What Should My Book Club Read Next

March 02, 2022 Post a Comment

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1. Why learn English language through literature?

If you want to get more fluent in English, you need to proceed pushing yourself. Reading original English language books is a dandy way to exercise this! Fifty-fifty if you are an intermediate English speaker, you tin can still use simple novels and books to make good progress. Permit'due south accept a await at how reading can aid y'all improve:

Real English: Modern novels bear witness you existent examples of how English is used today. Textbooks do not ever do this because they are written in a simpler way for not-natives. Novels tin can also teach you how to show emotion, express ideas or tell a story in English. You lot can besides use literature to find examples of realistic conversations between native speakers.

Vocabulary: Even if you speak English well, in that location is always more you can learn. A good novel will be simple and easy to understand, but information technology will also innovate you to new words. Reading books gives you the take chances to acquire vocabulary in the context of a story. This means you can meet how words and phrases are connected in everyday chat. Reading modern British or American novels will teach you all sorts of weird and wacky English language words (like 'wacky', which means: 'crazy' or 'eccentric')!

If you cannot discover a give-and-take or expression in a standard dictionary, and so this could mean information technology is a slang term. Attempt using UrbanDictionary.com to detect out the pregnant.

Accurateness: Great authors are masters of the English language linguistic communication. Their writing uses perfect style and form. To better your grammer and your written English, there is no better teacher than a good book! When you read books regularly, you begin to understand English more through passive learning.

Interaction: By reading a novel in English, yous are interacting with the language. Many books have several layers of meaning and can be understood in different ways. When you develop your own thoughts and opinions on a story, you create a personal relationship with the language. Students ofttimes say that they experience different when reading a book in English, even if it has been translated from their ain native language.

Advantage: Reading a novel might seem like a lot of work, but information technology can be one of the most rewarding means to better your English language. When you read a novel, you lot are using English to attain a goal. In other words, you are reading and translating in order to understand and enjoy a story. When yous use English language as a practical tool in this style, yous are 1 pace closer to fluency.

2. How to better your English by reading simple books

At that place are many different ways that you lot tin use reading books in English to improve your language skills. Withal, it is important to notice the books and methods that piece of work best for you. Call back to choose novels that suit your level of English and personal interests. Reading should exist interesting and fun. If y'all find information technology ho-hum or difficult, then change the volume! These viii tips will help you get started:

Find a volume that REALLY interests youIn that location are millions of books out there, and when you showtime reading English literature it is important to cull one that you volition really love. Openthebook.com is a website that suggests books for you lot to read. All you take to do is enter your preferences or keywords! You can also use Bookbrowse.com to read extracts (or samples) from current books and and then choose which you similar best.
Make certain the level is right for y'allYou need to observe a book that is non too difficult, but not also easy. Beginning, effort reading two or 3 pages. If in that location are more than than 10 new words per page, then it may be all-time to choose a simpler book. Reading should not get a boring 'dictionary exercise'. If yous can understand the full general meaning and just expect upwardly a few new words per page, then the book is probably a good option for you.
Picket the moving-picture show!If reading an original novel in English feels a fleck scary, endeavor watching the movie get-go. Many popular books now have film versions. These volition give y'all a basic agreement of the story before y'all read the book itself. Watching movies is keen practice too!

Most novels are now also bachelor as audiobooks. If you lot find that reading takes too much time, so why not try listening to an audiobook every bit y'all drive to piece of work or relax on the sofa? You lot can find free audiobooks on LibriVox.

Try dual language booksDual linguistic communication books take the original English text on one page and the translation into your language on the other. This means that you can rapidly reference your ain linguistic communication if yous do non understand all of the English language text. You can purchase books of this kind in local shops or online, but the choice is ever limited. Alternatively, you lot tin purchase the aforementioned volume in English language and in your linguistic communication, and so compare the ii. You can start with these v free bilingual novels.
Analyse the linguistic communication in the bookAlways pay attention to how the writer uses words and constructions in English language. Novels utilize both formal and informal language and are often filled with everyday English expressions. As you read, use a pencil to highlight whatever unfamiliar words and write them in a notebook. When you are speaking English, effort to employ the words and phrases that you lot accept read in recent books. Remember to cheque words and phrases from older books every bit they may sound old-fashioned today.
Learn new vocabulary in contextOriginal English books will comprise words you do non know. Before you look them up in a dictionary, try to work out what y'all think they mean based on the context of the story. In many cases, yous volition be able to guess the meaning of the give-and-take without having to open your dictionary. However, when writing down new vocabulary, it is a good idea to double check.
Think almost what yous take readWhen you lot have finished your book, take a moment to reflect on what you have read. Were in that location any new words from the book that you especially liked? Have you written these down in your notebook? If y'all really enjoyed the book, then would you lot like to try another past the same writer or mayhap read about the author's life on Wikipedia? Just considering you take finished i book does not mean you have reached the end of the road! There is always more to discover…
Choose your next book!
When you have finished your starting time novel, it is time to choose the next one! If you are feeling confident, you could try to find a more than advanced book. Reading books past the same author (or from the aforementioned genre) tin can brand life easier. Writers often use the same words and phrases in their books, and this can aid you learn vocabulary through repetition.

Love reading in English? Why not create a book club to read so talk over English novels with your friends? This can exist washed contiguous or via Skype. Endeavour to read 1 volume per calendar month and give each club fellow member a choice!

3. Genres of English books (with examples)

Earlier you cull a book to read, it is a good idea to think almost your favourite styles or genres. Whether you similar science fiction or romance novels, there are thousands of English language books out there for you. The table below gives some examples of books from different genres:

Genre	Meaning	Examples
Scientific discipline fiction (likewise called 'sci-fi')	Books about an 'imagined future'. Often almost space or other planets	*1984* – George Orwell *State of war of the Worlds* – HG Wells
Fantasy	Includes things that are not real. For example: magic, or mythical creatures like dragons	*Harry Potter* – JK Rowling *Lord of the Rings* – JRR Tolkien
Romance	This has two meanings: – A story about a hero who is faced with challenges – A volume about love/relationships	*King Arthur and His Knights of the Round Table* – Roger Lancelyn Green *Jane Eyre* – Emma Bronte *The Notebook* – Nicholas Sparks
Satire	'Satire' is a genre that uses sense of humor to criticise the government or order	*Animal Farm* – George Orwell *A Clockwork Orangish* – Anthony Burgess
Horror	A story that has been made to frighten yous – a scary story!	*Dracula* – Bram Stoker *The Shining* – Stephen King
Murder mystery (besides called 'whodunit', 'detective novels' or 'crime fiction'	'Murder mysteries' are books about somebody who has been killed. The novel is spent trying to work out who the killer is – this will normally exist revealed at the end	*And then At that place Were None* – Agatha Christie *The Hound of the Baskervilles* – Arthur Conan Doyle
Thriller	An activeness novel that aims to go out you in suspense. It comes from the English word "thrilling" – which means exciting	*The Daughter on the Train* – Paula Hawkins *The Da Vinci Lawmaking* – Dan Chocolate-brown
Not-fiction	A book that is factual and informative, instead of telling an imaginary story. A non-fiction book tin be virtually any topic. For instance, historical accounts and biographies are non-fiction	*Into the Wild* – Jon Karkauer *A Brief History of Time* – Stephen Hawking *Steve Jobs* – Walter Isaacson

4. 5 simple novels for you to read in English

The Old Homo and the Sea – Ernest Hemingway

(Mind to the audiobook hither!)

The Old Human being and the Sea is the story of an old Cuban fisherman chasing the biggest take hold of of his life. All alone, and miles out to sea, he battles with the fish for several days. The book looks at many themes, like 'man vs. nature' and the idea of 'masculinity' (or beingness a 'man'). It is the way this book deals with these themes that makes it one of the virtually famous and successful novels written in English language.

When reading older books, you may find words or phrases that are non used today. Try a Google search to run into if the phrase is nonetheless popular in modern English. Remember to look at the dates of the published web pages besides.

Hemingway uses brusk, simple sentences to cracking outcome. This means that the volume is quite piece of cake and quick to read, but that information technology is also powerful. Peradventure one tip to have from Ernest Hemingway'southward writing is that simple is often best when using English. In that location are few better authors to teach English than Ernest Hemingway, and The Old Man and the Ocean is one of his finest works.

Then he began to pity the great fish that he had hooked. He is wonderful and strange and who knows how old he is, he thought. […] He cannot know that it is only one man against him, nor that it is an old human being. But what a great fish he is and what he will bring in the market if the flesh is expert. He took the bait like a male and he pulls like a male person and his fight has no panic in it. I wonder if he has whatever plans or if he is merely as desperate as I am?

In this extract, Hemingway is 'personifying' the fish (giving it man qualities) and the fisherman is comparing it to himself.

Men are shown to be weak and pocket-sized compared to nature throughout the novel and even in the title itself – The Former Human and the Sea. Despite man'due south technological progress, he is no different to the fish as they both struggle to survive in the unsafe bounding main.

Words related to fishing are used a lot in this book, which ways you lot will larn some specific jargon related to this topic. In the extract, yous can run into the word 'hooked', which means to catch a fish on a claw. There is also lots of emotional language. For example, 'pity' means 'to feel lamentable', and in this context 'desperate' ways 'hopeless'.

1984 – George Orwell

(Listen to the audiobook hither!)

George Orwell has a special place in many British hearts. There is even a prize named after him: the Orwell Prize, which awards the best political writing across the world.

1984 is a 'dystopian' novel – which ways it is based in an imaginary, unpleasant world. This is the reverse of a 'utopia', which is an imaginary perfect social club. It was released in 1948 and looked forwards to a futurity where the world is run by dictators and everybody is constantly being monitored. In the book, the main grapheme, Winston, tries to autumn in love and struggle confronting the government in a earth where his every move is existence watched.

Since information technology was released, 1984 has been seen as a classic – meaning people recollect information technology as i of the all-time books of all time considering of its story and the style it deals with difficult themes. It even created a new discussion: 'Orwellian', which is used to draw things similar to the world described in the book.

Orwell likewise had several ideas in 1984 that are ofttimes used in political discussions in the UK. One of these is 'doublethink', which ways to accept two opposite ideas at the same time. Another is 'thought constabulary', which can be used when somebody punishes or judges someone because of what they think.

From where Winston stood it was just possible to read, picked out on its white face in elegant lettering, the three slogans of the Political party:
State of war IS PEACE
FREEDOM IS SLAVERY
IGNORANCE IS Forcefulness

In this extract, Orwell uses 'contradictions'. This ways he has taken two opposite ideas and put them together. The Party slogans are all contradictions, and examples of 'doublethink'. 'War is peace' means that by always existence at war and having an enemy, the people will support their regime. 'Freedom is slavery' means that, in the optics of the regime, independent men are certain to neglect. 'Ignorance is force' is the thought that if the public are ignorant of politics, the government can stay strong and in full control.

As you tin can see, 1984 deals with some quite heavy political themes – but this should non put you off. It is 1 of the most pop and entertaining books in the English language

George Orwell also wrote a list of rules on how to write well. This is used by native English speakers. Why not attempt using information technology to improve your writing in English?

Harry Potter – JK Rowling

(Mind to the audiobook here!)

Maybe yous have already read the Harry Potter books, or at least seen the films. These books are a must read for all English language students who enjoy fantasy novels. There are seven books in the serial, which get progressively longer and more advanced in their English. Information technology is best to starting time with the first.

Harry Potter is a story about witches and wizards. All of the main characters go to Hogwarts, which is a school where they are taught how to use magic. The wizarding world of Harry Potter has its own animals, history, and even words! Some authors like to create 'nonsense' words – for example, Rowling uses the term 'muggle' to mean 'someone who cannot use magic'.

Perhaps information technology had something to do with living in a dark closet, merely Harry had always been small and skinny for his historic period. […] Harry had a sparse face, knobbly knees, black hair and vivid green optics. He wore round glasses held together with a lot of scotch record because of all the times Dudley had punched him on the nose. The just affair Harry liked almost his own appearance was a very thin scar on his brow that was shaped like a commodities of lightning.

In this extract, you tin meet Rowling'south easy-to-read but descriptive fashion. This detailed account of Harry Potter's appearance is in the offset book – Harry Potter and the Philosopher'southward Stone. You tin can see that these books are a goldmine for applied English words and phrases.

'Skinny' is another word for thin, but in a negative way (from the discussion 'pare'). Calling someone 'skinny' means they are too thin, and this is seen as insulting. You lot can also say: 'He's all skin and bones'. Scotch tape is another discussion for sticky tape or Sellotape. 'Knobbly knees' is a term for someone who has legs so skinny that you lot can come across their knee joints conspicuously sticking out. This term sounds funny in English, but it tin be a little insulting. In the extract, Rowling is painting a motion picture of Harry as scruffy and lanky – meaning his advent is messy and he is tall and thin.

YouTube has some great videos to help y'all learn English language with popular books such as Harry Potter. The video below is an English lesson that uses the get-go book:

About a Male child – Nick Hornby

(Heed to the audiobook here!)

Nick Hornby is one of the nigh popular mod English authors. Many of his books are bestsellers that have likewise been made into popular movies – including About a Boy (the film). This is a funny story well-nigh an immature man who behaves like a boy and a serious young boy who behaves similar a man. In many means they are opposites, but they become friends and assistance each other to understand their own hearts.

The cracking affair about novels is that they teach you both formal and informal English. It is a good thought to read new books too as old classics, every bit they will help you learn the modernistic linguistic communication equally it is used today.

Loving yourself and allowing yourself to be loved, was only worth the risk if the odds were in your favour, but they quite clearly weren't. There were about lxx-9 squillion people in the world, and if you were very lucky, you would cease upwardly being loved by fifteen or twenty of them. So how smart did you take to be to piece of work out that it simply wasn't worth the take chances?

Hornby writes with a lot of energy and this makes his books exciting to read. In this extract, he shows the cynical fashion the chief character sees the world – which means he does not trust people'southward intentions.

About a Boy uses a lot of mod slang words and phrases. 'Squillion' is a slang term used to say that there are lots and lots of something. Maxim at that place are 'seventy-nine squillion people in the world' is an example of 'hyperbole', or exaggeration. Hornby also says 'if the odds were in your favour'. This is a phrase often used in England. If the odds are in your favour, it ways something is likely to turn out well for you. Information technology comes from the gambling term 'odds' (chance), which is a way to show how probable something is to happen.

The Great Gatsby – F. Scott Fitzgerald

(Heed to the audiobook here!)

F. Scott Fitzgerald is an instance of how poetic you can be with the English language. Set in 1920s America, this novel looks at the ideas of beloved and the American Dream. Information technology is one of the best-selling books ever written in English.

When F. Scott Fitzgerald died, the Great Gatsby had sold less than 25,000 copies. Upon receiving his terminal payment, the author said: 'I am a forgotten man'. The volume has since sold 25 million copies worldwide!

Although The Neat Gatsby is harder to read than the other books mentioned hither, you tin acquire many new words from it. Fitzgerald uses a wide range of vocabulary and images to bring out the beauty in the language. This book may be a lilliputian complicated in places, just the story is interesting and will proceed you turning the pages!

This is a valley of ashes – a fantastic farm where ashes grow like wheat into ridges and hills and grotesque gardens; where ashes take the forms of houses and chimneys and rising smoke and, finally, with a transcendent endeavor, of men who move dimly and already crumbling through the powdering air.

In this excerpt, you can see how poetic Fitzgerald's writing can be. There is a 2013 moving-picture show version of this book, which yous may like to watch before you read it. YouTube comedy channel Thug Notes has a plot summary for The Great Gatsby (see beneath). As these videos use lots of slang words, you may need to press the 'CC' push button to run across the English subtitles.

v. Common writing techniques you lot should know

There are many 'literary techniques' that are used in novels. Although they are used in literature from all across the earth, they have unlike names in unlike languages. Why non try using some of these techniques to bring your ain English to life?

Personification

Personification is when you requite human characteristics to something that is not human. This might be objects or animals.

Instance in a novel: 'Her heart was divided between business for her sister, and resentment against all the others.' (Pride and Prejudice – Jane Austen)

In this example, Jane Austen is giving the character'southward heart man features. This shows the emotion her worry is causing her.

Examples in everyday conversation:

'Beloved is bullheaded'. This is a mutual English saying, significant that when yous beloved someone, y'all exercise non see their faults.
'Fourth dimension waits for no 1'. A philosophical fashion of telling someone to do something before they run out of time.

Metaphor

A metaphor is when you depict one thing as something else to create a more than memorable description of it. This can exist used all of the time in conversation.

Example in a novel: 'Information technology is the east, and Juliet is the sunday.' (Romeo and Juliet – William Shakespeare)

Romeo and Juliet is one of the about famous romance stories ever. In this line, Romeo is comparing Juliet to the rising sun to show how much he loves and worships her.

Examples in spoken English:

'A heart of stone'. A way to depict someone who is unkind or cruel.
'Apple of my eye'. Something that yous dear more than anything or anyone else.
'Jumping for joy'. This ways 'really happy'.

Simile

A simile compares 2 things by saying particular A is like item B. It is often confused with a metaphor. The difference is that you are not describing something as actually being something else. So, if you were to say 'I am an ox' that would be a metaphor. If yous say 'I am as potent as an ox' or 'I am strong, similar an ox' that would be a simile.

Example in a novel: 'Her romantic mind was like tiny boxes, i inside the other' (Peter Pan – J.Grand. Barrie). This is a lovely simile, which shows the many layers of the human mind. It also shows how in her 'romantic heed' she is ever discovering new feelings – every time she opens a box. With this quote, Barrie shows how a simile tin can exist used to describe something beautifully.

Examples in everyday chat:

'Expert as gold'. This is used to say somebody is behaving very well, or even perfectly. It is often used to describe good children at school.
'Decorated every bit a bee'. This is a fashion to say somebody is very decorated, as bees are known to work hard. Both 'busy as a bee' and 'skillful equally gilt' are examples of 'alliteration', which is where words with the same starting alphabetic character are used together.
'As snug every bit a bug in a rug'. People say this when they are comfortable in bed. Information technology is likewise a expert example of rhyming in the English language language!

Hyperbole

Hyperbole is when you exaggerate on purpose to testify how important something is. 'Exaggerate' means to make something seem bigger, improve or worse than it is in reality. Hyperbole is often used in native English conversations, but be conscientious not to overuse information technology!

Example in a novel: 'People moved slowly and then. There was no hurry then, for there was nowhere to go, zilch to buy and no money to buy it with, nada to see exterior the boundaries of Maycomb County' (To Kill a Mockingbird – Harper Lee)

In this example, the author is saying in that location is nix to buy and nothing to run across. Of class, this is an exaggeration: at that place are at to the lowest degree a few things to buy and see! The hyperbole here makes the scene appear desolate – which means empty and bleak.

Examples in everyday conversation:

'Her brain is the size of a pea'. This is an insult. It means someone is very stupid or dim.
'I could swallow a horse'. This is a phrase used to say 'I am very hungry' – we do not really eat horses in England!
'I've told you a 1000000 times'. If you accept told somebody something several times and they do not remember or understand, so this is what you say!

Personification, metaphor, simile and hyperbole are the virtually common 'literary techniques', only in that location are many others. Check out Literarydevices.com to run across all of the techniques you tin find in English books. Equally your skills develop, you can apply these 'decorations' to bring your spoken and written English language to life!

Download: This blog post is bachelor equally a convenient and portable PDF that you tin take anywhere. Click here to get a re-create. (Download)

James Firby
— Staff Writer.

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