One of my advanced students, Vinicius from Brazil, asked me to recommend some interesting books for him to read. So here are a few suggestions for Vinicius and any English students who enjoy not just a good story, but superb writing by internationally acclaimed authors.

The following books are recommended for adults. I will point out the ones that are also suitable for teenagers/high-school students. Most of these books were written in Spanish or Portuguese and then translated into several languages including English. I recommend that you read the English versions! The richness of the language is certainly not lost in translation.

Firstly, The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho. This book is suitable for teenagers as well as adults. Read book reviews to check if you would enjoy this genre. Book reviews are usually well written. Try Amazon http://www.amazon.co.uk/All-PAULO-COELHOs-books-ORDER/lm/RGSU0TQEPZU0T
You could also check-out his blog where he provides wonderful, free short stories: http://paulocoelhoblog.com/

Secondly, Haroun and the Sea of Stories by Salman Rushdie. While Salman Rushdie’s books are often a challenge even for native speakers, this novel is easy to read for native speakers and ESL/EFL speakers alike, including Teenagers. Rushdie’s books are written in English. For a review try Amazon or Goodreads http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/4835.Haroun_And_The_Sea_Of_Stories

Finally, (for now) any of Isabel Allende’s novels. You can read about them and more on her website http://isabelallende.com/ I especially enjoyed the Trilogy: City of the Beasts, Forest of the Pygmies, and Kingdom of the Golden Dragon. These three novels are also suitable for Teenagers.

Leave a comment if you would like me to recommend other genres. Happy Reading!