The titles in the Social Class Collection explore the historical and contemporary implications of social class and class division in cultures around the world. Representing a diverse range of perspectives, cultures, and societies, the selections in this Collection span a broad range of genres and forms, including essays, biographies, and fiction.
Publication year 2024
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Identity: Gender, Identity: Mental Health, Relationships: Marriage, Society: Class, Society: Economics, Society: Politics & Government
Tags History: World, Politics / Government, Gender / Feminism
Publication year 2016
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Identity: Gender
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction
Before the Fall (2016) by Noah Hawley details the effects of a plane crash on its survivors. Part mystery, part procedural, and part character study, the narrative examines the lives of the victims—their relationships, their flaws, and their histories—giving the tragedy a human face beyond the sensational headlines. Along the way, it explores themes of celebrity, invasion of privacy, and the difficulty of reconstructing traumatic memories. Hawley, a screenwriter as well as a novelist, is... Read Before the Fall Summary
Publication year 2023
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: The Past, Relationships: Friendship, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2018
Genre Graphic Memoir , Nonfiction
Themes Relationships: Friendship, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Self Discovery, Society: Class, Society: Immigration, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Life/Time: Coming of Age
Tags Humor, Action / Adventure, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Children's Literature, Realistic Fiction
Publication year 2018
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Gender, Identity: Masculinity, Identity: Mental Health, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Teams, Self Discovery, Society: Class
Tags Romance, Sports, New Adult, Modern Classic Fiction, Trauma / Abuse / Violence
Publication year 1877
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Society: Class, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Natural World: Animals
Tags Classic Fiction, Historical Fiction, Action / Adventure, Animals, Addiction / Substance Abuse, Class, History: European, Poverty, Religion / Spirituality, Social Justice, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Urban Development, Victorian Period, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Children's Literature, History: World
Black Beauty was written by English novelist Anna Sewell, and published in 1877. It quickly became extremely popular, and led to increased activism and public concern for the humane treatment of horses and other animals. It went on to become one of best-selling novels of all time, and has been adapted numerous times into films and theatre productions. Sewell used her novel to explore themes such as kindness and responsibility, and to critique social problems... Read Black Beauty Summary
Publication year 2020
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Values/Ideas: Fate, Society: Class
Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Southern Literature, Race / Racism, Poverty, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2024
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Identity: Femininity, Self Discovery, Society: Class, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags New Adult, Romance, Fantasy, Mythology, Religion / Spirituality
Publication year 1971
Genre Short Story, Fiction
Themes Society: Class, Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict
Tags Race / Racism, Black Arts Movement
Publication year 2022
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Natural World: Nurture v. Nature, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Fame, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality
Tags Fantasy, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Romance
Publication year 2021
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Society: Nation, Society: Class, Society: Politics & Government, Society: Community, Relationships: Friendship, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Hope
Tags Realistic Fiction, Social Justice, Poverty, Indian Literature, Class, Politics / Government, Incarceration, Children's Literature, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2001
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Society: Colonialism, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Equality, Society: Politics & Government, Society: Nation
Tags History: World, Latin American Literature, Arts / Culture, Military / War, Politics / Government, History: European, Class, Colonialism / Postcolonialism, Education, Education, History: U.S.
Born in Blood and Fire: A Concise History of Latin America, 4th Edition, by John Charles Chasteen was published in 2016. The first edition was printed in 2001. Chasteen works as an author, translator, and professor of Latin American history and culture. He teaches at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Some of his other notable works are Americanos: The Struggle for Latin American Independence, National Rhythms, African Roots: The Deep History of... Read Born in Blood and Fire Summary
Publication year 1880
Genre Short Story, Fiction
Themes Society: Class, Society: Nation, Society: War
Tags French Literature, Military / War, Historical Fiction
“Boule de Suif,” which translates to “ball of fat” in English, is a short story by 19th-century French Naturalist writer Guy de Maupassant. Published in 1880, it was his first published story and is considered one of his greatest works. The story explores the power dynamics of class and gender while also painting a picture of the dismal final days of the Franco-Prussian War of 1870-1871 in Prussian-occupied France. All told, Maupassant wrote some 300... Read Boule De Suif Summary
Publication year 1990
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Society: Class, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Relationships: Family
Tags Lyric Poem, Arts / Culture, Climate Change
Publication year 1945
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Nostalgia, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality
Tags Historical Fiction, History: World, Classic Fiction, British Literature, LGBTQ
Brideshead Revisited: The Sacred & Profane Memoirs of Captain Charles Ryder (1945) is the ninth published novel by British novelist Arthur Evelyn St. John Waugh, who published under “Evelyn Waugh.” It chronicles the life and relationships of Charles Ryder, particularly his complex friendship with the aristocratic Flyte family, during the interwar period in England. The novel was an immediate success, and, despite his later dislike, Waugh referred to it as his “magnum opus.” It has been... Read Brideshead Revisited Summary
Publication year 2012
Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Relationships: Mothers, Emotions/Behavior: Gratitude, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Language, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: Midlife, Natural World: Food, Natural World: Nurture v. Nature, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Relationships: Marriage, Society: Class, Society: Immigration, Society: Nation
Tags Memoir / Autobiography, Parenting
Publication year 1997
Genre Short Story, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Sexuality, Society: Class, Emotions/Behavior: Hope
Tags Romance, LGBTQ, Western, Modern Classic Fiction
“Brokeback Mountain,” by award-winning American author Annie Proulx, addresses themes of Masculine Sexuality and the Forbidden Love of Queer Romance, The Inescapable Effects and Momentum of Poverty, and Powerlessness and Loss of Hope. Like much of Proulx’s work, the story includes a strong sense of place. Wyoming’s unforgiving landscape figures prominently in “Brokeback Mountain,” and the film adaptation by the same name received acclaim for its cinematography as well as its unapologetic portrayal of queer... Read Brokeback Mountain Summary
Publication year 2024
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Identity: Mental Health, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Mothers, Self Discovery, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction
Publication year 2021
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Sexuality, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Teams, Self Discovery, Society: Class, Society: Education, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed
Tags Fantasy, Romance
Publication year 1999
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Win & Lose, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Society: Class, Society: Nation, Society: Politics & Government, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology
Tags History: European, Arts / Culture, Renaissance
Brunelleschi’s Dome: How a Renaissance Genius Reinvented Architecture is a 2000 nonfiction book by Ross King. The book describes how Filippo Brunelleschi radically altered the course of architectural history, defying expectations by designing and building the dome for Florence’s cathedral during the early Renaissance. Receiving widespread praise from critics, King has been commended for making a complex subject accessible to lay readers. King is a bestselling nonfiction writer who lectures across Europe and North America... Read Brunelleschi's Dome: How a Renaissance Genius Reinvented Architecture Summary