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 Biography, Nonfiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Identity: Gender, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Natural World: Place, Relationships: Friendship, Society: Class, Society: Economics, Values/Ideas: Fame, Values/Ideas: Literature
Tags History: U.S.
Publication year 1995
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Joy, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Natural World: Animals, Relationships: Siblings, Values/Ideas: Literature
Tags Holidays & Occasions, Children's Literature, Historical Fiction, Fantasy, Action / Adventure
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Literature, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos
Tags Religion / Spirituality, Philosophy, Post Modernism
E. L. Doctorow’s 2000 novel City of God is a postmodern, metafictional novel of religious questioning that attempts to reconcile the history of the 20th century, particularly the Holocaust, with modern conceptions of morality and God. The novel is structured as a fragmented writer’s notebook written by a character loosely based on Doctorow himself. The plot, which concerns a stolen cross and an Episcopalian priest’s doubts about his faith, is rendered through the mediated lens... Read City of God Summary
Publication year 2020
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Gratitude, Emotions/Behavior: Joy, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Literature, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Relationships: Teams, Relationships: Family, Natural World: Climate, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Natural World: Environment, Self Discovery, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Win & Lose, Relationships: Friendship, Natural World: Place, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos
Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Action / Adventure, Children's Literature, Realistic Fiction
Publication year 2021
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Coming of Age, Values/Ideas: Literature, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Historical Fiction, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, History: World, Fantasy
Publication year 1964
Genre Short Story, Fiction
Themes Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Values/Ideas: Literature, Natural World: Place
Tags Spanish Literature, Fantasy
Publication year 1998
Genre Reference/Text Book, Nonfiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Literature, Identity: Race, Identity: Sexuality, Natural World: Environment, Society: Class, Society: Colonialism, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice
Tags Literary Criticism, Philosophy
Publication year 1921
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Sexuality, Identity: Mental Health, Relationships: Friendship, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Literature
Tags Classic Fiction, Humor, Historical Fiction, Play: Comedy / Satire, British Literature, History: World
Publication year 2011
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Self Discovery, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Literature, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology
Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Romance, Fantasy, Action / Adventure, Arts / Culture, Love / Sexuality, Science / Nature, Social Justice
Publication year 1993
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Society: Colonialism, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Literature
Tags Colonialism / Postcolonialism, History: World, Philosophy, Politics / Government, History: European, History: Middle Eastern, History: Asian, Literary Criticism, Sociology, Philosophy, Arts / Culture
Culture and Imperialism is a nonfiction book published in 1993 by the Palestinian American author and academic Edward Said. Originating from a series of lectures that Said delivered in 1985 and 1986, Culture and Imperialism is an expansion of the ideas set out in his groundbreaking earlier work, Orientalism. Considered one of the founders of the field of post-colonial studies, Said looks at how the formerly colonized margins influence the metropolitan centers, and vice versa... Read Culture and Imperialism Summary
Publication year 1897
Genre Play, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Literature
Tags Classic Fiction, Play: Drama, Play: Comedy / Satire, Romance, Auto/Biographical Fiction, French Literature, Arts / Culture, Love / Sexuality, Grief / Death, Finance / Money / Wealth, Education, Education, Drama / Tragedy, Historical Fiction
Cyrano de Bergerac: An Heroic Comedy in Five Acts by Edmond Rostand was originally published in 1898. Rostand was a popular poet and playwright in France during his lifetime. Cyrano de Bergerac is a five-act verse drama—a tragic romance, set in France in the mid-1600s. It was far more popular than all of Rostand’s other works and has been performed and adapted countless times since its initial successful run.Cyrano de Bergerac explores themes of Unrequited... Read Cyrano de Bergerac Summary
Publication year 1962
Genre Anthology/Varied Collection, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Identity: Language, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Natural World: Nurture v. Nature, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Marriage, Relationships: Siblings, Society: Colonialism, Society: Community, Society: Education, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Literature, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Fantasy, Mythology, Children's Literature
Publication year 2010
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Literature, Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Relationships: Friendship, Self Discovery, Society: Community
Tags Japanese Literature
Publication year 1989
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Literature, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Society: Education, Self Discovery, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Relationships: Fathers, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Relationships: Friendship, Emotions/Behavior: Love
Tags Historical Fiction, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Drama / Tragedy, Education, Education, Modern Classic Fiction
IntroductionN. H. Kleinbaum’s Dead Poets Society is a 1989 novel based on the motion picture written by Tom Schulman. The novel was released as a companion piece to the wildly popular film—also titled Dead Poets Society and released in 1989— which starred famous actors such as Robin Williams as Mr. Keating, and Ethan Hawke as Todd Anderson. The film scored high with critics, winning the Oscar in 1990 for Best Original Screenplay and receiving nominations... Read Dead Poets Society Summary
Publication year 1912
Genre Novella, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Literature, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Sexuality, Life/Time: Aging, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Values/Ideas: Beauty
Tags Modern Classic Fiction, LGBTQ, German Literature, History: World, Education, Education, Classic Fiction, Arts / Culture
Death in Venice (1912) is a novella by celebrated German author Thomas Mann (1875-1955). The story follows Gustav von Aschenbach, a successful but aging writer who travels to Venice seeking inspiration and respite. There, he becomes infatuated with Tadzio, an exceptionally beautiful young boy whose ethereal presence awakens a profound and dangerous longing in Aschenbach. As Venice succumbs to a cholera epidemic, Aschenbach’s obsession leads to his downfall.Mann, the recipient of the 1929 Nobel Prize... Read Death in Venice Summary
Publication year 2014
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Marriage, Values/Ideas: Literature, Relationships: Mothers, Values/Ideas: Art
Tags Modern Classic Fiction, Romance, Literary Fiction
Dept. of Speculation is a work of literary fiction by American novelist Jenny Offill. The novel was originally published in January 2014 by Alfred A. Knopf and was named one of the year’s 10 best books by the New York Times. Written in Offill’s customary fragmented prose, Dept. of Speculation reinvents the familiar story of marital infidelity into an examination of life’s meaning and purpose. Offill combines elements of philosophy, myth, science, and poetry to... Read Dept. of Speculation Summary
Publication year 2002
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Identity: Language, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Values/Ideas: Literature
Tags Lyric Poem, Humor, Romance, Arts / Culture, Class, American Literature, African American Literature
Harryette Mullen’s “Dim Lady” may remind some readers of 17th century English playwright and poet William Shakespeare’s well-known “Sonnet 130,” in which the speaker of the poem makes a mockery of his beloved’s physical appearance. During Shakespeare’s time, fashion encouraged poets to write flowery poetry that extolled the virtues and the beauty of their beloved. However, the speaker of this sonnet toys with poetic conventions of the time, describing the physical attributes of the speaker’s... Read Dim Lady Summary
Publication year 1965
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Mental Health, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Relationships: Marriage, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Literature
Tags Depression / Suicide, Confessional, Free verse, Grief / Death
Publication year 2020
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Literature
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Psychological Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2022
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Literature, Identity: Language, Identity: Sexuality, Life/Time: Coming of Age
Tags Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Love / Sexuality, Women's Studies (Nonfiction), Education, Education, Modern Classic Fiction