From Vladimir Nabokov's Lolita to Raven Leilani's Luster, the texts in this collection investigate themes related to the power and promise of many types of art — from the written word to visual arts such as painting and cinema.
Publication year 2004
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Nostalgia, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Identity: Masculinity, Identity: Race, Identity: Sexuality, Life/Time: Midlife, Life/Time: The Past, Relationships: Family, Society: Immigration, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Literature, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Latin American Literature, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Trauma / Abuse / Violence
2666 (2004) is a novel by Chilean author Roberto Bolaño, published one year after Bolaño's death. Centering around a reclusive German author and his role in investigating the ongoing unsolved murders in the fictional city of Santa Teresa, Mexico, 2666 jumps in location, narrative style, location, and characters over its five sections. The novel is widely acclaimed and was adapted into stage plays three times. The New York Times Book Review ranked 2666 as the... Read 2666 Summary
Publication year 1962
Genre Short Story, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Art, Life/Time: Aging
Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction
Publication year 1950
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Art, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Life/Time: The Past, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt
Tags Lyric Poem, Modernism, Post-War Era, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Grief / Death, History: European, WWII / World War II, Holocaust
Publication year 2021
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Gender, Identity: Mental Health, Natural World: Food, Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil
Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Gender / Feminism
Publication year 2020
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Coming of Age, Emotions/Behavior: Apathy, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Natural World: Animals, Natural World: Climate, Natural World: Environment, Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality
Tags Climate Change, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2024
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Gender, Relationships: Friendship, Society: Class, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed
Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction
Publication year 1840
Genre Essay / Speech, Nonfiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Literature, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Values/Ideas: Art
Tags Romanticism / Romantic Period, British Literature
Publication year 2012
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Identity: Disability, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Relationships: Friendship, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Identity: Gender, Self Discovery
Tags Modern Classic Fiction, Realistic Fiction, Animals, Grief / Death, Children's Literature
Publication year 1821
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Identity: Language, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Values/Ideas: Literature
Tags Lyric Poem, Mythology, Romanticism / Romantic Period, Grief / Death, British Literature, History: World, Classic Fiction
The death of the young has been a thematic concern in literature since Antiquity. That untimely demise not only exposes human vulnerability but makes for melancholic contemplation over the waste of beauty, confidence, and youth’s energy. And when that person is an artist, still young and learning, the implications seem more tragic. Percy Bysshe Shelley’s “Adonais” (1821) is at one level a contemplation of the sudden death in 1821 of fellow poet John Keats. Keats... Read Adonais Summary
Publication year 2022
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Friendship, Society: Class, Society: Economics, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice
Tags Realistic Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Music, Children's Literature
Publication year 2023
Genre Graphic Memoir , Nonfiction
Themes Relationships: Friendship, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Gratitude, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Joy, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: The Future, Life/Time: The Past, Self Discovery, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Emotions/Behavior: Courage
Tags Children's Literature, Romance, Biography, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Travel Literature
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Fame, Values/Ideas: Art, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict
Tags Lyric Poem, Auto/Biographical Fiction, American Literature
Publication year 2000
Genre Short Story Collection, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Identity: Gender, Identity: Mental Health, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Literature, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality
Tags Magical Realism, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 1966
Genre Essay / Speech, Nonfiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Literature, Values/Ideas: Beauty
Tags Arts / Culture
Publication year 2015
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Identity: Race, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Grandparents, Self Discovery, Society: Class, Society: Community, Society: Immigration, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Beauty
Tags Realistic Fiction, Children's Literature, Animals, Arts / Culture
Publication year 2021
Genre Essay Collection, Nonfiction
Themes Identity: Race, Values/Ideas: Music, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Fame, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Society: Nation
Tags Arts / Culture, History: U.S., African American Literature, Creative Nonfiction, Gender / Feminism, Music, Race / Racism, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, History: World
Publication year 2024
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Sexuality, Life/Time: Aging, Life/Time: Midlife, Life/Time: The Future, Life/Time: The Past, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Marriage, Self Discovery, Society: Community, Society: Education, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Literature, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Relationships: Family
Tags Gender / Feminism, Modern Classic Fiction, LGBTQ, Humor
Publication year 2014
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Siblings, Identity: Mental Health, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Music
Tags Grief / Death, Canadian Literature
All My Puny Sorrows, originally published in Canada in 2014, is a work of fiction by Canadian author Miriam Toews. Since its publication, the novel has won the Rogers Writers’ Trust Fiction Prize and been shortlisted for the Scotiabank Giller Prize, the Folio Prize for Literature, and the Wellcome Book Prize. In 2021, Michael McGowan directed and produced the novel’s film adaptation. All My Puny Sorrows is in large part inspired by autobiographical events from... Read All My Puny Sorrows Summary
Publication year 1982
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Art, Society: Community, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology
Tags Literary Criticism, Philosophy, Arts / Culture, Philosophy, History: World, Sociology, Politics / Government, Modernism
Publication year 2023
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Joy, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Relationships: Siblings, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Beauty
Tags History: World, Arts / Culture, Biography