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 1968
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Literature, Values/Ideas: Art
Tags Arts / Culture, Ancient Greece
Publication year 2022
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Sexuality, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Relationships: Friendship, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Music, Values/Ideas: Literature
Tags LGBTQ, Romance, Historical Fiction, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2014
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Relationships: Friendship, Self Discovery, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Literature
Tags Fantasy, Magical Realism, Music, Relationships, Children's Literature
Publication year 1927
Genre Reference/Text Book, Nonfiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Literature, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Identity: Language
Tags The Bloomsbury Group, Arts / Culture, Literary Criticism, Classic Fiction
Aspects of the Novel by E.M. Forster is considered a seminal work of literary criticism that demystifies the form of the novel as it was understood in the early 20th century. The book is adapted from a series of informal lectures Forster delivered in 1927 at Trinity College at the University of Cambridge. Forster was an accomplished novelist as well as a critic, known for the novels Howard’s End and Passage to India, among others... Read Aspects of the Novel Summary
Publication year 2023
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Gender, Life/Time: The Past, Natural World: Environment, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Literature
Tags Fantasy, Romance, Gothic Literature, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Fairy Tale / Folklore
Publication year 1956
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Society: Nation, Identity: Sexuality, Society: Globalization, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Literature, Emotions/Behavior: Nostalgia
Tags Lyric Poem, Love / Sexuality, Arts / Culture, The Beat Generation, LGBTQ, Classic Fiction
“A Supermarket in California” is a prose poem by the American poet Allen Ginsberg. Written in 1955, it appears alongside Ginsberg’s most well-known work, “Howl,” in his book Howl and Other Poems. Published November 1, 1956 by Lawrence Ferlinghetti’s City Lights Books as part of their Pocket Poets Series, Howl and Other Poems was subject to an obscenity trial in 1957 due to its use of sexually explicit language. The trial eventually ruled in the... Read A Supermarket in California Summary
Publication year 1997
Genre Essay Collection, Nonfiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Apathy, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Self Discovery, Society: Community, Society: Education, Society: Nation, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Literature, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Humor, Philosophy, Post Modernism, American Literature
A Supposedly Fun Thing I’ll Never Do Again is a 1997 essay collection by David Foster Wallace. The seven essays explore 1990s US social issues through subjects such as television, tennis, and (in the most famous essay) a Caribbean cruise. The essays have been referenced many times in popular culture, particularly the title essay, which recounts Wallace’s experiences on a cruise.This guide references the 1998 Abacus edition of the collection.SummaryIn the first essay, “Derivative Sport... Read A Supposedly Fun Thing I'll Never Do Again Summary
Publication year 2021
Genre Essay Collection, Nonfiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Literature, Identity: Language, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Society: Education
Tags Realistic Fiction, Arts / Culture, Education, Russian Literature, Literary Criticism, Classic Fiction
Publication year 2019
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Society: War, Identity: Femininity, Values/Ideas: Literature
Tags Historical Fiction, Fantasy, Mythology, Gender / Feminism, History: World
Publication year 1939
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Literature, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Fate, Life/Time: The Past, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict
Tags Irish Literature, Humor, Fantasy, Magical Realism, Fairy Tale / Folklore, Satire, Arts / Culture, Class, British Literature, History: World, Classic Fiction
Publication year 2022
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Literature, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Grandparents, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Relationships: Mothers, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Society: Community, Society: Education, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt
Tags Realistic Fiction, Children's Literature, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Education
Publication year 1970
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Literature
Tags Free verse, Lyric Poem, Gender / Feminism
Publication year 1925
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Literature, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Art
Tags Philosophy, Classic Fiction, Religion / Spirituality, Philosophy, Irish Literature
Publication year 2014
Genre Essay Collection, Nonfiction
Themes Identity: Race, Identity: Femininity, Values/Ideas: Literature, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Equality
Tags Gender / Feminism, Women's Studies (Nonfiction), Race / Racism, Social Justice, Politics / Government
Bad Feminist is a collection of essays from writer, scholar, and social critic Roxane Gay. Published in 2014 by Harper Perennial, the New York Times best seller draws together an array of topics, from pop culture to literary discourse to political legislation to personal recollections, in an analysis of society, culture, and politics. Gay tackles modern patriarchy and racism in ways that emphasize the humanity of marginalized people and how those systems of oppression deny... Read Bad Feminist Summary
Publication year 2000
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Literature, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger
Tags Historical Fiction, Education, Education, Asian Literature, History: World, Classic Fiction, Auto/Biographical Fiction, Chinese Literature
Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress (2000) is a short, semi-autobiographical novel by Dai Sijie. The narrative is set during the Chinese Cultural Revolution and follows two teenage boys who are sent to a remote mountain village for re-education. The boys become close with the local tailor’s daughter and uncover a hidden stash of forbidden Western literature. The books introduce them to ideas, emotions, and freedoms they have never known, and awaken in the Little... Read Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress Summary
Publication year 2017
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Literature, Relationships: Friendship, Society: Community, Relationships: Siblings, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Relationships: Family, Society: Education, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Society: Politics & Government, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict
Tags Realistic Fiction, Children's Literature, Education, Education, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2015
Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction
Themes Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Friendship, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Self Discovery, Natural World: Environment, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Society: Class, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Literature
Tags Sports, Travel Literature, Action / Adventure, Bullying, Arts / Culture, Class, Race / Racism, Relationships, Poverty, Politics / Government, Science / Nature, Social Justice, History: World, Biography
Barbarian Days: A Surfing Life is a 2015 memoir by William Finnegan, a writer for The New Yorker and the author of several social journalism books such as A Complicated War: The Harrowing of Mozambique and Dateline Soweto: Travels with Black South African Reporters. In Barbarian Days, Finnegan reflects on his upbringing in California and Hawaii, as well as his coming of age in the late 1960s. He relays his experience of the surfing counterculture... Read Barbarian Days: A Surfing Life Summary
Publication year 2020
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Values/Ideas: Literature, Relationships: Family
Tags Romance, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2021
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Values/Ideas: Literature, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Relationships: Friendship
Tags Class, Love / Sexuality, Modern Classic Fiction, Romance, Irish Literature
Publication year 2018
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Literature, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Relationships: Marriage, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Mothers, Self Discovery, Emotions/Behavior: Joy, Life/Time: Midlife
Tags Historical Fiction, Romance, Auto/Biographical Fiction, British Literature, Christian literature, History: World, Religion / Spirituality