All of this author's books are more or less similar to one another: it's drama, with love, friendship, betrayal, war, strong feelings, doubts and joys... In other words, Erich Maria Remarque (1898 - 1970, Germany) writes about life, in all its beauty and with all its horrors. I wouldn't say that his books contain some incredible philosophical ideas or stories of individual development, but they do have real, living human feelings, tears and pain, the sadness of longing and separation, and true friendship. He writes simply and clearly, but describes such emotionally powerful events and cases that you live through all his books together with the characters, and you're rarely released from a gripping feeling called life.

Erich Maria himself participated in the war and saw everything with his own eyes. I couldn't recommend a better source if you want to look into the trenches of World War II soldiers, listen to what they talk about, their simple words about important things. After reading Remarque, you begin to understand that there is nothing worse than war. And also, you understand that there's essentially no difference between a German and a French, or a German and a Russian soldier, and we're all people, and we're all equally similar to each other.

I would call his books "books about life as it is, when it's truly being lived." And we're talking mostly about completely ordinary people. I definitely recommend "Three Comrades," "Arch of Triumph," "Heaven Has No Favorites," "The Road Back". After finishing one, you'll know what awaits you in the others; reading his books is a great way to spend a winter evening, to be temporarily imbued with pleasant rainy fatalism, to recharge with feelings.

Quotes

Three Comrades (1936)

How strange all you young people of today are. You hate the past, you despise the present, and the future is indifferent to you. It's unlikely to lead to a good end.

Heaven Has No Favorites (1961)

Reason was given to man so that he would understand: one cannot live by reason alone.

Arch of Triumph (1945)

Women should either be worshipped or left. Everything else is a lie.