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 2018
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Mental Health, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: The Future, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Natural World: Place, Natural World: Space & The Universe, Relationships: Family, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt
Tags Modern Classic Fiction, Fantasy, Romance, Mental Illness
Publication year 2009
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: The Future, Life/Time: The Past, Relationships: Family, Self Discovery, Society: Community, Society: Nation, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Military / War, WWII / World War II, Modern Classic Fiction, History: World, Historical Fiction, Romance
Publication year 2019
Genre Play, Fiction
Themes Identity: Race, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Literature
Tags Race / Racism, Education, Education, Drama / Tragedy
Publication year 1980
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Art, Society: War, Relationships: Marriage
Tags Historical Fiction, British Literature, WWI / World War I, Arts / Culture, History: World, Classic Fiction
A Month in the Country is a fiction novel published in 1980 by the British author J.L. Carr, a retired schoolteacher and publisher. The novel tells the deceptively spare tale of Thomas Birkin, a veteran of World War One who, having just returned from overseas, accepts summer employment to restore a mural. Dating back nearly five centuries, the mural adorns the wall of an old country church in northern England. During the weeks he painstakingly... Read A Month in the Country Summary
Publication year 1936
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Identity: Language
Tags Arts / Culture, Drama / Tragedy, Philosophy, Philosophy, Classic Fiction
Constantin Stanislavski (1863-1938), one of the most influential and formative practitioners in the history of western theatre, published An Actor Prepares in 1936. The text is based on his work and teachings at the Moscow Art Theatre in Russia. As translator Elizabeth Reynolds Hapgood notes, Stanislavski dreamed of creating “a manual, a handbook, a working textbook” (v) for actors. Stanislavski’s technique, which incorporates the practices of many theatre artists that came before him, has become... Read An Actor Prepares Summary
Publication year 2023
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Gender, Relationships: Family, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Beauty
Tags Love / Sexuality, Realistic Fiction, History: World, Drama / Tragedy, Historical Fiction, Romance
Publication year 2010
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Art
Tags Animals, Historical Fiction, Fantasy, Action / Adventure, Children's Literature, History: World, Arts / Culture
Publication year 1895
Genre Play, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Marriage, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Society: Politics & Government, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Art
Tags Play: Comedy / Satire, History: World, Drama / Tragedy, Romance, Victorian Literature / Period, Humor, Classic Fiction
An Ideal Husband is a satirical play about blackmail, politics, morality, and marriage by Victorian writer Oscar Wilde. It was first performed at the Theatre Royal in Haymarket, London, on January 3, 1895. Wilde was an acclaimed playwright in London at the time, though his imprisonment in late 1895 marked his fall from public grace. The play has since been adapted for both film and theater across the world, as have many of Wilde’s other... Read An Ideal Husband Summary
Publication year 2007
Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Art
Tags Food, Arts / Culture, Science / Nature, Creative Nonfiction
Animal, Vegetable, Miracle (2007) is, on its surface, a memoir detailing a year in the life of one family, told through an account of their food. However, it is also at times a manifesto and frequently veers into academic exploration of themes like sustainability and the current state of farming in the US. Author Barbara Kingsolver sets out to chronicle a year in her family’s food life when they undertake an experiment: to “attempt to... Read Animal, Vegetable, Miracle Summary
Publication year 2024
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Femininity, Identity: Race, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Relationships: Family, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Music, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, History: World, Historical Fiction, Arts / Culture
Publication year 1756
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Beauty, Values/Ideas: Art, Natural World: Appearance & Reality
Tags Philosophy, Arts / Culture, Age of Enlightenment, Literary Criticism, Gothic Literature, History: World, Philosophy, Classic Fiction, Politics / Government
Publication year 1916
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Coming of Age, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Art, Identity: Language
Tags Classic Fiction, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Auto/Biographical Fiction, Irish Literature, Modernism, Education, Education, History: World
A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man is the 1916 debut novel by Irish author James Joyce. The novel tells the story of Stephen Dedalus, a thinly-veiled alter ego for Joyce, who embarks on a journey of artistic awakening. As a landmark novel in the history of literary modernism, A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man has been hailed as one of the most important works of the 20th century and... Read A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man Summary
Publication year 1908
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Identity: Femininity, Self Discovery, Relationships: Marriage, Values/Ideas: Art
Tags British Literature, Italian Literature, History: World, Classic Fiction, Historical Fiction, Romance, Satire, Edwardian Era
A Room with a View is a 1908 historical fiction/romance novel by British author E. M. Forster. The novel is split between Italy and England, telling the story of Lucy Honeychurch, a young and spirited middle-class Englishwoman who embarks on a journey of self-discovery during a trip to Italy. During her travels, Lucy falls in love with the free-spirited and unconventional George Emerson, a fellow tourist, but is later forced to choose between her heart's... Read A Room with a View Summary
Publication year 1991
Genre Essay / Speech, Nonfiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Literature, Values/Ideas: Art
Tags Ancient Rome, Lyric Poem
Publication year 1968
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Literature, Values/Ideas: Art
Tags Arts / Culture, Ancient Greece
Publication year 2022
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Sexuality, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Relationships: Friendship, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Music, Values/Ideas: Literature
Tags LGBTQ, Romance, Historical Fiction, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2001
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Emotions/Behavior: Fear
Tags Historical Fiction, Children's Literature, Asian Literature, Realistic Fiction, Arts / Culture, History: Asian, Poverty, American Literature, Education, Education, History: World
A Single Shard (2001) is an award-winning, middle-grade historical novel by Korean American author Linda Sue Park. Park has written multiple children’s books, picture books, and volumes of poetry. Some of her better-known titles include A Long Walk to Water (2010), The Thirty-Nine Clues series in nine volumes (2010), and Prairie Lotus (2020). Much of her historical fiction is based on Korean history.A Single Shard is intended for readers in grades 5 to 7, though... Read A Single Shard Summary
Publication year 1927
Genre Reference/Text Book, Nonfiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Literature, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Identity: Language
Tags The Bloomsbury Group, Arts / Culture, Literary Criticism, Classic Fiction
Aspects of the Novel by E.M. Forster is considered a seminal work of literary criticism that demystifies the form of the novel as it was understood in the early 20th century. The book is adapted from a series of informal lectures Forster delivered in 1927 at Trinity College at the University of Cambridge. Forster was an accomplished novelist as well as a critic, known for the novels Howard’s End and Passage to India, among others... Read Aspects of the Novel Summary
Publication year 1997
Genre Essay Collection, Nonfiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Apathy, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Self Discovery, Society: Community, Society: Education, Society: Nation, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Literature, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Humor, Philosophy, Post Modernism, American Literature
A Supposedly Fun Thing I’ll Never Do Again is a 1997 essay collection by David Foster Wallace. The seven essays explore 1990s US social issues through subjects such as television, tennis, and (in the most famous essay) a Caribbean cruise. The essays have been referenced many times in popular culture, particularly the title essay, which recounts Wallace’s experiences on a cruise.This guide references the 1998 Abacus edition of the collection.SummaryIn the first essay, “Derivative Sport... Read A Supposedly Fun Thing I'll Never Do Again Summary
Publication year 2021
Genre Essay Collection, Nonfiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Literature, Identity: Language, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Society: Education
Tags Realistic Fiction, Arts / Culture, Education, Russian Literature, Literary Criticism, Classic Fiction