Timeless classics: book recommendations from Yekaterina Andreyeva

Yekaterina Andreyeva, television presenter and journalist, met participants of the Young Journalists School at the National Centre RUSSIA. She shared professional secrets and answered questions, one of which was personal: whether the long-standing presenter of the programme "Vremya" has favourite books and authors she could recommend to her future colleagues.

Yekaterina Andreyeva admitted that she read a lot as a child, but rarely rereads books because her memory allows her to remember their content well. First of all, she advised young journalists to pay attention to Russian classics.

"One of my favourite writers is Mikhail Bulgakov. In my view, 'The Master and Margarita' is a work for the ages; it will never lose its relevance. Chekhov and Bunin may suit a delicate, sensitive nature. I love Tolstoy very much. I love Dostoevsky less: he showed such depth and essence of the Russian character that at some point it frightened me. At that time, I was not ready for such a serious exploration of the human soul. At the same time, I understand why foreigners value Dostoevsky: in his books, they find the key to understanding the Russian soul," Yekaterina Andreyeva said.

Among foreign classic writers, the television presenter advised the participants to pay attention to Jerome Salinger: in her view, this author is well suited to young readers. Somerset Maugham, she said, can help with personal development.

Yekaterina Andreyeva also gave a universal book recommendation for every occasion: "As a child, I had the 'World Library', and I read it from cover to cover. I can recommend exactly that: the editors of this collection selected the best of world literature, so you can safely read everything in it."

The Young Journalists School is a joint educational project of the National Centre RUSSIA and the Movement of the First, supported by the Ministry of Education of the Russian Federation. The programme gives teenagers an opportunity to learn how Russia’s largest media outlets work, master working with text, photos and video, learn to check facts and honestly assess the advantages and disadvantages of the journalistic profession.