We've carefully curated a Collection of titles that center the experiences and impacts of Sexual Harassment & Violence. Representing a broad range of voices and genres, these titles explore the personal and social effects of violation through violence and sexual harassment through literary forms that include memoirs, poetry, and fiction.
Publication year 2015
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Values/Ideas: Art, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Fathers, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt
Tags Romance, Addiction / Substance Abuse, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Modern Classic Fiction, Drama / Tragedy
Publication year 1866
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed
Tags Classic Fiction, Psychological Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Philosophy, Poverty, Class, Russian Literature, Education, Education, History: World, Philosophy
Crime and Punishment is a novel by Russian author Fyodor Dostoevsky, first published in 1866. The story charts the alienation of a student named Raskolnikov who decides to commit the perfect crime to philosophically proving his superiority over others. The novel traces the depths of his mental disintegration as he comes to grips with the psychological consequences of being a murderer, exploring themes like Alienation and Shame, Criminality, and The Necessity of Suffering.Dostoevsky, a stalwart... Read Crime and Punishment Summary
Publication year 1993
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Family, Life/Time: Mortality & Death
Tags Historical Fiction, WWII / World War II, Holocaust, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Children's Literature, Education, Education, Military / War, History: World
Carol Matas is the author of the 1993 novel for young readers, Daniel’s Story, and she published the book in conjunction with the United States Holocaust Museum Memorial exhibit Remember the Children: Daniel’s Story. Like the museum exhibit, Daniel’s Story presents a researched account of what it was like to grow up in Nazi Germany and live through the Holocaust. Before she wrote Daniel’s Story, Matas published two historical novels about the Dutch resistance during... Read Daniel's Story Summary
Publication year 2001
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Friendship, Life/Time: Coming of Age
Tags Realistic Fiction, Romance, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Children's Literature, Education, Education, Modern Classic Fiction, Drama / Tragedy
Publication year 2017
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Family, Identity: Femininity, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Self Discovery
Tags Fantasy, Romance, Action / Adventure, Historical Fiction, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Trauma / Abuse / Violence
Publication year 1997
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Society: Community, Relationships: Family, Self Discovery
Tags Historical Fiction, African Literature, Race / Racism, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, History: U.S., Gender / Feminism, History: World
Publication year 2017
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Identity: Race, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Win & Lose, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict
Tags Race / Racism, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, American Literature
Publication year 2018
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice
Tags Race / Racism, Social Justice, Trauma / Abuse / Violence
Publication year 1998
Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction
Themes Identity: Femininity, Identity: Gender, Society: Community, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance
Tags Gender / Feminism, Women's Studies (Nonfiction), Inspirational, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Modern Classic Fiction, Biography
Desert Flower: The Extraordinary Journey of a Desert Nomad is a memoir published in 1998 by the Somali model, author, and activist Waris Dirie and author Cathleen Miller. The book recounts Dirie’s harrowing life story, from her roots as a member of a nomadic family and the abuses she suffered as a child to her rise to international fame as a fashion model, an ambassador and advocate for women's rights, and an author. The novel... Read Desert Flower Summary
Publication year 2012
Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Identity: Race, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger
Tags Inspirational, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Race / Racism, Class, Poverty, Incarceration, Social Justice, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Children's Literature, Education, Education, Biography
Publication year 1999
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Self Discovery, Society: Colonialism, Values/Ideas: New Age
Tags African Literature, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Race / Racism, Modern Classic Fiction, History: World, Classic Fiction
Disgrace (1999) is a novel by South African author J. M. Coetzee. It follows a white South African professor of English as he navigates the changing world of post-apartheid South Africa. Disgrace won the Booker Prize after its publication in 1999 and, four years later, Coetzee was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature. In 2008, the novel was adapted into a movie starring John Malkovich and Jessica Haines. This guide uses the 1999 Secker &... Read Disgrace Summary
Publication year 1992
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Marriage, Society: Class, Identity: Gender, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt
Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Psychological Fiction, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Drama / Tragedy
Dolores Claiborne (1992) is a psychological thriller by the American novelist Stephen King. The novel, narrated from Dolores’s first-person point of view, tells the story of her work as a housekeeper for the wealthy Vera Donovan and Dolores’s eventual murder of her abusive husband. Unique among King’s work for its unconventional narrative style, including a lack of chapter designations and section breaks, the novel deals with themes of revenge, family, physical and sexual abuse, and... Read Dolores Claiborne Summary
Publication year 2023
Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Fame, Life/Time: The Past, Identity: Mental Health, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Self Discovery
Tags Arts / Culture, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Relationships, Gender / Feminism, Modern Classic Fiction, Biography
Publication year 2000
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Apathy, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: The Past, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Mothers, Relationships: Siblings, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Fathers, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Realistic Fiction, Romance, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Relationships, Modern Classic Fiction
In Dreamland, a young adult novel by Sarah Dessen, a teenage girl named Caitlin O’Koren reacts to the disappearance of her sister by breaking away from the path that was set out for her. The novel is broken into three parts that focus on the core of the conflicts in each section. Part I, “Cass,” traces the O’Koren family after Cass, the eldest of two daughters, runs away instead of attending Yale. Part II, entitled... Read Dreamland Summary
Publication year 2003
Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction
Themes Society: Community, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Apathy, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance
Tags Humor, LGBTQ, Psychology, Addiction / Substance Abuse, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Psychology, Mental Illness, Biography
... Read Dry Summary
Publication year 2019
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Identity: Disability, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Identity: Gender, Identity: Mental Health, Relationships: Fathers, Self Discovery, Society: Community, Society: Education, Society: Immigration, Society: Politics & Government
Tags Children's Literature, Modern Classic Fiction, Realistic Fiction, Mental Illness, Disability, Trauma / Abuse / Violence
Genre Play, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Relationships: Siblings, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger
Tags Play: Tragedy, Mythology, Ancient Greece, Classical Period, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Drama / Tragedy, Fantasy, Classic Fiction
Publication year 2015
Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Identity: Mental Health, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Natural World: Food
Tags Mental Illness, Depression / Suicide, Psychology, Trauma / Abuse / Violence
Publication year 1987
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Coming of Age, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Gratitude, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: The Past, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Literature, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Win & Lose, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Grandparents, Relationships: Mothers, Natural World: Nurture v. Nature, Natural World: Appearance & Reality
Tags Education, Education, Modern Classic Fiction, Classic Fiction, Southern Literature, Auto/Biographical Fiction, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Race / Racism
Ellen Foster is a work of adult fiction by US novelist Kaye Gibbons, first published by Algonquin Books in 1987. The novel was Gibbons’s debut, and it won the Sue Kaufman Prize for literature from the American Academy of Arts and Letters and a notable citation from the Ernest Hemingway Foundation. Critics praised the novel for its unsentimental outlook and the wry, distinct voice of its protagonist. Ellen, a young girl living in the American... Read Ellen Foster Summary
Publication year 2005
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Society: Class, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Identity: Race, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Society: Community, Life/Time: Mortality & Death
Tags Realistic Fiction, Poverty, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Children's Literature, Education, Education, Grief / Death, Urban Development, Arts / Culture
Emako Blue is a novel for young adults written by Brenda Woods. Set in Los Angeles, California, Emako's friends and schoolmates relay the events leading up to Emako Blue’s gang-related murder in alternating first-person narration, primarily through flashbacks. The text explores the effects of poverty, gang violence, guns, and how these issues have far-reaching impacts on each member of a community. As the events of the story unfold, each narrator must consider what they want... Read Emako Blue Summary