How to define the quality of books?
Length? Scientific research? In the author's style? Take ad hominem fallacy and judge WHAT kind of person wrote? After all, maybe if a book was written by a woman in a country dominated by women, then the book is good? What if a story for comics and cartoons was created by a 5-year-old - respectively cool?
To be honest, I don't know. However, it is difficult to compare Hemingway's "The Old Man and the Sea" with Kristijon Donelaitis's "The Year" - it is obvious that anything is better than "The Year", even after toilet paper wipes the ass.
*Kosteli* Just kidding, of course.
(Or not?)
But that's what makes all kinds of lists of "Best", "Most Interesting" or "Most Outstanding" books extremely strange. What defines the goodness of books?
Today I would like to share my list of five books that I recommend to friends
(I cannot recommend self-development and scientific books to everyone. And I do not.)
Isaac Asimov. Last question.
This is not a long book. To be honest, it's not even a book, but a short story of only 10 pages (or less if you're a technically retarded lunatic and type the text on A4 pages in "Times new roman" 12p font, single line line height).
Short. But powerful.
It is clear that after many thousands of years the suns of this universe will go out. They are already slowly disappearing. And what will happen after that? In a short story published back in the 1950s, this author of all-mountain science fiction books quite accurately predicts the capabilities of modern computers and predicts far into the future.
I won't give much away. But I read this short story as a child, about 16 years ago (I was 9) and I still remember it.
P.S I also recommend the counter-short story "The Last Answer" by another author, who unfortunately I can't remember now, which deals with a similar issue of Divinity.
(Oh, I guess I betrayed you? Yes, this is a short story about God.)
Ernest M. Remark. Three friends.
It was this book that I mentioned to one of the people in Debes during the book fair, when I was asked about the three books that had the most influence on me.
Here's why it's so good:
This book is not good because it is unique in its genre, style, or time period. No, Remarque told many similar stories. However, it was "Three Friends" that was remembered the most.
P.S This novel is also a good example that not everything has to end well in order to remember and enjoy the memory. If your relative ever dies (and they will if you don't die first), don't be sad. Instead, remember and enjoy your grief. Because grief shows that it has touched your soul.
(Grief = Soul + Worthy? Gate of Souls? I'm not sure, but it might remind you of the essence of this feeling.)
Balys Sruoga. Forest of the Gods.
When my Lithuanian language teacher recommended this book, I didn't want to read it. Essentially. Because the instructions for teaching the Lithuanian language are idiotic and are compiled by 80-year-old grandmothers with beaver mustaches.
But when I found the book at home, I opened it and started reading. I didn't regret it.
Again, the style or story of the book is not new. Maybe it is somewhat similar to the satirical work of V. Frankle or A. Frank. But it is close because it is Lithuanian, close because it is human.
No need for "Oh, oh, oh, that was bad, so bad, it hurt, help me, forumjiukass ljoooodjii" refunds. All you need is naturalness - after all, it is clear that your attitude towards pain and suffering becomes dull.
Similarly, it's hard for me now to understand those who don't dare to woo attractive girls, because what's so difficult about it? You go and say "Hello". I have already gotten over the pain of not being accepted and not understood.
This is it - this is a human creation for a human soul.
P.S If Balys were alive, I would very much like to meet him personally. Maybe interview him or ask him what else he's afraid of.
Dmitry Glukhovsky. The future.
This is a very fresh book. It was published in Lithuanian in 2015, in Russian a year earlier, but olialia, how I remembered it! Now, every time I go to a shopping center or other space with an artificial high sky, I remember this piece.
The action takes place, of course, in the future. Fast forward about a hundred years, when death from old age has been cured. The European Union, along with China and the United States, are the only sources of civilization. …And there are so many people! A trillion inhabitants in greater Europe. An entire continent is set with 1,000-story skyscrapers, and space is still scarce.
Hordes of Africans are invading Europe, Russia is ruled by a nine-headed mythical Tsar, and the common people have almost returned to the Middle Ages. Refugees, illegals, trash of all kinds want to settle in Europe and discover its culture.
Like something? Yes, the best fiction is the one based on the modern world. That is exactly what you will find in this book.
P.S I talked more about this book here.
George Orwell. Livestock farm.
And finally - a historical satire, long banned in the Soviet Union for the obvious - it parodies this very wonderful Union that the masses of people long for.
Yes, the crowds!
All three idiots, screaming that the EU is terrible to live in, but not moving out of it. You know them. They have many accounts, comment under Dalia Grybauskaitė's photos and so on...
…Well, this book looks at the lies that someone once believed. Just.
P.S I wonder if a similar book will be written after Trump's term ends? I hope there won't be any reason to create it. I hope
Behold!
while reading
Daniel