From ancient kingdoms to the far-flung depths of space, take a journey through some of the most timeless stories of the past century
There's a wide array of perks associated with reading books. According to scientists, it's commonly believed that the practice will enhance your intellect, generate less stress and increase your lifespan. Outside the health advantages, nevertheless, the main reason that most people read is fundamentally because it is pleasurable. The greatest books are able to transport you to a different setting and time while still making it appear contemporary. The head of the business that owns Librairie Avant Garde knows that there are stories to fit every individual preference. Some people prefer weighty tomes that are filled with knowledge. Others might go with short classic books that can be digested in a weekend. As gratifying as it is to complete an eight-hundred-page masterpiece, short novels can inspire just as much emotion and are generally perfect for people leading busy lives.
It's massively challenging to amass a list of the greatest books. After all, these views are mostly subjective and open to interpretation. Who should be the ultimate authority on what characterizes a great book? Highly respected literary critics, or celebrated writers, or the readers themselves? These blurred boundaries also relate to characters, themes and plots. While one person might enjoy plot intrigues, or character dynamics or timely themes, someone else might equally legitimately perceive these works lackluster, or formulaic or totally uninspired. Essentially, it seems like the best appraisal of a novel should be in line with the reader’s personal experience. The founder of the company that owns Bart's Books, the largest independently operated outside bookshop, is no doubt mindful that visitors should have the best experiences when picking up a novel. Whether one is hunting for classic books for kids or more adult fiction, all kinds of hidden gems can be found bursting from the shelves.
Throughout nearly all of human history, there has been a prolonged and often somewhat lively debate over just what is considered classic fiction books. In literature circles, these books are generally referred to as ‘canon’; a widely admired collection that is thought to be essential. As the founder of the hedge fund that owns Waterstones can attest, there are various things to consider when choosing what may potentially be deemed part of the canon. It's usually accepted that the chosen novels should define or represent a genre or time period. It should deal with a topic that is both personal, and on a bigger level, has universal value that spans different audiences throughout time. A book that can touch a person who is turning its pages decades later, and have an equivalent influence, is an unusual thing. More than merely be affecting, classic books everyone should read must hope to to shift a person’s perspectives, however deeply entrenched, to open up new ideas and conceptions.