Reading is a pleasure. It distracts us from worries, transports us to other worlds, improves our well-being. And reading in a foreign language is also a pocket simulator for the brain. This is confirmed by the findings of scientists from Yale University. They found that reading increased the connections between brain cells and reduced the risk of life-shortening neurodegenerative diseases. So our selection of 7 English-language books will definitely "pump" your memory and language, strengthen grammar and spelling, activate all the mechanisms of intelligence and give longevity!

Donna Tartt «The Goldfinch» 

"Goldfinch" brought the writer Donny Tart - the Pulitzer Prize in 2014, the Andrew Carnegie Medal for outstanding achievements in fiction and a place in the hundreds of the most influential people in the world in 2014, according to Time magazine. The novel "Shchigol" is an extraordinary story of a thirteen-year-old boy, Theo, who survived. The painting of the Flemish master, selected by him after the explosion in the museum, will become at the same time his curse and hope for salvation. 

Liane Moriarty «Big Little Lies» 

The novel "Big Little Lies" was included in the New York Times bestseller list, and in 2015 was awarded the Davitt Prize. It is a brilliant novel about ex-husbands, second wives, mothers and daughters, a small lie that can be deadly. The main characters of this work are several women who lead their children to the first grade. Each of them has its worries, its own life, its secret. However, one of them has a secret that unites all the book's heroines, although they do not know it yet.

Cecelia Ahern «The Gift» 

Cecilia Ahern's novel "The Gift" is what is most valuable in life. The protagonist has a fierce struggle with time - he is constantly trying to keep up and dreams of being in two places at once because of this, constant quarrels with his wife, family members. At work, he is haunted by the feeling that most employees dream of taking his place. And only a gift from a homeless man, who was at the door of his office, allows you to appreciate life truly.

Daniel Keyes «Flowers for Algernon»

"Flowers for Algernon" is a story about one of those people we used to not think about, whom we try not to notice. No, we are not evil; we do not like it. Frankly, we do not know how to behave. This is the diary of the main character. Charlie Gordon is a boy-man, a man with intellectual disabilities, who becomes a genius during the experiment. And there is a target, Algernon, which goes through the same stages as our hero. Only here, the regression in Algernon begins earlier. The book touches on many social problems: the relationship of children and parents, the attitude of society, the concept of happiness, loneliness, humanity. How does Charlie feel when he loses himself new and returns to his true self? What is the answer?

 Paula Hawkins «The Girl on the Train»

"The Girl on the Train" is a psychological thriller where 35-year-old Rachel loses her husband and job due to alcohol problems. When she rents a room, her classmate has no idea about her issues because she still travels to London by train every morning. Every day she travels to the town where she lived happily with her husband, and while the train stops, watching the young couple, I live next to her ex's new family. She soon learns that the beautiful half of the couple is disappearing. But she does not remember what happened on that fateful day because of a passion for strong drinks. And the worst thing is that, perhaps, Rachel herself is involved in this event.

John Boyne «The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas»

"The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas" is a novel about a 9-year-old boy, Bruno, who lives carefree with his parents in Berlin against World War II. One day, Bruno discovers that the maid Maria is packing his things in a suitcase, and the family is forced to move to a mysterious place because his father - the head of the concentration camp, have a new important job. Bruno does not like the new home at all. He is bored, he wants to play but has no one. Despite his age, Bruno is still childishly naive and does not notice everything around him, taking it for granted. But one day, everything changes - he accidentally travels further than he is allowed and meets a boy in striped pyjamas on the other side of the barbed wire. The worlds of these children are very different, but they are curious and eager to be friends. But is such a friendship possible?

Viktor Mayer-Schönberger, Kenneth Cukier «Big Data»  

"Big Data" is the first significant book on a revolutionary phenomenon that can predict the future by quickly processing vast amounts of information and analyzing it instantly. It is possible to transform many wonders - from the cost of air tickets to the text of millions of books - into a searchable form, and with the help of computing power to make unprecedented predictions. The authors explain how big data will change our lives and what we can do to protect ourselves from dangers: from the inevitable loss of confidentiality to the prospect of punishment for misdemeanors that have not yet been committed.

So visit the reading room of the library (LIC-305) and train your brain! This is useful!