Five Classic Books for the Winter

Taras Bulba – Nikolai Gogol

It is said that there is nothing like classical Russian literature, and this is certainly true. But you should explore this fantastic landscape before forming a personal opinion of your own. Taras Bulba by Gogol can be a good choice for light reading when you want to get into the world of traditional Russian families. The Kazak Russian father intends to bring his boys up to be as strong and sturdy as he was, and this is the main theme of the book.

War stories, life principles, life lessons – everything blends perfectly with the memories of a man who has experienced war and who is proud of his accomplishments. The bravery, the courage, the ambition – these the elements that the father wants to teach his boys.

The free online edition of this book you can read it here.

The Master and Margarita – Mikhail Bulgakov

This is one of my favorite books. Although it is a fiction book, The Master and Margarita was way ahead of its time. The way Bulgakov blended magic with reality was surreal. The writing is so good that you won’t understand where the truth ends and where the magic begins.

Exactly like Dostoievski, Bulgakov has the power to capture your imagination from the first lines in his book, and he will take you on a trip to Moscow where Devil comes onto the Earth to wreak havoc on the whole city.

The Miser – Moliere

Moliere was probably one of the most exciting playwrights France has produced, and one of the most vibrant French writers of all times.  The Miser has more than a couple of funny moments or lines. It offers readers insightful life lessons in a play about different types of people, wanting different things from life, love, and destiny.

The lines you will read are hilarious, the action is true to life, the situation is amusing, the turns in the plot don’t miss, and the entire play will leave you with some essential life lessons.

The Best Poetry – Victor Hugo

Victor Hugo was not only the writer of the famous The Miserables but was also the author of many incredible poems. For the French, Hugo is one of the best writers they have produced because he offered the world a detailed fresco – even if a sad one – of old French society in the nineteenth century.

This small booklet is probably one of the best poetry books I have ever read, and I have read a fair share of poetry in my time. The romance, the love, the hope, and the positive are emotions that every poem contains. You will feel the quietude while wandering through the streets of an old city and century. If you want to relax, read some of Victor Hugo’s poems!

The Brothers Karamazov – Fyodor Dostoevsky

The Brothers Karamazov is one of the best works of the mighty Dostoevsky and probably the longest one. This was the writer’s last work, and he spent almost two years writing it. The author died less than four months after publishing it.

The entire book was written around the idea of patricide and follows the lives of four brothers. The novel is a philosophical one that offers ethical debates about God, morality, and even free will in the characteristic Dostoevskian style.

Classic books have a certain charm, and every country has its own. By reading classic books, you will enter a magical lost world where bravery, politeness, courtesy, respect, commitment, and other things were essential even though today, everything is more… democratic.

Which books do you like to read during the winter?

Photo: Shutterstock

Find out here more books you should read not only this winter:

Leo Tolstoy Books You Need To Read Which Are Not Anna Karenina

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