Charles Darwin
On the Origin of Species: what to read next?
Books close in genre, era, author or reading level, to read in bilingual editions.
Karl MarxThe Communist ManifestoWritten on the eve of the 1848 revolutions, this short text presents history as a succession of struggles between classes. Marx and Engels describe the rise of the bourgeoisie, the way industry transformed labour, and the formation of a working class they hold bound to…Same genreSame era
PlatoThe RepublicSocrates, a provocative philosopher, engages in a dialogue with several interlocutors to define justice and imagine the ideal city. Through these exchanges, he explores education, power, truth, and the role of rulers. He defends the idea of a government guided by knowledge and…Same genre
Emma GoldmanAnarchism and Other EssaysEmma Goldman, a committed activist, develops a radical reflection on individual freedom, society, and power structures. Through her essays, she critiques political, economic, and social institutions, proposing an alternative vision based on autonomy and justice. Her ideas…Same genre
Niccolò MachiavelliThe PrinceAn ambitious ruler seeks to seize and maintain power in an unstable and dangerous world. Through concrete examples and direct strategies, he learns to manipulate alliances, anticipate threats, and impose his authority. The author lays bare the mechanisms of power, where…Same genre
ChateaubriandMemoirs from Beyond the Grave, Volume 4 (1815–1828)This fourth volume of the Memoirs from Beyond the Grave covers the years 1815 to 1828. Chateaubriand, writer and statesman, tells of the Hundred Days, which he spends in Ghent with King Louis XVIII, of the Battle of Waterloo heard from afar, and then of Napoleon’s exile and…Same genreSame era
Fyodor DostoevskyCrime and PunishmentRaskolnikov, a poor student in Saint Petersburg, believes that certain men can transgress moral laws to achieve great things. He commits a crime he deems justified but is quickly consumed by intense inner turmoil. Between guilt, fear, and pride, his mind wavers as those around…Same genreSame era
May SinclairThe CreatorsAn English novel, subtitled “A Comedy”. In London in 1902, Jane Holland, a young novelist, suddenly becomes famous. Her friend George Tanqueray, a writer of genius still unknown to the public, warns her that celebrity is the beginning of the end. Jane loves him in secret, but…Same countrySame genre
Émile ZolaLourdesOne August morning, the national pilgrimage leaves Paris for Lourdes, with whole trains full of the sick and of pilgrims. On board are Marie de Guersaint, a young woman who can no longer walk, and Father Pierre Froment, her childhood friend, who became a priest but no longer…Same genre
Henry ThoreauWaldenThoreau, seeking simplicity, settles alone near Walden Pond to live in self-sufficiency. He observes nature, reduces his needs to the bare essentials, and reflects on modern society. Through his experience, he questions work, consumption, and dominant values. This text blends…Same genreSame era
SunziThe Art of WarSunzi, a military strategist, sets out the fundamental principles of war and of victory without direct confrontation. He analyzes how to anticipate, manipulate, and adapt in order to dominate an opponent efficiently. Each idea rests on observation, discipline, and a clear…Same genre
Honoré de BalzacThe Wild Ass's SkinRuined and resolved to die, young Raphaël de Valentin walks into an antique shop, where the dealer gives him a wild ass's skin covered with signs. The talisman grants every wish of its owner, but it shrinks with each wish, and its master's life shrinks with it. Rich overnight,…Same genreSame era
Friedrich NietzscheThus Spoke ZarathustraZarathustra, a solitary thinker, descends among men to share his vision of the world and to question established values. Through his speeches, he invites them to go beyond traditional beliefs and to create their own rules. His often provocative teaching pushes the reader to…Same genreSame era