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 1945
Genre Short Story, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Art, Life/Time: Mortality & Death
Tags Fantasy, Classic Fiction, Children's Literature, British Literature, History: World, Religion / Spirituality
Publication year 2024
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Marriage, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice
Tags Modern Classic Fiction, Romance, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction
Publication year 1929
Genre Collection of Letters, Nonfiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Literature, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Identity: Language
Tags Inspirational, Arts / Culture, Education, Philosophy, Philosophy, Classic Fiction
Letters to a Young Poet is a collection of 10 letters written by the Austrian poet Rainer Maria Rilke to Franz Xaver Kappus, from February 1903 to December 1908. In an introduction to the book, Kappus describes how he came to begin his correspondence with Rilke. At the time, Kappus was a 19-year-old student at an Austrian military school. Though Kappus was set to become a military officer, he held aspirations of instead becoming a... Read Letters to a Young Poet Summary
Publication year 2024
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Marriage, Identity: Gender, Identity: Mental Health, Life/Time: Midlife, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Literature
Tags Modern Classic Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Gender / Feminism
Publication year 2014
Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Identity: Race, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Art
Tags Sports, Biography, Arts / Culture
Publication year 2023
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Identity: Mental Health, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Siblings, Values/Ideas: Art
Tags Mental Illness, Gender / Feminism, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 1955
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Art
Tags Modern Classic Fiction, Drama / Tragedy, Satire, Realism, Russian Literature, History: World, Romance
Lolita, a novel by Russian-American author Vladimir Nabokov, was published in 1955 in Paris. American publishing companies refused to publish the novel due to its scandalous plot, but the book was considered a classic almost instantly. In 1967, the novel was finally published in America and, since then, Lolita has appeared on several lists of the greatest English-language and American novels of all time. The novel blends genres, offering readers elements of romance, erotica, and... Read Lolita Summary
Publication year 1933
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Society: Colonialism, Identity: Race, Society: Politics & Government, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Literature
Tags Fantasy, Classic Fiction, Action / Adventure, Historical Fiction, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Travel Literature
Lost Horizon by James Hilton is a utopian novel that introduces the fictional setting of Shangri-La, which would feature in several later utopian works of fiction by other writers. Originally published in 1933, the book was adapted for the screen in 1937 and 1973, as well as for television in 1997. The novel won the Hawthornden Prize, a cash prize awarded for imaginative fiction, and it became an international bestseller under Pocket Books, sometimes credited... Read Lost Horizon Summary
Publication year 2007
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Fame, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Values/Ideas: Art, Self Discovery, Relationships: Marriage, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Identity: Femininity, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags History: World, Auto/Biographical Fiction, Historical Fiction, Romance, Arts / Culture
Publication year 2020
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Race, Identity: Mental Health, Values/Ideas: Art
Tags Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Race / Racism, Modern Classic Fiction, Romance
Publication year 2013
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Art, Relationships: Mothers, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Siblings, Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Natural World: Environment, Life/Time: The Future
Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Fantasy
Margaret Atwood’s novel MaddAddam, published in 2013, completes her post-apocalyptic MaddAddam trilogy that begins with Oryx and Crake (2003) and continues with The Year of the Flood (2009). The trilogy takes place in the aftermath of a destroyed technological dystopia, a world in which corporations have totalitarian control. Atwood, an award-winning Canadian author, has been a prolific writer of poetry, short stories, novels, and many other forms since the early 1960s. She is known for... Read MaddAddam Summary
Publication year 1924
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Literature, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed
Tags Philosophy, French Literature, Philosophy, Arts / Culture, Classic Fiction
Publication year 1921
Genre Short Story, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Marriage, Society: Class, Emotions/Behavior: Nostalgia, Values/Ideas: Art
Tags Romance, Classic Fiction
Publication year 2024
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Society: Immigration, Values/Ideas: Art
Tags Modern Classic Fiction, LGBTQ, Arts / Culture
Publication year 2008
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Friendship, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Art, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict
Tags Fantasy, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Animals, Children's Literature, Action / Adventure, Arts / Culture
Publication year 2010
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Literature, Life/Time: The Future, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Self Discovery
Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Romance, Arts / Culture, Futurism, Fantasy
Matched is a science fiction novel for young adults by best-selling author Ally Condie. Published in 2010, it is the first novel in the Matched trilogy. It was followed by Crossed in 2011 and Reached in 2012. Matched was a critical and commercial success—as were the other two books in the trilogy. It was a New York Times bestseller and named one of the best children’s books of the year by Publisher’s Weekly. The Young... Read Matched Summary
Publication year 2018
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Children's Literature, Realistic Fiction, Action / Adventure, Arts / Culture
Publication year 2022
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Identity: Race, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice
Tags Historical Fiction, Race / Racism, African American Literature, Modern Classic Fiction, History: World
Publication year 1946
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Literature, Natural World: Place, Values/Ideas: Art, Identity: Language
Tags Philosophy, History: European, Western, German Literature, Literary Criticism, History: World, Philosophy
Publication year 1951
Genre Essay Collection, Nonfiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Apathy, Society: Community, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology
Tags Philosophy, Politics / Government, Sociology