Art

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 2005

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Apathy, Relationships: Family, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Society: War

Tags Historical Fiction, British Literature, War On Terrorism / Iraq War, Modern Classic Fiction, History: World

Saturday is a novel by Ian McEwan, first published in 2005 by Jonathan Cape. Ian McEwan is an acclaimed British author who has been shortlisted for the Man Booker Prize numerous times, winning the award for Amsterdam in 1998. In Saturday, McEwan delves into the inner life of a single individual, Henry Perowne, a successful neurosurgeon living in London. The novel takes place over the course of a single day, February 15, 2003, against the... Read Saturday Summary


Publication year 2005

Genre Reference/Text Book, Nonfiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Literature, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Fame, Identity: Language

Tags Arts / Culture, Education, Business / Economics, Self Help


Publication year 2022

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Life/Time: The Future, Life/Time: The Past, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Natural World: Environment, Natural World: Space & The Universe, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Music, Values/Ideas: Art, Society: Colonialism

Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Historical Fiction, Fantasy


Publication year 1956

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Relationships: Grandparents, Values/Ideas: Art

Tags Grief / Death


Publication year 2017

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Art, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Identity: Disability

Tags Children's Literature, Modern Classic Fiction, Realistic Fiction, Humor, Grief / Death


Publication year 2014

Genre Graphic Memoir , Nonfiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Nostalgia, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Mothers, Relationships: Siblings, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Natural World: Animals, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos

Tags Realistic Fiction, Humor, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Children's Literature, Modern Classic Fiction


Publication year 2002

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Art, Identity: Gender, Values/Ideas: Literature

Tags Historical Fiction, Asian Literature, Modern Classic Fiction, Asian Literature

Snow is a novel of postmodern literary fiction published in Turkish in 2002 and in English in 2004. Snow won the Le Prix Médicis étranger award for the best foreign novel in France. The author, Orhan Pamuk, won the 2006 Nobel Prize for Literature and was the youngest person ever to receive this award. Pamuk was born in Istanbul in 1952 and grew up in Nişantaşı, Turkey. He studied architecture and journalism, only to decide... Read Snow Summary


Publication year 1924

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Beauty, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Identity: Gender, Natural World: Food, Natural World: Place, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Marriage, Self Discovery, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Literature

Tags Classic Fiction, Historical Fiction, American Literature, Poverty


Publication year 2017

Genre Novel/Book in Verse, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Apathy, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Gratitude, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Joy, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Mothers, Relationships: Siblings, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Music, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Fame, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Self Discovery, Society: Class, Society: Community, Society: Colonialism, Natural World: Appearance & Reality

Tags Realistic Fiction, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Prose poetry, Free verse, Addiction / Substance Abuse, Music, Modern Classic Fiction


Publication year 1591

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Identity: Masculinity, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Literature


Publication year 1999

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Art, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Identity: Mental Health, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship

Tags Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Mental Illness, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Education, Education, Realistic Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction

Speak is a young-adult realistic fiction novel by Laurie Halse Anderson, first published in 1999. It follows the plight of a teenager, Melinda, who was raped at age 13 and struggles to put her life back together and find her voice. Anderson has written several young adult novels, all of which address pressing issues for teens honestly and empathetically. She was honored with the Margaret A. Edwards award for her important and relevant contributions to... Read Speak Summary


Publication year 2022

Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Relationships: Friendship, Values/Ideas: Art, Society: Immigration

Tags Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Race / Racism, Asian Literature, Music, Biography


Publication year 2012

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Identity: Language, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Self Discovery

Tags Leadership/Organization/Management, Business / Economics, Psychology, Psychology, Arts / Culture, Self Help


Publication year 1927

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Identity: Masculinity, Identity: Mental Health, Life/Time: The Past, Self Discovery, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Values/Ideas: Literature, Values/Ideas: Music, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality

Tags Auto/Biographical Fiction, Philosophy, Existentialism, German Literature, History: World, Psychology, Psychology, Philosophy, Classic Fiction

Steppenwolf, originally published in German in 1927, then translated into English in 1929, is the eighth novel published by Swiss German novelist Hermann Hesse. The novel was commercially successful upon publication, and it remains a popular novel to the present day. However, Hesse remarked that whereas his intention was to find humor in life and resist despair, Steppenwolf has often been misunderstood as a glorification of suffering. Much of Hesse’s body of work addresses spiritual... Read Steppenwolf Summary


Publication year 2005

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Art, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Society: Community

Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction

Published in 2005, Still Life is Louise Penny’s debut novel, the first in a series of mystery novels set in rural Canada featuring detective Armand Gamache. Penny won multiple awards for Still Life, including a Crime Writers’ Association Dagger Award, a Barry Award, an Arthur Ellis Award, an Anthony Award, and the Dilys Award. A made-for-TV film adaptation produced by PDM Entertainment aired in 2013. This guide is based on the 2006 Minotaur Books edition.Content... Read Still Life Summary


Publication year 2021

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Art, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Relationships: Friendship, Society: War

Tags Historical Fiction, LGBTQ, Military / War, Italian Literature, History: World, Arts / Culture


Publication year 1958

Genre Play, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Identity: Sexuality, Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Art

Tags Southern Gothic, Play: Drama, American Literature, Southern Literature, History: World, Drama / Tragedy, Classic Fiction

Suddenly Last Summer (1958) is a one-act play by American playwright Tennessee Williams. It was originally staged with another Williams drama (Something Unspoken) in a double bill known as Garden District and met with mixed reviews upon its Broadway premiere. This may have been due to the content of the play, which includes pedophilia, cannibalism, and relationships between men (considered scandalous at the time). Indeed, Williams reportedly modeled Suddenly Last Summer and its two-monologue structure... Read Suddenly, Last Summer Summary


Publication year 2002

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Grandparents, Relationships: Mothers, Relationships: Siblings, Self Discovery, Society: Community, Society: Education, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos

Tags Realistic Fiction, Humor, Children's Literature, Education, Education, Modern Classic Fiction

Surviving the Applewhites is a children’s novel written by American author Stephanie S. Tolan and was first published in 2002.The narrative follows Jake Semple, a troubled teenager forced to move in with the unconventional and eccentric Applewhite family following an incident at school. Jake struggles to fit in at first but gradually sheds his past transgressions and undergoes a transformative journey toward self-discovery and redemption. The novel touches on Personal Growth and Transformation, Individuality Versus... Read Surviving the Applewhites Summary


Publication year 2016

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Identity: Femininity, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Relationships: Mothers, Self Discovery, Society: Colonialism, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal

Tags Music, Realistic Fiction, British Literature, Arts / Culture, Class, Finance / Money / Wealth, Gender / Feminism, History: African , History: European, Love / Sexuality, Race / Racism, Social Justice, Modern Classic Fiction

Swing Time (2016) is renowned author Zadie Smith’s fifth novel. Inspired by classic movie musicals and Smith’s childhood passion for musical theater, Swing Time is a story about women, how forms of privilege warp our worldviews, and the ways in which history informs our present. The novel is divided into seven parts, each narrated by the same unnamed protagonist sometimes as a child and sometimes as an adult.One of the most respected literary voices of... Read Swing Time Summary


Publication year 2024

Genre Short Story Collection, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Joy, Identity: Femininity, Natural World: Place, Relationships: Teams, Society: Class, Society: Economics, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed

Tags Modern Classic Fiction, History: World, Historical Fiction