famous British writers. The most famous books of English writers

English literature in the world is represented by writers who created books in different genres and directions. Many of them are considered classics and are included in the canon of world literature.

English writers and their works

Geoffrey Chaucer (1343 - 1400)

Geoffrey Chaucer- a writer who is called the father of English literature. He was the first English poet to write civil lyrics and was recognized as a national poet. Chaucer wrote exclusively in English, he brought new themes, ideas and motifs to English poetry, improved many medieval artistic methods of writing and created new poetry.

Geoffrey was the son of an ordinary London vintner. He managed to build a career in the royal court - he began as a page in the retinue of the Duchess of Olser. Later, the future English writer served in the army, took part in the war against France and was captured by enemies. English king redeemed him from captivity.

Information about creative way Little of Chaucer has survived. It is still difficult for literary critics to establish the dates of writing some poems, to establish their authorship.

At the time Chaucer wrote, English literature was in a difficult state: there was no single literary language, a system of versification, a unified poetic theory. Chaucer as a writer significantly influenced the formation of the English language, its dominance over Latin and French.

The main works of Chaucer, written in English, are the following texts:

• "Book of the Duchess" considered the first great poem of the poet, it was written in honor of the memory of the Duchess Blanche of Lancaster. In this text, the author tries to imitate the French style, but it is already possible to trace innovative poetic solutions in it;
• "House of Glory"- a poem with realistic motives;
• "Legend of Glorious Women" ;
• "Troilus and Chryseis".

Chaucer modified English poetry, gave it a new direction, which was followed by the future poets of England.

Brief biography of Geoffrey Chaucer in English:

Creation English playwright Shakespeare is called the highest achievement of Renaissance culture. His texts in English had a great influence on subsequent poets, artists and novelists, and the images from his plays became eternal and symbolic.

Little is known about Shakespeare's life. He was born in the family of an artisan and merchant, studied at a grammar school, when teaching was carried out according to the only textbook - the Bible. At the age of 18, the writer married Anne Hathaway, who was 8 years older than William.

It is believed that his first dramatic texts were written in English in 1594. Some biographers believe that at this time the writer was a member of a traveling troupe, and the experience of these years influenced his passion for the theater. Since 1599, his life has become closely associated with the Globe Theater, where he was both a playwright and an actor.

The literary canon of the writer in English includes 37 dramas and 154 sonnets.

His most famous texts in English are:

• "Romeo and Juliet";
• "Venus and Adonis";
• "Julius Caesar";
• "Othello";
• "A dream in a summer night".

IN literary circles over the past 2-3 centuries, the theory has been actively promoted that William Shakespeare could not be the author of these texts due to insufficient education and some inconsistencies in biographical data. in 2002, a version was put forward that the educated and intelligent Earl of Rutland, an aristocrat and a talented playwright and writer, was actually hiding behind the name of Shakespeare. The date of his death coincides with the date of the death of Shakespeare, who at this time ceases to write.

This theory has not been proven. and in the classical understanding of literature, William Shakespeare is still considered the one who created these texts in English, which became the property of English culture.

Robert Stevenson (1850-1894)

He was a versatile person - he was engaged literary criticism, poetry in English, he is considered the founder of neo-romanticism and the one who theorized information about this artistic method.

The writer was born in the capital of Scotland and belonged to the ancient Belfour family. Numerical nannies brought him up because of his mother's illness. One of the nannies, Cammy, was talented and, thanks to her, Robert was introduced to poetry. Later, the writer admitted that it was thanks to the nanny that he became a writer.

Robert Stevenson traveled widely and during his trips he wrote notes about impressions and emotions. In 1866 he came out The first book in English was The Pentland Rebellion. But world fame came to him after the novel "Treasure Island". Stevenson's work is characterized by descriptions of nature, the use of legends, mythology, and some moralizing.

As a child, he was ill a lot, and in his memoirs in English, the writer wrote that the “doors of death” were always open before him. This influenced his consciousness and understanding of the world. This led him to found neo-romanticism, which conveys the sharp contradictions between dream and reality. In his understanding, travel, dangers and emotions are needed in order for life to be filled with colors, so that people can see the beauty of the world.

The main works of the writer in English:

• "Treasure Island";
• "Heather honey";
• "The Owner of Ballantra";
• "Children's florist of poems".

Stevenson has been called a "man of legend" because of his love of storytelling and mythology, which he embodied in his writings in English.

Charles Dickens / Charles Dickens (1812-1870)

- the great prose writer of world literature. Born in the family of an official, his father discovered artistic talent in him very early - he forced the boy to take part in theatrical productions, read poetry, and improvise. The writer grew up in love, comfort and confidence in the future.

When he was 12 years old, his family went bankrupt, and the boy went to work in a factory, where he first encountered cruelty and injustice. This period influenced the consciousness of the future writer.

Work at this factory pursued Charles all his life - he always considered it the biggest blow in his life. That is why there is so much sympathy for the poor and downtrodden in his English lyrics. He had to work with papers, a broker and a stenographer in parliament.

On latest work he had to perform several creative tasks. After that, the understanding comes to him that he must work in English literature.

In 1836 they came out first essays "Essays of Boz" in English, but they were not popular at the time. A few years later, he creates the first chapters of the novel The Pickwick Papers, and these texts marked the beginning of his writing career.

Two years after this novel, the novel is published in English "The Adventures of Oliver Twist" in which, for the first time in world literature, a child comes to life on the pages of a book. From this time begins fruitful writing work.

Major Dickens novels in English:

• "Dombey and Son";
• "Big hopes";
• "David Copperfield";
• "Little Dorrit";
• "A Tale of Two Cities".

The writer in his novels in English realistically describes England of his era, prescribes in detail all the characters and problems. His texts are very deep, realistic and lively, the message of each novel is the search for justice in a cruel world.

The Brontë sisters: Charlotte (1816-1855), Emily (1818-1848), Anne (1820-1849)

The Bronte Sisters is a unique phenomenon in world literature. Three girls, each talented in their own way, were able to take place of honor in canon classical literature not only in England, but in the world.

The most popular novels are Charlotte Bronte's Jair Eyre and Emily Bronte's Wuthering Heights. Anne Brontë wrote the books Agnes Gray and The Stranger from Waifdale Hall. In these novels, the romantic is masterfully intertwined with the realistic. The writers were able to convey the spirit of their era, create sensitive and still relevant novels.

The sisters grew up in a priestly family in the quiet town of Thornton. They became interested in writing from early childhood, their first timid attempts in English were printed in a local magazine at their own expense. They appeared in literature under male pseudonyms.

At that time, male writers were more likely to be recognized. But their first book did not attract attention - it was a collection of poems. After that, the girls turned away from poetry and took up prose. A year later, each of them wrote a novel in English - Jane Eyre, Agnes Grey, and Wuthering Heights. The first book was recognized as the most successful. After the death of the sisters, recognition came to the novel Wuthering Heights.

The sisters lived short life- Died at the age of 30. And the final recognition of their work occurred after their death.

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Oscar Wilde (1854-1900)

Oscar Wilde- playwright and poet literary critic and a writer who embodied the principles of English aestheticism in his novels. Oscar was born in Dublin, where the writer received a classical education - he studied at Trinity College and St. Magdalene's College (Oxford).

Beautiful things were always appreciated in his house - furniture, books, paintings. This influenced the aesthetic tastes of the future writer. His development as an artist of the word was greatly influenced by university teachers - the writer John Ruskin and Walter Pater.

After receiving his education, the writer moves to London, where he joins the aesthetic movement.

Aestheticism is a movement that combined the ideas of impressionism and neo-romanticism. The main requirement for creativity within this direction is not to imitate nature, but to recreate it according to the laws of beauty, which is inaccessible to ordinary life.

The writer believed that it is not art that reflects reality, but that reality imitates art. In 1881, the first book of his poems in English was published, in 1888 his first fairy tales saw the world.

The main works of the writer in English:

• "The Picture of Dorian Grey";
• "Pomegranate House";
• "Happy Prince";
• "The importance of Being Earnest";
• "Ideal man".

In the work of the writer Wilde, reality and fiction are mixed, in his fairy tales a mix of the unreal and the real dominates, he managed to create harmony between aesthetic theory and artistic truth. Most clearly, the principles of his art were embodied in fairy tales through their plot and style.

Jerome K. Jerome (1859-1927)

English humorist and playwright Jerome Klapka Jerome was the most famous writer in print during his lifetime. Distinctive feature his creativity is the ability to see humor in any life situation.

As a child, Jerome dreamed of becoming a writer, writer or politician. But he had to start working at the age of 12 - to collect coal. After some time, the sister of the future writer convinced him to try himself on the theater stage. He joined a group of actors that had a small budget. They even paid for the props and costumes themselves.

In three years future writer realized that this did not suit him, and decided to try his hand at journalism. He began to write extensively in English, but most of the texts were never published. The writer also worked as a paralegal, packer and teacher. In 1885, his essay on work in the theater was published, which made it possible to publish his other works. Since then, writing has become his priority.

In 1888 the writer got married and went to Honeymoon. Literary scholars believe that this influenced his style and manner of writing in English. In 1889, a book was published that immediately became very popular - "Three in the boat, not counting the dog."

Main texts:

• "Three in the boat, not counting the dog";
• "Why We Don't Like Outsiders";
• "Civilization and unemployment";
• "Philosophy and the Demon";
• "The man who wanted to rule."

Jerome's works in English were translated into many languages ​​of the world during his lifetime and published in many countries. He became a landmark writer in England.

Thomas Hardy (1840-1928)

- poet and prose writer, writer, the last representative of the era of Queen Victoria. Thomas' childhood years were spent in the patriarchal atmosphere of rural England. He witnessed the existence of many traditions - fairs, folk traditions, holidays, songs.

One day in 1856, the future writer became a student of an architect in Dorchester, and in the following years he was actively engaged in self-education: he read books on literature and history, studied philosophy, German and French.

In 1867 he wrote his first novel in English "The Poor Man and the Lady" which has not been published. He destroyed the manuscript. Publishers alerted in the novel the radicalism of the image of all miles of population and religion. He was advised to write something "more artistic".

In 1871, the writer anonymously published a novel in English "Desperate Ways" who has already testified unique style Hardy: detective genre, sensational motives.

Throughout his life, Thomas Hardy wrote 14 novels in English, which are combined by the author into three cycles:

• "Inventive and experimental novels";
• "Romantic stories and fantasies";
• "Novels of character and environment".

In his texts, the writer depicts life in the village, social injustice studies human behavior and the factors that influence it.

The main novels of the writer in English:

• "Three Strangers";
• "Barbara of the Greb family";
• "Woman with fantasy";
• Alicia's Diary.

The presence of rural motifs in the writer's work is explained by his childhood experience: the first years of his life he lived in an atmosphere of folk traditions and could observe life in those conditions. Later these observations were transformed in his work.

Arthur Conan Doyle (1859-1930)

Publicist and writer grew up in the family of an architect and artist. Arthur's stepmother had a passion for books and passed this passion on to the boy. He later recalled that she greatly influenced Arthur's career.

At the age of ten, the future writer was sent to a boarding school, where children were treated cruelly. During this period, the boy realized that he had a natural gift for inventing stories. He was often surrounded by students who listened to his inventions.

In college, Arthur was actively engaged in creativity. In his last year he published a magazine and poetry in English. In 1881, Arthur was awarded the degree of Bachelor of Medicine and Master of Surgery.

In 1885, he married a girl named Louise Hawkins and became interested in literature. then he had a dream of a career as a professional writer. Cornhill magazine published his works from time to time. In 1886 he began work on the world famous novel in English, which will bring him popularity - "A study in Scarlet".

In 1892, the magazine Strand made an offer to the young writer to write a series of stories about Sherlock Holmes. Later, the hero of the works and the constant inventing of stories about him tired the author. But the series was popular and publishers and readers expected new stories.

Conan Doyle He also wrote plays, other novels and essays in English.

The main texts of the writer:

• "Etude in crimson tones";
• "The Hound of the Baskervilles";
• "Brigadier Gerard";
• "Letters from Old Monroe";
• "Angel of the darkness".

Arthur Conan Doyle is famous primarily as the author and creator of Sherlock Holmes, whose image remains interesting and open to interpretation today.

Agatha Christie / Agatha Christie (1890-1976)

The famous writer, author of popular detective stories in English, was born in a family of immigrants from America. As a child, the girl was educated at home. Agatha's mother was engaged in raising children alone and devoted a lot of time to music.

With the outbreak of World War I, Agatha worked as a nurse in a military hospital. She loved the work and considered it the most noble. While working as a nurse, she created the first stories in English. Agatha's elder sister at that time already had several published texts, and she also wanted to achieve success in this field.

In 1920, the society was presented first novel in English "The Curious Affair at Stiles". Agatha was looking for a publisher for a long time and worked hard on the text. Only the seventh publishing house, to which the girl turned, agreed to publish the book.

Agatha wanted to write under a male pseudonym, but the publisher told her that her name was bright, readers would be able to remember her immediately. Since then, novels have been published under his real name.

She began to write a lot in English. She invented plots when she worked around the house, knitted, talked with relatives.

Notable novels:

• "Three stories";
• "Five little pigs";
• "Inspector Poirot and others";
• "Train at 4.50 from Paddington";
• "Thirteen Mysterious Cases".

Agatha Christie considered her best text to be the book in English "Ten Little Indians". A special feature of her detectives is complete absence violence - she did not describe violent scenes, blood and murders, and there are no sexual crimes in her novels. The writer tried to weave morality into each of her texts.

The best English writers and their works for children

There are many writers in English literature who have created children's works. They remain relevant and interesting even to modern children.

Lewis Carroll

English writer (real name - Charles Lutwidge) who became famous thanks to works for children. He grew up in a family of a priest, where there were seven children. All received home education - the father gave the children knowledge of theology, different languages and natural sciences. Children have always been encouraged by the craving for games and inventions.

As a child, the future writer came up with different stories in English and read them to his family. In the early texts, his humor, ability to parody and burlesque motifs are felt. He copied the poems of Shakespeare, Milton, Gray. Already in these parodies, he showed his sharp mind and erudition.

When Charles grew up, he discovered his love for children. With adults, he felt lonely, always embarrassed and silent. But with children, he was open and cheerful. He walked with them, took them to the theater, told them stories, invited them to visit.

His best texts were originally created as improvisation. In his work, he turned to theatricality, fabulousness, in his texts old images come to life, which are embodied in folk tales.

List of major works in English:

• "Alice in Wonderland";
• "Useful and edifying poetry";
• "Bruno's Revenge";
• "Alice for children".

Lewis's writings have been filmed many times and have been translated into other languages ​​in many countries around the world. Alice in Wonderland is an inexhaustible source of quotes for many people.

Roald Dahl is world famous for his book "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory". The writer grew up in an English-speaking environment, brought up by his father. He completed a boarding school for boys and at the age of 12 he left for Tanzania. When did the second World War, he went to the service and took up aviation - he served as a pilot in Kenya.

During the war years it was published the first story in English "Gremlins" and after the war he realized that literary creativity is what he wants to do. The writer became famous as the creator of paradoxical stories.

His main works:

• "James and the Giant Peach";
• "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory";
• "Matilda";
• "Gremlins".

His texts in English are characterized by exaggeration of reality, characters, sometimes to the point of absurdity, humor and fabulousness. Children love his stories for humor, instructiveness and closeness to life. Dahl could create worlds in which children would recognize themselves.

Laureate Nobel Prize was born in India in the family of a teacher. When Kipling was 6, he was sent to study in England. The living conditions of a relative who was involved in his education were terrible: the child did not receive love and affection, he was beaten and frightened. From the resulting stress, the boy was almost blind. When the mother came to visit her son, she saw his condition and took him home.

But over time, the writer returned to England, began to study at college. There he began to write poetry in English and the first essays. Some of the texts were published by local publishers.

Kipling wrote in English about ordinary people, interpreted ordinary stories. He placed a person in circumstances in which his character was best revealed. In the 90s, the writer worked very fruitfully, at that time a large number of his novels were published in English.

The main works of the writer:

• "The jungle book";
• "Three Soldiers";
• "Kim";
• "Second Jungle Book".

Kipling became famous for his lyrics for children, but he also wrote ballads and poems in English that touched on poignant social problems of his era.

The writer who created legendary world Harry Potter, went through many rejections before her book was finally published.

She was born in England. The first texts in English began to write in childhood. At the age of 9, she wrote an autobiography of Jessica Mitford. At school, Joanna read a lot, studied well. She tried to enter Oxford, but flunked her exams and received her bachelor's degree from the University of Exeter.

She began work on the first Harry Potter book in 1995. She submitted the manuscript to 12 publishing houses and all of them refused her. Bloomsbury agreed. The first book had a circulation of 1000, after 5 months it received its first prize.

Success came to the writer, and publishers began to compete for the right to publish it. following books. "Harry Potter" became a brand, it was filmed, and after watching the film, millions of children around the world began to dream of being in Hogwarts.

The Harry Potter series includes:

• "Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone";
• "Harry Potter And The Chamber of secrets";
• "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire";
• "Harry Potter and the prisoner of Azkaban"
• "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix";
• "Harry Potter and Half Blood Prince";
• "Harry Potter and the Deadly Relics"

Rowling also wrote other books in English that are popular with children and are related to the saga:

• "Tales of Beedle the Bard";
• Fantastic Creatures and Where to Find Them.

English Classics - Popular Books

Some works are considered canonical in English literature. Summary and the key ideas of some of them are presented below.

Hound of the Baskervilles

"The Hound of the Baskervilles"- the work of Arthur Conan Doyle in English, which became one of the most famous in the series about Sherlock Holmes. The main characters of the novel are detective Sherlock Holmes and his assistant and friend Dr. Watson.

During one of his travels, the writer heard from a fellow traveler mysterious story about the dog, which was called the "black devil". This inspired Arthur to create a story centered on a sinister dog. At the beginning of the novel, the name of Robinson Fletcher is mentioned, who gave him the idea to create this story.

The plot is typical for stories about a detective: Dr. Mortimer turns to him for help, whose friend dies under mysterious conditions. Everyone was frightened by the expression on the face of the deceased, which expressed fear. In the family of his friend there is a legend that is passed down from generation to generation. It is about a dog that pursues all members of the family at night. Sherlock Holmes starts investigating this case.

The trowel book holds the intrigue and reveals the mystery only at the end of the story. This novel has been filmed many times and is considered the best in the writer's creative biography.

Invisible Man

"Invisible Man" is an 1897 novel by the English science fiction writer HG Wells. He describes the life of an English scientist who invented a device that makes a person invisible. The scientist worked on his creation for a long time and put off his presentation, but at some point he began to experience financial difficulties and decided to become invisible forever in order to start a new life.

The book describes the difficulties that this scientist faces: how the initial euphoria from his condition is replaced by complete disappointment. The main image of the book - Griffin - became one of the first "villains" in literature.

A study in Scarlet

"A study in Scarlet" is a work by Arthur Conan Doyle, published in 1887. This book allows the reader to plunge into the world of the detective, think with him and try to understand the logic of his thoughts. In this work, Sherlock Holmes appears for the first time, and readers get acquainted with his manner of doing business.

This story was written in just three weeks, but it brought success to the author, and readers got to know the witty detective and began to look forward to the next stories.

Citadel

"Citadel"- one of the best and most profound works of the English writer Archibald Cronin. This is a novel-parable, which reveals the history of the formation of a person in the conditions of the reality of that time.

The novel tells the story of a doctor who dreams of becoming the best in his field, but he faces various difficulties that await a young doctor in a hospital. Through building a career, he reveals himself as a person and a professional.

This novel is well deserved. considered the strongest by Cronin: it is clearly drawn psychological formation personality and its decomposition, its formation under the influence of various factors of reality.

lost World

« lost World» is an adventure novel by Arthur Conan Doyle. It has not become as popular as the Sherlock Holmes stories, but its style, plot and ideas deserve the attention of readers.

The book tells about an exciting adventure, a journey into an uncharted land where different animals live. In this novel, the writer tries to show his acquaintance with latest ideas Sciences. Not only does this novel have a gripping fantasy element, it is full of animal sketches, humor that is hard to convey in Russian, and scenes from real life.

This part of the work of Arthur Conan Doyle is often left out, but the novel The Lost World is an example of how several original styles can be combined in one writer.

Othello

"Othello"- a play by William Shakespeare, the plot of which is based on the text by Giraldi Chinta "The Moor of Venice". The plot of the play is tied around the image of the conflict between the individual and society. She talks about love, hatred, jealousy, reveals the important problems of humanity.

The images of tragedy are lively, vivid, they have both positive and negative traits, each of them is a mix of reason and emotions. "Othello" became the most popular tragedy due to the fact that it depicts acute conflicts between eternal human feelings - love, jealousy, trust.

It describes greed and the desire to get rich at any cost - problems that societies face during any era.

Composition in English "Favorite writer"

My favorite English writer is Joanne Rowling. I love her books about Harry Potter. When I was 7 I read the first book and I fell in love with this book! It is very good, interesting, greeping and exciting! When you read this book you imagine that the entire magic world. When I was I child I used to dream about magic letter from Hogwarts. This writer is very talented because she managed to create interesting characters and an unusual plot. She describes the magic school and you start to believe in all these things. And you can see many problems in those books. For instance, a lot of problems are connected with friendship, royalty, love and relationship between children and parents. I read all her books. And each book is unique. I think I love her books because they are very magic and we don't have magic in our life. So if you want to travel to that incredible world you just buy this book and start reading. Joanna Rowling is a very talented writer!

My favorite English writer is JK Rowling. I love her Harry Potter books. I read the first book when I was 7 and I fell in love with this book. This is a very good, interesting book and it does not let go. When you read this book, you imagine this whole magical world. When I was a child, I dreamed of receiving a letter from Hogwarts. This writer is very talented because she managed to create interesting characters and original story. She describes a magical school, and you start to believe in all this. And you can see many problems in these books. For example, many problems are related to friendship, loyalty, love, and relationships between children and parents. I have read all her books. Each book is unique. I think I love them because they have a lot of magic, and in real life there is no magic at all. And if you want to go to that wonderful world, you just buy a book and start reading. JK Rowling is a very talented writer!

Conclusion

English writers- a popular topic for essays and conversations. Knowledge of the great classics of English literature always speaks of good taste and human education. Most of the works have film adaptations and can be viewed online.

Today, many schools no longer study such a subject as foreign literature. About some famous English writers, their fascinating works the younger generation, as a rule, learns from textbooks in English classes and thanks to modern cinema. However, everyone who studies English needs to know which English writers are classics of foreign literature. Thanks to this knowledge, you can broaden your general horizons and replenish lexicon reading works in the original.

Even those who are not particularly fond of reading literature have heard the names of English writers who have gained worldwide fame. It's about about Shakespeare, Kipling, Byron, Conan Doyle and others. Let's talk briefly about the authors whose works deserve the attention of everyone.

Rudyard Kipling (Sir Joseph Rudyard Kipling) was an English poet, writer and short story writer who lived from 1865 to 1936. In the history of world literature, he is known as the creator of stories and fairy tales for children, many of which were filmed. Rudyard Kipling became not only the youngest recipient of the Nobel Prize in Literature, but also the first Englishman to receive this award. The most famous works: "The Jungle Book", "Riki-Tiki-Tavi", "Kim", "Kaa's Hunt", etc. Children's stories: "Elephant", "How the first letter was written", "The cat that walked by itself yourself”, “Why does a rhinoceros have a folded skin”, etc.

Oscar Fingal O'Flahertie Wills Wilde- an outstanding Irish poet, playwright, writer and essayist. One of the most famous playwrights of the late Victorian period and a key figure in the development of aestheticism and European modernism. The most famous work is the novel The Picture of Dorian Gray (1890). The years of the writer's life - 1854−1900.

George ByronGeorge Gordon Byron- English romantic poet, who was in the period from 1788 to 1824 a symbol of romanticism and political liberalism in Europe of the 19th century. During his lifetime, he was commonly referred to as "Lord Byron". Thanks to him, such terms as "Byronic" hero and "Byronism" appeared in literature. The creative heritage left by the poet is represented by the poem "Childe Harold's Pilgrimage" (1812), the novel "Don Juan", the poems "Gyaur" and "Corsair", etc.

Sir Arthur Ignatius Conan Doyle- English writer (although a doctor by training). He is the author of countless novels and stories that are of an adventure, historical, journalistic, fantastic and humorous nature. The most popular detective stories about Sherlock Holmes, science fiction about Professor Challenger, as well as a number of historical novels. Peru Conan Doyle also owns plays and poems. The creative heritage is represented by such works as The White Squad, The Lost World, The Hound of the Baskervilles, and others.

Daniel Defoe- English writer and publicist who wrote about 500 books, magazines and pamphlets on various topics. He is one of the founders of the European realistic novel. In 1719, Daniel Defoe saw the light of the first and best novel for the entire creative life of the writer under the name "Robinson Crusoe". Famous works also include "Captain Singleton", "The Story of Colonel Jack", "Moth Flanders", "Roxanne" (1724) and others.

William Somerset Maugham(William Somerset Maugham) British novelist, playwright, screenwriter and literary critic. One of the most successful prose writers of the 20th century. For achievements in art and literature he was awarded the Order of the Knights of Honor. Maugham has 78 works to his credit, including short stories, essays and travel notes. Main works: "The burden of human passions", "Moon and penny", "Pies and wine", "The razor's edge".

Who wrote for children

Not all famous English writers were passionate about exclusively serious life topics. Some great authors devoted part of their work to the younger generation, writing fairy tales and stories for children. Who hasn't heard of Alice in Wonderland or Mowgli the boy who grew up in the jungle?

Biography of the writer Lewis Carroll whose real name is Charles Lutwidge Dodgson, no less interesting than his book Alice in Wonderland. He grew up in big family where there were 11 children. The boy was very fond of drawing and always dreamed of becoming an artist. This writer told us the story of the restless heroine Alice and her endless journeys to a wonderful Magic world, where she meets many interesting characters: the Cheshire cat, and the mad hatter, and the queen of cards.

Roald Dahl originally from Wales. The author spent most of his childhood in boarding houses. One of these boarding houses was located near the famous chocolate factory Cadbury. The idea is supposed to write your best children's story called "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" came to him during this period. The hero of the story becomes a boy named Charlie, who receives one of the five tickets that allows him to get into a closed chocolate factory. Charlie, along with 4 other participants, goes through all the tasks in the factory, and remains the winner.

Rudyard Kipling known for his "The Jungle Book", which tells the story of a boy, Mowgli, who grew up among animals in wild forests. Most likely, this story was written under the impression of his own childhood. The fact is, after the birth of the first 5 years of his life, the writer lived in India.

Joanne Rowling- the most famous writer-"storyteller" of our time. It was she who gave us such a character as Harry Potter. The story of the wizard boy Harry, who goes to Hogwarts school, was written by Joan for her children. This allowed them to plunge into the world of magic and magic and forget for a while about the poverty in which the family lived at that time. The book is full of interesting adventures.

Joan Aiken (Joan Delano Aiken) She became a writer because everyone in her family wrote, from her father to her sister. However, Joan was engaged in children's literature. Her most famous work was the short story "A Piece of Heaven in a Pie".

Robert Louis Balfour Stevenson invented the pirate Captain Flint in his famous history"Treasure Island". Hundreds of boys followed the adventures of this hero. Robert himself comes from cold Scotland, an engineer and a lawyer by training. The first book was published when the author was only 16 years old, he borrowed money for the publication from his father. The story about the treasure island was invented by him much later during the games with his son, during which they drew a treasure map together and came up with plots.

John Tolkien Ronald Reuel Tolkien He is the author of the fantastic and breathtaking stories of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. John is a teacher by training. As a child, the writer learned to read early, and did so often throughout his life. As John himself admits, he fiercely hated the story "Treasure Island", but was crazy about "Alice in Wonderland". The writer himself, after his stories, became the founder of the fantasy genre, it is no coincidence that he was called the "father of fantasy".

English writers The 17th-20th centuries are less popular today, and the subject of foreign literature is no longer taught in schools. It is strange, but not so long ago, during the times of stagnation, the Iron Curtain and the Cold War, schoolchildren knew and loved the English classics. And their parents spent a whole year collecting waste paper in order to get the opportunity to purchase the coveted volume of Jerome K. Jerome or Wilkie Collins for 20 kilograms. Today, however, when asking who is Charles Dickens or Thomas Hardy, most often you see in response only a puzzled look. And the truth is, how can modern teenagers find out about this if they don’t pass at school ???!

Well, for those who nevertheless looked at this page with the heading "English writers", I want to offer the most interesting books and no less interesting biographies these same English writers. So, I invite you to read, listen and watch purely English stories, both in Russian and in English. Below is a list of their most interesting works, as well as their screen adaptations. And for English learners, we offer films and cartoons in English with subtitles, video interviews and free English lessons online.

Below list of English writers 17th-20th century, whose books are presented on the site site:

You will be able to get acquainted with the biography of English writers, whose eventful life is reflected in exciting works. No matter which book you pick up, you can't put it down! And for those who want to know more, review article about English literature. Read!

English writers and their works (classics)

Robert Stevenson (1850-1894)

Psychological novels from the creator of Mr. Hyde and owner of Ballantra. Look into your soul...

Charles Dickens / Charles Dickens (1812-1870)

The most philanthropic writer who mercilessly fought against the injustice and vices of Victorian society.

The Brontë sisters: Charlotte (1816-1855), Emily (1818-1848), Anne (1820-1849)

Three stars that shone in the sky of English literature, incredible women, each of which was amazingly talented and unimaginably unhappy.

1. Charlotte Brontë "Jane Eyre"
2. Wuthering Heights (film adaptation of Emily Brontë's novel)
3. Ann Bronte "Agnes Grey"

Oscar Wilde (1854-1900)

A witty genius, philosopher, master of the red word, famous for his quotes, the "father" of Dorian Gray.

Jerome K. Jerome (1859-1927)

1. film adaptations of works —> in development

Thomas Hardy (1840-1928)

If you ask any average person to name some English writers, he will surely be confused and will be able to remember in best case one or two names. Although in fact he knows at least ten, he simply does not realize that the birthplace of many popular authors is Famous English writers - Daniel Defoe, HG Wells, Robert Louis Stevenson and many others. Familiar names? We know and remember the books of these authors since childhood.

Modern English writers are also represented by a whole galaxy famous families: JK Rowling, Joe Acromberi, Stephen Fry, Jasper FForde - it is simply impossible to list all the authors. And if you also remember the classics, such as William Shakespeare, Charles Dickens, etc., then you begin to understand that the inhabitants of our country read mainly the works of Russian and English masters of the word.

1. John R. R. Tolkien is a famous English writer whose books are recommended for all categories of readers. And you should not be limited solely to "The Lord of the Rings" and "The Hobbit". You might like it better little fairy tale"Farmer Giles of Ham" - in addition to dragons and heroes, there is a fair amount of humor in it.

2. Arthur Conan Doyle is an English writer who created the most popular detective of all time. Interestingly, the author himself did not like his main character, but readers fully appreciated the talent and intelligence of Sherlock Holmes from Baker Street and his permanent partner, Dr. Watson. Conan Doyle wrote many books about Sherlock, there were even more imitators and all sorts of sequels, but it's still better to read the original source.

3. Lewis Carroll - English writer who created the most an unusual fairy tale. Many people think that Alice in Wonderland is a book exclusively for children. In fact, both a child and an adult will be able to appreciate and love it very much in their own way. original work, which found a calling a decade after publication.

4. Agatha Christie is the queen of the detective novel, and is also the most popular and best-selling writer in all the years of the existence of the printed word. The works of Agatha Christie are considered classics, and they are certainly worth reading for all lovers of detective stories, as well as just connoisseurs of good books.

5. George Orwell is an English writer who gave the world the best dystopia. "Animal Farm" and the novel "1984" are books that can make a person rethink the whole the world. One quote is "all animals are equal, but some are more equal than others" and the reader already has a different view of the people around him.

6. Jane Austen, who gave the world the most wonderful "female" novel. Despite criticism immediately after the release of the book, where the work was called boring and mediocre, Pride and Prejudice is considered the best book by millions of readers.

These six authors were randomly selected and the numbers do not reflect any ranking or top - the proposed authors are very different and cannot be compared with each other.

You can talk a lot about the role of the individual in history, but we are much more interested in the topic of the role of the individual in the development of the English language. After all, there is no doubt that a number of people whose names we know for sure made an invaluable contribution to English through their literary works. Of course, talking about famous writers Great Britain.

William Shakespeare often called the greatest British writer and one of the brightest playwrights in the world. The writer was born in 1564 in Stratford-upon-Avon, England. During his career, Shakespeare created about two hundred works that have been translated into many languages ​​and are constantly staged. Moreover, Shakespeare himself for a long time performed in theaters. Among the most famous works of the author are the most famous tragedies "Romeo and Juliet", "Hamlet", "Othello", "Macbeth", "King Lear".

Oscar Wilde- Another famous and interesting representative of British literature. He was born in 1856 to an Irish family. The talent and sense of humor of Oscar Wilde are recognized all over the world, just like his famous novel, "The Picture of Dorian Grey". The writer always said that there are aesthetic feelings driving force development of man, and this topic has been repeatedly touched upon in his works. Oscar Wilde left a large number of magnificent fairy tales, plays and novels, which are often staged in our time.

Charles Dickens- British writer, who gained popularity during his lifetime, is a recognized classic of world literature. Dickens was born in 1812 in Porsmouth, England, and grew up in a large family. From childhood, the writer was forced to earn a living, and his hardships afterward were reflected in such famous works, like "Oliver Twist", "Great Expectations", whose heroes were poor orphan boys. No less famous works are "Dombey and Son", "A Tale of Two Cities" and " Posthumous notes Pickwick Club, which brought him great fame.

Agatha Christie Often referred to as the Queen of the Detective. The writer, who was born in 1890, is among the most frequently published writers. Agatha Christie gave the world about a hundred works, including detective and psychological novels, stories and plays. Christie's most famous creations are the play "The Mousetrap", the detective novel "Ten Little Indians", "Murder on the Orient Express" and many others.

Another great master of the detective is considered Arthur Conan Doyle, who gave the world the legendary detective Sherlock Holmes and many other bright characters.

Among modern authors, the British writer stands out Joanne Rowling, famous for a series of books about the wizard Harry Potter and the magical world. These books not only brought her worldwide fame, but also turned her from a single mother living on welfare to a multimillionaire. After the release of all the Harry Potter books, Rowling released several books for adult readers, including under the pseudonym "Robert Gilbraith".

This list can be continued for a long time, but we have listed the real "giants". Without them, the English language, which you can study in courses at, would be completely different. That is why it is so important to remember them and know their names.