Modern writers from BRICS countries worth reading

Contemporary literature from the BRICS countries extends far beyond national borders. Writers and poets from Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa and other member states create works that speak the universal language of human emotions and experiences. Modern authors offer readers around the world a unique blend of cultural traditions and relevant themes.

In recent years, this dialogue has reached a new level: international festivals in Kazan and Hangzhou, joint projects and literary forums have created a space for creative interaction.

This article highlights several contemporary authors from BRICS countries whose works deserve the attention of readers across the world.

Voices of the continents

Modern Brazilian literature impresses with its diversity of genres and themes. Having absorbed the lessons of Romanticism and Naturalism, such titans as Clarice Lispector, Lima Barreto and Jorge Amado refined a distinctive national style, integrating the Brazilian voice into the global movements of Modernism and Magical Realism. Contemporary Brazilian prose is multilayered, expressive and delightfully complex – it has much to offer even the most sophisticated reader.

Paulo Coelho is often called a phenomenon of world literature. His "The Alchemist" (over 40 million copies sold) explores the spiritual journey through Sufi parables and the symbolism of a treasure-hunting story, building a bridge between cultures.

At the centre of "The Club of Angels" by another Brazilian author, Luis Fernando Verissimo, is an elite club of gourmets who meet monthly for exquisite feasts that turn into crime scenes. What makes the novel unusual is that the reader knows from the very beginning who commits the crimes and how.

Milton Hatoum, a master of the family saga, tells an epic story in "Two Brothers" about the rivalry between twins set against the backdrop of 20th-century Manaus, exploring the destructive power of family ties and social transformation.

Indian authors, on the other hand, often combine magical realism with social satire. Booker Prize laureate Salman Rushdie ("The Moor’s Last Sigh", "The Golden House") explores migration and identity crises in a globalised world. Arundhati Roy ("The God of Small Things") depicts the tragedy of the caste system through the story of children, while Aravind Adiga ("The White Tiger") exposes the myth of “New India” through the voice of a driver from the slums.

South African literature offers readers not only reflection on the past but also deep engagement with universal questions of human existence. Its globally recognised authors explore moral dilemmas, the complexity of relationships, and the nature of loneliness and resilience with rare insight. The works of Nobel laureate John Maxwell Coetzee, such as "Disgrace" and "Life and Times of Michael K.", examine the fragility of human dignity, the instinct to survive, and the search for personal freedom in the face of insurmountable circumstances. The stories and novels of Nadine Gordimer (Nobel laureate, 1991), including "The Conservationist" and "My Son’s Story", reveal with remarkable precision the intricacy of family ties, the ambiguity of love and betrayal, and the painful search for identity in a changing world. André Brink is known for his powerful, often mythologised novels ("An Instant in the Wind", "A Dry White Season"), in which passion, duty and moral choice unfold on an epic canvas.

The literature of BRICS countries continues to expand its influence: translations, festivals, and joint projects are shaping a new cultural landscape. Authors address vital issues such as social injustice, historical memory, and the search for beauty in chaos. Today, these are more than just books. Each novel is a dialogue; each poem, a handshake across oceans. And while the future of literature is being discussed in Kazan and shared poems are being composed in Hangzhou, the true wonder happens in the reader’s hands – when one opens a book and realises that across continents, people feel the same emotions and speak the same language of the heart.

Material provided by BRICS Bloggers Team participant and resident of the Centre for New Media, Natalya Khaimova.

The Autonomous Non-Commercial Organisation " Resource Centre for New Media" collaborates with over 500 bloggers. They are engaged in promoting working professions, domestic and international tourism, and promoting the brand of regions. Influencers receive opportunities to develop their media presence, competencies and useful communications, can create joint projects within the community and promote quality content on social networks.