This year, autumn has not been kind to us with warm weather. On sad, rainy evenings, we all miss a little warmth.
In today's selection, you will find good, life-affirming, soul-warming books, as well as books shrouded in an atmosphere of sadness and melancholy, depending on the weather outside the window. But all of them will help you feel less lonely, immerse you in an incredible atmosphere, and warm you up on these rainy days of gloomy autumn.
Ernest Hemingway “The Holiday That Is Always With You”
“The Holiday That Is Always With You” is Hemingway's memoirs about his early years in Paris, about his becoming a writer, and about his acquaintances with other already famous authors.
I liked the melancholic atmosphere of the book: late autumn, cold wind, wet snow. The author talks about his Parisian everyday life. There is no clearly expressed plot here. These are just sketches from the life of a novice writer – poverty, the desire to earn money through creativity, the loss of all the manuscripts that were in a suitcase that was stolen, descriptions of dinners, work on stories, but most of it is occupied by Hemingway's communication with other writers – he was surrounded by his colleagues in creativity, famous and not so famous.
Evelyn Waugh “Return to Brideshead”
In her novel “Return to Brideshead,” Evelyn Waugh well shows the mood of the 20th century: the optimistic beginning and the subsequent grayness, the horror of war.
The novel begins during the Second World War, when the main character, officer Charles Ryder, accidentally finds himself at Brideshead Estate, where his military unit is now located. This return makes him plunge into memories of his youth in the 1920s: his university years at Oxford, his acquaintance with the aristocratic Flyte family and their estate, the carefree and optimistic youth. But the carefree time is replaced by an adult life full of worries and disappointments.
“Return to Brideshead” is a work about friendship, love, nostalgia for the past, and the conflict between personal beliefs and religion.
Donna Tartt “The Secret History”
This novel is perfect for reading in rainy weather, because its mood and atmosphere are just right for the gray, melancholic weather outside the window.
The novel begins with us learning the name of the murdered hero, as well as those responsible for his death. And then the author takes us back to the beginning of the story, and the main character begins his story about what happened.
The novel tells the story of six students studying Ancient Greek, and their teacher is the charismatic and mysterious Julian, who has created an aura of elitism around himself and his chosen students. It is almost impossible to get into his group. The protagonist becomes the sixth student in the group, and also an accomplice in the crime described at the beginning of the book.
Very briefly, this novel is about how ancient philosophy drove the characters to madness.
Emily Bronte “Wuthering Heights”
“Wuthering Heights” is a story of two families, or rather two generations of two families. And it is also a story about love, but love is not bright, as is customary in novels, but destructive, painful and even vengeful. The main character, Heathcliff, in love with Catherine and disappointed in his love, is ready to take revenge for what was taken from him. His feeling of hatred becomes as strong as the feeling of love.
This book is associated with rain, gusts of wind, and dampness. Exactly what you need for rainy weather.
Peter Boland “Murder and Cupcakes”
Fiona, Sue and Daisy are three charming retired ladies who work in a small charity shop. They lead a measured life of coffee Tuesdays and walks through the pretty streets of Southbourne. But their peace is shattered by the brutal murder of a favourite customer.
The police can't move from a dead end, so, not wanting to put up with such injustice, the heroines take the investigation into their own hands. Moreover, a new body soon appears! Three nice old ladies, equipped with extensive knowledge gleaned from detectives and, of course, tea with delicious muffins, take active action. This is how the detective agency “Charity Shop” appears.
Francoise Sagan “Hello, Sadness”
It all starts with the main character Cecile, on whose behalf the story is told, feeling sad because she cannot change the situation in which she is to blame.
Her father, who was widowed early, often changes mistresses. He is a selfish, irresponsible, frivolous man, and his daughter has completely adopted his character traits and outlook on life. But the father has a new mistress, Anna, who tries to organize the life of father and daughter, to bring at least some meaning to their meaningless and empty life. Cecile feels that her stepmother is invading her house with her own rules, so the girl does not like it.
The heroine comes up with a very cruel plan, not realizing that Anna, despite her external strength of character and restraint, also experiences feelings, like all people. Cecile succumbs to her selfishness, because she is indifferent to the fate of other people and the unknown call of conscience. And even the sadness that she feels after what happened is selfish, which is what the heroine says.
Erich Maria Remarque “The Arc de Triomphe”
“The weather is bad,” he said. “No,” she replied. “It’s good for me.” “Why?” “Because you don’t have to go outside.”
Set in Paris on the eve of World War II, the main character is a life-saving surgeon, an undocumented refugee from Germany, hiding from both the French and the Nazis. By chance, he meets a fiery, charming Italian actress.
The heroes met at a disturbing time, when the city itself felt the approach of disaster.
Джерело: ukr.media
