The most popular book in the world. Rating of the most popular books of our time

2024 Author: Leah Sherlock | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 05:25

The first book appeared in Russia at the beginning of the 16th century, when the first printer Ivan Fedorov, with the goodwill of the Metropolitan of Kyiv John, began work on the "Apostle". The book was intended for worship and contained the Acts of the Apostles from the New Testament, the Epistles of the Holy Apostles, as well as alleluia, verses from the Ps alter. The beginning of typography was laid.

In the five hundred years that have passed since the publication of "Apostle", a lot of water has flowed under the bridge. Today, modern printing houses print hundreds of thousands of books with colorful illustrations in a variety of covers. Millions of readers are waiting for their favorite publications to appear on the shelves and instantly snap them up. The works are the main source of spiritual we alth of modern man, and the rating of the most popular books is steadily increasing.

The Role of Literature

“The Russian nation is the most reading nation in the world” - these are the words of one of the referents of the Central Committee of the CPSU on culture (perhaps he repeated the sayingclassic) became a slogan throughout the former Soviet Union. Whether this is justified is not for us to judge. However, Russian literature has deep historical roots (XI century AD). The largest literary masterpieces, mostly handwritten, are now kept in Moscow, St. Petersburg and other cities of Russia. The works of the classics of the 18th-19th centuries are included in the curricula of both secondary schools and universities. Chekhov and Dostoevsky, Griboyedov and Chernyshevsky, dozens and hundreds of authors have contributed to the treasury of Russian literature. And these are books, books, books…

Bible and "Capital"

The most popular book is, of course, the Bible, which is a part of the lives of millions of people not only in Russia, but also in many countries of the world. Not so long ago, "Capital" - the fundamental work of Karl Marx with a critique of capitalism - was also considered a popular publication, it was a reference book for Soviet party functionaries, as well as a community of many millions of ordinary members of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union.

To say that the work of Karl Marx is the most popular book is a stretch, since its popularity was propagated by propaganda in the media. The same thing happened with multi-volume editions of the works of V. I. Lenin - they were simply distributed according to the order, although they were present in retail sales under the title "Subscription Editions".

At the end of the 1950s, a serious problem arose on the book market of the Soviet Union: what to do with Stalin's writings in18 volumes, printed on good paper, bound in calico with gold stamping, in a circulation of 300,000 copies. After the 20th Congress of the CPSU, held in 1956, and criticism of the personality cult of the leader of the book, there was nowhere to go. The bulk was destroyed in open-hearth furnaces, and the few specimens that managed to be saved are now a rarity.

Russian editions

The most popular books of our time in Russia are Bulgakov's novels and stories, in particular the unfading masterpiece "The Master and Margarita", Chekhov's stories and stories, the elegant work of Kuprin and the subtle satire of Gogol. Then there are the deeply psychological works of Dostoevsky, Leskov's fiction novels, Bazhov's touching tales … The most popular Russian books can be listed indefinitely.

Literary excursions into the history of Boris Akunin are already closer to our days, but no less famous works. For lovers of the detective genre, books by Alexandra Marinina and Daria Dontsova, Tatyana Ustinova and Polina Dashkova are published. Someone likes ironic detective stories, someone likes straightforward stories, but everyone is unanimous in their opinion - books are interesting to read.

Detectives

The most popular books of our time are also represented by science fiction, espionage and political detective stories. The detective palette of Russian literature is quite wide and includes such works as "Petrovka, 38" and "Ogaryova, 6" by Julian Semenov, "The Era of Mercy"Vainer brothers, Strugatsky brothers' Hotel At the Dead Climber. At the same time, Russian readers do not refuse detective-adventure literature by foreign writers.

Sherlock Holmes

The adventures of the detective Sherlock Holmes and his friend Dr. Watson are inimitable masterpieces that have topped the ranking of the most popular books of the detective genre for many years. The writer Arthur Conan Doyle has another cycle of works dedicated to the leader of the pirates, Captain Sharkey. These stories do not have a detective beginning, they are adventure and resemble the work of Louis Boussinard, in particular, the novel "The Diamond Thieves".

Books about love

In second place after detective literature for the Russian reader are novels, short stories and stories about love. Melodramatic plots, love triangles, happiness and sorrow, the apotheosis of love and its fall - all this is in print.

The classics of love relationships are reflected in the work "Eugene Onegin" by Pushkin, in the novel "The Master and Margarita" by Bulgakov, in the story "Shulamith" by Kuprin and many others. The most popular love books can be found in libraries and bookstores.

Vilmont and Demidova

The most prominent author of our time writing on love is EkaterinaWilmont. From the last written by her, one can distinguish "Deception of pure water", "Secret behind the door", "Disguise for the villain", "It's hard to be brave". Svetlana Demidova (Lubenets) is on the same level as Vilmont in terms of creativity. Her novels "A Banal Story" and "The Whole Palette of Tenderness" are hidden recommendations for inexperienced girls. The works of Ekaterina Vilmont and Svetlana Demidova are on the top steps of the "10 most popular books about love" rating.

Fantastic

The fantasy genre also has a considerable number of fans. The books by the Strugatsky brothers "Country of Crimson Clouds", "Roadside Picnic", "Monday Starts on Saturday", "It's Hard to Be a God" were included in the Golden Fund of Russian Literature. Science fiction writer Ivan Efremov is an outstanding author of plots in an unrealistic dimension. His immortal works "The Hour of the Bull", "The Razor's Edge", "The Andromeda Nebula" have delighted more than one generation of grateful readers.

Alexander Belyaev, the author of works of tremendous power and depth, such as "Amphibian Man", "Professor Dowell's Head", "Air Seller", "Ariel", which have not lost their artistic value over the past sixty years, is one of the most sought after writers.

The most popular books (fiction and science fiction) were written in the middle of the last century,many authors are no longer there, but their memory is alive. Movies based on the works of science fiction writers interpret the content of novels in their own way. The directors use special effects to enhance the impression of the episodes, since usually the plot of the film revolves around some cosmic events. Of course, these techniques are absent in the book, and the reader, getting into the cinema hall, is in some confusion - he does not see the correspondence. This is the magic of cinema, but if the director is too keen on the situation, the literary reading of the plot may suffer - the book and the film will be on opposite sides of the barricades.

Fantasy books

Fantasy books occupy a special place on the bookshelves in every home. This genre resembles science fiction, but its main difference is fabulousness, unreality of what is happening and clearly defined categories of good and evil. As a rule, the plots of the works are based on the confrontation between good forces and evil wizards.

The most popular fantasy books were written in the past, but attention to them continues today. The most striking plots are laid down in JK Rowling's editions of Harry Potter, in the works of John Tolkien, such as The Lord of the Rings and The Children of Hurin. The literary works in the fantasy genre can also include the story "Running on the Waves" by Alexander Grin, in which incomprehensible events take place with a happy ending. In the story of the same author "Scarlet Sails" there are also elements of fabulousness, but they are of man-made origin, since Arthur Gray, who fell in love with Assol,he sewed scarlet silk sails himself - they did not appear by magic, as happens in fantasy-style works. The book "Scarlet Sails" can be classified as a fairy tale.

The most popular fantasy book is JK Rowling's "Harry Potter", which has all the hallmarks of this style. This conclusion was unanimously made by critics during a public discussion of the writer's work.

Books for youth

The print editions most in demand by the younger generation are quite mature classics. It is characteristic that young men and women name editions ranging from Antoine Saint Exupery's "The Little Prince" to Kuprin's "Garnet Bracelet" as their favorite books. Between these preferences are the works of "The Lord of the Rings" by Tolkien and "Alice in Wonderland" by Lewis Carroll. Dostoyevsky's The Idiot and Ray Bradbury's Dandelion Wine are also there. The Arc de Triomphe by Erich Maria Remarque is understood and loved by girls aged 15-16.

Truly Russia is the most reading country in the world. The most popular books among young people number in the hundreds, boys and girls have long overtaken their grandparents in terms of the amount of literature read and are already approaching their parents.

Foreign books

Books by American, English and French authors are no less in demand in Russia than works by Russianswriters. The detective genre is represented by the Frenchman Georges Simenon, whose hero of his novels is Commissar Maigret. Agatha Christie, acting as the main character in her own stories, made famous the images of Hercule Poirot, as well as Miss Marple. Books by Agatha Christie can compete in the number of editions with the works of Shakespeare and even the Bible. Edgar Allan Poe, an American author of detective stories, gained popularity with The Gold Bug.

Among American writers, there are many followers of other genres that are not related to detective literature. First of all, this is the golden five of American authors, which includes Ernest Hemingway, John Steinbeck, Scott Fitzgerald, John Updike and William Faulkner. The latter is considered the most profound prose writer in the entire literary history of the United States. His novels "The Sound and Fury", "Sartoris", "Light in August" are recognized as works of the highest level. And the trilogy about Snopes, composed of three completely independent novels "Village", "City", "Mansion", is the subject of endless discussions of critics and journalists. Faulkner's most popular book is The Sanctuary, which echoes Dostoevsky's Crime and Punishment in style and content.