Family

Leo Tolstoy famously begins the novel Anna Karenina with the sentence: "All happy families are alike; each unhappy family is unhappy in its own way." In this thematic collection, we have gathered noteworthy texts that navigate the joyous and sorrowful emotional terrain of the family unit.

Publication year 1998

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Identity: Mental Health, Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Siblings, Self Discovery

Tags Mental Illness, Psychological Fiction

Wally Lamb’s I Know This Much Is True centers on the illness of Thomas Birdsey, a middle-aged man who has had schizophrenia for the previous 20 years. Narrated by Thomas’s twin brother, Dominick, the novel opens with Thomas having left the group home where he lives and him cutting off his hand with a knife he took from his stepfather’s weapon collection. Thomas performs this action after reading a Bible verse that commands the reader... Read I Know This Much Is True Summary


Publication year 1973

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Identity: Gender, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship, Emotions/Behavior: Fear

Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, War On Terrorism / Iraq War

Lois Duncan’s I Know What You Did Last Summer (1973) follows a group of teenagers in an American town as they deal with the ramifications of accidentally killing a young boy. The novel was adapted as a major motion picture in 1997. Its themes include guilt, selfishness, and revenge. The novel opens with protagonist Julie James nervously opening a letter. Subverting the reader’s expectations, Duncan makes the letter an acceptance letter from Smith College rather... Read I Know What You Did Last Summer Summary


Publication year 2014

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Fate, Emotions/Behavior: Grief

Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction

Published in 2011, I Let You Go is Clare Mackintosh’s debut novel. In 2016 it won Theakson’s Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year Award. That same year, the French translation won Best International Novel at the Cognac Festival Prix du Polar Awards. In 2017, publisher Little, Brown said it had sold more than one million copies. Mackintosh spent 12 years in the police force before becoming a writer. She has said that a real-life... Read I Let You Go Summary


Publication year 2014

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Art, Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Life/Time: Aging, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Identity: Sexuality, Life/Time: The Past, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Mothers, Relationships: Siblings, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Win & Lose

Tags Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Magical Realism, Romance, Realistic Fiction, LGBTQ, Grief / Death, Love / Sexuality, Modern Classic Fiction

I’ll Give You the Sun (2015) is an award-winning novel penned by Jandy Nelson about relationships, art, and destiny. It follows the story of twins Noah and Jude Sweetwine who once shared a close relationship but find themselves barely speaking to each other two years after their mother’s death.Jandy Nelson is an American author who writes young adult fiction. I’ll Give You the Sun is her second novel, which won numerous awards and honors, including... Read I'll Give You the Sun Summary


Publication year 2022

Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Relationships: Mothers, Values/Ideas: Fame, Identity: Mental Health, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Life/Time: Coming of Age

Tags Humor, Modern Classic Fiction, Biography, Mental Illness, Trauma / Abuse / Violence


Publication year 2012

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Family

Tags Children's Literature, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Fantasy, Fairy Tale / Folklore, Action / Adventure, Humor


Publication year 2020

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Relationships: Siblings, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Nostalgia, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Life/Time: The Past, Natural World: Place, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Art

Tags Romance, Holidays & Occasions, Humor


Publication year 2020

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Grief

Tags Romance, Survival Fiction, Drama / Tragedy, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Action / Adventure


Publication year 2024

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Marriage, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies

Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction


Publication year 1985

Genre Novel, Fiction

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

Tags Historical Fiction, Military / War, Mental Illness, Education, Education, American Literature, Southern Literature

In Country, published in 1985, is Bobbie Ann Mason's debut novel. The story takes place in Hopewell, Kentucky, in 1984, 10 years after the end of US involvement in Vietnam. Mason grew up on a dairy farm outside Mayfield, Kentucky, and is thus well-acquainted with the rural South and its people. The classic coming-of-age story follows protagonist Samantha Hughes (known as Sam) as she seeks to discover the truth about her father and his death... Read In Country Summary


Publication year 2001

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Relationships: Family

Tags History: U.S., American Literature, Modern Classic Fiction, Historical Fiction

In Cuba I Was a German Shepherd is Ana Menéndez’s 2001 collection of eleven linked short stories, largely set in Miami, which revolve around the experiences of Cuban immigrants and their American-born children. The New York Times named the collection a Notable Book of the Year, and the title story was awarded the Pushcart Prize for short fiction. The collection includes a diverse mix of realistic fiction, magical realism, and allegory; it explores themes of... Read In Cuba I Was a German Shepherd Summary


Publication year 2022

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Relationships: Family, Society: Politics & Government

Tags Self Help, Politics / Government, Psychology, Sociology, Relationships


Publication year 2021

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Society: Immigration, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality

Tags Realistic Fiction, Mythology, Immigration / Refugee, Social Justice, Politics / Government, Relationships, American Literature, Latin American Literature, Modern Classic Fiction, History: World, Historical Fiction


Publication year 2023

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Life/Time: The Past, Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality

Tags Romance, Fantasy, Historical Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction


Publication year 2019

Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Relationships: Family, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth

Tags Health / Medicine, Parenting, Relationships, Jewish Literature, Biography


Publication year 2023

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Literature, Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal

Tags Fantasy, Magical Realism, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, LGBTQ, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction


Publication year 2021

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Siblings, Values/Ideas: Art

Tags Magical Realism, Children's Literature, Humor, Arts / Culture, Fantasy


Publication year 2011

Genre Novel/Book in Verse, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family

Tags Historical Fiction, Children's Literature

The story opens in February 1975. Hà lives with her mother and three older brothers (Brother Quang, Brother Vũ, and Brother Khôi) in Saigon, South Vietnam. Hà knows her father, a naval officer, only through Mother’s stories and memories; he disappeared nine years earlier, a victim of the Communist Army of North Vietnam. Hà learns fractions, practices embroidery, and celebrates the start of the new lunar year on Tết (February 11). As spring and Hà’s... Read Inside Out And Back Again Summary


Publication year 2017

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Identity: Disability, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Family

Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Diversity, Disability, Bullying, Children's Literature, Realistic Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Humor


Publication year 2021

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Values/Ideas: Fate, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship

Tags Romance, Magical Realism, Modern Classic Fiction, Fantasy