Good story to read

31 Best Short Stories and Collections Everyone Should Read

Blog – Posted on Sunday, Jun 17

If you are on the lookout for great storytelling but don’t want to commit to a full-length novel, then short story collections are the answer. Whether it’s just before bed, during your commute, or waiting to see your doctor, small chunks of time are perfect for reading short stories.

Here we have gathered thirty-one of the best short stories and collections, from all sorts of backgrounds and sources, to help you grow your “To Be Read” pile.

For your convenience, we've divided this post into two parts: 1. the ten best free short stories to read right now, and 2. best short story collections. Feel free to jump to the section that you prefer!

If you're feeling overwhelmed by the number of great short stories out there, you can also take our 30-second quiz below to narrow it down quickly and get a personalized short story recommendation 😉

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Free Short Stories to Read Right Now

These individual short stories are the best of the best — and the even better news is that they're available for free online for you to peruse. From classics published in the 1900s to a short story that exploded in late 2017, here are ten of the greatest free short stories for you to read.

1. “Lamb to the Slaughter” by Roald Dahl

While not exactly a philosophical or political tale like our first two examples, this twisty short story from Dahl does delve into some shady moral territory. We are introduced to Mary Maloney: a loving wife and dedicated homemaker. In just a few short paragraphs describing how she welcomes her husband home, Dahl makes us sympathize with Mary — before a rash act turns her life upside down and takes the reader with her on a dark journey.

For those who haven’t read it, we won’t spoil the rest. However, it’s safe to say that Dahl serves up a fiendish twist on a platter.

2. “The Lottery” by Shirley Jackson

A perennial feature in many a high school syllabus, Shirley Jackson’s best-known short story clinically details an unusual ritual that takes place in a small town. There’s not exactly a lot of plot to spoil in The Lottery — but within a few short pages, Jackson manages to represent the mob mentality that can drive reasonable people to commit heinous acts.

3. “How to Become a Writer” by Lorrie Moore

Told in the second person point of view, this story from Moore’s debut anthology Self-Help takes an honest look at the inner life of a struggling artist. Through the use of an unusual POV, the author manages to turn her reader into a confidante — making it abundantly clear that the ‘you’ the narrator is speaking about is actually herself.

This story is a standout, but the entire collection is well worth a read for its insight, humor, and disregard for literary norms.

4. “Cat Person” by Kristen Roupenian

In the Social Media Age, no short story has gone viral the way this New Yorker contribution from Roupenian has. Arriving at the height of #MeToo, it begins with 20-year-old Margot embarking on the early stages of flirtation with an older man, Robert. As she gets to know more about this man (as well as filling in the gaps with her imagination), the power dynamic in their relationship starts to fluctuate.

Lauded for its portrayal of Margot’s inner life and the fears many modern women face when it comes to dating, it also has its fair share of detractors — many are critical of the central character, some are downright outraged by the story’s success. Still, this story undeniably struck a chord with the reading public, and will likely remain relevant for some time.

5. “Cathedral” by Raymond Carver

First published in The Atlantic Monthly in 1981, “Cathedral” is today known as one of Raymond Carver’s finest works. When it opens, we meet a narrator whose wife is expecting a visit from an old friend, a blind man. Dissatisfied and distrusting of people not like him, our narrator struggles to connect until the blind man asks him to describe a cathedral to him.  

 “Cathedral” is one of Carver’s own personal favorites, and deservedly so. His characteristic minimalist style is devastating as the story builds up to a shattering moment of emotional truth — an ultimate reminder that no-one else can capture the quiet sadness of working-class people like him. 

6. “A Good Man Is Hard to Find” by Flannery O’Connor

Innocuously titled, “A Good Man Is Hard to Find” is nevertheless Flannery O’Connor’s bleakest — and most famous — work. It begins unassumingly with a Southern family who’s planning to go on a road trip. Yet the journey is rudely interrupted when their car overturns on an abandoned dirt road — and they are met by an enigmatic group of three men, coming up over the far hill. 

This short story inspired some strong reactions from the public upon publication — and the conversation continues today as to its frank depiction of the nature of good and evil. Again, we won’t spoil anything for you, except to say that “A Good Man Is Hard to Find” is well worth your time.  

7. “Symbols and Signs” by Vladimir Nabokov

The famous author of Lolita wrote “Signs and Symbols” in 1948. Its premise is seemingly simple: an elderly couple visits their mentally ill son in the sanatorium in America. Yet their background and trials come into sharp focus as the story develops, until an explosive ending disrupts everyone’s peace of mind. 

As you might expect, the somber “Symbols and Signs” diverges sharply from Lolita in terms of both tone and subject — but its ending will keep you awake at night thinking about its implications.  

8. “Sticks” by George Saunders

Not so much a short story as it is flash fiction, “Sticks” is written from the perspective of a young man whose father has an unusual habit: dressing up a crucifix that’s built of out a metal pole in the yard. One of America’s greatest living short story writers, George Saunders explained: "For two years I'd been driving past a house like the one in the story, imagining the owner as a man more joyful and self-possessed and less self-conscious than myself. Then one day I got sick of him and invented his opposite, and there was the story." 

The result is a masterful piece of fiction that builds something out of seemingly nothing — all in the space of only two paragraphs. 

9. “The Veldt” by Ray Bradbury

If there’s anyone who you can trust to deliver thought-provoking, terrifying science fiction on the regular, it’s Ray Bradbury. In “The Veldt,” George and Lydia Hadley have bought an automated house that comes with a “nursey,” or a virtual reality room. Worried about the nursery’s effect on the kids, George and Lydia think about turning off the nursey — but the problem is that their children are obsessed with it. 

As an ominously prescient prediction of the downside of technology, “The Veldt” is a short and shining example of how Ray Bradbury was an author before his time. 

10. “Flowers for Algernon” by Daniel Keyes

In this classic short story, we are privy to the journals of Charlie Gordon, a cleaner with an IQ of 68. ("I reely wantd to lern I wantid it more even then pepul who are smarter even then me. All my life I wantid to be smart and not dumb.”) Charlie’s luck changes when he is selected for an experiment that purports to turn him into a genius — but everything that goes up must come down in the end. 

“Flowers for Algernon” won the Hugo Award in 1960 for its groundbreaking presentation. Heartbreaking and rich with subtle poignance, it is likely to remain a staple for centuries to come.  

Best Short Story Collections to Devour

If you'd like many short stories at your fingertips all at once, short story collections are where you should look. Here, we've collected 21 of the best short story collections — along with the standout story in each volume.

11.

Although published only a couple of years ago, the 43 short stories in this posthumous collection were written throughout Berlin’s entire life. Combining humor, grit, wit, and melancholy, her vibrant short stories follow a series of women in different occupations — from cleaning women to ER nurses — all struggling to survive.

Standout Story: “A Manual for Cleaning Women”

12.

First published in 1967 under the title End of the Game and Other Stories, this collection includes fifteen short stories from the Argentine author Julio Cortázar. In it, Cortázar showcases his masterful use of language to tell vivid (if often bizarre) stories that seem to not make much sense — at least not at first glance.

Standout Story: “House Taken Over”

13.

Published in 2012, this short story collection by Krys Lee offers a poignant glimpse into the Korean immigrant experience. Crossing decades and continents, the stories show children and adults alike as they face their pasts and fight for survival in less than ideal conditions.

Standout Story: “Drifting House”



14.

If you’ve ever wondered what life was like in Ireland at the beginning of the 20th century, then look no further. The fifteen short stories in this collection form a vivid image of traditional Irish middle-class life at the height of Irish nationalism, and these middle-class citizens’ desperate search for identity. Published in 1914, Dubliners was the first outing for several characters who eventually make their way into Ulysses, Joyce’s magnum opus.

Standout Story: “The Dead”

15.

Featuring some truly dark and horrific denouements, this short story collection includes three award-winning stories, one of which won the O. Henry Award for best short story of the year in 1996. Each story also includes personal commentary by King himself!

Standout Story: “Riding the Bullet”

16.

Written between 1941 and 1956, Ficciones compiles the most popular short stories of Argentine writer Jorge Luis Borges. First translated into English in 1962, the collection is divided into two parts and contains seventeen different stories full of labyrinths (both literal and metaphorical), philosophical issues, and whole universes where reality blends with myth, legend, history, and fantasy to the point that it’s nearly impossible to tell what’s real and what’s not.

Standout Story: “The Garden of Forking Paths”

17.

With stories spanning towns and even centuries, Florida features a that is none other than that sultry mistress, the Sunshine State. Swamps, hurricanes, snakes, gators, unyielding heat, and permanent swarms of bugs intertwine with the lives of unsuspecting humans in tales of survival, motherhood, and abandonment with a vivid sense of place that is both ingenious and relevant.

Standout Story: “Above and Below”

18.

Published in 2006, this collection includes over 30 short stories, poems, and novellas full of Gaiman’s magical and imaginative creations. It won the Locus Award in 2007 for Best Collection and several of the individual stories have also won the Locus and Hugo Awards.

Standout Story: “The Flints of Memory Lane”

19.

If you’re expecting Matilda or Willy Wonka sequels, then think again. While it may be the same author, that’s where the similarities end; the twelve stories in this collection are geared toward a much more adult audience, full of sinister undertones and packed with revenge, lies, death, and the darker sides of human nature.

Standout Story: “The Pig”

20.

From the author of Norwegian Wood comes this recent collection of seven stories that deal with loss and loneliness. These melancholic tales focus primarily on despairing men who are left to cope with the loss of their loved ones.

Standout Story: “Samsa in Love”

21.

Chances are you’ve heard of Salinger’s The Catcher in the Rye, but did you know that he also wrote short stories? In this collection you’ll find (surprise!) nine stories that showcase Salinger’s brilliant writing — the same writing that made his magnum opus a classic of American literature.

Standout Story: “For Esme - With Love and Squalor”

22.

With one of the most prestigious Japanese literary prizes named after him, there are few who can match Akutagawa’s legacy when it comes to short stories. This collection includes eighteen stories that range from traditional tales of Samurai and Shoguns to autobiographical accounts, all of which combine the humor, cynicism, and rich imagery that characterize Akutagawa’s writing.

Standout Story: “In a Bamboo Grove”

23.

This award-winning collection features eight stories by Canadian author Alice Munro. With straightforward and accessible prose, Munro tells stories of women and their relationships — with strong themes of love, friendship, and motherhood, among others. Aptly named, the idea of running away is another theme found throughout these stories.

Standout Story: “Runaway”

24.

Written between 1976 and 1982, the twelve stories in this collection have one theme that joins them: Latin Americans adrift in Europe. Using the magical realism that characterizes most of his writing, García Márquez, a giant in Latinx literature, explores the feelings of melancholy, wonder, sorrow, and ambition that define the migrant experience.

Standout Story: “The Trail of Your Blood in the Snow”

25.

This 1994 National Book Award finalist brings together stories from The Little Disturbances of Man, Enormous Changes at the Last Minutes, and Later the Same Day, three previous collections by Paley. With changing points of view and a poignant voice, this collection features character-driven stories that intertwine humor with social and political issues as we follow the lives and relationships of people living in the Bronx.

Standout Story: “A Man Told Me the Story of His Life”

26.

This posthumous collection is divided into three parts and includes all seventy of Hemingway’s short stories — definitely a treat for all short story lovers out there. The first part contains all the stories from First Forty-Nine Stories. The second one contains stories published in other books, magazines, or independently throughout the author’s life. The third one is a collection of seven previously unpublished stories, some of which are unfinished or are excerpts. In his short fiction, Hemingway paints a vivid image of human nature though happiness and loss that will keep readers turning pages.

Standout Story: “Hills Like White Elephants”

27.

Published posthumously in 1972, O’Connor’s Complete Stories actually won the National Book Award that same year. This collection includes 31stories, twelve of which had never been included in any of O’Connor’s previous collections. They are told from the perspective of characters from the American South, as they deal with social issues like racism, religious hypocrisy, gender roles, and more.

Standout Story: “A Good Man is Hard to Find”

28.

With a rich narrative that provides social commentary and depicts frequent class conflicts, this volume collects twenty of the two hundred short stories that Chekhov wrote throughout his short life. All the stories in the collection were written between 1886 and 1899 —  the author’s most fruitful years — and although they are over one hundred years old today, they capture life in such a way that still feel relevant and fresh.

Standout Story: “The Lady with the Dog”

29.

From Pulitzer Prize winner Thanh Nguyen comes this collection of eight short stories that are all about immigration, in particular that of Vietnamese refugees who have moved to the US. However, instead of describing the hardships of their trips, Nguyen focuses on the lives they’ve established in their new country. Each story demonstrates a unique immigrant experience as characters move between cultures, countries, relationships, memories, and emotions.

Standout Story: “I’d Love You to Want Me”

30.

This collection of twelve short stories by award-winning writer Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie takes place in Nigeria, the author’s birthplace, as well as the United States. The stories showcase the lives of men, women, and children who have either immigrated to the U.S. or have family who have done so, and how their experiences have shaped their individual relationships along the way.

Standout Story: “The Thing Around Your Neck”

31.

Rosario Ferre is one of the most influential women writers in the Spanish language. The sixteen stories in this collection display a masterful use of language and fertile imagination, while criticizing and deconstructing the roles of hispanic women in a very traditional and patriarchal society. Ferre’s stories are set in Puerto Rico, her native country, and the author herself translated her own works.

Standout Story: “When Women Love Men”

***

Ready to write your own short story? Check out these short story ideas for all your inspiration needs.

18 Great Short Stories You Can Read Free Online

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(Editor’s note: this post was updated in August, 2021, with current links to all stories.) When I have no idea what to read, I find a bunch of free short stories online, save them onto the Pocket app, and read them as if I’ve compiled my own short story collection. Like a music playlist I create to match a mood, I create short story playlists to break a book slump, or to sample a bunch of different authors’ writing.

As to where to find great stories, The New Yorker stories are generally best, but require a subscription if you read too many in a month. I also like Narrative Magazine, which will ask you for an email, but their stories are free too. Tor of course has some great free stuff, and you can find most of the classics through Gutenberg. The stories on this list that are not from any of these publications, I found through simple Google searches. If I’m interested in an author, but don’t necessarily want to read a whole book, I look to see if they have any short fiction available that I can read first.

From this list, my favorites are Zadie Smith and Italo Calvino’s stories. I’d never read Zadie Smith, but after loving “The Embassy of Cambodia” I started On Beauty (a 500 page book) and I absolutely love it. Both stories satisfied a reading itch I needed scratched.

Here are a few of my favorite free short stories you can read online right now.

“

The world is a library that contains all the books that have ever been written, but most of them are indecipherable. Many people venture to the library to find the meaning of life. It reminded me of Terry Pratchett’s Discworld library.

“Perhaps my old age and fearfulness deceive me, but I suspect that the human species—the unique species—is about to be extinguished, but the Library will endure: illuminated, solitary, infinite, perfectly motionless, equipped with precious volumes, useless, incorruptible, secret.”

“The Lottery” by Shirley Jackson

This used to be my favorite short story, and I might only think that because I read it when I was a freshman in high school and I remember being shocked by the ending. It’s always stayed with me.

“A Good Man is Hard to Find” by Flannery O’Connor

Another story with an ending that you won’t forget anytime soon. O’Connor was a master. If you’ve never read any of her work I would start here.

“In the Penal Colony” by Franz Kafka

It’s a chilling story. A man known as the Traveller is visiting a foreign penal colony where he is shown a special machine used to execute prisoners. The machine inscribes the prisoner’s crime onto their body until they die (kind of sounds familiar if you’ve read the fifth Harry Potter book). It takes twelve hours of torture before the prisoner dies. I told you it was chilling!

“The Devil in America” by Kai Ashante Wilson (Tor)

Kai Ashante Wilson has quite a talent. This ties present day police brutality towards African Americans to post-emancipation America and a family of freed slaves that are living with the Devil that followed them from Africa.

“The City Born Great” by N.K. Jemisin (Tor)

Cities, once they are old enough, must be born. New York City is ready to be born, and must be led into the world by a reluctant midwife.

“Spider the Artist” by Nnedi Okorafor (Lightspeed Magazine)

Okorafor is a wonderful storyteller, and if you’ve never read her books, this would be a great place to start. And if you like this short story, Binti: The Complete Trilogy was released in February!

“Exhalation” by Ted Chiang (Lightspeed Magazine)

Oh, you’ve never read Ted Chiang? Well, you must go out now and read this story and then read Stories of Your Life and Others and his new collection Exhalation: Stories, which comes out in May. I was shocked by how good and complex his writing was. I had no idea that the movie The Arrival was based on one of his short stories.

“The Daughters of the Moon” by Italo Calvino (The New Yorker)

I don’t know. It’s either Zadie Smith’s “The Embassy of Cambodia” or this story that is my favorite on the list… I can’t decide. I think it’s this story. A story about the people of Earth deciding to throw away the Moon. It’s a story of consumerism. Luckily, I own “The Complete Cosmicomics“, so I can continue reading Calvino’s magnificent short story collection.

“The Embassy of Cambodia” by Zadie Smith (The New Yorker)

After you read “The Devil in America” read this story and see if you can find the parallels. This was my first time reading Zadie Smith because I’d always heard mixed reviews, but if her longer fiction is anything like this short story, I’m in love. If you need help figuring out where to start with Zadie Smith’s books, check out our Reading Pathway guide to Zadie Smith.

“Sweetness” by Toni MOrrison (The New Yorker)

A prelude to Morrison’s book God Help the Child, this is the story of Bride’s mother, and her rationale for raising her daughter in a loveless home.

“Girls, At Play” by Celeste Ng (Bellevue Literary Review)

“This is how we play the game: pink means kissing; red means tongue. Green means up your shirt; blue means down his pants. Purple means in your mouth. Black means all the way.”

The first four sentences of this short story sent chills down my spine. A superbly told story of the extremes of girlhood and adolescence; the pressures girls face as they get older.

“On Seeing the 100% Perfect Girl One Beautiful April Morning” by Haruki Murakami (Genius)

Love at first sight, if you believe love is predestined rather than a choice. Fated love, to me, no matter how hard my heart becomes, still seems ridiculously romantic. I haven’t read Murakami in a long time but now I’m itching to pick up one of his books (I really want to read 1Q84, but it’s soooo long!).

“Chechnya” by Anthony Marra (Narrative Magazine)

This was Anthony Marra’s first published short story, and works as an outline for his novel A Constellation of Vital Phenomenon. It’s the kind of story you read while holding your breath.

“The Fruit of My Woman” by Han Kang (Granta)

This story was written in 1997 before the publication of The Vegetarian. The two stories share many of the same themes, and it’s evident that this story served as a blueprint for the later book. In “The Fruit of My Woman” the wife is slowly turning into a tree (something that also comes up in The Vegetarian). The allusions to Daphne turning herself into a laurel tree to escape the advances of Apollo are hard to miss, but there’s no clear indication that Daphne was an actual influence on either story. Han Kang can do no wrong in my eyes.

“A Lady’s Maid” by Sarah Gailey (Barnes & Noble)

I love Sarah Gailey. This is a great introduction if you’re unfamiliar with her work. It’s Victorian London with androids—so much to love!

“A Bruise the Size and Shape of a Door Handle” by Daisy Johnson (American Short Fiction)

A hot and bothered story about a house falling in love with the girl who lives in the attic. I loved everything about this story. This is included in Johnson’s short story collection, Fen, and I can’t wait to get my hands on it. Also, the writing style reminded me of Samantha Hunt.

“Hollow” by Breece D’J Pancake (The Atlantic)

Breece D’J Pancake died when he was 26. He was from West Virginia, and I would label his writing “grit-lit”. This story was almost too gritty for me. He’s the kind of writer that other writers love. His short story collection has a blurb from Joyce Carol Oates.

Want more short stories? Check out our post on the 100 best short story collections!

13 best books on the history of Russia

June 12, 2021 Books

Works about key events in the history of our country and the people who left their mark on it.

1. Slavs. Ancient Russian people. Historical and archaeological research”, Valentin Sedov

The famous Russian archaeologist Valentin Sedov made a huge contribution to the study of the ethnogenesis of the Slavs. In this edition, you will get acquainted with the two most famous works of the Slavic scholar. They cover the time period from the first century BC to the early Middle Ages. From the book you will learn when the independent path of the Slavs began and how separate ethnic groups and languages ​​were formed.

Buy the book

2. "Illustrated Russian History", Vasily Klyuchevsky

The great Russian historian, academician and professor of Moscow University considered history to be a warden, severely punishing for ignorance of the lessons. The course of lectures presented in the book was first published in 1904. The modern edition is accompanied by colorful illustrations based on old engravings and drawings.

The author not only clearly and interestingly describes the main milestones in the history of Russia, but also offers a convincing analysis, and also expresses his own opinion about the events.

Buy the book

3. Genghis Khan, Vasily Yan

Vasily Yan, a Russian and Soviet writer, received the Stalin Prize in 1942 for his novel about the conquest of Central Asia. The Mongolian ruler Genghis Khan defeated the rich and powerful Khorezm kingdom, getting close to the Polovtsian steppes, and later to the borders of Rus'. Thus began the confrontation between the two strongest opponents, which dragged on for hundreds of years.

Vasily Yan's novel has become a classic of Soviet historical prose and does not lose popularity in our time.

Buy the book

4. "The Tale of Igor's Campaign", unknown author

This is the greatest literary monument of Ancient Rus'. The plot is based on the unsuccessful campaign of Russian princes led by Igor Svyatoslavovich against the Polovtsians in 1185. The most famous part of the work is the lamentation of Yaroslavna, the young wife of Prince Igor. The episode reflects the pain of all Russian mothers and wives for the soldiers who left on the battlefield.

"The Tale of Igor's Campaign" is a work that gives an idea not only of historical events, but also of the character of our distant ancestors.

Buy the book

5. "History of the Russian State", Nikolai Karamzin

Historian and writer Nikolai Mikhailovich Karamzin devoted more than 20 years of his life to this work. The essay describes the history of the country from ancient times to the Time of Troubles and the reign of Ivan the Terrible (1613). The book is adapted for the modern reader and is provided with rich illustrations that give a vivid idea of ​​the events and people described by the author.

Buy book

6. "Historical miniatures", Valentin Pikul

Valentin Savvich Pikul is a well-known Russian and Soviet writer, author of many works on historical topics. The Historical Miniatures series is a kind of portrait gallery. In very short novels and stories, according to the writer's widow, biographies of personalities who played a significant role in the history of Russia are compressed.

The miniature could have been born overnight, but its appearance was preceded by years of painstaking work and careful collection of information. In total, the series includes more than 50 works.

Buy the book

7. "Young Russia", Yuri German

Screenwriter and playwright Yuri German wrote a novel about the beginning of changes in the era of Peter the Great for more than 10 years. The author shows historical events through the fate of the main characters Ivan Ryabov and Seliverst Ievlev. Herman spent four years in Arkhangelsk, where Ivan Ryabov, a Pomor and feeder, comes from. The author studied archives, worked in libraries.

The novel attracts with a clear depiction of the characters and a detailed description of the life and way of life of the inhabitants of the Russian North.

Buy the book

8. "History of the Russian State", Boris Akunin

This is a series of nine volumes devoted to different periods in the history of Russia: from the Mongol invasion to the collapse of the empire. The author's goal is to retell the story objectively, while maintaining the reliability of the facts, but at the same time freeing himself from any ideological influence. Professional historians refer the series to the genre of folk history (pseudo-scientific works), but the writer's fans will definitely appreciate the signature style of presentation, which seems to revive the characters and events of the past.

Especially for those who love historical riddles and puzzles, the author has released a series of "History of the Russian state in stories and novels." This is a real treat for the mind and soul.

Buy the book

9. "Dynasty without makeup", Edward Radzinsky

"Dynasty without makeup" is a series dedicated to outstanding representatives of the Romanov dynasty, including the last Emperor Nicholas II. Russian writer, playwright and screenwriter has been writing books about the history of Russia since the age of 90-s. Radzinsky approaches his work with great care: he visits archives, studies documents and collects all kinds of details that will increase the viewing angle.

Radzinsky is interested in history from an educational point of view. The author often gives his own assessment of certain events, and also tries to show the human side of famous historical figures.

Buy the book

10. History of Russia from Rurik to Putin. People. Events. Dates”, Evgeny Anisimov

Evgeny Anisimov is a historian, Doctor of Sciences and Professor at the St. Petersburg Institute of History of the Russian Academy of Sciences. In 2000 he was awarded the prestigious Antsifer Prize for his contribution to modern local history. The book tells the history of the country from ancient times to the present day. Additional sections are dedicated to famous historical figures and major dates.

The author's lively language and his authoritative comments will help readers remember what they learned in school history lessons and take a different look at those events that seem familiar and understandable.

Buy the book

11. "The Two Ways of Russia", Richard Pipes

Richard Pipes is a well-known American political scientist, former director of the Russian Research Center at Harvard University, author of dozens of articles on the history of the USSR. In the new book, the author expresses his point of view on the possible ways of development of modern Russia. Pipes considers the two options in detail, offers solutions and points out the uniqueness of the historical chance that has fallen to our country.

Buy the book

12. “The entire Kremlin army. A Brief History of Modern Russia”, Mikhail Zygar

The book by the Russian writer, director and political journalist immediately became a bestseller. In 2016, she was twice the winner of the Runet Book Prize in the Bestseller and Best Digital Book categories. The book is based on documents and interviews that the author took from Vladimir Putin's inner circle.

Buy the book

13. “Choosing your story. Forks in the path of Russia: from the Rurikovich to the oligarchs, Igor Kurukin, Irina Karatsuba, Nikita Sokolov

Russian historians Igor Kurukin, Irina Karatsuba and Nikita Sokolov present a collection of essays on the many historical forks that have appeared on the country's path over many centuries. These are not versions of what could have been, not an alternative history, but discussions about the problem of historical choice, about the philosophy of the spirit of the people and about what events this spirit and the famous Russian soul led and leads to.

It can be said that this work is about the upbringing of the nation by history and the ability of people to draw conclusions from different situations and lessons.

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*Activities of Meta Platforms Inc. and its social networks Facebook and Instagram are prohibited in the territory of the Russian Federation.

33 books that will help you remember (or learn) world history

It is impossible to remember the history of all ages and all countries well. And even if you liked this subject at school, the memory of some historical events is gradually erased. Egor Sennikov has selected 33 books on world history for those who want to refresh their memory or learn something new.

For those who don’t remember anything at all

Igor Danilov, Felix Lurie “World History in Tables: Synchronistic Tables, Geographic Maps”

Various chronological tables are ideal to start recovering the memory of history. With their help, it will be convenient to compare different events that took place at the same time. And thereby learn to present world history as a whole. This approach is not only convenient and interesting, but also helps to lay the foundation: everything that you will learn later will be easier for you to build into your own system of knowledge about history.

What to add. Irina Treshchetkina "World History in Tables and Diagrams" is a good collection of various explanatory schemes that will help you better understand world history.

Valery Alekseev and Abram Pershits "The History of Primitive Society"

Traveling through the world of history needs some kind of starting point, and it is best to start from the very beginning. Alekseev and Pershitz's textbook on primitive society was published a long time ago and, perhaps, is already outdated in some respects. But it still remains a good source of knowledge about life in primitive times: about hunting and gathering, family and economy, communities and spiritual culture of primitive society.

What to add. Jared Diamond The World the Day Before Yesterday. What people who still live in the Stone Age can teach us ”- a book by a famous anthropologist tells about how modern traditional societies live (in New Guinea, Polynesia, the Amazon Delta) and about how their image differs (or similar) life from ours.

Ancient World

Theodor Mommsen "Roman History"

There is a huge number of books devoted to the history of Ancient Rome in all its manifestations: culture, military events, literature, politics, philosophy, art. And of course, one cannot even think that one book will be enough to understand everything about Ancient Rome. But if you need to start somewhere, then the solid work of the German historian Theodor Mommsen is the best choice. Still, it is no coincidence that the second Nobel Prize in Literature in history was awarded precisely for this work. This book was written more than 150 years ago, but in general Mommsen tried to make it interesting and understandable for all readers, and not just for specialists.

What to add. Mikhail Gasparov "Entertaining Greece" is a work that briefly tells about the life of Ancient Greece - from slavery and wars to music and theaters.

Mary Beard "SPQR: A History of Ancient Rome" is a non-fiction by an English scholar of Antiquity about Ancient Rome. Little by little about everything and questioning everything. It turned out to be a fascinating detective story that tells about our ideas about Rome - and about what happened in reality.

Suetonius "The Life of the Twelve Caesars" - one of the most famous works of the Roman historian describes the biographies of the rulers of Rome - from Caesar to Domitian. A fairly detailed guide (albeit not very deep) through the life of ancient Roman politicians, which perfectly immerses you in the era.

Shang Yue “Essays on the history of China. From Antiquity to the Opium Wars”

The history of the ancient world is not limited to Europe. “Essays on the history of China. From Antiquity to the Opium Wars is a classic, albeit slightly outdated, collection of facts about the development of China from antiquity to the middle of the 19th century. In addition, unlike many historical works published in those years in the Soviet Union, it is not deeply imbued with an exclusively Marxist, historical-materialist point of view on history.

What to add. Yuri Perepelkin "History of Ancient Egypt" - the work of the famous Leningrad Egyptologist is great for getting to know this ancient civilization.

History of the East. In 6 volumes. Volume 1. The East in Antiquity" - if you want a comprehensive look at the Ancient World, you should start with the first volume of the history of the East of the Russian Academy of Sciences. In it you can read about the Hittites, Babylonians, ancient India, the kingdom of Urartu, Egypt and Mesopotamia.

Medieval

Aron Gurevich "Culture and society of medieval Europe through the eyes of contemporaries"

A domestic medievalist recognized by generations of scientists and ordinary readers - and one of his main works devoted to the Middle Ages. The merit of Gurevich's book is not only that it dilutes the story he tells with interesting historical anecdotes and details. And also because he tries to tell not so much about the life of the nobility and monarchs, but about the life of the bourgeois and peasants. Many examples are well remembered and deeply immersed in the era itself: after all, even in the Middle Ages, all stories were often based on small anecdotes and stories.

What to add. Jacques Le Goff "Civilization of the Medieval West" - one of the founders of the historical school "Annals" in this book spoke about the complex social, political and religious system of Medieval Europe. Le Goff's view is not at all outdated, although the book was published more than half a century ago.

Pyotr Tolochko "Ancient Rus'"

One of the greatest specialists in the history of the Old Russian state Pyotr Tolochko tried to recreate and describe the history of its development - from its inception to the end of the 13th century. Constant clashes with nomads, ethnic development, the significance of the Orthodox Church and the internal political structure. The result is a work, from reading which one can begin to study (or remember) the history of Kievan Rus.

What to add. Boris Romanov "People and Morals" is a monograph that interestingly tells about the life of princes and service people, serfs and priests, serfs and servants.

Charles Mann "1491: New discoveries about pre-Columbian America" ​​and "1493: the discovery of the New World created by Columbus"

Two books by Charles Mann are devoted to the civilization of pre-Columbian America - and the reasons for its death. Mann himself sees the reason for the historic clash between the native Americans and the Europeans to be that the native Americans were fundamentally ahistorical. They tried not to change the environment and live in harmony with nature, which made them savages for Europeans. On the other hand, Mann talks in detail about how the New World was mastered by Europeans and what mechanisms were used to strengthen their position on the continent.

Edward Said "Orientalism"

The great book of the American literary critic and historian Edward Said does not so much tell the history of the ancient and medieval East, but tries to answer the question: how relations between East and West developed. Issues of identity, clash of traditions, mutual attraction and antagonism - all of this is in Said's book and helps to build a new understanding of the complex intertwined history of Europe and the Middle East.

What to add. John Glubb "The Arab Empire" - John Glubb was one of the most prominent figures of the times of British colonialism and spent almost 40 years of his life in the Middle East. His book is a fascinating story about the region, albeit not always sincere.

Jonathan Harris "Byzantium: History of the Lost Empire" - a brief retelling of the main points and reference points of the history of Byzantium.

New time

Fernand Braudel "Material civilization, economy and capitalism, XV-XVIII centuries"

When studying such large-scale eras, it is more convenient to rely on some kind of theory - this helps to fit historical events into understandable and clear schemes. The historian Braudel just offers such a scheme. In his presentation, history is an alternation of world-economy, world-systems, with their centers, their own characteristics and rhythms. Braudel's view and approach, in general, will be useful not only for understanding the New Age, but also the present.

What to add. » History of private life in five volumes. Volume 3. From the Renaissance to the Age of Enlightenment "- history always becomes closer and clearer when you look at the history of everyday life.

Eric Hobsbawm "The Age of Revolutions: Europe 1789-1848", "The Age of Capital: Europe 1848-1875", "The Age of Empires: Europe 1875-1914" - a landmark British historian, partly continuing Braudel's idea, writes about the "long 19th century" - the century of empires and how the Western world went from the French Revolution to the First World War.

Dominic Lieven "The Russian Empire and Its Enemies"

The British historian and representative of the Lieven family, many of whose members have served in Russia since the 18th century, wrote a book about the formation of the Russian Empire through clashes with other countries. In addition, Lieven compares the Russian Empire with other empires of the same time.

What to add. Piers Brandon The Decline and Fall of the British Empire - The title of this book parodies the title of Gibbon's classic work on the Roman Empire. But the narrative itself is built in a completely different way - not so seriously and a little superficially. But for understanding the essence of British imperialism, it will do.

Tatyana Goncharova "The History of French Colonialism: Current Problems of Study" — French colonialism is just as important for world history as British colonialism, but they usually know much less about it.

Alexander Rodriguez, Vitaly Melyantsev, Robert Landa “A New History of the Countries of Asia and Africa in the 16th-19th Centuries” — the new time, among other things, was also a time of active clash between the West and the rest of the world. Therefore, it is important and necessary to understand how European colonialism interacted with local culture, politics and everyday life.

Theda Skocpol "States and Social Revolutions: A Comparative Analysis of France, Russia and China"

Revolutions are an important social and political phenomenon of modern times. In fact, the very word revolutio changed its meaning at that very time. Now this is a sharp change, a revolution of the entire social and social (and often also economic) structure. The American researcher Theda Skocpol tried to identify and analyze the main features of social revolutions using the three most famous as an example: French, Russian and Chinese. Despite the fact that the methodology itself causes a lot of criticism, Skocpol's work is considered a classic for understanding the very phenomenon of revolution, its causes and consequences.

What to add. Barrington Moore "The Social Origins of Dictatorship and Democracy" - American political scientist and sociologist Barrington Moore also devoted a considerable part of his life to the study of revolution and expressed his opinion about this phenomenon.

Modern times

Anthony Beevor "The Second World War"

Tons of literature have been written about the Second World War, but the opus magnum of the British historian Anthony Beevor deserves special attention. This book has many advantages: it is not too academic, it provides a complete overview of events since the end of 1930s. Despite the fact that the book caused a particularly sharp reaction in Russia (due to the story of rape in Germany at the end of the war), Beevor cannot at all be attributed to a number of "slanderers" of Russian history. His story about the war on the Eastern Front is full of respect for the Soviet army (the same is true for his books about Stalingrad and the battle for Berlin). But the main thing is that in Beevor's book there was a place for everyone - from the American General Mark Clark (who was nicknamed "General Marcus Clarkus" for his irrepressible desire to capture Rome) and Marshal Zhukov to the Chinese partisans and hand-to-hand fighting of Stalingrad.

What to add. Barbara Tuckman "The Guns of August" - today it is increasingly being said that the First and Second World Wars should be considered as part of one conflict that began in 1914. Tuckman's book tells in detail how the enlightened world of the beginning of the last century slipped into the abyss of the bloody meat grinder of the First World War - and what led to this.

Eric Hobsbawm "The Short 20th Century" is Eric Hobsbawm's pessimistic view of the history of the 20th century, which describes it as a series of defeats - socialism, capitalism, imperialism, fascism and nationalism. As a result, the development of society and the state has come to a dead end, from which it is not entirely clear how to get out.

Tony Judt. Postwar: A History of Europe Since 1945. Penguin Press, 2005

For some unknown reason, the book has not yet been translated into Russian. But, it is necessary to read it - because it is difficult to find a more detailed, broad and at the same time deep narrative about post-war Europe. Socialism and capitalism, wars and famines, dictatorships and democracies. More importantly, Tony Judt's book tells how a European society, almost destroyed and destroyed by war, found a way and a way to restore, like a Phoenix bird.

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