The Dutch philosopher Erasmus said, “When I have a little money, I buy books; and if I have any left, I buy food and clothes.” Why do we value books and literature so highly? This thematic collection gathers books that offer unique insights into the power, energy, and appeal of, well, books!
Publication year 2004
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Nostalgia, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Identity: Masculinity, Identity: Race, Identity: Sexuality, Life/Time: Midlife, Life/Time: The Past, Relationships: Family, Society: Immigration, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Literature, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Latin American Literature, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Trauma / Abuse / Violence
2666 (2004) is a novel by Chilean author Roberto Bolaño, published one year after Bolaño's death. Centering around a reclusive German author and his role in investigating the ongoing unsolved murders in the fictional city of Santa Teresa, Mexico, 2666 jumps in location, narrative style, location, and characters over its five sections. The novel is widely acclaimed and was adapted into stage plays three times. The New York Times Book Review ranked 2666 as the... Read 2666 Summary
Publication year 1840
Genre Essay / Speech, Nonfiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Literature, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Values/Ideas: Art
Tags Romanticism / Romantic Period, British Literature
Publication year 1821
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Identity: Language, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Values/Ideas: Literature
Tags Lyric Poem, Mythology, Romanticism / Romantic Period, Grief / Death, British Literature, History: World, Classic Fiction
The death of the young has been a thematic concern in literature since Antiquity. That untimely demise not only exposes human vulnerability but makes for melancholic contemplation over the waste of beauty, confidence, and youth’s energy. And when that person is an artist, still young and learning, the implications seem more tragic. Percy Bysshe Shelley’s “Adonais” (1821) is at one level a contemplation of the sudden death in 1821 of fellow poet John Keats. Keats... Read Adonais Summary
Publication year 2000
Genre Short Story Collection, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Identity: Gender, Identity: Mental Health, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Literature, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality
Tags Magical Realism, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 1966
Genre Essay / Speech, Nonfiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Literature, Values/Ideas: Beauty
Tags Arts / Culture
Publication year 2021
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Literature
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Magical Realism, Fantasy
Publication year 1961
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Life/Time: Birth, Identity: Mental Health, Life/Time: Aging, Life/Time: The Past, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: Midlife, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Marriage, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Society: Class, Society: Colonialism, Society: Community, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Literature, Society: Economics
Tags Historical Fiction, Auto/Biographical Fiction, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Poverty, Finance / Money / Wealth, Depression / Suicide, Class, Colonialism / Postcolonialism, Indian Literature, Asian Literature, History: World, Classic Fiction
A House for Mr. Biswas is a 1961 historical fiction novel by V. S. Naipaul. The story takes a postcolonial perspective of the life of a Hindu Indian man in British-owned and occupied Trinidad. Now regarded as one of Naipaul's most significant novels, A House for Mr. Biswas has won numerous awards and has been adapted as a musical, a radio drama, and a television show. Naipaul is also known for the works The Mimic... Read A House for Mr. Biswas Summary
Publication year 2024
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Sexuality, Life/Time: Aging, Life/Time: Midlife, Life/Time: The Future, Life/Time: The Past, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Marriage, Self Discovery, Society: Community, Society: Education, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Literature, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Relationships: Family
Tags Gender / Feminism, Modern Classic Fiction, LGBTQ, Humor
Publication year 2019
Genre Play, Fiction
Themes Identity: Race, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Literature
Tags Race / Racism, Education, Education, Drama / Tragedy
Publication year 1964
Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Literature, Relationships: Friendship
Tags Travel Literature, American Literature, French Literature, Classic Fiction, Biography
A Moveable Feast was written by Ernest Hemingway and published posthumously in 1964, three years after his death. The title, A Moveable Feast, is a play on the term used for holy days that do not consistently fall on the same date every year. The memoir’s structure mirrors this concept, featuring 20 separate yet related stories that make up Hemingway’s own collection of inconsistent holy days. The memoir blends fact with fiction as Hemingway recalls... Read A Moveable Feast Summary
Publication year 1991
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Identity: Gender, Identity: Indigenous, Identity: Race, Identity: Sexuality, Life/Time: The Future, Life/Time: The Past, Natural World: Environment, Natural World: Place, Society: Colonialism, Society: Community, Society: Immigration, Society: Nation, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Literature
Tags Narrative / Epic Poem, American Literature
Publication year 1668
Genre Essay / Speech, Nonfiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Literature, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Society: War, Society: Nation, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos
Tags Literary Criticism, Education, Education
Publication year 1711
Genre Poem, Nonfiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Beauty, Life/Time: The Past, Values/Ideas: Literature
Tags Arts / Culture, Age of Enlightenment, Education, Education, British Literature, Literary Criticism, History: World, Philosophy, Philosophy, Classic Fiction
Publication year 2024
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Mental Health, Self Discovery, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Literature
Tags Modern Classic Fiction, Magical Realism, Fantasy, Romance
Publication year 1993
Genre Play, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Life/Time: The Past, Values/Ideas: Literature
Tags Historical Fiction, Play: Tragedy, Play: Comedy / Satire, Science / Nature, British Literature, Education, Education, History: World, Drama / Tragedy, Classic Fiction
Arcadia by Tom Stoppard was first performed on April 13, 1993, at the Royal National Theatre in London. In 2006, the Royal Institution of Great Britain named it one of the best science-related works ever written.The play, which contains elements of historical fiction, has dual plot lines—one historical and one modern—that share the same physical setting. In the 19th century, the play follows the young Thomasina, a mathematical genius far ahead of her time, and... Read Arcadia Summary
Publication year 2003
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Society: Class, Society: Community, Society: Globalization, Society: Economics, Society: Education, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Literature, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed
Tags Politics / Government, Race / Racism, Social Justice, History: U.S., Sociology, Gender / Feminism, History: World, Philosophy, Philosophy
Publication year 2021
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Gender, Relationships: Mothers, Values/Ideas: Fame, Values/Ideas: Literature
Tags Fantasy, Mythology, Historical Fiction, Romance, History: World
Publication year 2022
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Natural World: Environment, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Literature, Values/Ideas: Music
Tags Fantasy, Romance, Fairy Tale / Folklore, Mystery / Crime Fiction
Publication year 1929
Genre Essay / Speech, Nonfiction
Themes Identity: Femininity, Values/Ideas: Literature, Identity: Sexuality
Tags Gender / Feminism, Philosophy
A Room of One’s Own by Virginia Woolf, first published in 1929, is a book-length essay that Woolf modeled after a series of her at the University of Cambridge. A Room of One’s Own is considered a classic and exemplary piece of modernist criticism that questions traditional values. It examines the topic of “women and fiction”–women characters in fiction; the great women authors in English history who wrote fiction; and, more abstractly, “the fiction that... Read A Room of One's Own Summary
Publication year 1991
Genre Essay / Speech, Nonfiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Literature, Values/Ideas: Art
Tags Ancient Rome, Lyric Poem