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 1979
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Identity: Language, Life/Time: The Future, Life/Time: The Past, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology
Publication year 1918
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Natural World: Environment, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance
Tags Religion / Spirituality, Victorian Period, Industrial Revolution, Education, Education
Publication year 2016
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Mothers, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Relationships: Family
Tags Free verse, Parenting, Science / Nature, Gender / Feminism
Publication year 2004
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Joy, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Natural World: Animals, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Natural World: Nurture v. Nature, Natural World: Place, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Siblings, Relationships: Teams, Self Discovery, Society: Community, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt
Tags Fantasy, Action / Adventure, Children's Literature, Animals, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction
Publication year 2009
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Identity: Language, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Natural World: Animals, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Natural World: Environment, Natural World: Nurture v. Nature, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Siblings, Relationships: Teams, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology
Tags Historical Fiction, Animals, Children's Literature, Realistic Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction
Half Brother (2010) is a young adult novel by Kenneth Oppel. In the novel, Oppel combines and fictionalizes several experiments in which chimpanzees learned sign language to communicate. The story follows the Tomlin family as they adopt a baby chimpanzee to see if it can learn and use language. Through this experiment and its effect on the characters, the text explores the themes of family, belonging, animal rights, communication, individuality, and growing up. The novel... Read Half Brother Summary
Publication year 1969
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, British Literature
Publication year 1919
Genre Short Story, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Identity: Masculinity, Natural World: Appearance & Reality
Tags American Literature, Education, Education, Classic Fiction
Publication year 1990
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Language, Values/Ideas: Literature, Society: Politics & Government, Natural World: Appearance & Reality
Tags Magical Realism, Fantasy, Allegory / Fable / Parable, History: Asian, Children's Literature, Education, Education, Indian Literature, Classic Fiction
Haroun and the Sea of Stories is a 1990 book for young adults, written by Salman Rushdie. Haroun is the follow-up to Rushdie’s novel The Satanic Verses, which was deemed blasphemous by the Ayatollah (a high-ranking Iranian clergyman) at the time, who pronounced a death sentence on the author. As a response to the ayatollah’s decree, Haroun explores themes of free speech, the need for storytelling, and the value of fiction.Plot SummaryThe novel begins with... Read Haroun and the Sea of Stories Summary
Publication year 1177
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality
Publication year 2022
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Identity: Sexuality, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: The Past, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Relationships: Teams, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Fantasy, Romance, Historical Fiction, LGBTQ, Chinese Literature
Publication year 1881
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Gratitude, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Joy, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Grandparents, Values/Ideas: Literature, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Natural World: Environment, Natural World: Flora/plants, Natural World: Food, Natural World: Animals
Tags Classic Fiction, Children's Literature, Historical Fiction, Romanticism / Romantic Period
Swiss author Johanna Spyri originally published the middle-grade fiction novel Heidi in German in two volumes in 1880. The novel quickly became a beloved classic children’s book that has since been adapted into 25 film and television versions, including a 1968 made-for-TV movie and a very popular anime series in 1974. It has sold more than 50 million copies worldwide. Spyri was born in Hirzel, a Zurich village that shares a border with the German... Read Heidi Summary
Genre Play, Fiction
Themes Society: War, Values/Ideas: Fate, Natural World: Appearance & Reality
Tags Classic Fiction, Mythology, Play: Tragedy, Drama / Tragedy, Fantasy
Publication year 2023
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Natural World: Appearance & Reality
Tags Fantasy, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Religion / Spirituality
Publication year 2021
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Literature, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Identity: Race, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Society: Nation, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice
Tags Race / Racism, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Magical Realism, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2022
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Relationships: Friendship, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Fantasy, LGBTQ, Mystery / Crime Fiction
Publication year 2020
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Self Discovery, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Natural World: Appearance & Reality
Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Fantasy, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Religion / Spirituality
Publication year 1914
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Relationships: Marriage, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Identity: Gender, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Relationships: Family
Tags Poetry: Dramatic Poem, Blank verse, Grief / Death
Publication year 2015
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Natural World: Environment, Life/Time: The Future, Natural World: Appearance & Reality
Tags Science / Nature, History: World, Philosophy, Anthropology, Anthropology, Sociology, Psychology, Psychology, Philosophy, Politics / Government
Homo Deus: A Brief History of Tomorrow (2015) is a work of popular science by Israeli writer, professor, and futurist Yuval Noah Harari. Published in multiple languages, it is a continuation of the work of Harari’s previous book, Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind. While Sapiens contextualized the advents of modernity within humans’ evolutionary legacy, Homo Deus speculates about what lies in wait for humanity in the distant future. Harari grounds his discussion in an... Read Homo Deus Summary
Publication year 2024
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Values/Ideas: Art, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Psychological Fiction
Publication year 2016
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Life/Time: Aging, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Natural World: Environment, Natural World: Place, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Grandparents, Self Discovery, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Magical Realism, Fantasy, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Children's Literature, Realistic Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction
Published in 2016, Hour of the Bees is a young adult magical realism novel by Lindsay Eagar. Set in contemporary New Mexico, the story follows 12-year-old Carol as she spends the summer on her grandfather’s sheep ranch, helping her family prepare it for sale and helping care for her grandfather, who has dementia. However, her grandfather’s stories of the land’s magic and history cause her to fall in love with it. Hour of the Bees... Read Hour of the Bees Summary