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 1905
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Society: Class, Society: Community, Relationships: Friendship, Society: Economics, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Natural World: Nurture v. Nature, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Relationships: Marriage, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Equality, Identity: Gender, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Femininity, Values/Ideas: Art, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Hope
Tags Classic Fiction, Historical Fiction, Satire, Class, Gilded Age, Naturalism, American Literature, History: World
Set in New York’s high society at the turn of the 20th century, The House of Mirth (1905), was the second novel by renowned American writer Edith Wharton. Wharton drew upon her own privileged upbringing in a wealthy, long-established New York family for her astute observations of this social milieu during the Gilded Age, a period marked by economic disparities and ostentatious materialism. Prior to the novel’s publication in October 1905, The House of Mirth... Read The House of Mirth Summary
Publication year 1958
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Life/Time: Birth, Natural World: Appearance & Reality
Tags Philosophy, Politics / Government, Education, Education, Sociology, History: World, Psychology, Psychology, Philosophy, Classic Fiction
The Human Condition, written by Hannah Arendt and originally published in 1958, is a work of political and philosophical nonfiction. Arendt, a German-American philosopher and political theorist, divides the central theme of the book, vita activa, into three distinct functions: labor, work, and action. Her analyses of these three concepts form the philosophical core of the book. The rest of the book is historical in approach.Part 1 serves as an introduction to Arendt’s argument. She... Read The Human Condition Summary
Publication year 2008
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice
Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Fantasy, Action / Adventure
The Hunger Games is a best-selling young adult dystopian novel, the first in Suzanne Collins’s Hunger Games trilogy. It details the life of teenage heroine Katniss Everdeen as she fights to the death for the entertainment of her fascist government. Since its publication in 2008, the trilogy has sold more than 65 million copies in the United States alone and, in 2019, was listed as one of 100 most influential novels by BBC News. The... Read The Hunger Games Summary
Publication year 1946
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict
Tags Imagist poetry
Publication year 1911
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Identity: Mental Health, Identity: Race, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Society: Class, Society: Colonialism, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, British Literature, Religion / Spirituality
Publication year 2022
Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction
Themes Identity: Disability, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Natural World: Appearance & Reality
Tags Health / Medicine, Disability, Science / Nature, Biography
Publication year 1968
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Natural World: Space & The Universe, Relationships: Friendship, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology
Publication year 2023
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Fame
Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Internet Culture / Social Media
Publication year 1996
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Humor, Politics / Government, Satire, Children's Literature, Realistic Fiction
Publication year 2000
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Emotions/Behavior: Joy, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Siblings, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Society: Nation, Society: Community, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos
Tags Historical Fiction, Children's Literature, Korean Literature, Agriculture
Publication year 1960
Genre Short Story, Fiction
Themes Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Natural World: Objects
Tags British Literature, Gender / Feminism, History: World, Classic Fiction
Publication year 1956
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality
Tags Fantasy, Classic Fiction, Action / Adventure, Christian literature, Children's Literature, Religion / Spirituality
The Last Battle, first published in England in 1956, is the seventh and final novel in The Chronicles of Narnia. The Chronicles of Narnia, a series of fantasy novels by celebrated British writer and literary scholar C. S. Lewis (1898-1963), is considered a classic of children’s literature. The Last Battle represents the culmination of the series’ themes and characters and won the Carnegie Medal, which annually recognizes an outstanding book for children. Although The Last... Read The Last Battle Summary
Publication year 2019
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2017
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice
Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Psychological Fiction, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2013
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Femininity, Identity: Race, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Relationships: Marriage, Society: Colonialism, Society: Immigration, Society: Nation, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags American Literature, History: World, Historical Fiction
Publication year 2018
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Trauma / Abuse / Violence
Publication year 1968
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Life/Time: Aging, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Fame
Tags Fantasy, Classic Fiction, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Action / Adventure
Publication year 2018
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Gender, Identity: Masculinity, Identity: Mental Health, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Relationships: Family, Self Discovery, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology
Tags Psychology, Self Help, Philosophy, Business / Economics, Leadership/Organization/Management, Sociology
Publication year 2023
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Identity: Race, Identity: Sexuality, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Relationships: Marriage, Values/Ideas: Fame, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice
Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Gender / Feminism, Internet Culture / Social Media, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2009
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Society: Colonialism, Life/Time: The Past, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Natural World: Place
Tags History: World, Action / Adventure, Travel Literature, Mystery / Crime Fiction, History: The Americas, Race / Racism, WWI / World War I, Anthropology, Anthropology, Science / Nature, Biography
David Grann’s The Lost City of Z: A Tale of Deadly Obsession in the Amazon (2009) tells the story of Percy Harrison Fawcett’s ill-fated expedition into the Brazilian jungle. After nearly two decades spent exploring the region and gathering evidence, Fawcett concluded that a sophisticated ancient civilization, a city he called Z, lay hidden deep in the Amazonian wilderness. In 1925, while searching for Z, Fawcett disappeared along with his son Jack and Jack’s friend... Read The Lost City of Z Summary