58 years ago, UNESCO designated September 8 as International Literacy Day.

To celebrate together, last week we asked our first-year students what they had read most recently and what their favorite novels were. The answers revealed a real treasure trove: timeless classics, soul-stirring stories, spine-tingling thrillers and crime novels, as well as contemporary favorites.

The list of favorite books included required reading (e.g., Dostoevsky: Crime and Punishment, Imre Madách: The Tragedy of Man, Magda Szabó: The Door), but also other classics—Jane Austen: Pride and Prejudice, Alexandre Dumas: The Count of Monte Cristo, George Orwell: Animal Farm. Many of you also mentioned Agatha Christie’s detective stories, where a new mystery awaits the reader on every page. But you didn’t forget about the defining book series of the 21st century either, mentioning the Harry Potter series, The Hunger Games, and The Percy Jackson series among your favorite books.

The list of most recently read books is just as varied.

Some of you spent your time reading classics, such as Sándor Márai, George Orwell, and Sylvia Path. Others ventured into different worlds with Brandon Sanderson (The Stormlight Archives) and Suzanne Collins (The Hunger Games). Many of you read crime novels and thrillers: Agatha Christie, Dan Brown, and Lee Child were mentioned.

These books prove that reading is not only entertaining, but also reveals excitement, secrets, and new worlds.

Let’s celebrate the joy of reading together!