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 Natural World: Environment, Society: Class, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology
Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Romance, Fantasy, Action / Adventure, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Futurism
white... Read The Bar Code Tattoo Summary
Publication year 1872
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Music, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos
Tags Philosophy, Literary Criticism, History: World, Philosophy, Classic Fiction, Arts / Culture, Drama / Tragedy, German Literature
The Birth of Tragedy Out of the Spirit of Music is a work of dramatic theory and cultural criticism by the German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche (1844-1900). It was originally published in 1872 as Nietzsche’s first work, and later rereleased in 1886 under the title The Birth of Tragedy, or Hellenism and Pessimism. Nietzsche argues that Greek tragedy is born out of the merger between Apollonian and Dionysian perspectives. Nietzsche first differentiates between these two worldviews... Read The Birth of Tragedy Summary
Publication year 1936
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Identity: Mental Health, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: The Past, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, History: World, Philosophy, Philosophy, Classic Fiction
Publication year 2024
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Identity: Gender, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger
Publication year 2021
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Mental Health, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Values/Ideas: Art
Tags Magical Realism, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Fantasy, Modern Classic Fiction, Mental Illness
Publication year 1992
Genre Novella, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Fate
Tags Romance, Arts / Culture, Love / Sexuality, Relationships, American Literature, Modern Classic Fiction, Historical Fiction, Classic Fiction
A world-traveling photographer and a farmer’s wife connect in a sudden, impossible romance in The Bridges of Madison County, a 1992 novel by Robert James Waller. Lauded by critics as a soaring, spiritual story of true love thwarted, but ridiculed by others for greeting-card sentimentality, Bridges became a #1 New York Times bestseller and stayed on the list for three years. With theater and film adaptations, it is one of the most widely read books... Read The Bridges of Madison County Summary
Publication year 1911
Genre Short Story, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Literature, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Values/Ideas: Art, Society: Class, Self Discovery, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth
Tags Action / Adventure, Allegory / Fable / Parable
“The Celestial Omnibus” is a short story by British author E. M. Forster, originally published in 1911 in an anthology titled The Celestial Omnibus and Other Stories. Forster primarily saw success as a novelist, penning classics like A Room with a View (1908) and Howard’s End (1910), but all of his works are similarly preoccupied with issues of class, gender, and intellectual hypocrisy. In its eponymous collection, “The Celestial Omnibus” joins other stories of fantastical... Read The Celestial Omnibus Summary
Publication year 1940
Genre Short Story, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Art, Society: Education
Tags Fantasy, Allegory / Fable / Parable, History: World, Magical Realism, Philosophy, Philosophy, Classic Fiction
Jorge Luís Borges’s short story “The Circular Ruins” was originally written in 1939 and was first published under the title “Las ruinas circulares” in the Argentinian literary journal Sur in 1940. By the time “The Circular Ruins” was finally translated into English for American audiences in 1962, Borges was on his way to international renown. In 1961, he was awarded the Prix Formentor (an elite international award), and he traveled to the US to become... Read The Circular Ruins Summary
Publication year 1963
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Win & Lose, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Values/Ideas: Art, Society: Class, Natural World: Objects, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness
Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Psychological Fiction, British Literature, Realistic Fiction, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Gender / Feminism, Class, Love / Sexuality, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Classic Fiction
The Collector is English author John Fowles’s debut novel, published in 1963. The story follows a 20-something lepidopterist, Frederick Clegg, who becomes obsessed with a beautiful art student named Miranda Grey. After winning a fortune, Frederick kidnaps Miranda and imprisons her in his cellar, keeping her like a rare butterfly. Fowles combines psychological thriller, romance, and dark comedy genres into a tale that satirizes romances such as Shakespeare’s The Tempest by exposing their psychological and... Read The Collector Summary
Publication year 2003
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Nostalgia, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Identity: Disability, Identity: Gender, Identity: Race, Life/Time: The Past, Society: Class, Society: Colonialism, Society: Community, Society: Economics, Society: Globalization, Society: Politics & Government, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger
Tags History: World, Military / War, WWII / World War II, History: European, Politics / Government
Publication year 1890
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Art
Tags Lyric Poem, Arts / Culture
Publication year 2023
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Identity: Mental Health, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: New Age, Identity: Language
Tags Arts / Culture, Music, Philosophy, Self Help, Psychology, Business / Economics, Philosophy, Psychology
Publication year 1973
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Fate, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Values/Ideas: Art
Tags Fantasy, Children's Literature, Mythology, Action / Adventure, Classic Fiction
The Dark is Rising is a 1973 contemporary fantasy novel for young adult readers by English author Susan Cooper, and the second book in The Dark is Rising Sequence. It is preceded by Over Sea, Under Stone and followed by Greenwitch, The Grey King, and Silver on the Tree. The series, published between 1965 and 1977, focuses on eleven-year-old Will Stanton, who learns on his birthday that he is what is known as an “Old... Read The Dark Is Rising Summary
Publication year 2003
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Art, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Win & Lose
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Religion / Spirituality, Historical Fiction, Action / Adventure
The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown was originally published in 2003 and has become an international bestseller, with sales of over 80 million. It was made into a popular movie starring Tom Hanks, Audrey Tatou, and Ian McKellen. The novel is Brown’s fourth, a fast-paced thriller with political, historical, and religious overtones. Its initial release generated controversy for perceived condemnation of the Catholic Church and historical inaccuracies. Despite the charges, The Da Vinci Code... Read The Da Vinci Code Summary
Publication year 1889
Genre Essay / Speech, Nonfiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Literature, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Philosophy, Victorian Period, Education, Education, Arts / Culture, Literary Criticism, History: World, Philosophy, Victorian Literature / Period, Classic Fiction
Publication year 1973
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Values/Ideas: Art
Tags Psychology, Philosophy, Religion / Spirituality, Grief / Death, Anthropology, Anthropology, Science / Nature, Sociology, Psychology, Philosophy, Self Help
The Denial of Death was written by the American cultural anthropologist Ernest Becker and published in 1973. The work explores the fear of death and the ways in which rituals and beliefs have helped humans to cope with it throughout history. It was inspired by the fact that Becker had been diagnosed with terminal colon cancer. Over the course of his life, he taught at several prestigious universities, including Syracuse University, UC Berkeley, and, by... Read The Denial of Death Summary
Publication year 1988
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Society: Economics
Tags Business / Economics, Psychology, Science / Nature, Technology, Technology, Psychology, Arts / Culture
Publication year 1964
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Natural World: Environment, Natural World: Objects, Natural World: Space & The Universe, Society: Colonialism, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Literature, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality
Tags History: World, Medieval Literature / Middle Ages, Philosophy, Arts / Culture, Literary Criticism, Philosophy, Classic Fiction, Religion / Spirituality
Written by C. S. Lewis (1898-1963), The Discarded Image is a 1964 nonfiction book that explores the literary landscape of Europe during the Medieval Era. Lewis, who is best known for his children’s book series The Chronicles of Narnia, was also a literature professor at Oxford and Cambridge, as well as one of the most widely celebrated Christian apologists of his time. Published shortly after his death, The Discarded Image explores how medieval writers and... Read The Discarded Image Summary
Publication year 2008
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Literature, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Self Discovery, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Relationships: Family
Tags Realistic Fiction, Historical Fiction, Magical Realism, Children's Literature, History: World
Publication year 2021
Genre Biography, Nonfiction
Themes Relationships: Friendship, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Values/Ideas: Art
Tags WWII / World War II, Holocaust, History: European, Military / War, History: World, Biography