Colonialism & Postcolonialism

With best-selling novels like Barbara Kingsolver's The Poisonwood Bible and influential academic texts such as Edward Said's Orientalism, this collection gathers books from across genres to explore the complex dynamics and lasting legacies of colonialism.

Publication year 2016

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Natural World: Environment, Natural World: Climate, Society: Globalization, Society: Immigration, Society: Colonialism, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Literature

Tags Climate Change, Science / Nature, Politics / Government, History: World


Publication year 2024

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Identity: Race, Society: Colonialism, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice

Tags Modern Classic Fiction, History: World, Historical Fiction


Publication year 1975

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Teams, Society: Class, Society: Colonialism, Society: Nation, Society: Politics & Government

Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Historical Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, History: World, Action / Adventure, Classic Fiction

The Great Train Robbery (1975) by Michael Crichton is a fictionalized account of the Great Gold Robbery of 1855. It details the actions of criminal mastermind Edward Pierce and his co-conspirators as they plan and execute the heist of £12,000 of gold from a train in London. This historical thriller analyzes Victorian beliefs about crime in the context of a rapidly changing society overwhelmed by industrialization. Historically, Pierce’s successful heist shocked a nation that believed... Read The Great Train Robbery Summary


Publication year 1957

Genre Short Story, Fiction

Themes Society: Colonialism, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Society: Politics & Government

Tags Classic Fiction, French Literature, Absurdism, Education, Education, Philosophy, Philosophy

“The Guest,” a short story by French author and philosopher Albert Camus, was first published in 1957 in his only short story collection, Exile and the Kingdom. Having also published The Stranger, The Plague, The Myth of Sisyphus, and The Fall, Camus, an existentialist writer who wrote extensively in support of the French Resistance, was awarded the Nobel prize in Literature in 1957. In crafting his works, Camus took inspiration from French Algeria, where he... Read The Guest Summary


Publication year 2022

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Society: Colonialism, Identity: Indigenous, Identity: Race, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality

Tags Historical Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Gothic Literature, Mystery / Crime Fiction, History: World, Fantasy


Publication year 2008

Genre Short Story, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Society: Education, Society: Colonialism

Tags Historical Fiction, Gender / Feminism, African Literature, Arts / Culture, Education, Education, African American Literature, Classic Fiction


Publication year 2019

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Society: Colonialism, Identity: Race, Society: Nation

Tags History: U.S., Gilded Age, Race / Racism, History: World, Social Justice, Politics / Government

Anthropologist David Treuer’s The Heartbeat of Wounded Knee: Native America from 1890 to the Present (2019) revives Indigenous history and centers Indigenous people as subjects, not as mere victims of American avarice. It was a finalist for the National Book Award in Nonfiction. Treuer is a member of the Ojibwe tribe from the Leech Lake Reservation in north-central Minnesota. He has a doctorate in anthropology, teaches at the University of Southern California, and is the... Read The Heartbeat of Wounded Knee Summary


Publication year 2020

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Society: Colonialism, Identity: Gender, Identity: Femininity

Tags Historical Fiction, History: World, Indian Literature, Arts / Culture

The Henna Artist (2020) is a novel by Indian American author Alka Joshi and the first book in The Jaipur Trilogy. The story takes place in 1950s India and follows 17-year-old Lakshmi as she escapes an abusive marriage and moves to Jaipur to become a henna artist. The protagonist is based on the author’s mother, who was not able to choose her own path in life but was determined that her children would have that... Read The Henna Artist Summary


Publication year 2008

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: The Future, Life/Time: The Past, Natural World: Food, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Mothers, Society: Colonialism, Society: Community, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies

Tags Historical Fiction, History: U.S.

The Heretic’s Daughter (2008) is the debut novel of author Kathleen Kent. Upon publication, it immediately made the New York Times bestseller list. Kent followed this title with two other best-selling historical fiction works: The Traitor’s Wife (2010) and The Outcasts (2013). She also wrote a crime fiction trilogy that was nominated for an Edgar Award. A resident of Texas, Kent was inducted into the Texas Institute of Letters in 2020 for her contribution to... Read The Heretic's Daughter Summary


Publication year 1830

Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction

Themes Identity: Race, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Society: Colonialism, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice

Tags Race / Racism, History: European, Education, Education, History: World, Classic Fiction, Biography


Publication year 2003

Genre Reference/Text Book, Nonfiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Natural World: Climate, Natural World: Environment, Natural World: Food, Natural World: Place, Society: Colonialism, Society: Community, Society: Economics, Society: Globalization, Society: Nation, Society: Politics & Government, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology

Tags Education, Education, Anthropology, Anthropology, Science / Nature, Philosophy, Philosophy, Politics / Government, History: World, Sociology


Publication year 2005

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Identity: Indigenous, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Fathers, Society: Colonialism, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice

Tags Historical Fiction, Magical Realism, Latin American Literature

Written by Luis Alberto Urrea in 2005, The Hummingbird’s Daughter is a fictional account of the life of Teresa Urrea, a woman whose mystical powers and religious fervor earned her the reputation of a living saint in the late 1800s and early 1900s. Luis Alberto Urrea is a distant cousin of Teresa and grew up hearing about her. He eventually researched her life through his family connections and the communities that she helped. The novel... Read The Hummingbird's Daughter Summary


Publication year 2020

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Society: Colonialism, Society: Politics & Government, Society: War

Tags History: Asian, History: World, Politics / Government, Military / War, Religion / Spirituality, Social Justice


Publication year 1967

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Society: Colonialism

Tags History: U.S., Politics / Government, Colonial America, American Revolution, American Literature, History: World, Philosophy, Philosophy


Publication year 1902

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Society: Colonialism, Identity: Sexuality, Identity: Masculinity

Tags LGBTQ, Classic Fiction, Travel Literature, Gender / Feminism, Colonialism / Postcolonialism, French Literature, History: World, Philosophy, Philosophy


Publication year 2016

Genre Biography, Nonfiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Identity: Indigenous, Identity: Language, Identity: Race, Life/Time: The Past, Society: Colonialism, Society: Community, Society: Immigration, Society: Nation, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Win & Lose

Tags Irish Literature, Biography, History: U.S., Military / War, History: World

The Immortal Irishman: The Irish Revolutionary Who Became an American Hero (2016), by American author and journalist Timothy Egan, is a biography of Thomas Francis Meagher, an Irish revolutionary and American Civil War hero who later became the governor of the Montana Territory. Egan's narrative captures Meagher's tumultuous journey, from his fight for Irish independence to his contributions in America, focusing on broader themes of exile, resilience, and identity. Egan contextualizes Meagher’s life against the... Read The Immortal Irishman Summary


Publication year 2012

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Identity: Indigenous, Identity: Race, Society: Politics & Government, Society: Colonialism

Tags History: U.S., Race / Racism, History

The Inconvenient Indian: A Curious Account of Native People in North America is a 2012 nonfiction book by Thomas King about the history of relations between Indigenous people and American settler colonialism. King is a novelist of Cherokee descent, and The Inconvenient Indian is his first book of nonfiction. The book was awarded the CBA Libris Award for Best Non-Fiction Book in 2013. This guide follows the first edition of the book.Content Warning: Both the... Read The Inconvenient Indian Summary


Publication year 2018

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Identity: Gender, Identity: Race, Relationships: Family, Society: Class, Society: Colonialism, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice

Tags History: U.S., Southern Literature, History: World, Historical Fiction, Romance


Publication year 1911

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Identity: Mental Health, Identity: Race, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Society: Class, Society: Colonialism, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies

Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, British Literature, Religion / Spirituality


Publication year 1789

Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Identity: Race, Values/Ideas: Literature, Society: Colonialism

Tags Race / Racism, History: African

Originally published in 1789, Olaudah Equiano’s The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano, or Gustavus Vassa, the African. Written by Himself is a slave narrative in which the author recounts his childhood, capture, life as an enslaved person, and emancipation. With its descriptions of life among the Igbo and the author’s experience of the Middle Passage, the book is a key text for studying the transatlantic slave trade and lives of people of... Read The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano, Or Gustavus Vassa, the African Summary