Famous front-line writers. Works about the Great Patriotic War. Books about the heroes of the Great Patriotic War Top military novels to read

about the Great Patriotic War(1941-1945)
I know it's not my fault

That others

didn't come back from the war

The fact that they are the ones who are older,

who is younger -

We stayed there, and it’s not about the same thing,

That I could have them

but failed to save, -

That's not what we're talking about, but still,

still, still...

Alexander Tvardovsky
The theme of the Great Patriotic War, having appeared from the very beginning of the war in our literature, still worries both writers and readers. Unfortunately, authors who knew about the war first-hand are gradually passing away, but they left for us in their talented works their insightful vision of events, managing to convey the atmosphere of bitter, terrible and at the same time solemn and heroic years.

Books about war must be read from childhood so as not to lose the thread of memory of the valor of our compatriots who gave us life. We offer you an annotated recommendation list best works about the Great Patriotic War. The list is compiled in alphabetical order by authors. All presented literary masterpieces have a full-text analogue on the Internet.

For primary classes

		Voronkova L.F. Girl from the city The story “The Girl from the City,” written in the harsh year of 1943, still touches the hearts of children and adults. All the best in a person is most clearly manifested in years of difficult trials. This is confirmed by the story of the little refugee Valentinka, who found herself among strangers in an unfamiliar village.
		Gaidar A.P. The Tale of the Military Secret, of Malchish-Kibalchish and his firm word Heroic tale wonderful children's writer. Malchish-Kibalchish embodies everything best features our boys who dream of accomplishing a real feat in the name of the Motherland. The Great Victory would not have been won if there had not been such big and small heroes. Didn’t the fate of the pioneer heroes repeat the fate of Malchish-Kibalchish?
		Kassil L. Street of the youngest son The story of the life and death of the young partisan Volodya Dubinin, a hero of the Great Patriotic War.
		Kataev V. Son of the regiment The orphan boy Vanya Solntsev, by the will of fate, ended up in military unit to the scouts. His stubborn character, pure soul and boyish courage were able to overcome the resistance of harsh military people and helped him stay at the front, becoming the son of the regiment.
		Mikhalkov S. True story for children Despite the well-known ideological orientation, “Facts for Children” - good work about the war, capable of conveying to modern children what our country suffered at that time scary time. The poem covers the events of 1941 - 1945. This resource is scanned pages of a book (Children's Literature, Moscow, 1969) with drawings by N. Kochergin.
		Oseeva V.A. Vasek Trubachev and his comrades The heroes of the trilogy “Vasyok Trubachev and his comrades” lived, studied, played pranks, made friends and quarreled several decades ago, but it’s even more interesting to take a trip in a “time machine” and look into their world. But the cloudless time of childhood for Trubachev and his friends turned out to be too short: it was cut short by the Great Patriotic War.
		Paustovsky K. G. The adventures of the rhinoceros beetle The soldier carried with him in his traveling bag a rhinoceros beetle, which his son gave him as a souvenir before leaving for the front. This beetle became a good comrade to the soldier in military life. They went through a lot together, they both have a lot to remember.
		Platonov A. Nikita The story is named after the main character - the little boy Nikita. The writer Andrei Platonov was one of those who forever remembered what kind of person he was as a child - and not everyone remembers this. Probably, Platonov was never told as a child: you are not mature enough yet, this is not for you. That’s why he tells us about little people, but respects them as big ones. And they also respect themselves in his stories, they even see that they, perhaps, are the most important on earth...
		Platonov A. Flower on Earth The world is wide, it contains a lot of interesting things. The little man makes discoveries every day. The hero of the story “Flower on the Earth” suddenly looked at an ordinary flower with completely different eyes. The grandfather helped his grandson to see the holy worker in the flower.
		Simonov K. Son of an artilleryman K. Simonov's ballad is based on real events. The poetic story about Major Deev and Lyonka is remembered from the first reading, it is written so simply, clearly and impressively.
		Yakovlev Yu. Girls from Vasilyevsky Island Yuri Yakovlev in his stories reveals to children the whole truth of life as it is, without hiding from solving problems behind the external fascination of the plot. The book “Girls from Vasilyevsky Island” is a story about little Tanya Savicheva, who died of hunger, written on the basis of her surviving notes.
For grades 5-7
		Bogomolov V.O. Ivan A tragic and true story about a brave boy scout who sacrifices himself every day, consciously carrying out adult service, which not every adult fighter is capable of.
		Kozlov V. Vitka from Chapaevskaya Street The book tells about teenagers who went on a campaign just before the start of the war. They fully experienced the difficulties and dangers of war, like the entire Russian people. This is how they grew up. The story “Vitka from Chapaevskaya Street” by V. Kozlov has been read by more than one generation of boys and girls.
		Korolkov Yu. Pioneers-Heroes. Lenya Golikov During the Great Patriotic War, when the Nazis invaded Novgorod land, Lenya Golikov joined the ranks of the people's avengers. The story is based on real events. The text is accompanied by drawings by V. Yudin.
		Platonov A. Tree of the Motherland This is not so much a story as a parable that talks about the unnaturalness of war, about the powerlessness of death in the face of the Soldier’s persistent desire to stand in the name of life, to protect his mother, land, Motherland - everything that is dear and sacred to him.
		Platonov A. Sampo “Sampo” is a fabulous self-grinding mill that can feed everyone for free. The parable of Andrei Platonov tells about a small collective farm called “Good Life”, where hardworking people lived who did not dream of a wonderful mill. Everything they had was obtained through labor. But this was not enough to protect " Good life» from evil enemy
		Ochkin A.Ya. Ivan - I, Fedorovs - we This story contains true events and almost all true names. The author describes the military affairs of his friend, “brother” Vanya Fedorov, who died a hero’s death in Stalingrad. Alexey Yakovlevich Ochkin himself started the war on the Don, participated in the Battle of Stalingrad, repeated the feat of Alexander Matrosov at the Kursk Bulge, was seriously wounded more than once, but reached the end along the roads of the war: he participated in the storming of Berlin and the liberation of Prague.
		Rudny V. Children of Captain Granin The Gangut Peninsula, located at the entrance to the Gulf of Finland, became the most important strategic point from the first days of the Great Patriotic War. Its defenders not only did not allow a single large enemy ship into the Gulf of Finland that could pose a serious threat to Leningrad, but also drew significant enemy forces onto themselves at the most decisive moment.
		Tolstoy A.N. Russian character During the Battle of Kursk, Lieutenant Yegor Dremov barely managed to escape from a burning tank. He survived and even retained his sight, but his burnt face after several operations changed beyond recognition. This is how he arrived native home. We learn about this return from the story “Russian Character”.
For 8-9 grades
		Adamovich A., Granin D. Blockade book Daniil Granin called the nine hundred days of the siege of Leningrad “an epic of human suffering.” The documentary chronicle is based on the memoirs and diaries of hundreds of Leningrad residents who survived the siege.
		Adamovich A. Khatyn story In Belarus, the Nazis committed atrocities like nowhere else: more than 9,200 villages were destroyed, in more than 600 of them almost all the inhabitants were killed or burned, only a few were saved. “The Khatyn Tale” is written on documentary material. It is dedicated to the struggle of Belarusian partisans. One of them, Flera, recalls the events of the past war.
		Aitmatov Ch.T. Early cranes The harsh years of the Great Patriotic War. A distant Kyrgyz village. Men are at the front. The heroes of the story are schoolchildren. The best, the strongest of them must raise abandoned fields, give bread to the front, to families. And children understand this deeply. The war became a severe test for teenagers, but it did not kill their ability to enjoy life, see beauty, and share joy with others
		Baklanov G. Forever - nineteen years old This book is about those who did not return from the war, about love, about life, about youth, about immortality. In the book, parallel to the story, there is a photo story. “The people in these photographs,” the author writes, “I did not meet at the front and did not know. They were captured by press photographers and maybe this is all that remains of them.”
		Vasiliev B.L. And the dawns here are quiet... This work is one of the most piercing works about the war in its lyricism and tragedy. The bright images of the girls - the main characters of the story, their dreams and memories of their loved ones, create a striking contrast with the inhuman face of the war, which spares no one.
		Kazakevich E. Zvezda This work was created on the basis of the author’s experiences in the heat of battle at the front, seeing the suffering and death of people. The tragically sad and bright story about a group of divisional intelligence officers sounds like a revelation and penetrates the souls of people.
		Kosmodemyanskaya L.T. The Tale of Zoya and Shura Children of L.T. Kosmodemyanskaya died in the fight against fascism, defending the freedom and independence of their people. She talks about them in the story. Using the book, you can follow the lives of Zoya and Shura Kosmodemyansky day by day, find out their interests, thoughts, dreams.
		Polevoy B. The Tale of a Real Man “The Tale of a Real Man” is a 1946 story by B. N. Polevoy about the Soviet pilot Meresyev, who was shot down in a battle during the Great Patriotic War. After being seriously wounded, doctors amputated both of his legs. But he decided that he would fly.
		Tvardovsky A.T. Vasily Terkin In the deeply truthful, humorous, classically clear poem “Vasily Terkin”, A. T. Tvardovsky created an immortal image of a Soviet soldier. This work became a vivid embodiment of the Russian character and national feelings of the era of the Great Patriotic War.
		Sholokhov A. Man's destiny A story within a story by M.A. Sholokhov's "The Fate of a Man" is a story about a common man in big war, who, at the cost of losing loved ones and comrades, with his courage and heroism gave the right to life and freedom to the Motherland. The image of Andrei Sokolov concentrates the features of the Russian national character.
For high school
	Adamovich A. Punishers “The Punishers” is a bloody chronicle of the destruction of seven peaceful villages in the territory of temporarily occupied Belarus by the battalion of Hitler’s punisher Dirlewanger. The chapters bear appropriate titles: “Village One”, “Village Two”, “Between the Third and Fourth Village”, etc. Each chapter contains excerpts from documents on the activities of punitive detachments and their participants.
	Bogomolov V. Moment of truth The plot develops on the basis of a tense confrontation between SMERSH officers and a group of German saboteurs. “The Moment of Truth” is the most famous novel in the history of Russian literature about the work of counterintelligence during the Great Patriotic War, translated into more than 30 languages.
	Bykov V. Sotnikov All of V. Bykov’s work is characterized by the problem of the moral choice of a hero in war. In the story "Sotnikov" it is not representatives of the two who collide different worlds, but people of the same country. The heroes of the work - Sotnikov and Rybak - under normal conditions might not have shown their true nature. The reader will have to think together with the author about eternal philosophical questions: the price of life and death, cowardice and heroism, loyalty to duty and betrayal. In-depth psychological analysis Every action and gesture of the characters, a fleeting thought or remark is one of the strongest aspects of the story. The Pope presented the award to the writer V. Bykov for the story "Sotnikov" special prize Catholic Church.
	Vorobiev K. Killed near Moscow The story “Killed near Moscow” became the first work by K. Vorobyov from the category of those that were called “lieutenant’s prose” by critics. Vorobiev spoke about the “incredible reality of war,” which he himself witnessed during the battles near Moscow in the winter of 1941. War, bursting into human life, affects it like nothing else, radically changes it.
	Kondratyev V. Sashka The events in the story “Sashka” take place in 1942. The author himself is a front-line soldier and fought near Rzhev, just like his hero. The story shows people in war and in life. The writer considered it his duty to convey the bitter military truth to his readers. He reproduces military life in every detail, which gives his narrative a special realism and makes the reader a participant in the events. For the people fighting here, even the most insignificant detail is forever etched in their memory.
	Nekrasov V. In the trenches of Stalingrad The Battle of Stalingrad, which decided the outcome of the Great Patriotic War, is depicted in many works of art. Viktor Nekrasov’s story “In the Trenches of Stalingrad” still shocks us with its depth and truthfulness. Great and simple heroes Stalingrad appears before us with our own eyes.
	Platonov A. Recovery of the dead Andrei Platonov was a war correspondent during the war. He wrote about what he saw himself. The story “Recovery of the Dead” became the pinnacle of A. Platonov’s military prose. Dedicated to the heroic crossing of the Dnieper. And at the same time, he talks about the holiness of a mother going to the grave of her children, a holiness born of suffering.
	Tendryakov V. F. People or non-humans V. Tendryakov volunteered for the front after graduating from school at the age of 17. He was a signalman. Some facts about him military biography reflected in the essay “Humans or Nonhumans.” This is the writer’s reflection on how quickly the transformation of people into non-humans occurs. Without sparing either his compatriots or the fascists, the author shows the tragic relativity of humanity and inhumanity in a person, depending on circumstances.
	Fadeev A.A. Young guard A novel about the Krasnodon underground organization “Young Guard”, which operated in fascist-occupied territory, many of whose members died heroically in fascist dungeons. Most of the main characters of the novel: Oleg Koshevoy, Ulyana Gromova, Lyubov Shevtsova, Ivan Zemnukhov, Sergei Tyulenin and others are real people.
	Sholokhov M.A. They fought for their homeland The pages of the novel “They Fought for the Motherland” recreate one of the most tragic moments of the war - the retreat of our troops to the Don in the summer of 1942. The uniqueness of this work lies in Sholokhov’s special ability to combine the large-scale and epic nature of the image (a tradition coming from L. Tolstoy’s “War and Peace”) with a detailed narrative, with a keen sense of the uniqueness of human character. The novel reveals in many ways the fate of three modest ordinary people - miner Pyotr Lopakhin, combine operator Ivan Zvyagintsev, agronomist Nikolai Streltsov. Very different in character, they are connected at the front male friendship and boundless devotion to the Fatherland.

for grades 5-6

1. Bogomolov V.O. Ivan

2. Vishnev P.P. Yoongi

3. Voronkova L.F. Girl from the city

4. Dumbadze N. I see the sun. Me, grandma, Iliko and Illarion

5. Ilyina E.Ya. Fourth height

6. Kassil L.A. My dear boys. A story about the absent. At the chalkboard. Flammable cargo

7. Kassil L.A., Polyanovsky M.L. Street of the youngest son

8. Kataev V.P.Son of the regiment

9. Konetsky V. Petka, Jack and the boys

10. Krapivin V.P. Shadow of the caravel

11. Likhanov A.A. My general. Steep mountains. Music. Wooden horses. Last deck

12. Nadezhdina N.A. Partisan Lara

13. Naidich M.Ya. Overcoat for growth

14. Rasputin V.G. French lessons

15. Yakovlev Yu.Ya. How Seryozha went to war

for grades 7-9

1. Adamovich A.M. "Khatyn Tale"

2. Aitmatov Ch. “Early cranes”

3. Alekseev S.P. "Bogatyr surnames"

4. Aleksin A.G. “In the rear as in the rear”, “Signalmen and buglers”; "Third in the fifth row"

5. Baklanov G.Ya. "An inch of land"

6. Bek A.A. "Volokolamskoe highway"

7. Biryukov N.Z. "Gull"

8. Bogomolov V.O. "Zosya"; "Ivan"

9. Borzunov S.M. "Not the first attack"

10. Vishnev P.P. Yoongi

11. Voronkova L.F. "Girl from the City"; "Village Gorodishche"

12. Gorbatov B.L. "Unconquered"

13. Dold - Mikhailik Yu. “And one warrior in the field”

14. Dragunsky V.Yu. "He fell on the grass..."

15. Dubrovin V.B. "Boys in '41"

16. Dumbadze N.V. "I see the sun"

17. Emelyanenko V.B. "In the harsh military air"

18. Ilyina E.Ya. "Fourth Height"

19. Zakrutkin V.A. "Mother of Man"

20. Zyukov B.B. "Commander of the Strong"

21. Kazakevich E.G. "Star"

22. Cassil L. “My dear boys”; "Street of the Youngest Son"; "Cherymysh - the hero's brother"

23. Kataev V.P. "Son of the Regiment"

24. Kirnosov A.A. "Not a day without victory"

25. Kobets – Filimonova E.G. "Larks over Khatyn"

26. Kozhevnikov V.M. "March, April"

27. Kolesov K.P. "Self-propelled gun number 120"

28. Kosmodemyanskaya L.T. "The Tale of Zoya and Shura"

29. Kosterina N. “The Diary of Nina Kosterina”

30. Koshevaya E.N. "The Tale of a Son"

31. Krapivin V.P. "Shadow of the Caravel"

32. Kuznetsov A.S. "The Mystery of the Roman Sarcophagus"

33. Kurochkin V.A. "In war as in war"

34. Levin Yu.A. "Combat"

35. Likhanov A.A. "Steep Mountains"; "My general"; "The Last Cold"

36. Mityaev A.V. "The Feat of a Soldier"

37. Musatov A.I. "Klava Nazarova"

38. Nadezhdina N.A. "Partisan Lara"

39. Naidich M.Ya. "Overcoat for growth"

40. Nikitin S.K. "Shooting Star"

41. Novozhilov I.G., Shustov V.N. "The Queen's Gambit"

42. Pogodin R.P. "Where the Goblin Lives"

43. Polevoy B.N. "The Tale of a Real Man"

44. Polikarpova T.N. "Leaves of Next Summer"

45. Pristavkin A.A. “The golden cloud spent the night”

46. Rasputin V.G. "French lessons"

47. Reznik Y. “Our Ural tank”

48. Rumyantsev B. “Twin cities of Gastello”

49. Samsonov S.N. "On the other side"

50. Simonov K. “The Third Adjutant”

51. Sobolev L.S. "Battalion of Four"; "Sea Soul"

52. Stepanov V.A. "Honor Guard Company"

53. Sukhachev M.P. "Children of the Siege"

54. Trofimov A.I. "The Tale of Lieutenant Pyatnitsky"

55. Uvarova L.Z. "Now or never!"

56. Fadeev A.A. "Young guard"

57. Chukovsky N.K. "Submarine chaser"

58. Shmerling S.B. "Landing"; "An hour before the attack"

59. Sholokhov M.A. "The Fate of Man"

60. Yakovlev Yu.Ya. “Where was the battery”; "The Girl from Vasilyevsky Island"

This unforgotten distant war...

"We won! In these two words

Our reward for sweat, and blood, and torment,

For the severity of years, for children's moaning and fear,

For the bitterness of wounds and for the sadness of separation"

(V. Lebedev-Kumach)

Aliger M.I. Zoya. Poem. Poems.- M.: Sov.Russia, 1971.- (School library)

Antokolsky P.G. Son . Poem.- Khabarovsk, 1985.- (School library)

Akhmatova A. Oath. Courage. To the winners

M.: Pravda, 1990

Berggolts O.F. The day before. The people bow their banners. February diary

There was a war ...: Four chapters from a book written by poets of the post-war years. - M.: children's literature, 1987. - (School library)

The Great Patriotic War : poems and poems in 2 volumes. - M.: Khudozh. literature, 1970

The Great Patriotic War in lyric and prose. In 2 volumes - M.: Bustard, 2002. - (B-ka of domestic classical fiction literature)

Vysotsky V.S. Black gold.- 1990

Drunina Yu.V. . Selected works: In 2 volumes. T.1. Poems (1942-1969). - M.: Khudozh. lit, 1981

Drunina Yu.V. Blonde Soldier : Favorites.- Kaliningrad book. publishing house, 1973.- (Feat)

Jalil Moussa Favorites.- Kazan, 1968.- (School library)

Facing Victory : Collection of poems. - M.: Sovremennik, 1985. - (Adolescence)

Lvov M.D. Letter to Youth .- 1976.- (Feat)

Oshanin L.I. Earth and sky : book of poems. - 1975. - (Feat)

Poetry of the periodGreat Patriotic War and the first post-war years / Comp. Kurganova V.M..- M.: Sov. Russia, 1990.- (School library)

Holy war : poems aboutGreat Patriotic War .- M.: Khudozh. lit., 1966

Fatyanov A.I. Nightingales, nightingales. Songs and poems. - Tula: Priokskoe book. publishing house, 1977

Hour of Courage . Poetry of the periodGreat Patriotic War 1941-1945 - M.: education, 1990

Glory to you, brave ones,

Glory to the fearless!

The people sing eternal glory to you.

Those who lived valiantly

Destroying death

Your memory will never die!

You can always borrow these collections of poems from our school library.

They fought for their homeland

1. Alekseev S.P. The final assault / Artist Petrov M. - 1981

   Bogdanov N.V. Nice proverb : stories. - M.: Children's literature, 1984. - (We read it ourselves)

   Vasilenko I. Commander's order .- (Book by book)

   Vorobiev E.Z. Fellow soldiers. Stories.- M.: Children's literature, 1976.- (Book by book)

   Kassil L.A. Main army .- M.: Children's literature, 1977

   Kassil L.A. Your defenders .- M.: Children's literature, 1976

   Kassil L.A. Flammable cargo .- M.: Children's literature, 1979

   Kataev V.P. Son of the regiment . Story.- (School library)

   Lavrenev B.A. Scout Vikhrov . Stories.- M.: Children's literature, 1991.- (Book by book)

   Mityaev A.V. Dugout . Stories.- M.: Children's literature, 1976.- (My first books)

   Orlov O.P. Tsemes Bay : story and stories.- M.: Det. lit., 1981

   Polevoy B.N. Scouts : stories.- M.: Det. lit., 1979.- (Book by book)

   Stories and poems about the war. Extracurricular reading. Complete library. 1-4 grades. - Omega, 2010.- (School library)

   Smirnov S.S. Major's feat : Story.- M.: Det. lit., 1975.- (Book by book)

   Sokolov G.V. A true story about sailor Kayda and his comrades : Stories.- M.: Det. lit., 1978.- (Book by book)

   Strekhnin Yu.F. About the Beard squad : stories.- M.: Det. lit., 1974

   Subbotin V.E. And there was peace : stories.- M.: Det. lit., 1981.- (Book by book)

   Tvardovsky A.T. Tankman's story : Poems. - M.: Children's literature, 1979. - (Book by book).

These books are standing and waiting for you on the shelves!

"Learn from the heroes of books to love our land - its fields and forests, its cities, its sky, its rivers, its language and art"

( Paustovsky K.G.)

Love and know our history!

Books of Courage

Alekseev S.P. Twelve Poplars: Stories from HistoryGreat Patriotic War wars .- M.: contemporary, 1985.- (Adolescence. Series for teenagers)

Baykov V. Memory of a besieged teenager. - L.: Lenizdat, 1989

Bogdanov N.V. Ivan Tiggrov: stories aboutGreat Patriotic War

Bogomolov V.O. Ivan. Zosya: stories.- M.: Sovremennik. 1985.- (Adolescence)

Zharikov A.D. A Soldier's Heart: The Story of the Outstanding Commander Marshal of the Soviet Union G.K. Zhukov. - M.: Det. lit., 1979

Zhurba P.T. Alexander Matrosov. The story of the life and feat of the Hero of the Soviet Union, Guard Private Alexander Matrosov. - L.: Det. lit., 1974

Ilyina E.I. Fourth height. The Tale ofhero of the Great Patriotic War Gula Koroleva.- M.: Det. lit.. 1989

Kassil L., Polyanovsky M. Street of the youngest son. The Tale ofHero of the Great Patriotic War pioneer partisan Volodya Dubinin.- M.: Det. lit., 1977

Kataev V.P. Son of the regiment. - M.: enlightenment. 1983.- (School library)

Knorre F.F. Native blood; Konyakov V.M. Dimka and Zhuravlev; Rasputin V.G. French lessons; Semenov G.V. Towards winter, past autumn: stories about childhood that coincided with the war. - M.: Det. lit., 1990 – (School library)

Kokonin L.V. A story about a wartime childhood. ABOUT school childhood, scorched by the Great Patriotic War, about teenagers who at the age of fourteen already knew how to work at factory machines, about spiritual maturity and a sense of responsibility, the desire to help elders in their selfless work

Leonov I.A. Named by the man from the legend: autobiographical story. Stories. Poems, verses. - Tula, 2003. Book by the Hero of the Soviet Union and Russia, fighter pilot, teacher, citizen, epic Russian hero, who, having lost his arm in a bloody air battle with the Nazis in his early youth, managed to lift his winged machine into the sky again, not lose the will to live, fortitude, courage, kindness.

Polevoy B.N. A story about a real person .- any edition

Polevoy B.N. Commander: Biographical story. - M.: Det. lit., 1976. A book about the outstanding commander Marshal of the Soviet Union Ivan Stepanovich Konev.

Simonov K.M. third adjutant: stories.- M.: Det. lit., 1987.- (School library)

Smirnov V.I. Sasha Chekalin: A Tale.- M.: Mol. Guard, 1967.

The memory of the Great Patriotic War is sacred and timeless!

The Great Patriotic War is receding further into history. This year marks the 70th anniversary of the Victory of our people over the fascist invaders. I would like no one and nothing to remain forgotten. We must know the history of our Fatherland.All these books are in our school library.

“People, as long as their hearts are beating, remember!..”:

Adamovich A.M. Khatyn story .- M.: Children's literature, 1988.- (School library)

Alekseev S.P. Guards conversation : Stories. - M.: Voenizdat, 1979

Baklanov G.Ya. Forever - nineteen years old.- M.: Mol. guard. 1982.- (Youth Library)

Baklanov G.Ya. inch of land : Tale, 1973

Baruzdin S.A. Repetition of what has been covered : Roman.- M.: Det. lit., 1988.- (School library)

Bek A.A. volokolamskoe highway : novel. - M.: Military Publishing House. 1982.- (School library)

Berggolts O.F. Day stars. Leningrad speaks .- M.: True. 1990 - documentary stories telling about the immortal feat of Leningraders during the difficult 900 days and nights of the siege of Leningrad.

Bogomolov V.O. Moment of truth (“In August forty-four…”): Stories, novel, story.- M.: Pravda. 1988

Bondarev Yu.V. The battalions are asking for fire. Last salvos : Stories. - M.: Sovremennik, 1984. - (Sons of the Century)

Bondarev Yu.V. Hot Snow : novel. - M.: Sovremennik, 1988

Bykov V.V. Alpine ballad : Stories. - Tula: Priok. book publishing house, 1983.- (School library)

Bykov V .IN.Until dawn : story.- M.: Det. lit., 1985.- (School library)

Bykov V . To the Obelisk. Rybakov A.N. Unknown Soldier : Stories.- M.: Mol. Guard, 1985.- (Youth Library)

Bykov V . V. Stories .- M.: Det. lit., 1987.- (School library)

Vasiliev B. And the dawns here are quiet : Tale.Not on the lists : Novel. Stories

Vorobiev K.D. Killed near Moscow. Scream. This is us, Lord!..: Stories.- M.: Det. lit., 1990.- (Schoolchildren’s military library. Library series)

Kazakevich E.G. Star : Tale.- L.: Lenizdat, 1982.- (School library)

Kozhevnikov V.M. March, April : Stories.- M.: Det. lit., 1987.- (School library)

Kurochkin V.A. In war as in war : Tale. - M.: Sovremennik, 1985

Nikitin S.K. Shooting star.

Vorobyov K. Killed near Moscow.

Kondratyev V. Sashka.

Kolesov K. Self-propelled gun number 120 : Stories. - M.: Det. lit., 1989. - (School library).

It has been widely covered in the literature, especially in Soviet time, since many authors shared personal experiences and themselves experienced all the horrors described along with ordinary soldiers. Therefore, it is not surprising that first the military, and then post-war years were marked by the writing of a number of works dedicated to the feat Soviet people in the brutal struggle against Nazi Germany. It is impossible to pass by such books and forget about them, because they make us think about life and death, war and peace, past and present. We present to your attention a list best books, dedicated to the Great Patriotic War, which are worth reading and re-reading.

Vasil Bykov

Vasil Bykov (books are presented below) - an outstanding Soviet writer, public figure and a WWII participant. Probably one of the most famous authors of war novels. Bykov wrote mainly about a person during the most severe trials that befell him, and about the heroism of ordinary soldiers. Vasil Vladimirovich sang in his works the feat of the Soviet people in the Great Patriotic War. Below we will look at the most famous novels by this author: “Sotnikov”, “Obelisk” and “Until Dawn”.

"Sotnikov"

The story was written in 1968. This is another example of how it was described in fiction. Initially, the arbitrariness was called “Liquidation”, and the basis of the plot was the author’s meeting with a former fellow soldier, whom he considered dead. In 1976, the film “The Ascension” was made based on this book.

The story tells about a partisan detachment that is in dire need of provisions and medicine. Rybak and the intellectual Sotnikov, who is sick, but volunteers to go because no more volunteers were found, are sent for supplies. Long wanderings and searches lead the partisans to the village of Lyasina, here they rest a little and receive a sheep carcass. Now you can go back. But on the way back they come across a detachment of policemen. Sotnikov is seriously wounded. Now the Fisherman must save the life of his comrade and bring the promised provisions to the camp. However, he fails, and together they fall into the hands of the Germans.

"Obelisk"

Vasil Bykov wrote a lot. The writer's books have often been filmed. One of these books was the story “Obelisk”. The work is constructed according to the “story within a story” type and has a pronounced heroic character.

The hero of the story, whose name remains unknown, comes to the funeral of Pavel Miklashevich, a village teacher. At the wake everyone remembers the deceased kind words, but then the conversation comes up about Frost, and everyone falls silent. On the way home, the hero asks his fellow traveler what kind of relationship a certain Moroz has with Miklashevich. Then they tell him that Moroz was the teacher of the deceased. He treated the children as family, took care of them, and took Miklashevich, who was oppressed by his father, to live with him. When the war began, Moroz helped the partisans. The village was occupied by police. One day, his students, including Miklashevich, sawed off the bridge supports, and the police chief and his assistants ended up in the water. The boys were caught. Moroz, who by that time had fled to the partisans, surrendered to free the students. But the Nazis decided to hang both the children and their teacher. Before his execution, Moroz helped Miklashevich escape. The rest were hanged.

"Until Dawn"

A story from 1972. As you can see, the Great Patriotic War in literature continues to be relevant even after decades. This is also confirmed by the fact that Bykov was awarded for this story State Prize THE USSR. The work tells about the daily life of military intelligence officers and saboteurs. Initially, the story was written in Belarusian, and only then translated into Russian.

November 1941, the beginning of the Great Patriotic War. Lieutenant Soviet army Igor Ivanovsky, main character story, commands a sabotage group. He will have to lead his comrades beyond the front line - to the lands of Belarus occupied by the German invaders. Their task is to blow up a German ammunition depot. Bykov talks about the feat of ordinary soldiers. It was they, and not the staff officers, who became the force that helped win the war.

In 1975, the book was filmed. The script for the film was written by Bykov himself.

“And the dawns here are quiet...”

A work by the Soviet and Russian writer Boris Lvovich Vasiliev. One of the most famous front-line stories, largely thanks to the 1972 film adaptation of the same name. “And the dawns here are quiet...” Boris Vasiliev wrote in 1969. The work is based on real events: during the war, soldiers serving on the Kirov Railway prevented German saboteurs from blowing up the railway track. After a fierce battle, only the commander remained alive Soviet group, who was awarded the medal "For Military Merit".

“And the dawns here are quiet...” (Boris Vasiliev) - a book describing the 171st patrol in the Karelian wilderness. Here is the calculation of anti-aircraft installations. The soldiers, not knowing what to do, begin to drink and idle. Then Fyodor Vaskov, the commandant of the patrol, asks to “send non-drinkers.” The command sends two squads of female anti-aircraft gunners to him. And somehow one of the new arrivals notices German saboteurs in the forest.

Vaskov realizes that the Germans want to get to strategic targets and understands that they need to be intercepted here. To do this, he assembles a detachment of 5 anti-aircraft gunners and leads them to the Sinyukhin ridge through the swamps along a path known to him alone. During the campaign, it turns out that there are 16 Germans, so he sends one of the girls for reinforcements, while he himself pursues the enemy. However, the girl does not reach her own people and dies in the swamps. Vaskov has to engage in an unequal battle with the Germans, and as a result, the four girls remaining with him die. But still, the commandant manages to capture the enemies, and he takes them to the location of the Soviet troops.

The story describes the feat of a man who himself decides to confront the enemy and not allow him to walk around with impunity. native land. Without an order from his superiors, the main character goes into battle himself and takes 5 volunteers with him - the girls volunteered themselves.

"Tomorrow there was a war"

The book is a kind of biography of the author of this work, Boris Lvovich Vasiliev. The story begins with the writer telling about his childhood, that he was born in Smolensk, his father was the commander of the Red Army. And before becoming anyone in this life, choosing his profession and deciding on his place in society, Vasiliev became a soldier, like many of his peers.

“Tomorrow there was war” is a work about the pre-war period. Its main characters are still very young students of the 9th grade, the book tells about their growing up, love and friendship, idealistic youth, which turned out to be too short due to the outbreak of the war. The work tells about the first serious confrontation and choice, about the collapse of hopes, about the inevitable growing up. And all this against the backdrop of an looming, grave threat that cannot be stopped or avoided. And within a year, these boys and girls will find themselves in the heat of a fierce battle, in which many of them are destined to burn. However, for his short life they learn what honor, duty, friendship and truth are.

"Hot Snow"

A novel by front-line writer Yuri Vasilyevich Bondarev. The Great Patriotic War is particularly widely represented in the literature of this writer and became the main motive of all his work. But most famous work Bondarev is precisely the novel “Hot Snow,” written in 1970. The action of the work takes place in December 1942 near Stalingrad. The novel is based on real events - an attempt German army release Paulus's sixth army, surrounded at Stalingrad. This battle was decisive in the battle for Stalingrad. The book was filmed by G. Yegiazarov.

The novel begins with the fact that two artillery platoons under the command of Davlatyan and Kuznetsov have to gain a foothold on the Myshkova River, and then hold back the advance of German tanks rushing to the rescue of Paulus’s army.

After the first wave of the offensive, Lieutenant Kuznetsov’s platoon has one gun and three soldiers left. Nevertheless, the soldiers continue to repel the onslaught of enemies for another day.

"The Fate of Man"

"The Fate of Man" - school work, which is studied within the framework of the topic “The Great Patriotic War in Literature.” The story was written by the famous Soviet writer Mikhail Sholokhov in 1957.

The work describes the life of a simple driver Andrei Sokolov, who had to leave his family and home with the beginning of the Great Patriotic War. However, before the hero gets to the front, he is immediately wounded and ends up in Nazi captivity, and then in a concentration camp. Thanks to his courage, Sokolov manages to survive captivity, and at the end of the war he manages to escape. Once among his own people, he receives leave and goes to small homeland, where he learns that his family died, only his son survived, who went to war. Andrei returns to the front and learns that his son was shot by a sniper on the last day of the war. However, this is not the end of the hero’s story; Sholokhov shows that even after losing everything, you can find new hope and gain strength in order to live on.

"Brest Fortress"

The book by the famous journalist was written in 1954. For this work the author was awarded the Lenin Prize in 1964. And this is not surprising, because the book is the result of Smirnov’s ten-year work on the history of defense Brest Fortress.

The work “Brest Fortress” (Sergei Smirnov) is itself a part of history. Writing literally bit by bit he collected information about the defenders, wanting their good names and honor not to be forgotten. Many of the heroes were captured, for which they were convicted after the end of the war. And Smirnov wanted to protect them. The book contains many memories and testimonies of participants in the battles, which fills the book with true tragedy, full of courageous and decisive actions.

"The Living and the Dead"

The Great Patriotic War in the literature of the 20th century describes the life of ordinary people who, by the will of fate, turned out to be heroes and traitors. This cruel time ground many, and only a few managed to slip between the millstones of history.

“The Living and the Dead” is the first book in the famous trilogy of the same name by Konstantin Mikhailovich Simonov. The second two parts of the epic are called “Soldiers Are Not Born” and “ Last summer" The first part of the trilogy was published in 1959.

Many critics consider the work one of the brightest and most talented examples of describing the Great Patriotic War in the literature of the 20th century. At the same time, the epic novel is not a historiographical work or a chronicle of the war. The characters in the book are fictional people, although they have certain prototypes.

“War does not have a woman’s face”

Literature dedicated to the Great Patriotic War usually describes the exploits of men, sometimes forgetting that women also contributed to the overall victory. But the book of the Belarusian writer Svetlana Alexievich, one might say, restores historical justice. The writer collected in her work the stories of those women who took part in the Great Patriotic War. The title of the book was the first lines of the novel “War Under the Roofs” by A. Adamovich.

“Not on the lists”

Another story whose theme was the Great Patriotic War. In Soviet literature, Boris Vasiliev, whom we already mentioned above, was quite famous. But he gained this fame precisely thanks to his military work, one of which is the story “Not on the Lists.”

The book was written in 1974. The action takes place in the Brest Fortress itself, besieged by fascist invaders. Lieutenant Nikolai Pluzhnikov, the main character of the work, ends up in this fortress before the start of the war - he arrived on the night of June 21-22. And at dawn the battle begins. Nikolai has the opportunity to leave here, since his name is not on any military list, but he decides to stay and defend his homeland to the end.

"Babi Yar"

Anatoly Kuznetsov published the documentary novel “Babi Yar” in 1965. The work is based on the childhood memories of the author, who during the war found himself in German-occupied territory.

The novel begins with a short introduction by the author, a brief introductory chapter and several chapters, which are combined into three parts. The first part tells about the withdrawal of retreating Soviet troops from Kyiv, the collapse of the Southwestern Front and the beginning of the occupation. Also included were scenes of the execution of Jews, the explosions of the Kiev Pechersk Lavra and Khreshchatyk.

The second part is completely devoted to the occupation life of 1941-1943, the deportation of Russians and Ukrainians as workers to Germany, the famine, clandestine production, and Ukrainian nationalists. The final part of the novel tells about the liberation of the Ukrainian land from the German occupiers, the flight of the police, the battle for the city, and the uprising in the Babi Yar concentration camp.

"The Tale of a Real Man"

Literature about the Great Patriotic War also includes the work of another Russian writer who went through the war as a military journalist, Boris Polevoy. The story was written in 1946, that is, almost immediately after the end of hostilities.

The plot is based on an event from the life of USSR military pilot Alexei Meresyev. Its prototype was a real character, the hero of the Soviet Union Alexei Maresyev, who, like his hero, was a pilot. The story tells how he was shot down in battle with the Germans and seriously wounded. As a result of the accident, he lost both legs. However, his willpower was so great that he managed to return to the ranks of Soviet pilots.

The work was awarded the Stalin Prize. The story is imbued with humanistic and patriotic ideas.

"Madonna of Ration Bread"

Maria Glushko is a Crimean Soviet writer who went to the front at the beginning of the Second World War. Her book “Madonna with Ration Bread” is about the feat of all mothers who had to survive the Great Patriotic War. The heroine of the work is a very young girl, Nina, whose husband is going to war, and she, at the insistence of her father, goes to be evacuated to Tashkent, where her stepmother and brother are waiting for her. The heroine is on latest dates pregnancy, but this will not protect her from the flow of human troubles. And in a short time, Nina will have to learn what was previously hidden from her behind the prosperity and tranquility of her pre-war existence: people live so differently in the country, what life principles, values, attitudes they have, how they differ from her, who grew up in ignorance and prosperity. But the main thing that the heroine has to do is to give birth to a child and save him from all the scourges of war.

"Vasily Terkin"

Literature portrayed such characters as the heroes of the Great Patriotic War to the reader in different ways, but the most memorable, cheerful and charismatic, undoubtedly, was Vasily Terkin.

This poem by Alexander Tvardovsky, which began publication in 1942, immediately received popular love and recognition. The work was written and published throughout the Second World War, the last part was published in 1945. The main task of the poem was to maintain the morale of the soldiers, and Tvardovsky successfully accomplished this task, largely thanks to the image of the main character. The daring and cheerful Terkin, who is always ready for battle, won the hearts of many ordinary soldiers. He is the soul of the unit, a cheerful fellow and a jokester, and in battle he is a role model, a resourceful warrior who always achieves his goal. Even being on the verge of death, he continues to fight and is already entering into battle with Death itself.

The work includes a prologue, 30 chapters of main content, divided into three parts, and an epilogue. Each chapter is a short front-line story from the life of the main character.

Thus, we see that the exploits of the Great Patriotic War literature Soviet period widely covered. We can say that this is one of the main themes of the mid and second half of the 20th century for Russian and Soviet writers. This is due to the fact that the entire country was involved in the battle with the German invaders. Even those who were not at the front worked tirelessly in the rear, providing the soldiers with ammunition and provisions.

“Airport” is not a chronicle, not an investigation, not a chronicle. This is a work of fiction based on real facts. The book has many characters, many intertwining dramatic storylines. The novel is not only and not so much about war. It is about love, about betrayal, passion, betrayal, hatred, rage, tenderness, courage, pain and death. In other words, about our life today and yesterday. The novel begins at the Airport and unfolds minute by minute during the last five days of the more than 240-day siege. Although the novel is based on real facts, all the characters are fiction, like the name of the Airport. The small Ukrainian garrison of the Airport day and night repels attacks from an enemy that is many times superior to it in manpower and equipment. In this completely destroyed Airport, treacherous and cruel enemies are faced with something they did not expect and cannot believe. With cyborgs. The enemies themselves called the defenders of the Airport that way for their inhuman vitality and stubbornness of the doomed. Cyborgs, in turn, called their enemies orcs. Along with the cyborgs at the Airport there is an American photographer who, for a number of reasons, experiences this unnecessary war as a personal drama. Through his eyes, as if in a kaleidoscope, in the intervals between battles at the Airport, the reader will also see the whole history of what objective historians will call nothing less than the Russian-Ukrainian war.

The book is based on a life story real person. A former prisoner, a fighter of a penal company, and then a second lieutenant of the ROA and one of the leaders of the Kengir uprising of Gulag prisoners, Engels Ivanovich Sluchenkov. Eat amazing destinies. They look likeadventurenovels accompanied by fantastic escapades and incredible twists. FateEngels Sluchenkovwas from this series.There are rubbles of lies piled up around his name. His fate, on the one hand, looks like a feat, on the other, like a betrayal. But theyWith I consciously or was unknowingly the culprit these confused metamorphoses.

But to understand Sluchenkov as a person, not to justify, but only to understand, what way it became possible, that he is a Soviet citizen and a Soviet soldier went to fight against Stalin. In order to understand the reasons why that many thousands of Soviet citizens during the Second World War decided put on an enemy uniform and take up a weapon, against their own brothers and friends, we must live their lives. Find yourself in their place and in their shoes. We must transport ourselves to those times when a person is forced was to think one thing, say another and, in the end, do a third. AND at the same time retain the ability to be ready to one day resist such rules behavior, rebel and sacrifice not only his life, but also his good name.

Vladimir Pershanin’s novels “Penalty Officer from a Tank Company”, “Penalty Officer, Tankman, Suicide Squad” and “The Last Battle of the Penalty Officer” are the story of a Soviet man during the Great Patriotic War. Yesterday's student, who in June 41 had the chance to go to a tank school and, having gone through the terrible trials of war, became a real Tankman.

At the center of the novel "Family" is the fate of the main character Ivan Finogenovich Leonov, the writer's grandfather, in its direct connection with the major events in the now existing village of Nikolskoye from the late 19th to the 30s of the 20th century. The scale of the work, the novelty of the material, rare knowledge of the life of the Old Believers, a correct understanding of the social situation brought the novel to the forefront significant works about the peasantry of Siberia

In August 1968, at the Ryazan Airborne School, two battalions of cadets (4 companies each) and a separate company of special forces cadets (9th company) were formed according to the new staff. The main task of the latter is to train group commanders for GRU special forces units and formations

The ninth company is perhaps the only one that has gone down in legend as an entire unit, and not as a specific roster. More than thirty years have passed since it ceased to exist, but its fame does not fade, but rather, on the contrary, grows.

Andrei Bronnikov was a cadet of the legendary 9th company in 1976–1980. Many years later, he honestly and in detail spoke about everything that happened to him during this time. Starting from the moment of admission and ending with the presentation of lieutenant shoulder straps...

Among the numerous works of fiction about the Great Patriotic War, Akulov’s novel “Baptism” stands out for its incorruptible objective truth, in which the tragic and the heroic are united like a monolith. This could only be created by a gifted artist of words, who personally went through a barrage of fire and metal, through frosty snow sprinkled with blood, and who saw death in the face more than once. The significance and strength of the novel “Baptism” is given not only by the truth of events, but also by classical artistry, the richness of Russian vernacular, volume and variety of created characters and images.

His characters, both privates and officers, are illuminated with a bright light that penetrates their psychology and spiritual world.

The novel recreates the events of the first months of the Great Patriotic War - the Nazi offensive near Moscow in the fall of 1941 and the rebuff that Soviet soldiers gave it. The author shows how sometimes difficult and confusing things are human destinies. Some become heroes, others take the disastrous path of betrayal. The image of a white birch - the favorite tree in Rus' - runs through the entire work. The first edition of the novel was published in 1947 and soon received the Stalin Prize of the 1st degree and truly national recognition.

Military prose

War. From this word comes death, hunger, deprivation, disaster. No matter how much time passes after its end, people will remember it for a long time and mourn their losses. A writer’s duty is not to hide the truth, but to tell how everything really was in the war, to remember the exploits of heroes.

What is military prose?

War prose is a work of fiction that touches on the theme of war and man’s place in it. Military prose is often autobiographical or recorded from the words of eyewitnesses of events. Works about war raise universal, moral, social, psychological and even philosophical themes.

It is important to do this so that the generation that did not come into contact with the war knows what their ancestors went through. Military prose is divided into two periods. The first is writing stories, novels, and novels during hostilities. The second refers to the post-war period of writing. This is a time to rethink what happened and take an unbiased look from the outside.

In modern literature, two main directions of works can be distinguished:

1. Panoramic . The action in them takes place in different parts of the front at the same time: on the front line, in the rear, at headquarters. Writers in this case use original documents, maps, orders, and so on.
2. Tapered . These books tell a story about one or more main characters.

The main themes that are revealed in books about the war:

• Military operations on the front line;
• Guerrilla resistance;
• Civilian life behind enemy lines;
• Life of prisoners in concentration camps;
• The life of young soldiers at war.

Man and war

Many writers are interested not so much in reliably describing the combat missions performed by fighters, but in exploring their moral qualities. The behavior of people in extreme conditions is very different from their usual way of a quiet life.

In war, many show their best side, while others, on the contrary, do not stand the test and “break down.” The authors’ task is to explore the logic of behavior and inner world those and other characters . This is the main role of writers - to help readers draw the right conclusion.

What is the importance of literature about war?

Against the backdrop of the horrors of war, a person with his own problems and experiences comes to the fore. The main characters not only perform feats on the front line, but also perform heroic deeds behind enemy lines and sitting in concentration camps.

Of course, we all must remember what price was paid for victory and draw a conclusion from this s. Everyone will find benefit for themselves by reading literature about the war. In our electronic library there are many books on this topic.

• Lev Kassil;

  Liesel's new father turned out to be a decent man. He hated the Nazis and hid a fugitive Jew in the basement. He also instilled in Liesel a love for books, which were mercilessly destroyed in those days. It is very interesting to read about the everyday life of Germans during the war. You rethink many things after reading.

  We are glad that you came to our website in search of information of interest. We hope it was useful. Read books online for free in the genre military prose possible on the website.

The story takes place in 1945, in the last months of the war, when Andrei Guskov returns to his native village after being wounded and hospitalized - but it just so happens that he returns as a deserter. Andrei just really didn’t want to die, he fought a lot and saw a lot of death. Only Nasten’s wife knows about his actions; she is now forced to hide her fugitive husband even from her relatives. She visits him from time to time at his hideout and it is soon discovered that she is pregnant. Now she is doomed to shame and torment - in the eyes of the entire village she will become a walking, unfaithful wife. Meanwhile, rumors are spreading that Guskov is not dead or missing, but is hiding, and they are starting to look for him. Rasputin's story about serious spiritual metamorphoses, about moral and philosophical problems, who stood before the heroes, was first published in 1974.

Boris Vasiliev. “Not on the lists”

The time of action is the very beginning of the Great Patriotic War, the place is the Brest Fortress besieged by the German invaders. Together with others Soviet soldiers Nikolai Pluzhnikov, a 19-year-old new lieutenant, a graduate of a military school, who was assigned to command a platoon, is also there. He arrived on the evening of June 21, and in the morning the war begins. Nikolai, who was not included in the military lists, has every right leave the fortress and take his bride away from harm, but he remains to fulfill his civic duty. The fortress, bleeding and losing lives, heroically held out until the spring of 1942 and Pluzhnikov became its last warrior-defender, whose heroism amazed his enemies. The story is dedicated to the memory of all unknown and nameless soldiers.

Vasily Grossman. "Life and Fate"

The epic manuscript was completed by Grossman in 1959, was immediately recognized as anti-Soviet due to its harsh criticism of Stalinism and totalitarianism, and was confiscated in 1961 by the KGB. In our homeland, the book was published only in 1988, and then with abbreviations. The novel centers on the Battle of Stalingrad and the Shaposhnikov family, as well as the fate of their relatives and friends. There are many characters in the novel whose lives are somehow connected with each other. These are fighters directly involved in the battle, and simple people, completely unprepared for the troubles of war. They all manifest themselves differently in war conditions. The novel changed a lot in popular ideas about the war and the sacrifices that the people had to make in an effort to win. This is, if you like, a revelation. It is large-scale in the scope of events, large-scale in freedom and courage of thought, in true patriotism.

Konstantin Simonov. "The Living and the Dead"

The trilogy (“The Living and the Dead,” “Soldiers Are Not Born,” “The Last Summer”) chronologically covers the period from the beginning of the war to July 1944, and in general, the people’s path to the Great Victory. In his epic, Simonov describes the events of the war as if he sees them through the eyes of his main characters Serpilin and Sintsov. The first part of the novel corresponds almost entirely personal diary Simonov (he served as a war correspondent throughout the war), published under the title “100 days of war.” The second part of the trilogy describes the period of preparation and the Battle of Stalingrad- the turning point of the Great Patriotic War. The third part is devoted to our offensive on the Belarusian front. War tests the novel's heroes for humanity, honesty and courage. Several generations of readers, including the most biased of them - those who themselves went through the war, recognize this great work as truly unique, comparable to high standards Russian classical literature.

Mikhail Sholokhov. "They fought for their homeland"

The writer worked on the novel from 1942 to 1969. The first chapters were written in Kazakhstan, where Sholokhov came from the front to visit an evacuated family. The theme of the novel is incredibly tragic in itself - the retreat of Soviet troops on the Don in the summer of 1942. Responsibility to the party and the people, as it was understood then, could encourage smoothing sharp corners, but Mikhail Sholokhov, as a great writer, wrote openly about insoluble problems, about disastrous mistakes, about chaos in front-line deployment, about the absence of a “strong hand” capable of establishing order. The retreating military units, passing through the Cossack villages, did not, of course, feel welcome. It was not understanding and mercy that befell them from the inhabitants, but indignation, contempt and anger. And Sholokhov, having dragged ordinary person through the hell of war, showed how his character crystallized in the process of testing. Shortly before his death, Sholokhov burned the manuscript of the novel, and only separate pieces were published. Whether there is a connection between this fact and the strange version that Andrei Platonov helped Sholokhov write this work at the very beginning is not even important. The important thing is that there is another great book in Russian literature.

Victor Astafiev. "Cursed and Killed"

Astafiev worked on this novel in two books (“Devil’s Pit” and “Beachhead”) from 1990 to 1995, but never finished it. The title of the work, covering two episodes from the Great Patriotic War: the training of recruits near Berdsk and the crossing of the Dnieper and the battle to hold the bridgehead, was given by a line from one of the Old Believer texts - “it was written that everyone who sows unrest, war and fratricide on earth, will be cursed and killed by God." Viktor Petrovich Astafiev, a man by no means of a courtly nature, volunteered to go to the front in 1942. What he saw and experienced melted into deep reflections on the war as a “crime against reason.” The action of the novel begins in the quarantine camp of the reserve regiment not far from the Berdsk station. New recruits Leshka Shestakov, Kolya Ryndin, Ashot Vaskonyan, Petka Musikov and Lekha Buldakov find themselves there... they face hunger and love and reprisals and... most importantly, they face war.

Vladimir Bogomolov. "In August '44"

The novel, published in 1974, is based on actual documented events. Even if you have not read this book in any of the fifty languages ​​into which it has been translated, then you have probably all seen the film with the actors Mironov, Baluev and Galkin. But the movie, believe me, will not replace this polyphonic book, which gives a sharp drive, a sense of danger, a full platoon and at the same time a sea of ​​information about the “Soviet state and military machine” and about the everyday life of intelligence officers.So, the summer of 1944. Belarus has already been liberated, but somewhere on its territory a group of spies goes on the air, transmitting strategic information to the enemies about Soviet troops preparing a grandiose offensive. A detachment of reconnaissance officers led by a SMERSH officer was sent to search for spies and a direction-finding radio.Bogomolov is a front-line soldier himself, so he was terribly meticulous in describing the details, and in particular, the work of counterintelligence (the Soviet reader learned a lot from him for the first time). Vladimir Osipovich simply tormented several directors who were trying to film this exciting novel; he nagged the then editor-in-chief of Komsomolskaya Pravda for inaccuracy in the article, proving that it was he who was the first to talk about the Macedonian shooting technique. He is a delightful writer, and his book, without the slightest loss of historicity and ideological content, became a real blockbuster in the best sense.

Anatoly Kuznetsov. "Babi Yar"

A documentary novel based on childhood memories. Kuznetsov was born in 1929 in Kyiv and with the beginning of the Great Patriotic War his family did not have time to evacuate. And for two years, 1941 - 1943, he saw how destructively the Soviet troops were retreating, then, already under occupation, he saw atrocities, nightmares (for example, sausage was made from human flesh) and mass executions in Nazi concentration camp in Babi Yar. It’s terrible to realize, but this “former occupation” stigmatized his entire life. He brought the manuscript of his truthful, uncomfortable, scary and piercing novel to the magazine “Youth” during the Thaw, in ’65. But there the frankness seemed excessive, and the book was redrawn, throwing out some parts that were “anti-Soviet,” so to speak, and inserting ideologically verified ones. Kuznetsov managed to defend the title of the novel by a miracle. Things got to the point that the writer began to fear arrest for anti-Soviet propaganda. Kuznetsov then simply stuffed the sheets into glass jars and buried them in the forest near Tula. In 1969, after going on a business trip from London, he refused to return to the USSR. He died 10 years later. Full text"Babi Yar" was released in 70.

Vasil Bykov. The stories “It Doesn’t Hurt the Dead”, “Sotnikov”, “Alpine Ballad”

In all the stories of the Belarusian writer (and he mainly wrote stories), the action takes place during the war, of which he himself was a participant, and the center of meaning is moral choice person in a tragic situation. Fear, love, betrayal, sacrifice, nobility and baseness - all this is mixed in different heroes Bykova. The story “Sotnikov” tells about two partisans who were captured by the police, and how in the end, one of them, in complete spiritual baseness, hangs the other. Based on this story, Larisa Shepitko made the film “The Ascension”. In the story “It Hurts Not the Dead,” a wounded lieutenant is sent to the rear, with the order to escort three captured Germans. Then they come across a German tank unit, and in the shootout the lieutenant loses both prisoners and his companion and is himself wounded in the leg for the second time. Nobody wants to believe his report about the Germans in the rear. In “The Alpine Ballad,” Russian prisoner of war Ivan and Italian Julia escaped from a fascist concentration camp. Pursued by the Germans, exhausted by cold and hunger, Ivan and Julia become closer. After the war, the Italian lady will write a letter to Ivan’s fellow villagers, in which she will tell about the feat of their fellow countryman and about three days of their love.

Daniil Granin and Ales Adamovich. "Siege Book"

The famous book, written by Granin in collaboration with Adamovich, is called the book of truth. For the first time it was published in a magazine in Moscow; it was published as a book in Lenizdat only in 1984, although it was written back in 1977. Publishing the "Siege Book" in Leningrad was prohibited as long as the city was led by the first secretary of the regional committee, Romanov. Daniil Granin called the 900 days of the blockade “an epic of human suffering.” On the pages of this amazing book, the memories and torments of exhausted people in a besieged city seem to come to life. It is based on the diaries of hundreds of blockade survivors, including records of the deceased boy Yura Ryabinkin, the scientist-historian Knyazev and other people. The book contains siege photographs and documents from the archives of the city and the Granin Foundation.

“Tomorrow there was war” Boris Vasiliev (Eksmo Publishing House, 2011) “What a difficult year! - Do you know why? Because it's a leap year. The next one will be happy, you'll see! “The next one was one thousand nine hundred and forty-one.” A poignant story about how students of grade 9-B loved, made friends and dreamed in 1940. About how important it is to trust people and be responsible for your words. How shameful it is to be a coward and a scoundrel. About how betrayal and cowardice can cost lives. Honor and mutual assistance. Beautiful, lively, modern teenagers. The boys shouted “Hurray” when they learned about the start of the war... But the war was tomorrow, and the boys died in the first days. Short, no drafts and second chances, fast lives. A very necessary book and a film of the same name with a wonderful cast, graduate work Yuri Kara, filmed in 1987.

“And the dawns here are quiet” Boris Vasiliev (Azbuka-Klassika publishing house, 2012) The story about the fate of five female anti-aircraft gunners and their commander Fedot Vaskov, written in 1969 by front-line soldier Boris Vasiliev, brought fame to the author and became a textbook work. The story is based on a real episode, but the author made the main characters young girls. “Women have the hardest time in war,” recalled Boris Vasiliev. - There were 300 thousand of them at the front! And then no one wrote about them.” Their names became household names. The beautiful Zhenya Komelkova, the young mother Rita Osyanina, the naive and touching Liza Brichkina, the orphanage Galya Chetvertak, the educated Sonya Gurvich. Twenty-year-old girls, they could live, dream, love, raise children... The plot of the story is well known thanks to the film of the same name, shot by Stanislav Rostotsky in 1972, and the Russian-Chinese TV series of 2005. You need to read the story to feel the atmosphere of the time and touch the bright female characters and their fragile destinies.

“Babi Yar” Anatoly Kuznetsov (publishing house “Scriptorium 2003”, 2009) In 2009, a monument was opened in Kyiv at the intersection of Frunze and Petropavlovskaya streets, dedicated to the writer Anatoly Kuznetsov. A bronze sculpture of a boy reading a German decree ordering all Jews of Kyiv to appear on September 29, 1941 with documents, money and valuables... In 1941, Anatoly was 12 years old. His family did not have time to evacuate, and for two years Kuznetsov lived in the occupied city. “Babi Yar” was written based on childhood memories. The retreat of Soviet troops, the first days of occupation, the explosion of Khreshchatyk and the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra, executions at Babi Yar, desperate attempts to feed, human sausage, which was speculated on the market, Dynamo Kiev, Ukrainian nationalists, Vlasovites - nothing escaped the eyes of the nimble teenager. A contrasting combination of childish, almost everyday perception and terrible events that defy logic. An abridged version of the novel was published in 1965 in the magazine Yunost; the full version was first published in London five years later. After 30 years of the author’s death, the novel was translated into Ukrainian.

“Alpine Ballad” Vasil Bykov (Eksmo Publishing House, 2010) We can recommend any story by front-line writer Vasil Bykov: “Sotnikov”, “Obelisk”, “It Doesn’t Hurt the Dead”, “Wolf Pack”, “To Go and Never Return” - more than 50 works people's writer Belarus, but “Alpine Ballad” deserves special attention. Russian prisoner of war Ivan and Italian Julia escaped from a fascist concentration camp. Among the harsh mountains and alpine meadows, pursued by the Germans, exhausted by cold and hunger, Ivan and Julia become closer. After the war, the Italian lady will write a letter to Ivan’s fellow villagers, in which she will tell about the feat of their fellow countryman, about three days of love, which illuminated the darkness and fear of war like lightning. From Bykov's memoirs " Long road home": "I sense a sacramental question about fear: were you afraid? Of course, I was afraid, and maybe sometimes even cowardly. But there are many fears in war, and they are all different. Fear of the Germans - that they could be captured and shot; fear due to fire, especially artillery or bombing. If an explosion is nearby, it seems that the body itself, without the participation of the mind, is ready to be torn to pieces from wild agony. But there was also fear that came from behind - from the authorities, all those punitive authorities, of which there were no less during the war than in peacetime. Even more".

“Not on the lists” Boris Vasiliev (Azbuka publishing house, 2010) Based on the story, the film “I am a Russian Soldier” was made. Tribute to all the unknown and nameless soldiers. The hero of the story, Nikolai Pluzhnikov, arrived at the Brest Fortress on the evening before the war. In the morning the battle begins, and Nikolai does not have time to be added to the lists. Formally he free man and can leave the fortress with his beloved girl. As a free man, he decides to fulfill his civic duty. Nikolai Pluzhnikov became the last defender of the Brest Fortress. Nine months later, on April 12, 1942, he ran out of ammunition and went upstairs: “The fortress did not fall: it simply bled to death. I am her last straw.”

"Brest Fortress" Sergei Smirnov (publishing house " Soviet Russia", 1990) Thanks to the writer and historian Sergei Smirnov, the memory of many defenders of the Brest Fortress was restored. The defense of Brest first became known in 1942, from a German headquarters report captured with documents from the destroyed unit. “The Brest Fortress” is, as far as possible, a documentary story, and it quite realistically describes the mentality of Soviet people. Readiness for heroic deeds, mutual assistance (not with words, but by giving the last sip of water), putting one’s own interests below the interests of the collective, defending the Motherland at the cost of one’s life - these are the qualities of a Soviet person. In “Brest Fortress” Smirnov restored the biographies of people who were the first to take the German blow, found themselves cut off from the whole world and continued heroic resistance. He returned to the dead their honorable names and the gratitude of their descendants.

“Madonna with Ration Bread” Maria Glushko (Goskomizdat publishing house, 1990) One of the few works that tells about the life of women during the war. Not heroic pilots and nurses, but those who worked in the rear, went hungry, raised children, gave “everything for the front, everything for victory,” received funerals, and restored the country to ruin. Largely autobiographical and the last (1988) novel by the Crimean writer Maria Glushko. Her heroines, morally pure, courageous, thinking, are always examples to follow. Like the author, sincere, honest and a kind person. The heroine of “Madonna” is 19-year-old Nina. The husband goes to war, and Nina, in the last months of pregnancy, is sent for evacuation to Tashkent. From a prosperous, wealthy family - into the very thick of human misfortune. Here is pain and horror, betrayal and salvation that came from people whom she had previously despised - non-party people, beggars... There were those who stole a piece of bread from hungry children, and those who gave away their rations. “Happiness teaches nothing, only suffering teaches” After stories like this, you understand how little we have done to deserve a well-fed quiet life, and how little we value what we have.

The list goes on for a long time. “Life and Fate” by Grossman, “Shore”, “Choice”, “Hot Snow” by Yuri Bondarev, which became classic film adaptations“Shield and Sword” by Vadim Kozhevnikov and “Seventeen Moments of Spring” by Yulian Semenov. The epic three-volume “War” by Ivan Stadnyuk, “The Battle for Moscow. Version of the General Staff" edited by Marshal Shaposhnikov, or the three-volume "Memories and Reflections" by Marshal Georgy Zhukov. There are countless attempts to understand what happens to people in war. No full picture, there is no black and white. There are only special cases, illuminated by rare hope and surprise that one can survive this and remain human.