How often do you read in the original? Reading books in the language you are learning is a very useful practice. Many people believe that reading books is the most effective way to improve your language skills and vocabulary. But you need to choose right way to learn, otherwise your desire to read books in a foreign language can quickly disappear.
In the last English article Смотри и Учи: TV Series to Learn English I told you that watching TV shows to learn language is much more effective than watching a movie. Also I advised you some series by different language levels, as during my life, I have watched more than a hundred TV series on a variety of topics. In recent years, I have tried to watch it in the original language with subtitles, and so with each new series, I notice that I am moving further up the level.
I can say the same about books. I have read more than two hundred books in my life, and in recent years I have been trying to read more often in the original language, although I admit that this is not always so easy. Especially when your profession is a interpreter and you like to learn how other interpreters work and read their translations. So, if you know your level of English, then feel free to choose the books below.
I want to emphasize once again that I am talking about my personal experience here, you may disagree, then please comment.
I suggest reading those books that I have read myself, if you have something to add, then also please comment.
How to start?
Start reading with adapted literature. The Elementary and Pre-Intermediate levels involves knowledge of the translation of individual words, expressions and a vague idea of grammar. Books adapted to these levels are usually intended for children and teenagers, but there are also adaptations for adults. Most often, these are fairy tales and short stories that use a limited set of the simplest and most common vocabulary (only 500-1200 unique words). The text is characterized by short sentences and the absence of complex constructions and turns.
In books of these levels, the authors express their thoughts as simple as possible so that reading does not cause difficulties. By the way, if the first page is difficult, there will be fewer new words with each next chapter, so it will be easier and clearer to read.
Elementary and Pre-Intermediate
- Anne of Green Gables by Lucy Maud Montgomery
- The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain
- Books by Lewis Carroll Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, Through the looking glass and what Alice found there
Try to read books that match your level of knowledge. You should keep a balance between the complexity of the book's text and the pleasure you can get from reading it. On the one hand, you should not take up books that are still too difficult for you, otherwise you may not be enough for a long time. On the other hand, staying at the same level of difficulty for a long time is also not very good, since it will slow down your development.
Intermediate
At this level, I moved on to reading books in the original. In General, the gradual shift from one level of adapted literature to another should not cause serious difficulties. But the shift from adapted texts to ordinary ones can be accompanied by some difficulties, but with a little effort you will cope with them. I also advise you to listen to audiobooks, and if you also retell them, your level of English proficiency will take big steps forward.
- A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness
- The alchemist by Paulo Coelho (originally in Portuguese)
- Books by John Green: Looking for Alaska, An Abundance of Katherines, Paper Towns, The Fault in Our Stars
Upper-Intermediate
- The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey
- Tin man by Sarah Winman
- Call me by your name by Andre Aciman
Advanced
Here you can read classic books, which are written in a medieval language that contains words that are dead today or terms that are already used in a different meaning. As a rule, there are more than 2500 unique words in such a book. For example:
- Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
- The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde
I have read all these books, so I recommend them to you, I don't take into account the ones that I didn't like, so there are not many of them here.
That's it! Let me know if it was helpful.
Learn from the heart,
Aida