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 1973
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Emotions/Behavior: Joy
Tags Fantasy, Romance, Humor, Fairy Tale / Folklore, Action / Adventure, Classic Fiction
The Princess Bride is a 1973 adventure novel by American author and screenwriter William Goldman. It uses a unique framing narrative to tell two interwoven stories and claims to be a retelling of an older novel (one that does not actually exist). The Princess Bride was adapted into a film in 1987. Critics regard the film as one of the greatest cinematic accomplishments of all time, and it appears on numerous “best of” lists, including... Read The Princess Bride Summary
Publication year 1892
Genre Short Story, Fiction
Themes Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Art, Natural World: Appearance & Reality
Tags Victorian Period, Modernism, Arts / Culture
Publication year 2014
Genre Novel/Book in Verse, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Relationships: Family, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Art, Life/Time: Coming of Age
Tags Historical Fiction, Realistic Fiction, Military / War, Arts / Culture, Education, Gender / Feminism, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, African Literature, History: African , Children's Literature
Publication year 2001
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Music, Emotions/Behavior: Joy, Identity: Race, Society: Nation
Tags History, Children's Literature, Inspirational
Publication year 1905
Genre Short Story, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Fame, Life/Time: Mortality & Death
Tags American Literature, Education, Education, Classic Fiction
Publication year 1895
Genre Play, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Values/Ideas: Fame, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Values/Ideas: Art, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Natural World: Appearance & Reality
Tags Play: Drama, Play: Tragedy, Play: Comedy / Satire, Russian Literature, Education, Education, History: World, Classic Fiction
While Anton Chekhov’s The Seagull is now regarded as one of his most famous plays, it was not until the second time it premiered in Russia that it garnered success. Written in 1895 and first produced the following year, The Seagull is set against the backdrop of a summer country home, and tackles The Consequences of Disillusionment, The Purpose of Art, and the price of Living in the Shadow of a Renowned Parent. Chekhov relies... Read The Seagull Summary
Publication year 2007
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Art, Life/Time: The Past, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Society: Nation, Emotions/Behavior: Nostalgia
Tags Historical Fiction, History: World, Arts / Culture, Middle Eastern Literature, Realistic Fiction, Auto/Biographical Fiction, Incarceration, History: Middle Eastern, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Politics / Government, Jewish Literature
The Septembers of Shiraz (2007), a novel by Iranian writer Dalia Sofer, recounts the experiences of the Amins, an Iranian Jewish family, during the Iranian Revolution in the late 1970s. The book is closely based on Sofer’s family history: When Sofer was 10, her family fled Iran, crossing the border to Turkey with the help of smugglers. The Septembers of Shiraz depicts the changing atmosphere and events that characterize the treatment of the wealthy class... Read The Septembers Of Shiraz Summary
Publication year 1807
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Natural World: Place, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Values/Ideas: Art
Tags Lyric Poem, Romanticism / Romantic Period, Education, Education, British Literature, History: World, Classic Fiction
Publication year 1915
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Identity: Gender, Natural World: Environment, Natural World: Place, Self Discovery, Society: Immigration, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Music
Tags Music, Classic Fiction, Historical Fiction, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, American Literature
The Song of the Lark by Willa Cather is the second novel in her classic American series entitled The Great Plains Trilogy. The trilogy includes O, Pioneers! (1913), The Song of the Lark (1915), and My Antonia (1918). Each novel in this trilogy explores different stories of women who find themselves challenged, nurtured, and built up by the natural beauty of the American West. These novels explore the conflicts and compromises when women either lean... Read The Song of the Lark Summary
Publication year 1891
Genre Essay / Speech, Nonfiction
Themes Society: Economics, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed
Tags Philosophy, Politics / Government, Business / Economics, Sociology, History: World, Philosophy, Classic Fiction
Publication year 2024
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Identity: Femininity, Relationships: Fathers, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Historical Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, History: World
Publication year 2018
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Art, Identity: Disability, Society: Community, Identity: Sexuality
Tags Children's Literature, Realistic Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, LGBTQ, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Grief / Death, Class, African American Literature, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Race / Racism
Publication year 2025
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Identity: Gender, Life/Time: The Future, Life/Time: The Past, Values/Ideas: Art
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Art, Natural World: Place, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality
Tags Arts / Culture, History: European, Victorian Period, Italian Literature, History: World, Travel Literature, Classic Fiction
Publication year 2011
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology
Tags Science / Nature, Psychology, Psychology, Philosophy, Philosophy, Health / Medicine
Publication year 2021
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Sexuality, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt
Tags Romance, Military / War, Modern Classic Fiction, History: World, Historical Fiction
Publication year 2024
Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Gratitude, Emotions/Behavior: Joy, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Nostalgia, Identity: Femininity, Life/Time: The Past, Relationships: Mothers, Relationships: Teams, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Values/Ideas: Fame, Values/Ideas: Music
Publication year 1984
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Values/Ideas: Literature, Values/Ideas: Art, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal
Tags Modern Classic Fiction, Historical Fiction, Romance, Philosophy, Classic Fiction, Magical Realism, Philosophy, Existentialism
The Unbearable Lightness of Being is a novel by Czech author Milan Kundera. Written in 1982, it first appeared in print in its French translation in 1984. It was published in Czechoslovakia in 1986. The novel describes Czechoslovakia’s Prague Spring, the 1968 Russian invasion, and its resulting “Normalizace” (Normalization) Period, a time of increased repression and persecution of Czech and Slovak intellectuals. At once a philosophical meditation on duality, an inquiry into the nature of... Read The Unbearable Lightness of Being Summary
Publication year 2024
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Natural World: Place, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Marriage, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 1996
Genre Play, Fiction
Themes Identity: Femininity, Identity: Sexuality, Values/Ideas: Art
Tags Play: Drama, Gender / Feminism, Love / Sexuality, Women's Studies (Nonfiction), Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Drama / Tragedy, Classic Fiction