The book is a profound exploration of identity and the human condition, revolving around a man who is arrested upon his return to his home country, Switzerland, after spending time in America. Although he insists he is not the man, Stiller, that everyone believes him to be, his protests are ignored. The story unfolds as he writes in his prison cell, reflecting on his past life and relationships, and grappling with the question of who he truly is. It's a thought-provoking narrative that challenges conventional notions of selfhood and personal identity.

This novel is a first-person account of a young man who leaves his privileged life to enroll at a school for servants in Berlin. The protagonist's observations and experiences in the school, his interactions with the headmaster and other students, and his internal struggles and reflections form the crux of the story. The narrative, imbued with irony and dark humor, explores themes of power, submission, individuality, and the absurdity of societal norms and expectations.

"Heidi" is a heartwarming tale about a young orphan girl named Heidi who is sent to live with her grumpy grandfather in the Swiss Alps. Despite the initial challenges she faces, Heidi's pure and joyful spirit brings warmth and happiness to the people around her. Through her adventures and friendships, Heidi learns important lessons about love, resilience, and the beauty of nature.

"Green Henry" is a semi-autobiographical novel that chronicles the life of a young man who dreams of becoming a painter but faces countless obstacles on his journey. The protagonist leaves his Swiss village and travels to Munich to study art, but his lack of discipline and financial difficulties force him to return home. After his mother's death, he begins to reassess his life and eventually finds his place in society. The novel explores themes of identity, ambition, and the struggle between individual desires and societal expectations.

This book is an autobiography of a renowned psychologist who shares his life experiences, insights, and the development of his theories. The narrative delves into his childhood, his career, his relationship with Sigmund Freud, and his exploration into the human psyche. It also provides an in-depth look at the author's dreams and visions, which greatly influenced his work, and his thoughts on subjects such as life after death, reincarnation, and the collective unconscious.

This book tells the story of an elderly artist and her six-year-old granddaughter as they spend a summer together on a tiny island in the Gulf of Finland. Their interactions, conversations, and explorations of the natural world around them form a delicate and deeply touching portrayal of the bond between generations, the beauty of the surrounding landscape, and the quiet, introspective moments that define our lives. The narrative is a series of vignettes, each a meditation on life, death, nature, and the human condition.

"Belle du Seigneur" is a tragic love story set in the 1930s, revolving around a high-ranking Jewish official who works for the League of Nations and his passionate affair with a married Swiss aristocrat. The narrative delves deep into their intense relationship, exploring themes of obsession, self-destruction, and existential despair, all set against the backdrop of the impending Second World War. The novel is also notable for its satirical portrayal of diplomatic life and its exploration of Jewish identity.

"Adolphe" is a semi-autobiographical novel that tells the story of a young man, Adolphe, who falls in love with an older woman, Ellénore. The novel explores the complexities and consequences of their illicit love affair, as Adolphe struggles with his feelings and societal expectations. The story delves into themes of love, power, freedom, and the individual versus society, offering a profound psychological and moral insight into human nature.

"Homo Faber" is a novel about a man named Walter Faber, a highly rational and logical Swiss engineer who believes strongly in technology and progress. His life is turned upside down when he survives a plane crash in the Mexican desert, falls in love with a young woman who turns out to be his daughter, and then loses her to a tragic death. This series of events forces him to question his faith in technology and confront the irrationality of life.

The Unknown Soldier is a profound narrative of the Continuation War between Finland and the Soviet Union during World War II. The story follows a machine gun company from diverse backgrounds and social classes, portraying their experiences, camaraderie, and the harsh realities of war. It offers a balanced perspective on the conflict, highlighting individual heroism, the brutality of warfare, and the mundane aspects of military life. The book is renowned for its realistic depiction of the war and its impact on the soldiers.

This groundbreaking book explores the five stages of grief experienced by terminally ill patients. The author, a Swiss-American psychiatrist, introduces the concept of the five stages: denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance, which has since been universally recognized and applied in various fields. The book is based on the author's series of interviews with dying patients, providing an empathetic and insightful look into the emotional and psychological experiences of those facing death.

The novel follows the adventures of an eccentric, violent, and mentally unstable protagonist who is released from an asylum by his psychiatrist. The pair embark on a chaotic journey across Europe and America, encountering a variety of strange and often dangerous situations. The narrative explores themes of insanity, violence, and the human condition, offering a dark and surreal critique of modern society.

This classic novel follows the adventures of a Swiss family who are shipwrecked on a deserted tropical island. Through ingenuity, hard work, and family cooperation, they overcome the challenges of isolation and the dangers of an unknown environment. The story showcases their efforts to build a new life for themselves, exploring and adapting to their surroundings, discovering new plants and animals, and creating a home filled with love and learning. It is a tale of survival, resourcefulness, and the strength of the human spirit in the face of adversity.

This book is a gripping crime story that delves into the complexities of human nature and the limitations of the justice system. It follows the journey of a retired police detective who becomes obsessed with solving the murder of a young girl, promising the victim's parents to find the perpetrator. As he delves deeper into the investigation, his methods become increasingly unconventional, straying from standard police procedure and relying instead on a meticulously crafted plan to catch the killer. The narrative challenges the conventional detective story format, exploring themes of obsession, the unpredictability of life, and the moral ambiguities of justice, ultimately questioning whether the ends justify the means in the pursuit of truth.

The book is a narrative about an elderly man who, isolated in his home during a rainstorm in the Swiss Alps, reflects on his life, mortality, and the human condition. The protagonist spends his time reading encyclopedic entries and clipping them to his wall, creating a mosaic of human knowledge and history. The narrative is interspersed with these entries, presenting a blend of fiction and non-fiction, and exploring themes of memory, time, and the fleeting nature of human existence.

"The Kalevala" is an epic poem that compiles Finnish and Karelian folklore into a cohesive narrative. It is centered around the hero Väinämöinen, a shamanistic figure with magical powers, and his adventures with other characters such as the blacksmith Ilmarinen and the reckless Lemminkäinen. The book covers a wide range of themes, from creation myths and heroic quests to romance and revenge, providing a rich tapestry of ancient Finnish culture and mythology.

"The Black Spider" is a chilling and haunting tale set in a small Swiss village. It tells the story of a pact made with the devil by the villagers' ancestors, resulting in a curse that manifests in the form of a black spider. As the spider spreads terror and death, the villagers must confront their own sins and grapple with the consequences of their forefathers' actions. This dark and atmospheric novella explores themes of guilt, redemption, and the destructive power of evil.

This book is a crime novel set in Switzerland, where a police lieutenant is tasked with solving the murder of his former colleague. The narrative explores themes of justice, revenge, and the blurred lines between good and evil. The lieutenant, despite being terminally ill, is determined to solve the case and in the process, he uncovers a web of corruption and deceit that forces him to question his own morality and the nature of justice. The story is a philosophical examination of the criminal justice system and the moral dilemmas faced by those who enforce the law.

"The Manila Rope" is a novel that explores the experiences of a group of Finnish soldiers during World War II. The narrative follows the soldiers as they are tasked with transporting a massive, cumbersome coil of rope across challenging terrains, a task that becomes increasingly absurd and futile as the story progresses. The book uses this premise to delve into the harsh realities and absurdities of war, highlighting the human capacity for resilience and camaraderie in the face of adversity.

A burnt-out journalist on assignment in the Finnish countryside hits a hare with his car, leading to a life-changing experience. He decides to leave his job, wife, and mundane life behind to live in the wilderness with the injured hare he has nursed back to health. The story follows his humorous and sometimes philosophical adventures as he adapts to his new life, meeting a variety of eccentric characters along the way.

The book is an in-depth exploration of the concept of love as it has evolved in Western society, tracing its development from the myth of Tristan and Iseult to modern times. The author argues that the idea of passionate, romantic love that is prevalent in the West is fundamentally a form of destructive passion, often leading to pain and tragedy. The book also delves into the socio-cultural aspects of love, examining how societal norms and expectations shape our understanding and experience of love.

This classic novel from Finnish literature tells the story of seven brothers who struggle with societal norms and expectations in 19th-century Finland. The brothers, living on their ancestral farm, are unruly and resistant to education and religious conformity, leading them into conflicts with local villagers. Opting for a life of independence and freedom, they retreat into the wilderness, where they face the challenges of survival and the process of self-discovery. Through their adventures and misadventures, the novel explores themes of individualism, brotherhood, and the tension between civilization and nature, all while celebrating the Finnish language and landscape.

This novel delves into the profound impacts of World War I on the Finnish countryside, focusing on the life of a soldier who returns home to find his world irrevocably changed. Through his eyes, readers experience the struggle of rural Finns as they navigate the harsh realities of war and its aftermath, grappling with loss, change, and the challenge of rebuilding their lives. The narrative beautifully captures the resilience of the human spirit and the enduring strength of community ties in the face of adversity, offering a poignant exploration of the themes of survival, identity, and the search for meaning in a transformed world.

The novel is a sweeping historical epic set in ancient Egypt, following the life of Sinuhe, a physician who rises from humble beginnings to become a trusted confidant of pharaohs and kings. Through Sinuhe's eyes, readers experience the political intrigue, war, and religious turmoil of the time, as he travels across known civilizations, from Babylon to Crete, engaging with historical figures and experiencing the cultural richness of the era. His personal journey of love, betrayal, and search for meaning is set against the backdrop of the fall of the Egyptian empire, providing a vivid tapestry of the human condition and the ebb and flow of destiny.

The novel is a sweeping historical narrative set in ancient Egypt, following the life of a physician named Sinuhe from his humble beginnings to his rise through Egyptian society. As a witness to the political machinations and cultural shifts of his time, Sinuhe encounters love, betrayal, and the complexities of human nature against the backdrop of significant historical events, including the reign of Pharaoh Akhenaten and the religious revolution he instigated. Through his travels and experiences, Sinuhe reflects on the nature of fate, power, and the eternal search for meaning in a changing world.