Let's start reading in English

When we learn a foreign language, we don't always choose books according to our own preferences. We choose books that are easy to read: with fairly easy grammar, written in simple British or American English, without any specialized vocabulary. These are the books we're going to talk about today.

If you choose classical literature, most classics are written in old-fashioned English and even sometimes invented their own words, which will definitely not make your reading easier. But even among them, you can find authors who are suitable for those who have just started learning the language or know English at an intermediate level:

• Ernest Hemingway is a famous American writer and journalist of the 20th century who pioneered modernism in modern literature. His well-known The Old Man and the Sea, The Sun Also Rises, and Farewell to Arms are written in simple enough English that even beginners can master it.

• Lewis Carroll is an English author whose works will appeal not only to children or teenagers, but also to adults. And if you haven't read his books in your native language yet, it will be a very good idea to start studying English literature with his Alice's Adventures in Wonderland or Through the Looking-Glass.

• Jerome David Salinger. His book The Catcher in the Rye has already become a classic and is therefore a must-read. And since the English language in it is quite easy, it falls into the category of books for beginners or intermediate students.

• Jane Austen. The "First Lady" of British literature, her books are long-recognized masterpieces of literature that simply cannot be ignored. Pride and Prejudice, Sense and Sensibility, Lady Susan are works that may be more appealing to girls, but they still represent English literature in its noblest form.

Modern literature is no less important for history than classical literature. And there is a lot to choose from, because almost all contemporary authors who do not write historical novels use modern English, the very language that is taught in all courses and schools.

For those who have just begun to think about what would be interesting and modern to read, I offer a list:

• Helen Fielding – Bridget Jones's Diary and Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason
• Sophie Kinsella – The Shopaholic Series
• J. K. Rowling – Harry Potter
• Suzanne Collins – The Hunger Games
• David Nicholls – One day
• Kathryn Stockett – The Help

In fact, you can choose any modern novel or detective story, as long as you are interested in this book. You can also choose a book from one of the bestsellers (for example, this one). 

As for reading fiction, you need to be prepared for unknown and unusual words that you don't need to be scared of, but just need to memorize, because they will be found throughout the book. So don't waste your time and choose a book!