Studying literature in the university was one of the deepest life-changing experiences in my life. I wouldn’t really be the person I am if I hadn’t been exposed to so much great literature and hadn’t been in contact with so many amazing teachers in the process.
Thank you for mentioning Fernando Pessoa. I started reading the ‘O Livro do Desassossego’ but I still find it a bit difficult. Later I will try to read some of you other titles as well.
My personal favorite and most important book is the Tao Te Ching. I’ve read it many times and in many English translations, although I think the Richard Wilhelm edition is definitive. I have also read it French (two different versions), Spanish, Italian, and Korean (in progress). One day, and many years from now, I hope to read it in the original Chinese language.
Although Pessoa is not one of the most difficult poets in the Portuguese language, poetry tends to be difficult in any language (even though, as you’ve noticed, ‘O livro do desassossego’ is more prose than poetry). At any given point in my life I’ll say I have a different favourite among Pessoa’s heteronyms, but I always go back to Alberto Caeiro. ‘O guardador de rebanhos’ is probably my favourite poetry book, and it’s somewhat simpler than ‘O livro do desassossego’. If you like poetry, you should look into Carlos Drummond de Andrade, who’s my favourite Brazilian poet.
You can see here for yourself how Alberto Caeiro’s language is somewhat simpler and more straight-forward than Bernardo Soares’ (the heteronym under which Pessoa wrote ‘O livro do desassossego’):
http://www.dominiopublico.gov.br/download/texto/pe000001.pdf
edit: I always get goosebumps when I read these poems.
English: Robinson Crusoe,Great Expectations
Russian: Crime and Punishment,The Karamazov Brothers
Ha, ha! I really liked “The Magic Faraway Tree” when I was young. If “Run, Dick, Run!” helped you to learn to read it must be one of the most important books for you. All else follows!
Though I can’t argue that the Bible is not a very influential book, I have to say that the Qu’ran is way more influential that Darwin’s and Freud’s works( though no one can compare a book written by a mere human with one passed down to us by God).
I was jesting…^^ However, I did like The Magic Faraway Tree, and enjoyed reading it to my children.