This thematic collection covers texts that investigate the particularly fraught dynamics and divisions of class, including Upton Sinclair's The Jungle and Ernesto Galarza's Barrio Boy.
Publication year 1999
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Identity: Race, Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Society: Class
Tags Sociology, Race / Racism, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Poverty, Education, Education, Anthropology, Anthropology, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Social Science, Urban Development, History: World
Publication year 2024
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Gender, Identity: Race, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Art
Tags Humor, Satire, Literary Fiction, Race / Racism
Publication year 1939
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Nostalgia, Society: Class, Life/Time: The Past, Society: War, Society: Nation, Emotions/Behavior: Memory
Tags Historical Fiction, Satire, British Literature, History: World, Classic Fiction
Coming Up For Air is an interwar novel written by British author George Orwell shortly before the outbreak of World War II. Originally published in 1939, the novel was written in Morocco while Orwell was recovering from injuries received while fighting in the Spanish Civil War. Set in the late 1930s, the novel follows a middle-aged insurance salesman named George Bowling as he struggles with anxieties about the coming war. Like Orwell’s more famous novels... Read Coming Up for Air Summary
Publication year 2010
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Identity: Gender, Identity: Race, Life/Time: The Past, Society: Class, Society: Community, Society: Nation, Society: Politics & Government, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice
Tags History: U.S., American Civil War, Military / War, History: World, Politics / Government
Publication year 2018
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Gender, Identity: Sexuality, Society: Class, Society: Colonialism, Society: Community
Tags Historical Fiction, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, LGBTQ, Class, Incarceration, Gender / Feminism, Love / Sexuality, Social Justice, Colonialism / Postcolonialism, History: World
Publication year 2016
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Society: Class, Identity: Masculinity, Identity: Femininity, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Life/Time: Midlife
Tags Japanese Literature, Relationships, Realistic Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Asian Literature
Publication year 1936
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Fate, Life/Time: Coming of Age
Tags Poverty, Class, Indian Literature, Realism, Asian Literature, History: World, Drama / Tragedy, Historical Fiction, Classic Fiction
Since its publication in 1936, Mulk Raj Anand’s novel Coolie has become a landmark in modern Indian literature. The novel condemned the social, economic, and cultural impact of more than two centuries of British occupation and indicted India’s own rigid caste system, which had long separated its citizens into groups based on their work status and their ethnicity. The novel appeared at the height of a turbulent decade in which India itself, under the moral... Read Coolie Summary
Publication year 2015
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Identity: Gender, Identity: Masculinity, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal
Tags Modern Classic Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction
Publication year 2013
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Society: Class, Relationships: Family
Tags Romance, Humor, Satire, Asian Literature, Realistic Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction
Crazy Rich Asians is a 2013 romance comedy novel by American author Kevin Kwan about a young Asian American woman who travels with her boyfriend to his native Singapore and finds herself suddenly thrust into the cutthroat world of Asia’s uber-rich. Kwan based the novel loosely on his own experiences growing up in Singapore. It is the first novel in a three-book series, followed by China Rich Girlfriend (2015) and Rich People Problems (2017), all... Read Crazy Rich Asians Summary
Publication year 2024
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Gender, Life/Time: The Past, Natural World: Climate, Natural World: Environment, Natural World: Food, Natural World: Place, Society: Class, Society: Community, Society: Economics, Society: Globalization, Society: Politics & Government
Tags Psychological Fiction
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 2016
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Identity: Race, Society: Class, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice
Tags Race / Racism, Education, Education, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Sociology, Social Justice, Politics / Government
Publication year 1949
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Relationships: Family, Society: Class, Relationships: Siblings, Natural World: Nurture v. Nature
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, British Literature, Classic Fiction
Crooked House is a crime fiction novel by mystery writer Agatha Christie, and its title was inspired by the house in the nursery rhyme, “There Was a Crooked Man.” The novel was first published in the US in 1949 by Dodd, Mead, and Company, and in the UK by the Collins Crime Club in the same year. Crooked House is one of Christie’s favorites among her own work. The novel takes place in post-World War... Read Crooked House Summary
Publication year 2023
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Race, Relationships: Family, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice
Tags Historical Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, African American Literature, Race / Racism, Urban Development, History: World
Publication year 1989
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Race, Society: Colonialism, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Identity: Sexuality, Relationships: Family, Self Discovery, Society: Class
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Afro-Caribbean Literature, Women's Studies (Nonfiction), Education, Education, French Literature, History: World, Classic Fiction
Crossing the Mangrove (1995) by Maryse Condé was originally published in French as Traversée de la Mangrove. It was translated to English by her husband Richard Philcox. Told from multiple perspectives, the novel opens with a mystery—that of Francis Sancher’s murder. As characters gather to speak at Sancher’s wake, they reveal his impact on the village of Rivière au Sel (“Salty River”), as well as why he returned to the village of his ancestors. While... Read Crossing the Mangrove Summary
Publication year 2024
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Nostalgia, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Natural World: Place, Relationships: Family, Self Discovery, Society: Class, Society: Economics
Tags Romance, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman
Publication year 1940
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Gender, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger
Tags Historical Fiction, Action / Adventure, Children's Literature, Education, Education, Mystery / Crime Fiction, History: World, Classic Fiction
Cue for Treason by Geoffrey Trease is a children’s historical novel published in 1940. Set in Elizabethan England at the end of the 16th century, it follows the adventures of Peter, forced to run away from his Cumberland home. Peter becomes a boy-actor, traveling to London with another runaway, Kit. They uncover a conspiracy against the Queen that takes them on a series of escapades up and down the country.Trease wrote over 100 books and... Read Cue for Treason Summary
Publication year 1869
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Society: Politics & Government, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos
Tags Philosophy, Politics / Government, Arts / Culture, Class, Victorian Period, History: World, Philosophy, Victorian Literature / Period, Classic Fiction
Publication year 2017
Genre Short Story Collection, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Identity: Disability, Identity: Gender, Identity: Language, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Marriage, Society: Class, Society: Economics, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice
Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Magical Realism, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Korean Literature
Publication year 1878
Genre Novella, Fiction
Themes Identity: Femininity, Society: Class, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Society: Community
Tags Classic Fiction, Romance, Victorian Period, Education, Education, American Literature, History: World
Daisy Miller is a novella by Henry James, first published in Cornhill Magazine in 1878 and in book form a year later. This short piece of fiction explores the differences in class and social expectations in America and Europe, especially for young women just before the turn of the 20th century. James was a member of a prominent and wealthy American family; his education and travels to England and continental Europe allowed him to gain... Read Daisy Miller Summary