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 1968

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Society: Education, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Gender, Identity: Indigenous, Identity: Masculinity, Identity: Mental Health, Identity: Race, Identity: Sexuality, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Self Discovery, Society: Colonialism, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology

Tags Philosophy, Psychology, Self Help, Parenting, Sociology


Publication year 2007

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Identity: Race, Identity: Indigenous, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Identity: Language, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Society: Colonialism, Values/Ideas: Win & Lose, Values/Ideas: Literature

Tags Lyric Poem, Education, Arts / Culture, Diversity, History: The Americas, Race / Racism, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Colonialism / Postcolonialism


Publication year 1992

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Identity: Race, Life/Time: The Past, Self Discovery, Society: Colonialism, Society: Community, Society: Globalization, Society: Immigration, Society: Nation

Tags Anthropology, Indian Literature, Travel Literature, History: Middle Eastern, Colonialism / Postcolonialism

In an Antique Land (1992) is a book written by Amitav Ghosh which interweaves descriptions of his experiences in rural Egypt in the 1980s with an attempt to reconstruct the life of a 12th-century Jewish merchant and Bomma, an Indian man he enslaved. Ghosh is a renowned Indian author, known for his ability to combine genres and employ complex narrative strategies to examine national and personal identity. He employs these strategies in In an Antique... Read In an Antique Land Summary


Publication year 2012

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Identity: Race, Relationships: Fathers, Society: Colonialism, Society: Immigration, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice

Tags Immigration / Refugee


Publication year 1924

Genre Short Story, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Society: Colonialism, Identity: Masculinity, Life/Time: Mortality & Death

Tags Classic Fiction, American Literature, Education, Education, History: World

One of his several short stories set in Northern Michigan, “Indian Camp” by Ernest Hemingway (1899-1961) was first published in a 1924 issue of the Parisian literary magazine Transatlantic Review. The next year, “Indian Camp” was included in Hemingway’s first story collection, In Our Time. “Indian Camp” has since become one of Hemingway’s most heavily anthologized works. Based partly on Hemingway’s visits to Petoskey, Michigan, during childhood and young adulthood, “Indian Camp” follows young Nick... Read Indian Camp Summary


Publication year 1941

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Society: Colonialism, Society: Community, Society: War

Tags Historical Fiction, Action / Adventure, Auto/Biographical Fiction, History: U.S., Colonial America, Children's Literature, Education, Education, History: World, Classic Fiction


Publication year 2015

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Identity: Indigenous, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: The Past, Relationships: Grandparents, Society: Colonialism, Society: Community

Tags Children's Literature, History: World, Historical Fiction, Realistic Fiction


Publication year 1972

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Society: Colonialism, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Values/Ideas: Literature

Tags Fantasy, Magical Realism, Italian Literature, History: Asian, History: European, Arts / Culture, Classic Fiction

Invisible Cities by Italo Calvino (1923-1985) was originally published in 1972 in Italian and translated into English in 1974. Calvino’s ninth novel, it received a Nebula Novel Award nomination in 1975.According to New York Times reviewer Joseph McElroy, Calvino already had the reputation of being Italy’s “most original storyteller” for his use of fantastical and fabulist motifs to explore philosophical and scientific themes such as evolution (McElroy). Invisible Cities continues this trend by using the... Read Invisible Cities Summary


Publication year 1991

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Life/Time: The Future, Natural World: Environment, Society: Colonialism

Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Fantasy, Politics / Government, Relationships, Technology, Children's Literature

Invitation to the Game is a young adult science fiction novel by Canadian writer Monica Hughes. It received the Hal Clement Award in 1992. Originally published in 1990, it was rereleased under the title The Game in 2010. This study guide refers to the Simon & Schuster 2010 print edition.Plot SummaryThe novel tells the story of Lisse, a teenager in 2154. She lives in a dystopian world where robots have taken a majority of the... Read Invitation To The Game Summary


Publication year 1998

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Identity: Indigenous, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Natural World: Climate, Natural World: Environment, Natural World: Place, Relationships: Family, Society: Colonialism, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality

Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction


Publication year 1962

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Society: Colonialism, Society: Community, Society: Education, Society: Politics & Government

Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Philosophy, Modern Classic Fiction, British Literature, Fantasy, Philosophy, Classic Fiction


Publication year 2009

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Life/Time: The Past, Society: Colonialism

Tags Historical Fiction, Magical Realism, Spanish Literature, Women's Studies (Nonfiction), History: World, Romance


Publication year 2017

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Family, Society: Colonialism, Society: War

Tags Historical Fiction, Children's Literature, Military / War, History: World, American Revolution, Action / Adventure


Publication year 2019

Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction

Themes Life/Time: Coming of Age, Identity: Race, Society: Colonialism, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice

Tags Children's Literature, Education, Education, History: World, Biography, Humor, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, History: African , Social Justice


Publication year 1978

Genre Biography, Nonfiction

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

Tags Race / Racism, History: African , Politics / Government, Social Justice, Philosophy, Philosophy, History: World, Biography


Publication year 1932

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Apathy, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Mental Health, Identity: Race, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Society: Class, Society: Colonialism, Society: War

Tags French Literature, Philosophy, Auto/Biographical Fiction, WWI / World War I, Modernism, The Lost Generation

Journey to the End of the Night is a modernist novel by Louis-Ferdinand Céline, first published in the French language in 1932 by Parisian publishing house Éditions Denoël et Steele. It is a semi-autobiographical work centered on the life and travels of cynical antihero Ferdinand Bardamu, set over several decades of Bardamu’s life, beginning at the outbreak of World War I. The novel became influential in the development of post–WWI literary modernism, but like many... Read Journey to the End of the Night Summary


Publication year 1981

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Equality, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Identity: Race, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Marriage, Society: Class, Society: Colonialism, Society: Community, Society: Nation, Society: Politics & Government, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies

Tags Historical Fiction, Race / Racism, Military / War, African Literature

July’s People, a 1981 dystopian novel by South African author Nadine Gordimer, imagines the aftermath of a bloody uprising that topples South Africa’s notorious, white-ruled apartheid regime. Her novel, which follows a white family’s desperate flight from Johannesburg, traces the complex interdependencies of white and Black South Africans, revealing the insidiousness of the regime’s racial disparities and mindsets, even among liberal, well-meaning white people. Through the lens of this hypothetical future, Gordimer’s novel explores racial... Read July's People Summary


Publication year 1994

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Identity: Indigenous, Natural World: Environment, Society: Colonialism

Tags Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Education, Education, Modern Classic Fiction, Historical Fiction, Philosophy, Philosophy


Publication year 2021

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Identity: Indigenous, Relationships: Family, Society: Colonialism, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal

Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, History: World


Publication year 2013

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Society: Colonialism, Society: Nation, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal

Tags Religion / Spirituality, Biography, History: World, Christian literature