15 books from the school program that are worth rereading after 30 years old

Do you remember how difficult it was for us to give lists of literature to be read over the summer? They say that there is a certain age for each work, which “reveals” it truly. Together with experts we have selected works that are worth rereading after 30 years.

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Rereading Dostoevsky, Tolstoy and Chekhov, I wonder how much I did not understand at school. It seemed to me that “Crime and Punishment” – a detective about how a student stabbed an old lady. And “War and Peace” – too long a novel about aristocrats with a boring denouement.

Only by the age of 30 did I realize that the answers to many of my questions, including those about finding purpose, suffering and morality, are given by Russian rather than foreign literature, because it is based on our culture and mentality.

On how to cope with the midlife crisis, wrote in the material.

What advice to reread writers?

First of all, I would advise you to reread Dostoevsky. Now very fashionable subculture dark academia (“dark academy”), and Dostoevsky is among the writers, which is saturated with young people around the world, indulging in decadence and deep reflection.

Dark academia is a subculture based on classic works of fiction that describe events around growing up and attending an educational institution. They popularize and romanticize the humanities, raise themes of moral uncertainty, as well as features of Greek and Victorian Gothic culture.

In my opinion, Dostoevsky’s works are worth reading if you haven’t been to school – “The Brothers Karamazov”, “The Beses”, “The Gambler”. It is worth rereading “Crime and Punishment” – believe me, in adulthood the book is very easy to read.

From the classics I recommend “Anna Karenina” by Tolstoy, “The Seagull” by Chekhov and “Eugene Onegin” by Pushkin. I don’t know if Platonov and Zamyatin are being read now, but I would recommend “Kotlovan” and “We”. I am very close to satire, because at school we had an in-depth literature program – we studied Saltykov-Shchedrin, Taffy, Zoshchenko. They wrote short stories – convenient to read on the subway.

Another selection of books that will help you find inspiration – in our material.

Also, strange as it may seem, it is interesting to read fairy tales – the wisdom of some you realize only in adulthood. A collection can be found at Afanasyev. Or Pushkin’s poems, for example, romantic and at the same time gloomy fairy tale “Ruslan and Lyudmila”.

What to reread according to the psychologist?

psychológ

From the point of view of psychology, books can affect our consciousness at the very moment when we begin to understand the emotions and actions of the characters. At school age, there is still a lot that is not available to us.

I have my own version of the list of books from the school program, which should be reread after 30 years:

1. “The Tale of the Fisherman and the Fish” by Alexander Sergeyevich Pushkin. Reading it now convinces you that you can’t indulge and give in a relationship. That it destroys the lives of both partners. It also reminds you that needs are endless and resources are limited. And if there is no reasonable self-restraint – there will be an external restriction, more painful;
2. Alexander Griboyedov, Woe from Wit. Reread it to see how society reacts to those who do not want to take into account the feelings and desires of others, who think they have the right to criticize and give unsolicited advice;
3. Ivan Goncharov, “Oblomov.” This work will help to remember that living in dreams (virtual reality) ruins a person. Also, that it is impossible to forcibly save anyone;
4. “War and Peace” by Leo Tolstoy. Especially relevant in our time, if we remember that the word peace – is used in the sense of society, not the absence of any conflicts. It is worth rereading to see how society behaves during various events;
5. Mikhail Lermontov, The Hero of Our Time. If you don’t find yourself and your work, the feeling that you are superfluous here will lead to destruction and self-destruction.