Community

A community can come together for the common good or be torn apart by disagreement and strife. This collection explores what makes a community and how individuals struggle or succeed in finding their place within it.

Publication year 2006

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Society: Politics & Government, Society: Nation, Society: Community

Tags History: U.S., Civil Rights / Jim Crow, Military / War, Politics / Government, Education, Education, American Literature, History: World


Publication year 2015

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Society: Community

Tags Sociology, Social Science, Business / Economics, History: World, Social Justice, Poverty, Politics / Government

Published in 2015, $2.00 a Day: Living on Almost Nothing in America is a nonfiction investigation into how a new form of virtually cashless poverty emerged in the United States. Authors Kathryn J. Edin and H. Luke Shaefer are both academics with extensive experience researching poverty, but it is only in recent years that they have come across households with almost no cash income at all. There are now 1.5 million families with children in... Read $2.00 a Day Summary


Publication year 2018

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Society: Globalization, Society: Community

Tags Science / Nature, Sociology, History: World, Psychology, Psychology, Philosophy, Philosophy, Self Help, Politics / Government

21 Lessons for the 21st Century (2018) is historian, philosopher, and acclaimed author Yuval Noah Harari’s in-depth look at the current global affairs and the immediate future of humankind. To Harari, the merging of biotechnology and artificial intelligence potentially represents the end of history with some humans becoming godlike. Despite the ramification of this situation on all of humanity, most people are distracted by irrelevant information and do not realize the debate that is occurring... Read 21 Lessons for the 21st Century Summary


Publication year 2010

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Society: Economics, Society: Globalization, Society: Nation, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Society: Community

Tags Politics / Government, Business / Economics, Education, Class, Finance / Money / Wealth, Food, History: World, Immigration / Refugee, Leadership/Organization/Management, Military / War, Poverty, Social Justice, Sociology, Technology, Philosophy, Philosophy


Publication year 2018

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Teams, Self Discovery, Society: Community, Society: Economics

Tags Action / Adventure, Realistic Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction


Publication year 2014

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Identity: Language, Identity: Race, Identity: Sexuality, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: The Past, Natural World: Place, Society: Class, Society: Colonialism, Society: Community, Society: Immigration, Society: Nation, Society: Politics & Government, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Fame, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Win & Lose

Tags Historical Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Colonialism / Postcolonialism, Afro-Caribbean Literature, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Politics / Government

Published in 2014, A Brief History of Seven Killings is a literary crime novel by Jamaican writer Marlon James. To serve as the foundation for his novel, James builds the narrative around a singular historical event: the 1976 assassination attempt on Jamaican reggae singer Bob Marley, whom he fictionalizes as the Singer for thematic effect. James draws on his experiences growing up in Kingston, Jamaica, in the 1970s, and on his parents’ careers in law... Read A Brief History of Seven Killings Summary


Publication year 1959

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology

Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Classic Fiction, Fantasy

A Canticle for Leibowitz is a 1959 science fiction novel by author Walter M. Miller, Jr. Its post-apocalyptic narrative spans thousands of years, focused on a Catholic abbey in the southwest region of the United States of America. The abbey serves as headquarters for the Albertian Order of Leibowitz, a saint Miller invented for the narrative. The monks in the abbey are dedicated to preserving books and scientific knowledge to be used again whenever the... Read A Canticle For Leibowitz Summary


Publication year 2004

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Society: Community, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Daughters & Sons

Tags Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Depression / Suicide, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Modern Classic Fiction, Canadian Literature, Religion / Spirituality

Miriam Toews’s A Complicated Kindness (2004) is about Nomi Nickel, an adolescent living in the religious Mennonite town of East Village whose coming of age takes place against the backdrop of her family’s unraveling. Toews, who grew up in the Mennonite community of Steinbach, Manitoba, is the author of several novels set in Mennonite communities, many of which are critical of aspects of the faith. This novel, Toews’s third, has garnered considerable acclaim and many... Read A Complicated Kindness Summary


Publication year 2018

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Gratitude, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Identity: Mental Health, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: The Future, Life/Time: The Past, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Marriage, Society: Community

Tags Fantasy, Romance, New Adult


Publication year 2021

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Identity: Mental Health, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Relationships: Family, Self Discovery, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology

Tags Psychology, Parenting, Self Help, Health / Medicine, Health, Education


Publication year 2012

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Identity: Disability, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Relationships: Friendship, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Identity: Gender, Self Discovery

Tags Modern Classic Fiction, Realistic Fiction, Animals, Grief / Death, Children's Literature


Publication year 1988

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Identity: Race, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Self Discovery, Society: Colonialism, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger

Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Fantasy


Publication year 2023

Genre Graphic Memoir , Nonfiction

Themes Relationships: Friendship, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Gratitude, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Joy, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: The Future, Life/Time: The Past, Self Discovery, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Emotions/Behavior: Courage

Tags Children's Literature, Romance, Biography, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Travel Literature


Publication year 2024

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Society: Community, Emotions/Behavior: Nostalgia, Life/Time: The Past, Relationships: Friendship

Tags Drama / Tragedy, Grief / Death, Modern Classic Fiction


Publication year 2004

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Siblings, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Society: Community

Tags Modern Classic Fiction, Asian Literature, Fantasy, Magical Realism, Japanese Literature, Surrealism

After Dark was published in 2004 by acclaimed Japanese author Haruki Murakami. The novel follows protagonist Mari Asai through one night in Tokyo. Mari has run-ins with organized crime, people on the run, and others who do not fit into Tokyo’s often conservative society. After Dark was met with lackluster critical reception, partially due to Murakami’s characteristic ambiguity and apparent lack of an ending; however, others argue that this ambiguity allows readers to interpret events... Read After Dark Summary


Publication year 2020

Genre Biography, Nonfiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Society: Immigration, Society: Community

Tags Immigration / Refugee, History: U.S., Politics / Government, Race / Racism, Social Justice, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Sociology, History: World, Biography


Publication year 2018

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship, Society: Community, Society: Class, Identity: Race

Tags Realistic Fiction, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Sports, Modern Classic Fiction


Publication year 2008

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Friendship, Identity: Race, Identity: Sexuality, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Music

Tags Historical Fiction, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Music, African American Literature, Children's Literature, Realistic Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction

After Tupac and D Foster, published in 2008, is Jacqueline Woodson’s fifth middle grade novel and her 24th book overall. It is a coming-of-age story of three African American girls who are best friends growing up in Queens, NY, in the 1990s. During this time, the cultural icon Tupac Shakur is shot, imprisoned, and ultimately killed in a second shooting. These events have a huge impact on the main characters as they grow up and... Read After Tupac and D Foster Summary


Publication year 1981

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Society: Community, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos

Tags Philosophy, Post Modernism, Religion / Spirituality, Arts / Culture, History: World, Philosophy, Classic Fiction, Politics / Government

An influential work of moral philosophy, After Virtue (1981) by the Scottish-born philosopher Alasdair MacIntyre takes a bleak view of the state of modern moral dialogue, viewing it as suffering from a lack of rational thought and an inability to resolve disagreements. By looking at older forms of moral discourse, such as Aristotle’s moral framework, and comparing them to the modern version, he generally finds the modern moral framework to be lacking and suggests fixes... Read After Virtue Summary


Publication year 2024

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Society: Community, Society: Globalization, Society: Nation, Society: Politics & Government, Society: War

Tags Business / Economics, Psychology, Psychology, Politics / Government, History: World