Recommendations based on Nobody's Boyby Hector Malot

* statistically, based on millions of data-points provided by fellow humans

  1. The Story of a Seagull and the Cat Who Taught Her to Fly

    by Luis Sepúlveda
    A charming story of a seagull and a cat who teach each other lessons of determination and resilience.

    A cat. A seagull. An impossible task. A worldwide bestseller and the subject of a feature film, THE STORY OF A SEAGULL... is finally out in paperback! Her wings burdened by an oil slick, a seagull ... (Goodreads)

  2. Robinson Crusoe

    by Daniel Defoe
    A shipwrecked sailor's struggle to survive on an isolated island, and his eventual redemption.

    Crusoe (the family name corrupted from the German name "Kreutznaer") set sail from Kingston upon Hull on a sea voyage in August 1651, against the wishes of his parents, who wanted him to pursue a ... (Wikipedia)

  3. The Thorn Birds

    by Colleen McCullough
    A powerful tale of forbidden love, set in rural Australia in the early 20th century.

    The story begins in New Zealand on 8 December 1915, the fourth birthday of Meghann "Meggie" Cleary who is the only daughter of Padriac ("Paddy"), an Irish farm labourer, and Fiona ("Fee"), his wife. ... (Wikipedia)

  4. The Call of the Wild

    by Jack London
    A dog's adventure in the wilderness, confronting the primal struggle for survival.

    The story opens in 1897 with Buck, a powerful 140-pound St. Bernard – Scotch Collie mix, , , happily living in California 's Santa Clara Valley as the pampered pet of Judge Miller and his family. One ... (Wikipedia)

  5. The Brothers Lionheart

    by Astrid Lindgren
    Two brothers experience a heroic journey to a fantastical realm in order to save their kingdom.

    In an unnamed Swedish city, ten year-old Karl Lejon has found out that he is going to die from an unspecified pulmonary disease (most likely tuberculosis ). His adored big brother, 13-year-old ... (Wikipedia)

  6. Sophie's World

    by Jostein Gaarder
    A journey of philosophical discovery told through a young girl's exploration of the world.

    Sophie Amundsen is a 14-year-old girl who lives in Lillesand , Norway. The book begins with Sophie receiving two messages in her mailbox and a postcard addressed to Hilde Møller Knag. Afterwards, she ... (Wikipedia)

  7. Around the World in Eighty Days

    by Jules Verne
    An epic journey of adventure and exploration, pushing the boundaries of the known world.

    The story starts in London on Wednesday, 2 October 1872. Phileas Fogg is a rich British gentleman living a solitary life. Despite his wealth, Fogg lives a modest life with habits carried out with ... (Wikipedia)

  8. Treasure Island

    by Robert Louis Stevenson
    A thrilling adventure of a young boy and a crew of rogues in search of buried treasure.

    An old sailor named Billy Bones comes to lodge in the rural Admiral Benbow Inn on the Bristol Channel , in England. He tells the innkeeper's son, Jim Hawkins , to keep a lookout for "a one-legged ... (Wikipedia)

  9. Perfume: The Story of a Murderer

    by Patrick Süskind
    A murder mystery set in 18th century France, exploring the depths of human obsession.

    An acclaimed bestseller and international sensation, Patrick Suskind's classic novel provokes a terrifying examination of what happens when one man's indulgence in his greatest passion—his sense of ... (Goodreads)

  10. La Dame aux Camélias

    by Alexandre Dumas (Fils)
    A young woman's descent into a life of debauchery and its consequences.

    One of the greatest love stories of all time, this novel has fascinated generations of readers. Dumas's subtle and moving portrait of a woman in love is based on his own love affair with one of the ... (Goodreads)

  11. The Wonderful Adventures of Nils

    by Selma Lagerlöf
    A young boy's journey of self-discovery, as he explores the Swedish wilderness.

    Winner of the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1909 — the first woman to be so honored — Swedish novelist Selma Lagerlöf (1858–1940) was a gifted storyteller whose writings were often tinged with the ... (Goodreads)

  12. White Fang

    by Jack London
    A wolfdog's journey from wild to domestication, navigating the complexities of human civilization.

    The story begins before the wolf-dog hybrid is born, with two men and their sled dog team on a journey to deliver the coffin of Lord Alfred to a remote town named Fort McGurry in the higher area of ... (Wikipedia)

  13. Kane & Abel

    by Jeffrey Archer
    Two rival men, from different backgrounds, fight for success and power in a cutthroat world.

    The book tells the stories of two men born worlds apart. They have nothing in common except the same date of birth (18 April 1906 in the book, and 1901 in the miniseries based on it) and a zeal to ... (Wikipedia)

  14. Kitchen

    by Banana Yoshimoto
    A young woman's journey of self-discovery and healing, exploring the kitchen of her dreams.

    From Mikage's love of kitchens to her job as a culinary teacher's assistant to the multiple scenes in which food is merely present, Kitchen is a short window into the life of a young Japanese woman ... (Wikipedia)

  15. Five Weeks in a Balloon

    by Jules Verne
    An adventure-filled journey to explore the African continent in a hot-air balloon.

    A scholar and explorer, Dr. Samuel Fergusson, accompanied by his manservant Joe and his friend professional hunter Richard "Dick" Kennedy, sets out to travel across the African continent — still not ... (Wikipedia)

  16. The Happy Prince

    by Oscar Wilde
    Fairy tale about a statue of a prince, whose golden heart brings joy to all around him.

    More than a hundred years ago, Oscar Wilde created this moving story for his children. Now shimmering illustrations, as bejeweled and golden as the Prince himself, give glowing life to the many ... (Goodreads)

  17. Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea

    by Jules Verne
    A thrilling adventure beneath the depths of the sea, discovering a strange and wondrous world.

    During the year 1866, ships of various nationalities sight a mysterious sea monster , which, it is later suggested, might be a gigantic narwhal . The U.S. government assembles an expedition in New ... (Wikipedia)

  18. The Assault

    by Harry Mulisch
    A young boy's struggle to come to terms with his father's past during WWII.

    The novel consists of a brief prologue and five "episodes" dated 1945, 1952, 1956, 1966, and 1981. Twelve-year-old Anton Steenwijk is living with his parents and older brother on the outskirts of ... (Wikipedia)

  19. South of the Border, West of the Sun

    by Haruki Murakami
    A married man's reflections on a once-in-a-lifetime love affair, and his struggle to reconcile the past with the present.

    Alternate cover edition, here,. Growing up in the suburbs of post-war Japan, it seemed to Hajime that everyone but him had brothers and sisters. His sole companion was Shimamoto, also an only child. ... (Goodreads)

  20. Flipped

    by Wendelin Van Draanen
    A boy and girl's perspectives on their relationship change as they grow up.

    Julianna 'Juli' Baker meets Bryce Loski two weeks before the beginning of second grade. Though Juli believes she’s in love, Bryce is annoyed by her constant and persistent attention. In elementary ... (Wikipedia)

  21. The Three Musketeers

    by Alexandre Dumas
    An adventurous tale of friendship, courage, and battle in 17th century France.

    In 1625 France, d'Artagnan leaves his family in Gascony and travels to Paris to join the Musketeers of the Guard . At a house in Meung-sur-Loire , an older man derides d'Artagnan's horse. Insulted, ... (Wikipedia)

  22. The Gambler

    by Fyodor Dostoevsky
    A story of addiction and gambling, and the psychological depths of a man’s desperation.

    The first-person narrative is told from the point of view of Alexei Ivanovich, a tutor working for a Russian family living in a suite at a German hotel. The patriarch of the family, The General, is ... (Wikipedia)

  23. The Complete Fairy Tales

    by Hans Christian Andersen
    A collection of classic fairy tales, including "The Little Mermaid" and "The Ugly Duckling," exploring themes of love, loss, and transformation.

    All of the magic and wonder of Complete Fairy Tales and Stories: Hans Christian Andersen is brought to you in this elegant leatherbound edition. Featuring beautiful detailing and eye-catching end ... (Barnes & Noble)

  24. Blindness

    by José Saramago
    A society is plunged into chaos when everyone suddenly loses their sight.

    Blindness is the story of an unexplained mass epidemic of blindness afflicting nearly everyone in an unnamed city, and the social breakdown that swiftly follows. The novel follows the misfortune of a ... (Wikipedia)

  25. An American Tragedy

    by Theodore Dreiser
    A young man's ambition leads him to commit a heinous crime, and he must face the consequences of his actions.

    Ambitious, handsome, but poorly educated, naïve, and immature, Clyde Griffiths is raised by poor and devoutly religious parents to help in their street missionary work. As a young adult, Clyde must, ... (Wikipedia)

  26. Veronika Decides to Die

    by Paulo Coelho
    A young woman's journey of self-discovery, learning to confront mortality and the power of love.

    Veronika is a young woman from Ljubljana , Slovenia, who appears to have a perfect life, but nevertheless decides to commit suicide by overdosing with sleeping pills. While she waits to die, she ... (Wikipedia)

  27. The Secret History

    by Donna Tartt
    A small group of misfit college students uncover a sinister secret and their lives become entangled with dangerous consequences.

    Under the influence of their charismatic classics professor, a group of clever, eccentric misfits at an elite New England college discover a way of thinking and living that is a world away from the ... (Goodreads)

  28. The Iliad

    by Homer
    Epic tale of the Trojan War, depicting heroism and tragedy.

    Dating to the ninth century B.C., Homer’s timeless poem still vividly conveys the horror and heroism of men and gods wrestling with towering emotions and battling amidst devastation and destruction, ... (Goodreads)

  29. The Hunchback of Notre-Dame

    by Victor Hugo
    A story of love, loyalty and redemption set amidst the stunning architecture of 15th century Paris.

    The story is set in Paris in 1482 during the reign of Louis XI . The Romani Esmeralda (born as Agnes) captures the hearts of many men, including those of Captain Phoebus and Pierre Gringoire , but ... (Wikipedia)

  30. The Master and Margarita

    by Mikhail Bulgakov
    A fantastical, satirical examination of Soviet life, intersecting with the supernatural.

    The novel has two settings. The first is Moscow during the 1930s, where Satan appears at Patriarch's Ponds as Professor Woland . He is accompanied by Koroviev, a grotesquely-dressed valet; Behemoth , ... (Wikipedia)