World classics: books through time and space

World classics never lose their relevance and certainly find their reader. At Z library, you can find them all – from a sensual autobiographical novel about a lonely woman to the existential story of a man stranded on a desert island, from a novel about the terrible beauty of man to a love story against the backdrop of a cruel war.

“Robinson Crusoe” by Daniel Defoe

A young man, Robinson Crusoe, defies his parents, runs away from home, and sets off on a sea voyage. Then, a shipwreck occurs, and Robinson finds himself on a remote tropical island. Among cannibals, storms, and tempests, he spends the next 28 years. Just as an ordinary person struggles to survive in extraordinary circumstances, Robinson Crusoe struggles with fate and the nature of God.

“A Farewell to Arms” by Ernest Hemingway

Ernest Hemingway’s semi-autobiographical novel is rightly considered one of the best on World War I. It tells the story of architect Frederick Henry, who volunteers for the army and witnesses events that forever change his attitude to life. But amidst the horror of war and the cruelty of reality, he finds a place of peace next to the Englishwoman Catherine Barclay.

“A Chambermaid’s Diary” by Octave Mirbeau

For this novel, Octave Mirbeau received the title of “master of the shocking”. He introduces readers to the maid Celestine, whose vision allows us to imagine nineteenth-century France in many aspects- from political to sexual.

The scandalous classic of world literature presents a woman who has worked for a nobleman almost since childhood. For Celestine, the main things remain: surviving in these unruly waters of high society and staying true to herself.

“Under the Glass Cap” by Sylvia Plath

A realistic and emotional novel by the iconic American writer Sylvia Plath, which is a thinly veiled autobiography, chronicles a young woman’s mental breakdown and also explores societal expectations for women in the 1950s.

This is a chronicle of the downfall of Esther Greenwood, a young, brilliant, beautiful, and immensely talented woman who slowly goes to the bottom. A meticulous exploration of the dark and eerie corners of the psyche and the deep loneliness for which modern society has yet to find a solution has made this novel a cult classic.

“The Prince” by Niccolò Machiavelli

The most famous historical and political treatise in the world, which, even over the years, has not lost its relevance. The author depicts a world where fierce wars flare up, and territories are conquered. It’s a world where the most cruel rulers experience successes and then fatal failures, states change, destroy the old, and then give birth to new rulers. The author analyzes the actions and strategies of such historical figures as Alexander the Great and King Cyrus, Charles VII, Louis XI, the biblical David and the ancient Greek Achilles, and many others. He reflects on the correctness and mistakes of their reigns and offers solutions that could fix everything.

“The Picture of Dorian Gray” by Oscar Wilde

It is the only novel and the most popular work of the Irish writer Oscar Wilde, one of the most paradoxical modernist works of world classics.

The young and handsome Dorian Gray is convinced that beauty is the only thing worth living for. He strives to always remain as radiantly beautiful as he has been depicted in the outstanding artist Basil’s portrait. Over time, Dorian begins to live an utterly immoral life because, for him, nothing is as crucial as his beauty. But his portrait reflects all the changes that occur not only with his body but also with his soul.