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Sunday, April 10, 2016

What Are The Best Books To Read?

By Lisa Fox


There is nothing quite like sitting with a good book and escaping to another world through literature. The best books to read are arguably the ones that have managed to continue topping bestseller lists time and time again around the world and receive critical acclaim even now, sometimes over a century after first being published. The following is a few of such books.

'Don Quixote' was published in 2 volumes in the early 1600s. Miguel De Cervantes, the author, has been attributed with writing one of the best works of Spanish literature ever. In the book, Alonso Quixano is the lead character, who reads far too many romances and actually begins to believe every word he reads. As a result of the ensuing loss of sanity, he decides to go on a journey to restore chivalry and undo all wrongdoings in the world, with Sancho Panza at his side.

Charles Dickens' 'A Tale Of Two Cities' is interesting in that it was published in parts on a monthly basis in 1859. Much of Dickens' work was published in monthly installments in his literary periodical All The Year Round. The novel is set in parallel worlds of London and Paris leading up to the French Revolution, documenting the frustration and uneasiness of the lower class following terrible treatment by those in the aristocracy.

J. R. R. Tolkien appears on the list of the greatest works of literature twice. Both novels were turned into Hollywood blockbuster movies. 'The Hobbit', as well as 'Lord of the Rings', fall into the genre of children's fantasy. That being said, much like 'Harry Potter', these kids' books appeal to a wider audience.

'The Hobbit' came out at the end of 1937. It tells the story of a hobbit, Bilbo Baggins, who is not really remarkable in any way, until he sets out on an adventure. Bilbo is on the hunt for treasure that is supposed to be closely guarded by none other than a dragon. The book has won the title of best juvenile fiction and was even nominated for none other than the Carnegie Medal.

'The Lord of the Rings' was written following 'The Hobbit', intended originally as a sequel, but over the years it morphed into a much larger body of work by itself. Completed in 1949, it tells the tale of three hobbits and their allies as they travel across Middle Earth on a mission during the War of the Ring. The story is divided into three volumes - 'The Fellowship of the Ring', 'The Two Towers' and 'The Return of the King'.

'The Little Prince' by Antoine de Saint-Exupery holds the fourth spot in the world's most translated books. It also holds the title of the best book of the twentieth century in France. It is a simple book which tells the story of the communication and conversation between a pilot stranded in the desert and a young prince who has come to Earth on an asteroid.

The greatest books in the world cannot be mentioned without naming 'The Alchemist' by Paulo Coelho. Though the Brazilian author has a number of literary accomplishments, 'The Alchemist' is undoubtedly a novel that speaks to everyone in a different, albeit significant, way. This is a story about a boy's journey to find his destiny and how he finds himself in the process.




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