15 thick books that are worth your time

1. "Swing Time", Zadie Smith

British novelist Zadie Smith has created a novel about a generation devoid of heroes. Not because the characters do not freak out, but just because the need for them had never existed. Humane century generates a lingering existence of people: born, lived and boring as boring went to the hereafter. Even swing - a hot dance - became commonplace and lost originality.

Novel volume of 510 pages defies inflated conceit of people: who are we compared to eternity and time itself, and whether we have anything to do right or opportunity to be heroes and proud a.

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2. "Little Life", Chania Yanagihara

Volumetric work (1020 pages) American writer included in the shortlist for the Booker Prize in 2015. In the center - four friends, their relationships and problems. At first glance, it is the most ordinary life, but in it, as is often the case, a lot of hidden. And that is invisible to the prying eyes determines the behavior of the novel's characters. However, the main idea of ​​the narrative: it is possible to escape the circumstances, but not be able to escape from himself.

This novel - about a protracted anti-American dream growing up and the disappointment that followed him. Life can be filled with pain and suffering, but we can not do anything about it, says the author.

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3. "The Secret History," Donna Tartt

The first novel (710 pages) by American writer Donna Donna Tartt became a worldwide bestseller. The plot captures the first pages of 19-year-old Richard arrives in a small college to study Greek language. His new friends adorable - looseness, intelligent, well-read and incredibly passionate about ancient history. However, the cheerful company of students breaks down due to unexpected murder. Many years later, the protagonist recalls his youth, and his confession is gradually transformed into a spooky thriller.

Brilliant novel is actually more than just a detective story or a psychological thriller. This is the story of conscience, fear of punishment, and the choice of every person between good and evil.

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4. "Sinlessness," Jonathan Franzen

Novel (780 pages) critics call modern American epic, spanning continents and decades. The main character - a young American named Pip - busy searching for himself and his father, whom she knew from birth. Influence of eccentric mother did not break the girl and turned it into a limp doll. Pip boldly looking forward and ready for unexpected discoveries.

The book is all that interested reader: intrigue, surprises, challenging metaphor, humor, tragedy and love. The author's attempt to show modern society without embellishment and delight quite successful.

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5. "The truth about the case of Harry Kveberta" Joël Dicker

Novel (610 pages) Joël Dicker immediately fell in love with readers all over the world. The protagonist is an American novelist Marcus Goldman, in search of inspiration drawn to his teacher, also a writer, Harry Kvebertu. The latter suddenly accused of killing 30-year-old. Marcus begins to conduct its own investigation, to help meet the teacher.

The advantages of the product include a simple language, dynamic plot with intrigue, secrets, mental disorders and a love line. This is the first book in a series of stories about the adventures of Marcus Goldman. Here is the second novel.

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6. "Citadel", A. J. Cronin

Novel (500 pages) is the most famous product of the Scottish writer Archibald Cronin. In the center of the narrative - the story of a doctor facing a moral dilemma. On the one hand, it needs money and wealthy clients. However, the hero's important to stay in tune with his own conscience. The basis for the novel became a private medical practice Cronin, faced with corruption in medicine.

The novel concerns a serious theme and before each reader raises the question of the importance of dignity, self-respect and honesty in a world ruled by money and communication.

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7. "Light," Eleanor Catton

New Zealand writer of the novel (980 pages) won the Booker Prize. The story is set in New Zealand during the gold rush of the second half of the XIX century. Root characters symbolically correspond to the signs of the zodiac and the planets, which are used in astrology. They pass through a novel in the same way as the celestial bodies move relative to the sun and each other. Here and mystery, and murder, and greed, and love, and all the things that attracts and repels people in the real world.

The main highlight of the novel lies in its layering: this is partly the story of ghosts, in part - a detective, and sometimes even a thriller. A unique work of fans will love the scale of things.

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8. "Quo Vadis", Henryk Sienkiewicz

Classic Polish Literature Henryk Sienkiewicz created novel (680 pages) is time. He described the great events of bygone eras and skillfully highlighted the many facets of the characters of the main characters. In the center of the story - the love story of a Roman aristocrat Marcus Vinicius to the beautiful Christian Lygia, persecuted by the authorities for their religious beliefs.

The novel became a model of the epic genre, and in 1905, Sienkiewicz received for their offspring Nobel Prize for Literature.

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9. "My children," Guzel Yakhina

Action of the second book (490 pages) aspiring writer Guzel Jachin unfolds on the Volga, where the 20-40-ies of the last century were the colony of German settlers. The protagonist, the Volga Germans, the schoolmaster Jacob Ivanovich Bach lives forced recluse, a daughter, teaches children and watch as the country accomplishes great things. Despite the hardships, Jacob Bach retains faith in people and their good solubility.

Bright novel, filled with carefully drawn details and deafening Volga vastness, sincerity wins from the first page.

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10. "Sakhalin Island" Verkin Eduard

There was not a pleasant future. The main character of the novel, dystopia (490 pages) travels to Sakhalin to gather material - just like Chekhov in his time. The island has been and remains in prison, this time the Japanese because the world after World War III is now ruled by Asians. Ride brave girl acquires adventures varying degrees of risk.

Postapokalipsis novel in the tradition of the Strugatsky contains everything you need to please from the first page: intriguing story, love story, action, complex design and futurology serious philosophical reasoning that led the world to such a future.

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11. "Bathyscaphe", Andrey Ivanov

Critics have compared Andrei Ivanov with Nabokov: The author also lives and works not in Russia, but writes about it with the same European gloss and light pretentiousness. In 2013, Ivanov won a prestigious literary award "The Nose" and entered the short-list of "Russian Booker".

Novel (448 pages) immerses readers in the bottom of life in the bathyscaphe with thick walls. There, on the other side of the glass, float strange creatures, leading obscure lives. At some point it comes to mind, and that the reader does not differ from those creatures, causing his genuine surprise.

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12. "Resident", Zakhar Prilepin

Zakhar Prilepin needs no introduction. It is well-known Russian writer, essayist, scholar, musician and social activist. Novel (780 pages) describes the life of 27-year-old Artyom Solovki - the legendary Camp task. This complex history of human relations, friendship and betrayal, good and evil within the same country. The plot unfolds against the backdrop of beautifully described the nature of the Solovetsky archipelago.

Readers will appreciate the clear language that describes the characters and truly convey the atmosphere of the time.

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13. "Lies haze on the old level," Alexander Chudakov

Alexander Chudakov - Russian philologist, literary and creative specialist Chekhov - for his only novel (720 pages) posthumously received the award "Russian Booker decade". The protagonist - a historian telling others about life in pre-revolutionary and post-revolutionary Russia, the people and their impact on the country and history. Together with the interlocutors hero reflects on the age-old Russian themes that preoccupied the minds of many Russian writers: who is to blame and what to do.

Critics tend to believe that the novel is autobiographical. But in fact, everything is much bigger - is the product of all of us, about our past and future.

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14. "Jacob's Ladder", Ulitskaya

The basis of the novel (736 pages) has laid down the correspondence from the family archive of the author. The center works the fate of Jacob Ossietzky, the intellectual of the late XIX century, and his granddaughter Nora - a theater artist and human free views. Between the two characters and their times have invisible ladder - just like in a dream of the biblical Jacob. He had it connected the earth and sky.

The history of generations, the history of the country and the metamorphosis of the characters in time and space - the novel captures and excites the imagination.

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15. "Nokk" Nathan Hill

Nokk - creature from Norse mythology, lured people with its ghostly beauty and then without pity and regret ruining them. Heroes novel (832 pages) each suffer from his ghost, which then attracts, it repels, it overturns into the abyss. The main character is going through a betrayal of the mother. She, in turn, could not resist the onslaught of the ocean of life.

The book wonderfully weaved many tragedies of all sizes. Every reader will find the subject closest to him, who will not leave the heart untouched.

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