Aleksey Ivanov

Yes, I had great discoveries that can be called artistic, although the books are non-fiction. One of them is the laureate’s book Pulitzer Prize Daniel Yergin "Prey"(M.: Alpina Publisher, 2016), history of the world struggle for oil. It reveals the secret economic mechanisms of world history, and a lot of what, it turns out, was “standing on its head” in your mind is turned “on its feet.”

Another discovery - a book by Dmitry Karasyuk "History of Sverdlovsk rock"(Ekaterinburg: Cabinet Scientist, 2016). It is written in beautiful language, and inside this book I see a genuine novel with plots, drama, climaxes and resolutions. I haven’t decided on reading for the holidays yet. Yes, I don’t even have holidays.

Alpina Publisher press service

Leonid Yuzefovich

• Sebastian Hafner "The Story of a German"(St. Petersburg: Ivan Limbach Publishing House, 2016). Written in the late 1930s autobiographical novel with moving reflections on the origins and nature of the Nazi regime in Germany. An excellent translation by the initiator of the publication, critic Nikita Eliseev.
• Varvara Malakhieva-Mirovich “The pendulum of my life. Diary. 1930-1954"(M.: AST, Edited by Elena Shubina, 2015). A remarkable document of the era and a colossal work of the publisher, literary historian Natalya Gromova.

On New Year's holidays I'm going to read a book by Ivan Prosvetov just published by the author himself. "Ten Lives of Vasily Yan". I know that this writer, beloved by me since childhood, lived an extraordinary life, and I hope to learn a lot of new things about him.

Sukhbat Aflatuni

• Vladimir Martynov "Book of Changes"(M.: Klassiki XXI, 2016) - one and a half thousand pages of immersion in history, philosophy, music, life.
• New book of poems by Gleb Shulpyakov "Samet"(M.: Vremya, 2017) - the kingdom of air and meaning, multi-layered and minimalist style.
• "Great Lightness" Valeria Pustova (M.: RIPOL Classic, 2015) - literary criticism, which is written - and read - as fascinating prose.

From the nearest “must-read” - Mark Z. Danilevsky, "House of Leaves"(Ekaterinburg: Gonzo, 2016), which was disturbing at the first glance. Fragments, a cacophony of fonts...

press service of “Classics XXI”

Roman Senchin

I can’t say that I read any new books this year. But there were many important ones. I will name three, although I am aware that my choice may seem unoriginal.

Firstly, "Winter road" Leonid Yuzefovich (M.: AST, Edited by Elena Shubina, 2016). This book received several awards, which caused complete approval among some and irritation among others. Nevertheless, it sounded, and not without reason. The book is based on the campaign of Anatoly Pepelyaev’s detachment against Yakutsk in 1922-1923... Even in the detailed history of the civil war in Soviet textbooks, only a few lines were devoted to this event, always mentioning the word “adventure”. Yuzefovich reveals to us the reasons for this campaign, and it no longer seems like an adventure. History is not chronology, it is much, much more complicated. This complexity is what the author is trying to show – in my opinion, excellently – in the format of the declared “literary and artistic publication.” "Winter Road". Plus, it brings back a number of interesting personalities from that era.

press service of the Elena Shubina Editorial Office

Secondly, Anna Kozlova’s “film novel” "F20", published in the magazine "Friendship of Peoples"(N10, 2016). This is a very difficult work - frank, cruel, scary. In general, it’s traditional for Kozlova. No wonder the critic Lev Danilkin called her the author of “ultra-shock novels.” But Anna Kozlova writes so brightly, captivatingly and talentedly that it is impossible to tear yourself away from this horror.

Thirdly, the book "Shadow of Mazepa" Sergei Belyakov (M.: AST, Edited by Elena Shubina, 2016). I do not undertake to evaluate this work. It seems to be very controversial, but to argue, you need deep knowledge of the history of Russia, the history of literature... The book did not come out yesterday, it has not yet caused much controversy, and this is bad. Such books can help us understand something important. Although - do we want to understand this something?..

However, equally important were "Crystal in a transparent frame" Vasily Avchenko, "Girl in the Garden" Oleg Ryabov, "In the footsteps of Dersu Uzala" Alexey Korovashko, "The Trumpeter at the Gates of Dawn" Roman Bogoslovsky, "Shukshin" Alexey Varlamov, "Valentin Kataev" Sergei Shargunov, "Holomyana Flame" Dmitry Novikov, “I want miracles” Elena Tulusheva, "Untranslatable pun" Alexandra Garros...

I want to dedicate New Year's days to reading books by Alexey Ivanov "Pitchfork" And "Tobol"(M.: AST, Edited by Elena Shubina, 2016).

Members of the jury of the Yasnaya Polyana literary award

Marina Moskvina

In Penza at a book festival I bought a volume of Roland Barthes "Fragments of a love speech"(translated by V. Lapitsky, M.: GARAGE & AdMarginem, 2015). Essay on the speech of lovers. Or rather, this speech itself is intermittent, rough, impulsive. The plot is assembled from scraps. Here are the words of Goethe, mystics, Taoists, Nietzsche, many passing phrases and something accidentally read, friendly conversations and memories. All this splashes in a blurry imperfect stream, narrative voices come, go, fall silent, intertwine, it is generally unknown who is speaking - no images, nothing except this confused speech, no bibliography, no taxonomy, just a racing heart, and you and all the lovers you feel how reality recedes in the face of this world.

GARAGE & AdMarginem

I enjoyed reading the collection (M.: AST, Edited by Elena Shubina, 2016) - good modern writers talk about places that are important to them in Moscow, where they were born or were simply happy. There is also my story about the Nirnzee House in Bolshoy Gnezdnikovsky Lane; I spent my childhood on the roof of this house.

And like a person who has had his head in the clouds since birth, for the New Year holidays I prepared for myself "Entertaining cloud science"(translated by O. Dementievskaya, M. Falikman, M.: Gayatri, 2015). Pure poetry, a unique guide to the clouds by Gavin Pretor-Pinney, founder of the Cloud Lovers Society.

Alexander Grigorenko

There have been many books in the past year, including new and good ones, for example, Evgenia Vodolazkina (M.: AST, Edited by Edena Shubina, 2016). But the main discoveries were "Winter road" Leonid Yuzefovich (M.: AST, Edited by Elena Shubina, 2016) and "Stoner" John Williams (Translated by L. Motylev, M.: AST, Corpus, 2015), who made the same impression on me as he did many, many years ago "The Death of Ivan Ilyich".

The life of an ordinary person is truly worth looking at under a microscope. I also really liked the book “At the Origins of the World: Russian Etiological Tales and Legends”(M.: ISl RAS; Forum; Neolit, 2014). And during the holidays it’s unlikely that I’ll be able to read anything, because work suddenly piled up—I’ll catch up later.

Corpus press service

Marina Stepnova

Of the new products this year, I especially like strong impression produced "Animator" Andrei Volos (M.: EKSMO, 2016) - an intense, subtle novel in which reality magically interferes with fiction. Andrey Volos is generally an extraordinary author, each of his books seems to be written by a different writer, and all these writers have only one thing in common - amazing talent.

Alexander Garros "Untranslatable pun"(M.: AST, Edited by Elena Shubina, 2016). A clear, intelligent, piercingly honest book, as if it had come together spontaneously from many articles and essays. Garros is one of the few modern critics, who honestly tries to understand what is happening in modern Russian literature (and in modern life at the same time). He does not make friends, does not quarrel, does not settle scores. He thinks and observes. And following his train of thought is a great pleasure.

press service of the Elena Shubina Editorial Office

Hanya Yanagihara "Little Life"(Translated by A. Borisenko, A. Zavozova, V. Sonkin, M.: AST, Corpus, 2016). A sensational novel that collected equal amount rabid fans and equally rabid detractors. An amazing example of how skillfully and according to all the rules a book can make a lively and vivid impression even on sophisticated readers. It’s not easy reading in every sense, sometimes even annoying, but the book is undoubtedly a success.

During the New Year holidays I finally want to read Narine Abgaryan(M.: AST, 2016). This book has been at the top of my book wish list for a long time. In general, I really like Narine - she is a wonderful writer and wonderful person. I just wanted to find as much time as possible for this book.

Evgeniy Vodolazkin

Among the new publications, I would highlight the story by Alexander Grigorenko "Lost the blind dudu"(magazine "October", No. 1, 2016) - bright and tragic. Alexander Grigorenko, whom we know from his wonderful novels "Mabeth" And "Ilget", discovered a completely new face as a writer. He showed himself to be a musician capable of playing in different registers.

I would also name the story by Narine Abgaryan "Three apples fell from the sky"(M.: AST, 2016). This is a wonderful text about an Armenian village, alive, real, and at the same time existing in a powerful literary tradition, presented primarily by the great Hrant Matevosyan.

AST press service

To these two stories I would add one more short text - a novel by Julian Barnes (Translated by E. Petrova, St. Petersburg: Azbuka-Atticus, Inostranka, 2016). This is a book about Shostakovich, but not only. With Barnes's characteristic subtlety, it explores the nature of despotism.

I'm going to read a novel by John Williams over the New Year holidays. "Stoner"(Translated by L. Motylev, M.: AST, Corpus, 2015) - somehow everyone never got around to it. And also - a novel by Mikhail Gigolashvili "The Secret Year", which, according to my information, should be released soon.

Vasily Golovanov

This year I only read three books that could be called relatively new. The first is a novel by Chinese writer Mo Yan "Tired of being born and dying"(Translated by I. Egorov, St. Petersburg: Amphora, 2014). A grandiose epic, all like Marquez’s, built on the history of one village - only not Macondo, but Ximentun. This is truly powerful literature.

The second book is a novel by Sergei Solovyov "Adam's Bridge"(M.: Russian Gulliver, 2013). I don't know how many people have read it. Personally, I met Solovyov at the Krasnoyarsk Book Fair, and he shocked me with his stories about India. And the book he wrote is amazing. This is not a travel novel, it is the author’s attempt to regain his beloved through remembering their journey together, everything that they found there that was beautiful and important for the future existence of both of them. This is a bridge of love along which the beloved will unmistakably find her way to the one who is waiting for her. Crazy, but beautiful and very brightly written book!

2016 Boslen

The third book is a study by Andrei Baldin “The New Bookvoskop, or the Beyond Travel of Nikolai Karamzin”(M.: Boslen, 2016). Andrey is one of the most original thinking people I have ever known. And I’m interested in his argumentation when he derives the modern Russian language from Karamzin’s long voyage abroad. In fact, almost everything was ready for the birth of the language in which Pushkin, Zhukovsky and everyone after Karamzin later wrote. But abroad he was the first to catch some kind of wave, some kind of rhythm of a modern literary legend and, returning to Russia, wrote the first modern story "Poor Lisa". This removal of language from its journey was extremely curious to me.

In general, this year my old dream came true - I acquired a twenty-volume edition of Leo Tolstoy. And here I really read... All the novels, all the stories and short stories again - and everything was the same as the first time... I read Bunin with the same voraciousness in the spring. I’m not at all convinced that you should only read new things. That’s why I reread so much of what was published a long time ago. We had the highest, first world class literature. I think things are not so optimistic now.

During the holidays I will read the autobiography of Vasily Vasilyevich Nalimov "Rope Walker"(M.: Progress, 1994) - outstanding, although still only relatively famous philosopher. I hope I have a lot of work to do on Nalimov next year: I need to somehow “get used to” the atmosphere and the meanings with which this man lived amazing person- mathematician, freethinker, anarchist, mystic, who made a real revolution in philosophy, which philosophers themselves are only just beginning to understand.

Lyudmila Saraskina

• Vasily Aksenov. “Catch the pigeon mail...” Letters (M.: AST, Edited by Elena Shubina, 2015). The rich correspondence with parents, friends, comrades in the literary profession, extracted from the American archive, provides valuable material not only for understanding the fate of the Russian writer, forced to become an emigrant, but also for the perception of the Russian emigration of the “third” wave.

Vladimir Ermakov "In Search of the Lost Metaphysics. Book of Doubts"(Eagle: Spring Waters, 2016). A book of deep reflections from a man for whom philosophizing is akin to breathing.

• “Butterflies and chrysanthemums. Japanese classical poetry of the 9th-19th centuries". Translated by A. Dolin, V. Markova, A. Gluskina, T. Sokolova-Delyusina. (SPb.: Arka, 2016). An amazingly beautiful book to read and contemplate. “It’s so good / When you open an ancient book at random / And in combinations of words / You will find your dear soul.”. Haiku and tanka are juxtaposed with color photographs and woodcuts of birds, flowers, animals, rivers and waterfalls from vintage albums. Magic lantern.

Arka press service

Guzel Yakhina

The beginning of the outgoing year was successful - it gave me two very good books at once. In winter I read the long-awaited Lyudmila Ulitskaya (M.: AST, Edited by Elena Shubina, 2015) - a large multi-layered novel-parable, where fiction is imperceptibly intertwined with original documents from family archive Lyudmila Evgenievna - letters from her grandfather. What was unexpected in the text was that Ulitskaya acted not only as a writer, but also as a production designer - on behalf of main character Nora described stage keys to solving several plays. You read it and it’s as if you are watching performances staged by Ulitskaya.

press service of the Elena Shubina Editorial Office

Appeared on bookshelves in the spring Evgenia Vodolazkina (M.: AST, Edited by Elena Shubina, 2016). I bought it immediately and read it in two days. While reading, I never ceased to be amazed at how masterfully the author speaks the Russian language, how subtle shades of personal sensory experience he can convey in words.

I hope that coming year will be rich in interesting new book releases. I'm looking forward to the novel more than others "Sinologist" Elena Chizhova (M.: AST, Edited by Elena Shubina, 2017). I trust this author - at one time I was shocked by her "Women's Time"(M.: AST, Edited by Elena Shubina, 2009).

Evgeny Chizhov

• Irakli Kvirikadze "The Boy Following the Wild Duck"(M.: AST, Edited by Elena Shubina, 2015). A collection of stories, scripts and memories. Remarkably capacious, concise, outwardly simple and unexpected texts, striking with the ease of transitions from funny to tragic, from farce to parable, from everyday authenticity to absurdity.
• Antoine de Becque "New Wave: Portrait of Youth"(Translated by Irina Mironenko-Marenkova, M.: Rosebud Publishing, 2016). A fascinating study of the revolutionary movement in French cinema, which preserved for us the image of “the greatest decade in the history of mankind”, as in one later film ( "Withnail and I", 1987) were named the sixties. And in many ways, he shaped this image.
• Igor Levshin "Parsley and the mosquito"(M.: Russian Lessons, 2015). Tough absurdist stories, some of which are very successful. Others you simply don’t know which way to approach: puzzling, unsettling, irreconcilably opposed to the inertial flow of descriptive literature.

press service "Russian Lessons"

Over the holidays I plan to finish reading Oliver Sacks' amazing autobiography. "On the Move" ("In move") (NY.: Knopf, 2016) - who would have thought that such abysses would open up in the life of the famous doctor and writer?! And, if there is time left, I will start "The Thirteenth Apostle" Dmitry Bykov (M.: Young Guard, 2016). Of all the heroes of his biographies, Mayakovsky is the most interesting to me.

Alisa Ganieva

This year, the lion's share of my reading energy went into reading more than seventy recent novels nominated for the award « . I will highlight here the text of Sergei Lebedev, who is not yet very widely known among us (M.: Alpina Publisher, 2016). This is part detective story, part historical fiction and an investigation into family secrets. The starting point is August 1991, the anticipation of freedom and reading my grandmother’s diary, which suddenly destroys the protagonist’s illusions about his own roots. Can our unpredictable past explain the present, who we are and where it is taking us? These questions are posed, probably, in every second novel of 2016, but Lebedev, in my opinion, turned out to be fascinating, sincere, and disturbing.

I was pleased with the charming collection of essays by Evgeniy Lesin “And he drank immediately. Viktor Erofeev and others.”(M.: RIPOL Classic, 2016). The book is not only about the author "Petushkov", but also about Arkady Severny, the Marquis de Sade, Edgar Poe, Yuri Olesha, Tatyana Bek, editor Alexander Shchuplov and others. There is also an amazingly lyrical history of alcoholic local history - a guide to drinking glasses, indicating prices and related details. And funny, and serious, and, as they say, atmospheric.

But for the upcoming ones New Year's holidays I'm going to have a nice enlightening read "Dark Matter and Dinosaurs" physics by Lisa Randall (M.: Alpina non-fiction, 2017) The title is promising.

We would like to thank the Yasnaya Polyana Literary Prize for their assistance in preparing the material.

Russian classics are well known to foreign readers. Which contemporary authors have managed to win the hearts of foreign audiences? Libs compiled a list of the most famous contemporary Russian writers in the West and their most popular books.

16. Nikolay Lilin , Siberian Education: Growing Up in a Criminal Underworld

Our rating is opened by the sizzling one cranberry . Strictly speaking, "Siberian Education" is not a novel Russian author, but Russian-speaking, but this is not the most serious complaint against him. In 2013, this book was filmed by Italian director Gabriele Salvatores, main role John Malkovich himself played in the film. And thanks bad movie With good actor The book of the dreamer-tattoo artist from Bendery, Nikolai Lilin, who moved to Italy, did not rest in peace, but entered the annals of history.

Are there any Siberians among the readers? Get your palms ready for facepalms! “Siberian Education” talks about the Urks: an ancient clan of people, stern, but noble and pious, exiled by Stalin from Siberia to Transnistria, but not broken. The lesson has its own laws and strange beliefs. For example, you cannot store noble weapons (for hunting) and sinful weapons (for business) in the same room, otherwise the noble weapon will be “infected”. The infected cannot be used, so as not to bring misfortune to the family. The contaminated weapon should be wrapped in the sheet on which the newborn baby was lying, and buried, and a tree planted on top. The Urks always come to the aid of the disadvantaged and weak, they themselves live modestly, and use the stolen money to buy icons.

Nikolai Lilin was introduced to readers as a “hereditary Siberian urka,” which seems to hint at the autobiographical nature of the imperishable. Some literary critics and Irvine Welsh himself praised the novel: “It is difficult not to admire the people who opposed the Tsar, the Soviets, and Western materialistic values. If the values ​​and lessons were common to all, the world would not be faced with an economic crisis generated by greed.” Wow!

But it was not possible to deceive all readers. For some time, foreigners who fell for the exotic bought the novel, but upon discovering that the facts described in it were fabricated, they lost interest in the book. Here's one review on the book's website: "After the first chapter, I was disappointed to find that this was an unreliable source of information about the Eastern European underworld. In fact, 'urka' is the Russian term for 'bandit,' not a definition of an ethnic group." "And this is just the beginning of a series of inarticulate, meaningless fabrications. I wouldn't mind the fiction if the story were good, but I don't even know what irritates me more in the book: the flatness and Mary-ness of the narrator or his amateurish style."

15. Sergey Kuznetsov ,

Psychological thriller Kuznetsov's "" was presented in the West as "Russia's answer to """. A cocktail of death, journalism, hype and BDSM, some book bloggers rushed to include, no less, in the top ten best novels of all time about serial killers! Readers also noted that through this book they became acquainted with Moscow life, although the characters’ conversations about political parties and certain events were not always clear: “Cultural differences immediately make this book stand out and make it somewhat refreshing.”

And the novel was criticized for the fact that scenes of violence are presented through the killer’s stories about what has already happened: “You are not with the victim, you do not hope to escape, and this reduces the tension. Your heart does not flutter, you do not wonder what will happen next.” "Strong start for inventive horror, but the clever storytelling gets boring."

14. ,

With all the book publishing activity of Evgeniy Nikolaevich / Zakhar Prilepin in his homeland, he seems to be little concerned about translating his books into other languages. " ", " " - that's probably all that can be found in Western bookstores right now. "Sankya", by the way, with a foreword by Alexei Navalny. Prilepin's work is attracting the attention of foreign audiences, but reviews are mixed: "The book is well written and fascinating, but suffers from the general post-Soviet writer's uncertainty about what he is trying to say. Confusion about the future, confused views about the past and a widespread lack of understanding of what is happening in life today are typical problems. Worth a read, but don't expect to get too much out of the book."

13. , (The Sublime Electricity Book #1)

Recently, a Chelyabinsk writer published good news on his personal website: his books “” and “” have been republished in Poland. And on Amazon the most popular is the noir cycle “All-Good Electricity”. Among the reviews of the novel "": "A great writer and a great book in style magical steampunk ", "Good, fast developing story With a large number plot twists". "An original combination of steam technology and magic. But the story's greatest strength is, of course, its narrator, Leopold Orso, an introvert with many skeletons in his closet. Sensitive but ruthless, he is able to control other people's fears, but has difficulty controlling his own. His supporters include a succubus, a zombie and a leprechaun, and the latter is quite funny."

12. , (Masha Karavai Detective Series)

9. , (Erast Fandorin Mysteries #1)

No, don't rush to look on the bookshelves detective Akunin" The Snow Queen". Under this name on English language The first novel from the cycle about Erast Fandorin, that is, "", came out. Introducing it to readers, one of the critics said that if Leo Tolstoy had decided to write a detective story, he would have written “Azazel.” That is, The Winter Queen. Such a statement generated interest in the novel, but in the end, reader reviews varied. Some were delighted by the novel and could not put it down until they finished reading it; others were reserved about the "melodramatic plot and language of the short stories and plays of the 1890s."

8. , (Watch #1)

"Watches" is well known to Western readers. Someone even called Anton Gorodetsky the Russian version of Harry Potter: “If Harry were an adult and lived in post-Soviet Moscow.” When reading "" - the usual fuss around Russian names: “I like this book, but I can’t understand why Anton always says the full name of his boss - “Boris Ignatievich”? Has anyone guessed? I’ve only read half of it so far, so maybe , will there be an answer later in the book?" IN lately Lukyanenko did not please foreigners with new products, so today he is only in 8th place in the ranking.

7. ,

Those who have read the novel "" by medievalist Vodolazkin in Russian cannot help but admire the titanic work of translator Lisa Hayden. The author admitted that before meeting Hayden he was sure that translation into other languages ​​of his skillful stylization of the Old Russian language was impossible! It’s all the more pleasant that all the hard work paid off. Critics and ordinary readers met non-historical novel very warmly: “A quirky, ambitious book,” “A uniquely generous, multi-layered work,” “One of the most moving and mysterious books you will read.”

6. ,

Perhaps it will come as a surprise to Pelevin’s fans that the novel ““, a cult novel in the writer’s homeland, has been supplanted abroad by his earlier work “”. Western readers put this compact satirical book on a par with "" Huxley: "I highly recommend reading it!", "This is the Hubble telescope facing the Earth."

"In his 20s, Pelevin witnessed glasnost and the emergence of hope for a national culture based on the principles of openness and justice. At 30, Pelevin saw the collapse of Russia and the unification<…>the worst elements of wild capitalism and gangsterism as a form of government. Science and Buddhism became Pelevin’s support for his search for purity and truth. But in combination with the outgoing USSR empire and crude materialism new Russia this led to a shift in tectonic plates, a spiritual and creative shock, like a magnitude 9 earthquake, which was reflected in “Omon Ra”.<…>Although Pelevin is fascinated by the absurdity of life, he is still searching for answers. Gertrude Stein once said, "There is no answer. There will be no answer. There never was an answer. This is the answer." I suspect that if Pelevin agrees with Stein, his tectonic plateaus will freeze, the shock wave of creativity will go out. We, the readers, would suffer because of this."

"Pelevin never allows the reader to find balance. The first page is intriguing. The last paragraph of Omon Ra may be the most accurate literary expression existentialism ever written."

5. , (The Dark Herbalist Book #2)

Next are several representatives Russian LitRPG . Judging by the reviews, a native of Grozny, author of the “Dark Herbalist” series, Mikhail Atamanov, knows a lot about goblins and gaming literature: “I strongly recommend giving this truly unusual hero a chance to impress you!”, “The book was excellent, even better.” But not yet strong in English: "An excellent example of LitRPG, I liked it. As others have already commented, the ending is rushed, and the translation of the argot and colloquial speech From Russian into English. I don’t know whether the author got tired of the series, or fired the translator and relied on Google Translate for the last 5% of the book. I didn't like the Deus ex machina ending too much. But still 5 stars for a big boo. I hope the author continues the series from level 40 to 250! I will buy".

4. , aka G. Akella, Steel Wolves of Craedia(Realm of Arkon #3)

Have you opened the book ""? Welcome to the online game "World of Arkon"! "I love it when an author grows and improves and a book or series becomes more complex and detailed. After finishing this book, I immediately began rereading it - perhaps the best compliment I could pay an author."

“I highly, highly recommend reading and compliment the translator (despite the mysterious Elven Presley!). Translation is not just a matter of replacing words, and here the translation of content from Russian into English is done in highest degree Fine".

3. , (The Way of the Shaman Book #1)

"" Vasily Makhanenko collected a lot positive feedback: "Excellent novel, one of my favorites! Treat yourself and read this series!!", "I am very impressed with the book. The story and character progression are well written. I can't wait for the next book to come out in English", "I read everything and I want a continuation of the series! ", "This was a great read. There were grammatical errors, usually a missing word or not entirely accurate wording, but they were few and far between."

2. , (Play to Live #1)

The series “Play to Live” is based on an amazing collision that will leave few people indifferent: a terminally ill guy Max (in the Russian version of the book “” - Gleb) goes into virtual reality in order to again feel the pulse of life in the Other World, make friends, enemies and experience incredible adventures.

Sometimes readers grumble: "Max is ridiculously over-gifted. For example, he reaches level 50 in 2 weeks. He is the only one who creates a necessary item in a world with 48 million experienced gamers. But I can forgive all this: who wants to read a book about a gamer , who is stuck on level 3 killing rabbits? This book is popcorn reading, pure junk food, and I enjoy it. From a Women's Perspective, I would give the book a 3 out of 5: Everyday Misogyny. Max makes some derogatory, supposedly funny , comments about women, and the only female character either cries or has sex with Max. But overall, I would recommend this book to a gamer. It's pure fun."

“I haven’t read the author’s biography, but judging by the book and the links, I’m sure he’s Russian.<…>I have worked with many of them and always enjoyed their company. They never get depressed. That's what I think makes this book amazing. The main character is told that he has an inoperable brain tumor. However, he is not too depressed, does not complain, just evaluates his options and lives in VR. Very good story. She is dark, but there is no evil in her."

1. , (Metro 2033 #1)

If you are familiar with modern Russian science fiction writers, it’s not difficult to guess who will be at the top of our ranking: books translated into 40 languages, sales of 2 million copies - yes, it’s Dmitry Glukhovsky! Odyssey in the scenery of the Moscow subway. "" is not a classic LitRPG, but the novel was created for symbiosis with a computer shooter. And if once the book promoted the game, now the game promotes the book. Translations, professional audiobooks, website with virtual tour by station - and a logical result: the “population” of the world created by Glukhovsky is growing every year.

"It's a fascinating journey. The characters are real. The ideologies of the various 'states' are believable. The unknown in the dark tunnels, the tension runs high. By the end of the book, I was deeply impressed by the world the author had created and how much I cared about the characters." “Russians know how to write apocalyptic, nightmarish stories. You only need to read “Roadside Picnic” by the Strugatsky brothers, “Day of Wrath” by Gansovsky or see the amazing “Letters from a Dead Man” by Lopushansky to feel that they understand well what it means to live on the edge of an abyss. Claustrophobia and dangerous, frightening dead ends; Metro 2033 is a world of uncertainty and fear, on the brink between survival and death."

After the collapse of the USSR, its successor Russia experienced several very hard years which led to negative consequences, including the devaluation of writing and a sharp change in the taste of many readers. Low-grade detective stories, tearful and sentimental novels, etc. became in demand.

Until relatively recently, science fiction was extremely popular. Now some readers prefer the fantasy genre, where the plot of the works is based on fairy-tale, mythological motifs. In Russia, the most famous writers working in this genre are S.V. Lukyanenko (most of all his fans are attracted by a series of novels about the so-called “watches” - “Night Watch”, “Day Watch”, “Twilight Watch”, etc.), V.V. Kamsha (cycles of novels “Chronicles of Artia”, “Reflections of Eterna”) and other works). It should also be mentioned N.D. Perumov (pseudonym - Nick Perumov), author of the epic “Ring of Darkness” and many other works. Although after economic crisis In 1998, Nick Perumov moved with his family to the USA.

The most famous Russian detective writers

The series of novels about the amateur detective Erast Fandorin, created by the writer G.Sh., is very popular among readers. Chkhartishvili ( creative pseudonym- Boris Akunin). Fandorin first appears in the novel “Azazel” as a very young man, a petty official who, thanks to the will of fate and his brilliant abilities, gets on the trail of a powerful clandestine organization. Subsequently, the hero steadily rises in rank and takes part in the investigation of more and more complex cases that threaten the very existence of the Russian Empire.

Huge readership in the genre of the so-called, who find themselves in the most ridiculous, tragicomic circumstances and unravel crimes (often without meaning to). In this genre, the undisputed leader is the writer A.A. Dontsova (pseudonym - Daria Dontsova), who created several hundred works. Although critics almost unanimously believe that quantity has come at the expense of quality, and that most of these books cannot even be called literature, Dontsova’s work has many fans. There are many other popular ones in this genre, for example, Tatyana Ustinova.

Publications in the Literature section

Top 5 modern writers important to know

Every year about 100 thousand new books are published in Russia, dozens appear earlier unknown authors. How to choose what to read? "Culture.RF" talks about modern authors who last years became laureates of the largest Russian literary prizes, whose books top bookstore sales charts for months. Critics view them favorably, famous writers speak flatteringly about them, but most importantly, their books have become important events in cultural life countries.

Evgeniy Vodolazkin

Novels “Laurel”, “Aviator”, collection of novels and short stories “A Completely Different Time”

Evgeny Vodolazkin. Photo: godliteratury.ru

Evgeny Vodolazkin. "Laurel". LLC "AST Publishing House" 2012

Evgeny Vodolazkin. "Aviator". LLC "AST Publishing House" 2016

A professor of ancient Russian literature, a researcher at the Pushkin House in St. Petersburg, a student of Dmitry Likhachev, a real St. Petersburg intellectual - this is how Evgeny Vodolazkin was introduced at lectures, conferences, and meetings a few years ago. Now he is not only one of the most promising authors of modern Russian literature, but also one of the most famous - you won’t see his books in a rare store, Vodolazkin’s name is among the leaders in requests in libraries.

In 2012, he literally burst into literature with the novel “Laurel.” The very next year, the novel received two of the most significant domestic awards - “Big Book” and “Yasnaya Polyana”, and within two years it became popular abroad. Today “Lavr” has been translated into 23 languages. Latest news There was news of the purchase of the rights to a full-length film adaptation of the novel. The book contained everything that both the discerning critic and the reader expected - a good story about a medieval healer, rich language, its own special style, mixed with the interweaving of several (historical) plots.

This is not the author’s first novel; before that he published “The Rape of Europe” (2005), “Soloviev and Larionov” (2009). In addition, Evgeny Vodolazkin is the compiler of several books about Likhachev: “Dmitry Likhachev and his era” (2002), as well as a collection of memoirs about life on the Solovetsky Islands in different historical periods “Part of land surrounded by sky” (2010) In the footsteps of the “Lavra” “In 2013, a collection of early novels and short stories, “A Completely Different Time,” was published.

After the first success, “everyone began to wait for the second “Laurel” - as the author himself said more than once. But an experienced philologist and literature connoisseur, Evgeny Vodolazkin knew that “a second “Laurel” cannot be written,” so the second novel was based on the events of the 1917 revolution - and its consequences. The literary premiere in the spring of 2016 was published under the title “Aviator”, and the drawing for the cover of the book was made by the artist Mikhail Shemyakin. Even before the book was published, a fragment of the text was written across the country as part of an educational project “ Total dictation" From the day of its release until the end of 2016, the book was in the top sales of the largest stores, received favorable reviews in the press and, as a result, received the “Big Book” award. Today the author is working on a new novel, which will be dedicated to the era of the second half of the last century.

Guzel Yakhina

Novel “Zuleikha opens her eyes”, short stories

Guzel Yakhina. Photo: readly.ru

Guzel Yakhina. “Zuleikha opens her eyes.” LLC "AST Publishing House" 2015

Guzel Yakhina. Photo: godliteratury.ru

Another bright, unexpected literary debut. First, a young writer from Kazan, Guzel Yakhina, wrote the script “Zuleikha Opens Her Eyes” - the story of the dispossession of Kazakh Tatars in the 1930s. Not finding the opportunity to realize it in cinema, she created a novel of the same name - but it was never published, even the capital’s “thick” magazines did not take it. The text was first published in the Novosibirsk magazine “Siberian Lights”. Meanwhile, the manuscript ended up in the hands of Lyudmila Ulitskaya, she liked the book, and she recommended the novel to her publishing house.

“The novel has the main quality real literature- goes straight to the heart. The story about the fate of the main character, a Tatar peasant woman from the time of dispossession, breathes such authenticity, reliability and charm, which are not so often found in recent decades in the huge stream of modern prose,”- Lyudmila Ulitskaya will later write in the preface to the book.

The literary fate of the novel is somewhat similar to the fate of Vodolazkin’s “Lavr”. In 2015, “Zuleikha Opens Her Eyes” also received the “Big Book” and “Yasnaya Polyana” awards, was translated into two dozen languages, received great amount grateful reviews from readers and remains in the top sales for a long time. After literary success The Rossiya-1 TV channel volunteered to film the book in the form of an 8-episode film. Guzel Yakhina dreams that the main role in the series will be played by Chulpan Khamatova, also born in Kazan.

Valery Zalotukha

Novel “Candle”, collection “My Father, the Miner”

Valery Zalotukha. Photo: kino-teatr.ru

Valery Zalotukha. "Candle". Volume 1. Publishing house "Time". 2014

Valery Zalotukha. "Candle". Volume 2. Publishing house "Time". 2014

Until 2015, the name of Valery Zalotukha was known rather in the world of cinema - he was the screenwriter of Khotinenko’s films “Makarov”, “Muslim”, “Roy”, “72 Meters”, and later directed documentaries. What about literature? In 2000, the story “The Last Communist”, published in Novy Mir, was included in the final list of the Russian Booker. After this, the name Zalotukha disappears from the literary horizon for 14 years, twelve of which are spent creating the two-volume, almost 1,700-page novel “The Candle.” The book turned out to be a rare phenomenon in modern literature against the backdrop of “fast” prose, when works are written quickly and, when printed, are placed in a coat pocket. The theme is “the dashing 90s,” but without references to history, which is also rare for prose of recent years.

The novel was first noticed not by readers, but by fellow writers. It was they who immediately discerned in Valery Zalotukha’s multi-page tome an attempt to create a great Russian novel. That classic novel that the reader remembers from the books of Rasputin, Solzhenitsyn, Astafiev...

“I’m afraid that all of Zalotukha’s previous film scripts and literary merits will fade in front of the novel “Candle” and he will be remembered as the author of these two massive volumes...- Dmitry Bykov says about the book. - “Svechka” is a novel about a good Russian person, which is practically not the case now. This is yet another Russian ordeal. But the charm of this hero is such that everything that happens to him evokes our deepest sympathy.”.

The task that the author sets himself - to write a full-length book about the era of the 1990s - aroused keen interest among critics and the public. The result was that the novel was awarded the Big Book Prize. Unfortunately, the author himself was not able to receive the prize - a few weeks before the presentation of “Candles” Valery Zalotukha died.

In 2016, the Vremya publishing house posthumously published the book “My Father, a Miner,” which included all the author’s prose written before “Candle.” The collection includes the stories “The Last Communist”, “The Great March for the Liberation of India”, “Makarov”, as well as short stories. These works have not been published in print for many years. The collection seemed to return them to the general reader, presenting the author as a talented storyteller and master short story. A collection of scripts by Valery Zalotukha is being prepared for publication.

Alisa Ganieva

The story “Salaam to you, Dalgat”; novels “Holiday Mountain”, “Bride and Groom”

Alisa Ganieva. Photo: wikimedia.org

Alisa Ganieva. “Salaam to you, Dalgat!” LLC "AST Publishing House" 2010

Alisa Ganieva. "Holiday Mountain" LLC "AST Publishing House" 2012

In 2010, Alisa Ganieva made a bright debut with the story “Salaam to you, Dalgat!” The book received the “Debut” youth award in the “Large Prose” category and received favorable reviews from critics and readers. By nationality - Avar, a graduate of the Literary Institute named after. Gorky, Alisa Ganieva discovered in modern Russian literature (which is important - youth) the theme of the culture of the Caucasus, or rather - native Dagestan. The author talks about the peculiarities of traditions and temperament, and most importantly - about the Europeanization of Dagestan, tries to understand how the Caucasian republics are joining the new, 21st century, what difficulties they face, what innovations they adapt to, and what they reject. Sergey Belyakov. "Gumilev's son Gumilev." LLC "AST Publishing House" 2013

Sergey Belyakov. "Mazepa's Shadow" LLC "AST Publishing House" 2016

The name of a historian by training, literary editor Sergei Belyakov was first heard loudly in 2013. Then, for his research in the non-fiction genre “Gumilyov, the son of Gumilyov,” he was awarded the “Big Book” prize. “Gumilyov, son of Gumilyov” is a fascinating biography of the famous orientalist historian, the son of two great poets of the Silver Age - Anna Akhmatova and Nikolai Gumilyov, - symbolically intertwined with the history of the twentieth century. Sergei Belyakov’s second book was a work at the intersection of literature and history, “Mazepa’s Shadow.”

This is not the first time that non-fiction writers have emerged as leaders. So, back in 2005, Dmitry Bykov received the “Big Book” award for his biography of Boris Pasternak, and the 2016 winner Leonid Yuzefovich wrote a book in the same genre about Civil War. Last year's awarding of the Nobel Prize in Literature to Svetlana Alexievich, who works in the genre of documentary prose, only strengthened the position of this genre in the literary ranks.

A good book is much more than a way to “kill time.” Wanting to get acquainted with unusual worlds, mysterious and strong characters and incredible adventures, the reader should take a closer look at the works of the most popular contemporary writers. Below are the most striking and famous works last decades- top 10 best modern books!

1. 11/22/63 (Stephen King)

Tops our list of the best modern books scientific fantasy novel Stephen King 11/22/63. The first publication of the work took place in 2011.

The assassination of J.F. Kennedy became one of the greatest tragedies of American society. A popular politician was shot dead during a huge parade in front of thousands of Americans. Could the president have been saved? Surprisingly, the answer to this question a simple teacher has to find out! Jake Epping is an ordinary resident of a small town who works at a school and is not much different from thousands of his fellow citizens. However, by the will of fate, it is he who gets the chance to go through a time portal, which is located in the back room of the cafe of his old friend Al. The owner of the device has long wanted to find Kennedy's killer, but illness has ruined all plans, so Jake must replace him! Go back, straight to the 60s, live there for several years, identify the future executioner and stop him on the day of the terrible tragedy! Will he be able to change the course of history and even go back?

2. American Gods (Neil Gaiman)

American Gods is one of the best modern fantasy books ever written. English writer Neil Gaiman in 2001.

America. A haven for a huge number of migrants from all over the world. Looking for better life people went to an unknown continent, hoping to settle there and find long-awaited happiness. However, they did not travel alone: ​​each visiting guest took with them a piece of their native culture. Gods, beliefs, rituals, customs - this is the true baggage of the migrants! Will different deities be able to get along together and what does such a neighborhood promise? Shadow, the main character, recently released from prison, will have to find out. Once free, he finds himself straight into a series of strange events and mysterious crimes that need to be unraveled.

3. The Kite Runner (Khaled Hosseini)

Rounding out the top three best book modern American writer Khaled Hosseini. The work was born in 2003.

What's happened real friendship? Sometimes adults find it very difficult to answer this question. Much easier for children. Amir and Hassan are two completely different boys who are connected by true friendship. Only one of them is an aristocrat, and the second is a poor servant! Coming from different social strata, they do not pay attention to the differences that are so important for adults. Playing, joking, sharing secrets and impressions, experiencing failures and experiencing grief, the boys gradually grow up, and their friendship only becomes stronger. One day, serious changes are coming to the country that will test their strength and scatter their friends across to different parties. Can childhood friendship survive?

4. A Song of Ice and Fire (George Martin)

A Song of Ice and Fire is one of the most famous and best modern fantasy books. This is a whole series of works, consisting of five already published volumes. Two more books in the project. The first publication took place in 1996. The book gained particular popularity after the release of the series “Game of Thrones,” based on it, filmed by HBO.

The unique fantasy world is inhabited by far from good fairies and funny gnomes. This is a world of several powerful powers who are desperately fighting for their hearts' content. Their goal is the throne of Westeros. Their means are weapons, intrigues, murders and rebellions. The Palace of Verteros is filled with vile and greedy people who are eager to seize the throne at any cost. There is no longer any place for honesty and nobility here. By arranging serious intrigues and organizing coups, the conspirators will do everything to undermine the situation in the kingdom. However, it is not only them that should be feared, because the cunning rulers of neighboring states are also not averse to snatching the “tasty morsel” during a cruel and blind turmoil! A real war for power is coming, ready to bury the old order forever.

5. The house in which... (Mariam Petrosyan)

“The House in Which...” is an interesting modern science fiction novel by the Armenian writer Mariam Petrosyan, published in 2009.

On the edge of the city there is a boarding house for abandoned children. This old and gray place seems very inhospitable and gloomy, but everything is not so simple... Once inside, a person can discover something new, unusual world in which there is more kindness and light than on the bright city streets. The pupils of the house are divided into groups, each of which has its own leader. There are no first and last names here - only bright nicknames. There is a lot of unknown here and very little that is familiar. These are miniature societies with their vices and virtues. Children learn about the world by growing up, changing and trying to find their place in it.

6. The Book Thief (Markus Zusak)

The Book Thief is fascinating modern novel Australian writer, written in 2006.

Liesel Meminger - little german girl, whose childhood fell during a truly monstrous time. In 1939, the Nazi regime reached its peak, exterminating the disobedient and preparing to enslave the world. Horror, murder, robbery and terror became daily companions the lives of those who did not suit new government. After the death of her husband, Frau Meminger moves, trying to find a quieter corner for her daughter. But in vain... Looking around, Liesel sees the chaos going on through the eyes of an innocent child who does not understand this cruel and strange world of adults. Growing up quickly, she has to learn and rethink a lot.

7. Gone Girl (Gillian Flynn)

Gone Girl is one of the best modern thriller books. The work was published in 2012 and became the basis for the film of the same name.

How difficult it can be to recognize a person, even if you have lived with him for many years! An unusual incident changes the fate of the main character when his wife suddenly disappears. During a wild celebration of their wedding anniversary, a woman mysteriously disappears. The arriving police discover blood and signs of a struggle, deciding that the man killed his wife and hid her body. Now the confused man is left to solve this incredible puzzle himself. Who knows, maybe the solution will be even more monstrous than the disappearance itself...

8. Cloud Atlas (David Mitchell)

The novel Cloud Atlas was written in 2004 by an English writer. Its plot is a complex interweaving of stories and destinies that, at first glance, have nothing in common. An American lawyer stuck on a tropical island while a ship is being repaired; young English musician, forced to trade music and body in order to earn a piece of bread; a brave Californian journalist fighting against a powerful corporation; a London publisher facing criminals after the release of another bestseller; a clone from a Korean anti-utopia and a Hawaiian old man watching the decline of human civilization. All events and characters go through a complex path in different times, gradually intertwining together.

9. When I Was Real (Tom McCarthy)

Tom McCarthy's novel When I Was Real continues our top 10 best modern books.

A sudden disaster changed the life of a young man, erasing his past. He finds himself in a long coma, from which he, fortunately, manages to get out. But such a long process did not pass without a trace: now he needs to learn to live again. Walk, move, work with your hands and talk. The whole past life comes in the form of vague memories, and the hero endlessly desires to return to his former self. Moreover, a certain large corporation is ready to pay him huge amounts of money in order to keep the cause of the incident secret. How are they connected? What happened that day? And how to become completely the same?

10. Anathem (Neal Stephenson)

And the top ten is completed by the modern science fiction book Anathem, written by American writer Neal Stephenson in 2008.

Arb - distant and mysterious planet, similar to Earth. People who worship science live here. Science, which completely replaced religion and managed to split society into two irreconcilable camps. The guardians of science are monks who were once scientists. They once worked and created for the benefit of progress, but their work led to something terrible. Now the monks live in the monastery, closed off from the outside, secular world. Their life is simple, calm and measured, but once every ten years a special date comes - a day when the two sides can change places. Monks will see the outside world, and secular people will be able to join the monastic life and worldview. One day, such a change led to terrifying consequences, and now the two sides must unite to prevent the impending disaster!