10 lesser-known works of great writers that are definitely worth reading

2024 Author: Richard Flannagan | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-15 23:55

It is difficult to find an educated person who does not know the names of these writers and poets. However, not all literature lovers can say with confidence that they have read all the books of famous writers. Among the little-known books of eminent writers, there are real masterpieces that, for unknown reasons, were left without the attention of the mass reader. We propose to fill this gap and read the little-known books of famous writers from our review.

Joseph Brodsky, "Democracy!"

Lovers of Joseph Brodsky's creativity can read by heart a lot of his poems, retell his prose. But here is the play "Democracy!" could well have remained unread. Its full text was published only at the beginning of the 21st century, although he wrote "Democracy!" the author, tentatively, in 1989-1990.

READ ALSO: Neither country nor churchyard: Why was the body of Joseph Brodsky buried only a year and a half after his departure >>

Veniamin Kaverin, "Before the Mirror"

The most famous work of Veniamin Kaverin is the novel "Two Captains", but few are familiar with another novel - "Before the Mirror". To some, the story of Liza Turaeva will seem boring, but for others it will become a reference book. The graceful weaving into the narrative of historical documents adds credibility to the book.

READ ALSO: Secrets and tragedies of "Two Captains": Real prototypes of the heroes of the famous novel by Kaverin >>

Vladimir Nabokov, "Look at the Harlequins"

The little-known novel by the author of Lolita was called by critics a parody of the autobiography of Vladimir Nabokov. The biography of the writer in seven parts leaves an ambiguous impression and, in fact, should not be perceived as a memoir of the author himself. It should be remembered that the novel "Look at the Harlequins", despite some similarities with the events and experiences of Vladimir Nabokov, nevertheless, is entirely a work of fiction.

READ ALSO: The butterfly writer loved: How the winged muses of Nabokov became his fatal passion >>

Daniel Defoe, The Further Adventures of Robinson Crusoe

The English writer immediately after the release of "Robinson Crusoe" wrote a continuation of the adventures of his hero. In them, he returns to the island, finding life in a familiar environment extremely boring. After a rapid political career in a tribe of natives, Robinson Crusoe finds himself in Russia, where he will have to live for several months.

READ ALSO: Daniel Defoe: why the famous writer was chained to a pillory >>

Oscar Wilde, "The Ballad of Reading Prison"

The famous writer created his works after he himself went through the sad experience of serving a sentence in prison. The real stories, with which Oscar Wilde met in prison, and then based his poem, made an indelible impression on the writer at one time.

READ ALSO: A decadent esthete with vicious passions who conquered the world with one novel. Oscar Wilde >>

Jack London, Star Traveler

Despite the fact that the movie "Jacket" was made based on the novel, it still does not enjoy the same popularity as other works of Jack London. The hero of "The Wanderer by the Stars" learns to survive in the unbearable conditions of a California prison, where he will have to spend his entire life serving a sentence for murder.

READ ALSO: Photos from the personal archives of the famous writer Jack London, which were recently published >>

Jerome David Salinger, "Birthday Boy"

The short story of the author of the novel "The Catcher in the Rye" has never been published, but on the World Wide Web you can, if you wish, find copies of the work and its translation, including into Russian. The typewritten text is kept at the University of Texas, and the reasons for not publishing the story are very simple. It is believed that Salinger himself did not intend to print the story, since, unlike other works, there is not even the slightest hint of a correction of the protagonist.

READ ALSO: Catcher in the Rye - America's Youth Bible or Murderer's Favorite Book? >>

Ray Bradbury, The Masks

Ray Bradbury, having written only a part of "Masks", put the work aside and never returned to its completion. In the future, the novel had to be restored from fragments of manuscripts. However, echoes of the unfinished novel can be found in the Martian Chronicles.

READ ALSO: "10 Life Observations by Ray Bradbury That May Help Everyone"

Francis Scott Fitzgerald, "I'll Die For You"

A collection of short stories by the famous American writer was first published many years after Fitzgerald's death. In these works, a completely different, unfamiliar and incomprehensible writer appears before the reader. Some of the stories leave behind a dark impression and give a glimpse of Fitzgerald's personality from a different perspective.

Françoise Sagan, Tears in Red Wine

The collection of stories by the French author contains those works of Françoise Sagan, which were practically unknown to readers. However, the stories themselves are as charming as all the other works of the writer. They again and again raise the eternal theme of the relationship between a man and a woman.

The path of a person to the heights of fame and success is of undoubted interest, and if the biography of a celebrity is also written in living language, then the value of such a book increases many times over. Our review presents fascinating biographies of people who confidently walked towards their dreams, fell, suffered, rose and went forward again, overcoming difficulties in order to achieve the goal.