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 2019
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Society: Colonialism, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality
Tags Military / War, History: World, Historical Fiction, Fantasy
Publication year 2013
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Identity: Race, Society: Class, Society: Colonialism, Society: Community, Society: Globalization, Society: Immigration, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality
Tags Education, Education, British Literature, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 1920
Genre Play, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Identity: Race, Society: Colonialism
Tags Play: Tragedy, Classic Fiction, Race / Racism, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Education, Education, American Literature, History: World, Drama / Tragedy
Publication year 2023
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Identity: Indigenous, Natural World: Place, Society: Colonialism, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality
Tags Scandinavian Literature, History: World, Historical Fiction, Romance
Publication year 2006
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Identity: Indigenous, Society: Colonialism, Society: War, Society: Nation, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags History: Middle Eastern, Race / Racism, Military / War, History: World, Social Justice, Politics / Government, Religion / Spirituality
Publication year 2020
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Friendship, Identity: Gender, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Race, Society: Class, Society: Colonialism, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Equality
Tags Historical Fiction, Gender / Feminism, British Literature, History: World
Publication year 2017
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Natural World: Environment, Self Discovery, Society: Colonialism
Publication year 1993
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Society: War, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Identity: Gender, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Friendship, Self Discovery, Society: Class, Society: Colonialism, Society: Community, Society: Nation, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice
Tags Historical Fiction, Children's Literature, American Revolution
Publication year 2023
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Gender, Identity: Indigenous, Identity: Masculinity, Identity: Sexuality, Life/Time: Birth, Natural World: Animals, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Mothers, Society: Class, Society: Colonialism, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Historical Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Gender / Feminism
Publication year 2005
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Identity: Indigenous, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: The Future, Natural World: Animals, Self Discovery, Society: Colonialism
Tags Historical Fiction, American Literature, Children's Literature, History: World
The Game of Silence is work of middle-grade historical fiction by contemporary American author Louise Erdrich. Published in 2005, it is the second novel in Erdrich’s Birchbark House series. The first novel in this series, The Birchbark House (1999), is set in 1847 and introduces Omakayas and her family. The Birchbark House was a finalist for the prestigious National Book Award. With The Game of Silence, Erdrich continues the saga of Omakayas’s family, and this... Read The Game of Silence Summary
Publication year 1989
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Fate, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Society: Colonialism, Emotions/Behavior: Love
Tags Historical Fiction, Magical Realism, Politics / Government, Latin American Literature, History: World
Publication year 1941
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Society: Nation, Society: Politics & Government, Society: Colonialism, Life/Time: The Past, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Win & Lose
Tags History: U.S.
Publication year 1994
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Society: Colonialism, Relationships: Family, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality
Tags Historical Fiction, Magical Realism, Relationships, Education, Education, Modern Classic Fiction, History: World, Fantasy
The Grass Dancer (1994) is the debut novel by Susan Power, an enrolled member of the Standing Rock Sioux tribe. This young adult novel is part of the magical realism genre. Using a nonlinear structure and overlapping narratives, Power slowly pieces together a story that links generations of Sioux families together in a complex and powerful way. The following material was gathered using a first edition copy of the text.Plot SummaryThe Prologue begins with Harley... Read The Grass Dancer Summary
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