5 books to read over the weekend. Short but profound works

Together with LitRes, we have prepared a selection of short but fascinating stories that are easy to read in a couple of days. Here are Dovlatov, Steinbeck, and even a new novel by Victor Pelevin. Have a great vacation and pleasant reading!

Head of the press service of LitRes group of companies

Tells you what to read if you don’t have time for great works.

“Of Mice and Men. A Pearl.”

John Ernst Steinbeck

The legendary novella “Of Mice and Men” from Nobel Prize winner John Steinbeck doesn’t make it out of Amazon’s top 100 alongside Fitzgerald’s “The Great Gatsby” and Orwell’s “1984.” The American Library Association put it on the list of banned works along with R. Bradbury’s “451° Fahrenheit” and J. D. Salinger’s “Catcher in the Rye.”

The story is based on the writer’s personal experiences working in agriculture in the 1920s. The American South during the Great Depression. Lenny, a weak-minded strongman, and John, his guardian, are simple laborers who roam from ranch to ranch in search of seasonal work and in their dreams of one day owning their own piece of land.

But life turns out to be harsh to them, and their hopes are not destined to come true. The book was twice screened and many times became the basis for theatrical productions.

We also recommend reading the books at the link below. The authors of these works will help to understand themselves and find a purpose in life.

“Suitcase”

Sergei Dovlatov

The collection of stories “Suitcase” consists of individual autobiographical stories from the life of the famous Soviet writer and journalist Sergei Dovlatov. Leaving for exile in the United States, he takes with him one shabby plywood suitcase.

When he arrives at his new place of residence, the luggage is pushed into a far corner of the closet, where it sits in the dust for several years. But then the owner discovers the suitcase, inside which are stored a double-breasted suit, a poplin shirt, a corduroy jacket, three pairs of Finnish crepe socks, a winter hat made of fake kotik.

Each piece is connected to people and events from the author’s past life. Funny and at the same time sad stories about life in the USSR. The collection is included in the list of “100 books” recommended by the Ministry of Education of the Russian Federation to schoolchildren for independent reading. So you can safely read aloud with children.

“35 kilos of hope”

Anna Gavalda

“When I went to school, I was asked what I wanted to be when I grew up. I wrote “happy.” They said to me – ‘you didn’t understand the assignment’, and I answered – ‘you didn’t understand life’,” says thirteen-year-old Gregoire. He has problems with his studies, and because of this he has a difficult relationship with his parents. Only the old grandfather understands and supports the boy.

True, even his great love is not enough – the hero feels endlessly lonely. He is expelled from school for failure, but Gregoire needs somewhere to study. By a happy coincidence, he finds a place where he would like to continue his education, gathers courage and writes a letter to the director with a request to accept him to study… A tender and wise story about family, love and faith in your dreams from the famous French writer Anne Gavalda.

“Penelopiad.”

Margaret Atwood

Since childhood, everyone knows the myth of Odysseus, who went on a long voyage, and his wife Penelope, twenty years kept him faithful, in the retelling of the winner of many prestigious literary awards Margaret Atwood takes on a new sound. She gives the word to the wife of the Greek hero, and the reader sees from a new angle what happened in Ithaca and in the palace during the absence of the ruler, and then what happened when he finally returned.

Atwood masterfully emphasizes the details that have not been given importance before, but they are the details that, in the writer’s opinion, play an important role in understanding the myth itself and the characters of its protagonists. Despite the small volume of the book, the author fascinatingly tells about Penelope’s life from childhood to the events known to all. The novel is quite feminist, yet interesting and fascinating.

“KGBT+ (KGBT+)”

Victor Pelevin

And, of course, the main novel of 2022. The annual literary event from the mysterious and brilliant Victor Pelevin. The novel directly continues last year’s work of the author “Transhumanism Inc.”. On the planet reigns “Green Era”, the world’s elite has gained immortality and moved into banks, and all people in the brain implants, with which you can control emotions and desires.

A talented “jack-of-all-trades” named KGBT+ is known for making lots of people experience collective meditation. But his life is far from ideal: he has been betrayed many times, embroiled in political intrigue, and his hands are covered in blood.

The hero talks about his life, trying to understand what mistakes could have been avoided and whether there is a chance to fix anything. Admittedly, this book is a bit bulkier than the ones we covered above. But it is so exciting that it is read in one breath in a couple of days. Checked personally.

In a separate selection we have collected five books in which the authors share tricks that will help you achieve better results.