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 2023
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Teams, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal
Tags Fantasy, Romance, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Humor
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Self Discovery, Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Romance, Addiction / Substance Abuse, Education, Relationships, Technology, Crime / Legal, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 1859
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Fate
Tags British Literature, Historical Fiction, Victorian Period, Classic Fiction, Education, Education, History: World
A Tale of Two Cities, published in 1859, is a historical drama written by Charles Dickens. The backdrop of the novel takes place in London and Paris prior to the French Revolution. The novel, told in three parts, is a literary classic and has been adapted into numerous productions for film, theater, radio, and television.In 1775, a banker named Jarvis Lorry travels to Dover, where he meets a young, half-French woman named Lucie Manette. Together... Read A Tale of Two Cities Summary
Publication year 2013
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Self Discovery, Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Fantasy, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Magical Realism, Children's Literature
Publication year 2024
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Identity: Race, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Relationships: Family, Society: Colonialism, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal
Tags Fantasy
Publication year 2013
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Relationships: Siblings, Values/Ideas: Win & Lose, Relationships: Family
Tags Children's Literature, Education, Education, Realistic Fiction, Sports
Publication year 1991
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Identity: Gender, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed
Tags Play: Drama, Historical Fiction, American Literature, Modern Classic Fiction, Classic Fiction
A Thousand Acres is a historical fiction novel by the American author Jane Smiley. Taking place on an Iowa farm in the 1970s, the novel is a contemporary retelling of William Shakespeare’s tragedy King Lear. Shakespeare’s play focuses on King Lear as he determines which of his three daughters will inherit his kingdom depending on how much they flatter him. Smiley’s novel reimagines Shakespeare’s tragedy on an Iowa farm in the 1970s as Larry Cook... Read A Thousand Acres Summary
Publication year 2008
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Identity: Race, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Relationships: Family, Society: Community, Society: Education, Society: Politics & Government
Tags Children's Literature, History: World, Historical Fiction, Arts / Culture
Publication year 2022
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Win & Lose, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Natural World: Space & The Universe, Natural World: Animals, Natural World: Place, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Teams, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Gender, Identity: Masculinity, Identity: Sexuality, Society: Class
Tags Fantasy, Action / Adventure, Mythology, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Historical Fiction, Gender / Feminism, Asian Literature, Japanese Literature
Publication year 2021
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Society: Community, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Relationships: Mothers
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Historical Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, History: World
Publication year 2022
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Literature, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Grandparents, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Relationships: Mothers, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Society: Community, Society: Education, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt
Tags Realistic Fiction, Children's Literature, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Education
Publication year 2009
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Society: Economics, Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Nostalgia, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Society: Community, Society: Nation
Tags Narrative / Epic Poem, Finance / Money / Wealth
Publication year 2007
Genre Play, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Life/Time: Mortality & Death
Tags Play: Tragedy, Play: Comedy / Satire, American Literature, Modern Classic Fiction, History: World, Drama / Tragedy
August: Osage County by American playwright Tracy Letts premiered at Chicago’s Steppenwolf Theatre in June 2007 and debuted on Broadway in December of the same year. When Beverly, the Weston family patriarch, goes missing, a web of estranged family members travel home to gather around his vitriolic spouse, Violet. The play is semi-autobiographical, and Letts explores themes of addiction, suicide, and generational trauma from his own childhood in Oklahoma. In 2008, August: Osage County won... Read August: Osage County Summary
Publication year 2016
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Race, Relationships: Family, Society: Colonialism, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality
Tags Race / Racism, History: World, Historical Fiction, Magical Realism, Religion / Spirituality
Publication year 2001
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Relationships: Family
Tags History: U.S., Great Depression, Creative Nonfiction, Southern Literature, History: World, Biography
Rick Bragg’s Ava’s Man, published in 2001, is a work of creative nonfiction that centers around Charlie Bundrum, the author’s maternal grandfather. Although Bragg’s grandfather died before Bragg was born, the book is inspired by the innumerous stories, anecdotes, and memories of Charlie that the author heard from the people that knew and loved him. Bragg, a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist, is known for his nonfiction works that center on family in the Alabama region. Ava’s... Read Ava's Man Summary
Publication year 2018
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Relationships: Friendship
Tags Auto/Biographical Fiction, Race / Racism, September 11 Attacks, Realistic Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Historical Fiction, Romance
A Very Large Expanse of Sea by Tahereh Mafi is a 2018 semi-autobiographical young adult novel set in America one year after the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. Sixteen-year-old Shirin, a Muslim girl born in America to Persian immigrant parents from Iran, experiences intolerance and hatred in her school and the outside world. Shirin tries to maintain emotional distance from peers to protect herself, but the hesitant romance that develops between Shirin and Ocean... Read A Very Large Expanse of Sea Summary
Publication year 1964
Genre Short Story, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Identity: Race, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict
Tags African American Literature, Black Arts Movement
“A Visit to Grandmother” is a short story by American author William Melvin Kelley, first published in his collection Dancers on the Shore (1964). The story centers around Chig, a 17-year-old boy, and his father, Dr. Charles Dunford, as they visit Chig’s grandmother in Nashville, Tennessee. During their visit, Charles challenges issues that have long damaged his relationship with his mother, and the confrontation reaches a breaking point when he exposes his long-held resentment over... Read A Visit to Grandmother Summary
Publication year 1999
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Love
Tags Romance, Love / Sexuality, Modern Classic Fiction, Drama / Tragedy
A Walk to Remember is a 1999 novel by bestselling American romance writer Nicholas Sparks. It was adapted into a movie in 2002. The novel, set in 1958 in the coastal North Carolina town of Beaufort, builds on the brand Sparks established in his earlier bestselling 1996 novel, The Notebook, which is a historical romance set in a North Carolina coastal town during the 1940s. This North Carolina setting is also a locale of subsequent... Read A Walk to Remember Summary
Publication year 2012
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship, Society: Community, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Hope
Tags Romance, Irish Literature, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2019
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Natural World: Environment, Natural World: Animals
Tags Children's Literature, Science / Nature, Animals, Action / Adventure, Survival Fiction