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 2021
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Literature, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Relationships: Siblings, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality
Tags Historical Fiction, Auto/Biographical Fiction, Holidays & Occasions, British Literature, Christian literature, History: World, Fantasy, Religion / Spirituality
Publication year 2002
Genre Graphic Memoir , Nonfiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Art, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Language, Identity: Race, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: Midlife, Natural World: Animals, Natural World: Food, Relationships: Mothers, Self Discovery, Society: Class, Society: Education, Society: Immigration, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Values/Ideas: Literature
Tags Humor, Arts / Culture, Biography
One! Hundred! Demons! is a semi-autobiographical genre-defying graphic novel by American cartoonist and pedagogue, Lynda Barry. Over the course of her career as a prominent cartoonist with nationally syndicated comic strips, published collections, and illustrated novels, Barry has received many national and state-wide awards for her work, including two Eisner awards and MacArthur Genius Grant.Originally published serially in Salon magazine, the collected cartoon chapters were collected and published by Sasquatch Books in 2002, and later... Read One! Hundred! Demons! Summary
Publication year 2008
Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Gratitude, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Identity: Indigenous, Identity: Language, Natural World: Animals, Natural World: Flora/plants, Natural World: Place, Self Discovery, Society: Colonialism, Society: Community, Society: Education, Society: Nation, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Literature, Values/Ideas: Music, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags History: World, Biography
Publication year 1939
Genre Essay / Speech, Nonfiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Literature, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Identity: Language
Tags Philosophy, Fantasy, Fairy Tale / Folklore, Mythology, Philosophy, Literary Criticism, Classic Fiction, Religion / Spirituality
Publication year 1816
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Literature, Emotions/Behavior: Gratitude, Emotions/Behavior: Joy
Tags Classic Fiction, Lyric Poem, History: World, British Literature
“On First Looking into Chapman’s Homer” is a sonnet by the English poet John Keats. It was first published in The Examiner on Dec. 1, 1816, and describes Keats’s awed reaction to Elizabethan playwright George Chapman’s startling translations of Homer’s The Iliad and The Odyssey. Keats’s lyric poem is informed by the Romanticism movement, of which he became a chief practitioner in its late form, despite his brief life.The poem is the most famous of... Read On First Looking into Chapman's Homer Summary
Publication year 1773
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Identity: Race, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Values/Ideas: Literature
Publication year 1859
Genre Essay / Speech, Nonfiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Literature, Society: Politics & Government, Society: Nation
Tags Philosophy, Politics / Government, Arts / Culture, History: European, British Literature, Victorian Period, Business / Economics, History: World, Philosophy, Classic Fiction
On Liberty is a philosophical essay on ethics, society, and politics published in 1859 by the English philosopher John Stuart Mill. His work on the subject matter extended back several years, through an illustrious career as a politician and philosopher. Mill’s ideas center on the concept of utilitarianism, which emphasizes efficiency and collective well-being. The book remains in print in the 21st century.SummaryOn Liberty is divided into five chapters: an introduction; “On the liberty of... Read On Liberty Summary
Publication year 1991
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Coming of Age, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Literature
Tags Realistic Fiction, Sports, American Literature, Children's Literature, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Fantasy
On the Devil’s Court is a novel aimed at teenage boys that follows 17-year-old Joe Faust through the basketball season of his senior year. Written by Carl Deuker, the book was originally published in 1988 and has remained a popular print title for more than 30 years. On the Devil’s Court was the first of three young adult sports novels by Deuker to be included among the Authors League of America Best Books for Young... Read On the Devil's Court Summary
Publication year 100
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Literature, Values/Ideas: Beauty
Tags Philosophy, Arts / Culture, Ancient Greece, Italian Literature
On the Sublime is a treatise on aesthetics and literary criticism originally written in Greek between the first and third centuries AD. The author is not definitively known, but the text is typically credited with the name Longinus. Although the work has come to be known as On the Sublime in English, its subject is advice to writers on “the essentials of a noble and impressive style.” For this reason, G. M. A. Grube translates... Read On the Sublime Summary
Publication year 2019
Genre Memoir in Verse, Nonfiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Literature, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Relationships: Family, Identity: Mental Health, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Identity: Race, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Mothers, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality
Tags Biography, Mental Illness
Publication year 1928
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Literature, Identity: Gender
Tags Gender / Feminism, LGBTQ, Historical Fiction, Classic Fiction, British Literature, Modernism, History: World, Fantasy
Orlando: A Biography is a novel published in 1928 by the English author Virginia Woolf. It tells the story of Orlando, a member of the English nobility who is born a male in 16th century England. Around the age of 30, Orlando mysteriously changes into a woman and lives for centuries without visibly aging. Author Jeanette Winterson called Orlando “the first trans novel in English.” (Winterson, Jeanette. “’Different sex. Same person’: How Woolf’s Orlando became... Read Orlando Summary
Publication year 2021
Genre Biography, Nonfiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Literature, Society: Politics & Government, Natural World: Environment, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Arts / Culture, History: World, Politics / Government, Philosophy, Social Justice, Science / Nature, Biography
Publication year 2022
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Literature, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Mothers, Natural World: Animals, Natural World: Place, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Memory
Tags Magical Realism, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Grief / Death, Relationships, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Romance, Fantasy, Religion / Spirituality
Publication year 2024
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Joy, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Identity: Masculinity, Identity: Race, Identity: Sexuality, Life/Time: The Past, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Marriage, Relationships: Mothers, Self Discovery, Society: Class, Society: Colonialism, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Fame, Values/Ideas: Literature
Publication year 2022
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Race, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Relationships: Family, Society: Community, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Literature
Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Race / Racism, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2014
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Values/Ideas: Literature, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Femininity, Life/Time: Midlife
Tags Relationships
Publication year 2013
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Society: Class, Relationships: Friendship, Identity: Sexuality, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Values/Ideas: Literature, Relationships: Mothers, Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Natural World: Nurture v. Nature, Relationships: Fathers, Identity: Gender, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Hope
Tags Historical Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Realistic Fiction, Southern Literature, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, History: World, Romance
Out of the Easy, written by Ruta Sepetys and published in 2013, is a young adult historical fiction novel. Sepetys is an award-winning Lithuanian American writer of young adult historical fiction. Her honors include the Carnegie Medal, awarded to one work of children’s or young adult literature per year. Her novels are international best sellers and are widely translated. Out of the Easy is about Josie, a teenage girl living in the French Quarter of... Read Out of the Easy Summary
Publication year 1962
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Literature, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Values/Ideas: Art
Tags Classic Fiction, Russian Literature, Post Modernism, American Literature, History: World
Pale Fire is a 1962 experimental novel by Vladimir Nabokov, the author of seminal novels like Lolita and Pnin. The novel consists of a 999-line poem by a fictional poet and the accompanying notations by a fictional editor. Rather than analyze the poem, however, the notations create a new narrative. Pale Fire has been heralded as a landmark example of metafiction and one of the most important novels of the 20th century.This guide is written... Read Pale Fire Summary
Publication year 1946
Genre Novel/Book in Verse, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Literature, Natural World: Environment, Natural World: Place
Tags American Literature, Science / Nature, History: U.S., Narrative / Epic Poem, History: World, Classic Fiction
Publication year 1836
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Friendship, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Society: Politics & Government, Society: Community, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Literature, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Marriage
Tags Classic Fiction, Victorian Period, Action / Adventure, Humor, Travel Literature, Class, History: European, Politics / Government, Social Justice, Sports, British Literature, History: World, Historical Fiction, Victorian Literature / Period
The debut novel of British author Charles Dickens, The Posthumous Papers of the Pickwick Club (commonly known as The Pickwick Papers) was first published as a series by Chapman and Hall between 1836 and 1837. The Pickwick Papers chronicles the adventures of the members of the Pickwick Club, a group of travelers who journey around England and share their experiences. Because of the original serial format of the novel, the chapters contain individual but interconnected... Read Pickwick Papers Summary