Education

The Education Collection focuses on titles that explore teaching, learning, and knowledge through fiction and nonfiction genres. Offering perspectives from educators and students alike, these selections examine the formal and informal ways people gain and share knowledge and the social institutions that define education and schooling.

Publication year 2000

Genre Essay / Speech, Nonfiction

Themes Identity: Sexuality, Self Discovery, Society: Community, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Society: Education

Tags Diversity, LGBTQ, Love / Sexuality, Relationships, Social Justice, Sports


Publication year 1934

Genre Novella, Fiction

Themes Society: Education, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: The Past, Relationships: Marriage

Tags Historical Fiction, Psychological Fiction, Education, British Literature

Goodbye, Mr. Chips, James Hilton’s novella about a mild-mannered teacher at a fictional British boys’ school, originally appeared in 1933 as a supplement to the British Weekly, an evangelical newspaper. Its popularity, however, led to its reprinting in the April 1934 issue of the American magazine Atlantic Monthly and later, its publication as a book by Little, Brown and Company in the US and by Hodder & Stoughton in the United Kingdom. An instant bestseller... Read Goodbye, Mr. Chips Summary


Publication year 1898

Genre Short Story, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Self Discovery, Society: Class, Society: Community, Society: Education, Society: Nation

Tags Classic Fiction, Realistic Fiction, Historical Fiction, Class, Finance / Money / Wealth, Education, History: World, Social Justice, Russian Literature, Education, Philosophy, Philosophy

“Gooseberries,” by Russian author Anton Chekhov, is a short story that uses symbolism, subtlety, irony, and keen observation of human behavior to explore themes of the quest for happiness, the meaning of life, social expectations, privilege, and social equality. Written in mid-1898, the story is the second in what was later referred to as The Little Trilogy, together with “The Man in the Case” and “About Love.” All three stories explore the definitions of happiness... Read Gooseberries Summary


Publication year 2023

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Self Discovery, Society: Education, Values/Ideas: Equality

Tags Psychology, Self Help, Business / Economics, Leadership/Organization/Management, Education, Education, Science / Nature, Psychology


Publication year 2000

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Identity: Femininity, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Natural World: Animals, Natural World: Flora/plants, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Marriage, Self Discovery, Society: Class, Society: Community, Society: Economics, Society: Education, Society: Nation, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Literature, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies

Tags Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Historical Fiction, Children's Literature, Education, Education, Realistic Fiction, History: World, Indian Literature

Homeless Bird, a novel written by Gloria Whelan and published in 2000, was a New York Times Best Seller and winner of the National Book Award for Young People’s Literature. Marketed to middle grade readers, the novel has elements of historical fiction in its portrayal of cultural customs in India. Homeless Bird tells the story of Koly, a 13-year-old girl whose arranged marriage leads to her untimely widowhood. Through Koly’s coming-of-age journey from helplessness to... Read Homeless Bird Summary


Publication year 2012

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Natural World: Nurture v. Nature, Identity: Mental Health, Identity: Race, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Society: Class, Society: Education, Values/Ideas: Equality

Tags Education, Psychology, Parenting, Children's Literature, Education, Science / Nature, Sociology, Psychology, Self Help


Publication year 2017

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Identity: Language, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Identity: Gender, Identity: Mental Health, Self Discovery, Society: Community, Society: Education, Natural World: Nurture v. Nature

Tags Science / Nature, Psychology, Health / Medicine, Self Help, Psychology


Publication year 1926

Genre Essay / Speech, Nonfiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Literature, Self Discovery, Society: Education, Identity: Language

Tags Arts / Culture, Modernism, British Literature, Literary Criticism, Classic Fiction


Publication year 1995

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Society: Nation, Society: Globalization, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Society: Education

Tags History: European, Irish Literature, Religion / Spirituality, Medieval Literature / Middle Ages, History: World

How the Irish Saved Civilization: The Untold Story of Ireland’s Heroic Role from the Fall of Rome to the Rise of Medieval Europe is a popular history by Irish American author Thomas Cahill, published in 1995. The book argues that Ireland’s conversion to Christianity was instrumental in preserving the remnants of classical culture that survived in Western Europe after the Roman Empire’s demise. The book was on The New York Times Best Seller list for... Read How the Irish Saved Civilization Summary


Publication year 2020

Genre Short Story, Fiction

Themes Identity: Race, Society: Education, Relationships: Family, Society: Community, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Identity: Language, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Society: Class, Society: Immigration

Tags Immigration / Refugee, Asian Literature, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, History: Asian, Modern Classic Fiction


Publication year 1940

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Literature, Society: Education, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Identity: Language

Tags Self Help, Education, Philosophy, Education, Leadership/Organization/Management, Philosophy, Classic Fiction


Publication year 2003

Genre Reference/Text Book, Nonfiction

Themes Society: Education, Values/Ideas: Literature, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Identity: Language

Tags Education, Education, Literary Criticism, Self Help

Thomas C. Foster’s How to Read Literature Like a Professor: A Lively and Entertaining Guide to Reading Between the Lines is a nonfiction book that aims to teach readers how to improve their reading skills. Foster, a longtime university professor, focuses on techniques that enable readers to puzzle out some of the deeper meanings of a story that exist below the surface level of the plot. Harper published the book in 2003, and the 2014... Read How To Read Literature Like A Professor Summary


Publication year 2018

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Literature, Society: Education, Identity: Language

Tags Education, American Literature, Arts / Culture, Self Help, Inspirational, Education, Literary Criticism


Publication year 2022

Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Identity: Sexuality, Relationships: Teams, Society: Colonialism, Society: Community, Society: Economics, Society: Education, Society: Globalization, Society: Nation, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Literature, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies

Tags Politics / Government, History: Asian, Journalism, Social Justice, History: World, Biography


Publication year 1980

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Joy, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Language, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Natural World: Food, Relationships: Family, Society: Community, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Society: Education

Tags Children's Literature, Education, Education, Parenting, Psychology, Psychology, Self Help


Publication year 2011

Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction

Themes Relationships: Teams, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Society: Education, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance

Tags Sports, Inspirational, African American Literature, Auto/Biographical Fiction, Poverty, Education, Biography

I Beat the Odds: From Homelessness, to The Blind Side, and Beyond (2011) is a memoir written by NFL player Michael Oher and journalist Don Yaeger. It tells Oher’s story in his own words, describing his childhood and teen years up to his rookie season in the NFL. His story was first brought to the public’s attention in Michael Lewis’s book The Blind Side: Evolution of a Game, published in 2006. This book was made... Read I Beat the Odds Summary


Publication year 2004

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: The Future, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Natural World: Objects, Relationships: Friendship, Self Discovery, Society: Class, Society: Community, Society: Education, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies

Tags History: World, Action / Adventure, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Historical Fiction


Publication year 1968

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Society: Education, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Gender, Identity: Indigenous, Identity: Masculinity, Identity: Mental Health, Identity: Race, Identity: Sexuality, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Self Discovery, Society: Colonialism, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology

Tags Philosophy, Psychology, Self Help, Parenting, Sociology


Publication year 2015

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Society: Education, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Literature, Society: Community

Tags Education, Education, Social Science, Sociology, History: World, Philosophy, Philosophy, Politics / Government


Publication year 2021

Genre Biography, Nonfiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Identity: Race, Society: Class, Society: Education, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice

Tags Race / Racism, Social Justice, Poverty, Sociology, History: World, Politics / Government, Biography