Can we ever fully trust our senses, or are they too unreliable to perceive the world as it is? In this collection, we gather texts that explore the idea of appearance versus reality, from classics such as Aristotle's On the Soul to contemporary bestsellers like Jia Tolentino's Trick Mirror.
Publication year 2017
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Society: Community, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Society: War, Relationships: Fathers, Natural World: Appearance & Reality
Tags Historical Fiction, Fantasy, Magical Realism, Grief / Death, American Civil War, Religion / Spirituality, History: U.S., Race / Racism, American Literature, History: World
The novel Lincoln in the Bardo by George Saunders, published by Random House in 2017, offers a portrait of an American legend in mourning, surrounded by a poignant but funny cast of 166 characters. It is Saunders’s debut novel, though he has been a notable author of short story collections for decades. The novel won the prestigious Man Booker Prize and was a New York Times best seller.Set in 1862, Lincoln in the Bardo is... Read Lincoln in the Bardo Summary
Publication year 2024
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Gender, Identity: Masculinity, Identity: Mental Health, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Crime / Legal, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2002
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Values/Ideas: Literature, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Natural World: Environment, Relationships: Marriage
Tags Free verse, Lyric Poem, Play: Comedy / Satire, American Literature, Love / Sexuality
Publication year 1598
Genre Play, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Masculinity, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Relationships: Marriage, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Classic Fiction, Play: Comedy / Satire, British Literature, Drama / Tragedy, Romance, Humor
Love’s Labour’s Lost is an early Shakespearean comedy, produced in the burgeoning theatrical culture of Elizabethan London. It tells the story of four Lords, led by the King of Navarre, who swear to dedicate three years to study and avoid women. However, they immediately fall in love with four ladies, led by the Princess of France. The play follows their attempts to woo the ladies, while a host of comedic characters in the subplot squabble... Read Love's Labour's Lost Summary
Publication year 2023
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Gender, Identity: Masculinity, Identity: Sexuality, Self Discovery, Relationships: Mothers, Society: Education, Values/Ideas: Equality
Tags Romance, Education, Gender / Feminism, Love / Sexuality, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2019
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Life/Time: Birth, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Society: Community, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology
Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Technology, Love / Sexuality, British Literature, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2006
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Self Discovery, Society: Community
Tags Romance, Drama / Tragedy, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 1965
Genre Play, Fiction
Themes Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Courage
Tags Historical Fiction, Play: Drama, Music, Humor, Play: Historical, Education, Education, Drama / Tragedy, Romance, Classic Fiction
Man of La Mancha, by Dale Wasserman, Joe Darion, and Mitch Leigh, took the world of musical theater by storm when it premiered in 1965. This story of Miguel de Cervantes and his comic knight, Don Quixote, won five Tony Awards as well as the Drama Critics Circle Award, the Outer Critics Circle Award, the Variety Drama Critics Award, and the Saturday Review Award. The original production ran for over 2,000 performances and remains popular... Read Man of La Mancha Summary
Publication year 1731
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Fate, Natural World: Appearance & Reality
Tags Classic Fiction, French Literature
Manon Lescaut, written by Abbé Antoine Francois Prévost and published in 1731, is perhaps best described as a novella. Originally just a small piece of Prévost’s seven-volume work, Memoirs and Adventures of a Man of Quality, it quickly became very popular and is now Prévost’s most well-known work. Memoirs is a fictional autobiography of Monsieur de Renoncour, who introduces Manon Lescaut, which is in turn narrated by the protagonist of the story, the Chevalier Des... Read Manon Lescaut Summary
Publication year 2015
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Natural World: Nurture v. Nature, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Action / Adventure, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Science / Nature, Education, Technology, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Children's Literature
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Natural World: Space & The Universe, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Natural World: Objects
Tags Philosophy, Education, Education, Philosophy, History: World, Classical Period, Classic Fiction, Ancient Greece, Science / Nature
Aristotle’s Metaphysics, a foundational text in Western philosophy, is attributed to the ancient Greek philosopher and polymath Aristotle and is believed to have been compiled around 350 BCE. As a work of philosophy, the book, thought to be based on his lectures and subsequently recorded by his students, dwells in the genre of metaphysical inquiry, exploring topics such as existence, reality, and the nature of being. Aristotle, a student of Plato and a teacher to... Read Metaphysics Summary
Publication year 2019
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Natural World: Animals, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Natural World: Food, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Grandparents, Relationships: Mothers, Society: Class, Society: Community, Society: Economics, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Romance, Southern Literature, Modern Classic Fiction, Magical Realism, Fantasy
Publication year 1994
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Natural World: Appearance & Reality
Tags Creative Nonfiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Southern Literature, History: World, Travel Literature, Classic Fiction
Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, John Berendt’s 1994 bestseller, is a combination of travelogue, true crime, autobiography, and Southern gothic. The nonfiction book chronicles Berendt’s experience living in Savannah, Georgia, during a sensational murder trial. Just as gripping as the drama is the author’s exploration into Savannah culture and the unusual array of people whom he meets during his eight years living there. It was an immediate success when first published, staying... Read Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil Summary
Publication year 1925
Genre Essay / Speech, Nonfiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Literature, Life/Time: The Past, Natural World: Appearance & Reality
Tags Modernism, Education, Education, British Literature, Literary Criticism, History: World, Philosophy, Philosophy, Classic Fiction
Publication year 1931
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Identity: Mental Health, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Values/Ideas: Art
Tags Psychology, Philosophy, Religion / Spirituality, Science / Nature, Psychology, Philosophy, Self Help, Classic Fiction
Publication year 2003
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Relationships: Teams, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Natural World: Appearance & Reality
Tags Business / Economics, Sports, Science / Nature, History: World, Biography
Moneyball: The Art of Winning an Unfair Game is a nonfiction book by Michael Lewis published in 2003 by W. W. Norton. Lewis holds a master’s degree in economics and made his writing debut with the acclaimed Liar’s Poker (1989), based on his experience working for the investment bank Salomon Brothers. This background prepared him for Moneyball, a book about how statistics is applied to baseball in a method known as sabermetrics. A movie adaptation... Read Moneyball Summary
Publication year 2010
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Emotions/Behavior: Nostalgia, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: The Past, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Natural World: Place, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship, Society: Community, Society: Class, Society: Economics, Society: Immigration, Society: Education, Society: War, Society: Politics & Government, Society: Nation, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Literature, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt
Tags Historical Fiction, Children's Literature, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Realistic Fiction, History: World
Moon Over Manifest is a 2010 novel by author Claire Vanderpool. It relates the story of 12-year-old Abilene Tucker, a drifting girl in search of her father, a home, and a sense of belonging. When the novel starts, her father, Gideon Tucker, has just sent Abilene to the Kansas town of Manifest, claiming that he can’t take her to Iowa, where he is allegedly taking a railroad job. It is 1936, and the Great Depression... Read Moon Over Manifest Summary
Publication year 2010
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Race, Natural World: Animals, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Life/Time: The Past, Natural World: Place, Relationships: Family, Society: Colonialism, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality
Tags Humor, Magical Realism, Allegory / Fable / Parable, Fantasy, Realistic Fiction, Addiction / Substance Abuse, Social Justice, Race / Racism, Religion / Spirituality, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Education, Education
Publication year 2009
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Marriage, Relationships: Mothers, Relationships: Siblings, Society: Class, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice
Publication year 1890
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Identity: Mental Health, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Society: Class
Tags Free verse