Am Legend, Real Steel and Where Dreams May Come.
The latter is called the most important modern work on the afterlife. This book is a masterful mix of science fiction, fantasy, drama and comedy.
The protagonist of the book is the writer and exemplary family man Chris Nielsen, who at the very beginning of the story died in a car accident and ended up in another world. He goes through several levels of the afterlife, meets with deceased relatives and learns about the death of his beloved wife, who did not survive grief and committed suicide. Chris has a goal - to find and save her soul.
Where Dreams May Come is a successful Oscar-winning melodrama. As often happens, the book differs significantly from the film: on the one hand, it is less sugary and sentimental, on the other hand, it is more profound, sad and philosophical.
Dark Alleys, Ivan Bunin
"Dark Alleys" is a collection of stories by Ivan Alekseevich Bunin, on which he worked for almost ten years and which he called his best work.
