Jewish American Literature

Including Pulitzer Prize winners like Art Spiegelman's groundbreaking Maus and Michael Chabon's The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay, the texts in this collection celebrate the literary contributions and stories of Jewish Americans.

Publication year 1997

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Natural World: Place, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Life/Time: Mortality & Death

Tags Travel Literature, Action / Adventure, Sports, Drama / Tragedy, Natural Disaster, History: World, Biography

Into Thin Air is American is authored by professional mountain climber Jon Krakauer. It is a personal account of attempting to ascend Mount Everest, prompted by an assignment from Outside magazine to cover the commercial development of the communities at the mountain’s base. Krakauer’s climbing attempt, which was fatal for several, became the deadliest expedition ever on the mountain. In the book, he reflects on his experience, reporting it as truthfully as possible.Krakauer recalls being... Read Into Thin Air Summary


Publication year 1950

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger

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

I, Robot, a science fiction novel by Isaac Asimov, is a set of stories about the first robotic machines and the problems and pitfalls of living with and working alongside them. The book is the first in a series of several novels about robots; it is famous for its Three Laws of Robotics that govern machine behavior, and for its device, the positronic brain, which contains a robot’s conscious intelligence.Asimov (1920-1992) is one of the... Read I, Robot Summary


Publication year 1961

Genre Short Story, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Mothers, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Identity: Femininity, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Society: Class

Tags Education, Education, History: World, Classic Fiction

“I Stand Here Ironing” was originally published in 1961 in Tell Me a Riddle, Tillie Olsen’s first collection of short stories. Since then, it has greatly impacted feminist scholars and creative writers alike and is often anthologized. The short story is an intimate exploration of one woman’s experience with motherhood between the 1930 and 1950s. Her oldest daughter, Emily, is 19 years old and has been neglected and separated from the narrator due to factors... Read I Stand Here Ironing Summary


Publication year 1972

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Identity: Gender, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Marriage

Tags Children's Literature, Modern Classic Fiction, Realistic Fiction, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman


Publication year 2023

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Identity: Masculinity, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Fathers, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt

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


Publication year 1930

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Society: Immigration, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice

Tags Auto/Biographical Fiction, Historical Fiction, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Class, Poverty, Social Justice, American Literature, Education, Education, Jewish Literature, History: World, Classic Fiction, Religion / Spirituality

Jews Without Money is a semi-autobiographical 1930 novel by Itzok Isaac Granich, published under Granich’s pseudonym, Mike Gold. The book charts the impoverished conditions of the Lower East Side of New York City and the experiences of growing up in a community of predominantly Jewish immigrants in the early 20th century. Growing up in such a difficult environment informed the author’s socialist politics as an adult. Plot SummaryMike Gold is born and raised by a... Read Jews Without Money Summary


Publication year 1976

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Society: War, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Society: Politics & Government

Tags Philosophy, Politics / Government, Military / War, History: World, Philosophy


Publication year 2023

Genre Biography, Nonfiction

Themes Identity: Race, Values/Ideas: Equality, Society: Nation

Tags Politics / Government, Race / Racism, History: U.S., History: World, Social Justice, Biography


Publication year 2005

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Society: Community, Society: Immigration, Society: Nation, Society: Politics & Government, Society: War, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Society: Colonialism

Tags Creative Nonfiction, American Revolution, Children's Literature, Education, Education, History: U.S., Military / War, History: World


Publication year 2019

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Society: Politics & Government

Tags Fantasy, Gender / Feminism, Romance, LGBTQ, Action / Adventure


Publication year 2017

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Equality, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Society: Class, Society: Economics, Values/Ideas: Art

Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Fantasy, Satire, Relationships, Agriculture, Arts / Culture, Business / Economics, Class, Finance / Money / Wealth, Food, Health / Medicine, History: U.S., Politics / Government, Poverty, Religion / Spirituality, Social Justice

Landscape with Invisible Hand is a satirical dystopian science fiction novel by M. T. Anderson, written for a young adult audience. A diverse author, Anderson writes both fiction and nonfiction for people of all ages. In 2023, Landscape with Invisible Hand was adapted for film, reflecting the novel’s popularity and relevance. The book depicts a future world in which an alien species, the vuvv, have sold their technology to humans, causing the collapse of the... Read Landscape with Invisible Hand Summary


Publication year 2022

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos

Tags Historical Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Psychological Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, History: World, Magical Realism, Fantasy


Publication year 2005

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Win & Lose, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Emotions/Behavior: Courage

Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Sports, Children's Literature, Realistic Fiction

Last Shot: A Final Four Mystery (2005) is a sports and mystery novel for young readers by John Feinstein. A sports journalist, Feinstein has written for a variety of publications, including The Washington Post, Golf Digest, and Sports Illustrated. He is also the author of 45 fiction and nonfiction books about sports. His debut nonfiction book, A Season on the Brink (1986), focused on the 1985-86 college basketball season of the Indiana Hoosiers and their... Read Last Shot Summary


Publication year 2022

Genre Book, Nonfiction

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

Tags Philosophy, Biography, Politics / Government, Leadership/Organization/Management, History: World, Business / Economics, Philosophy


Publication year 2020

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Identity: Race, Self Discovery, Society: Immigration, Relationships: Friendship

Tags Historical Fiction, WWII / World War II, Latin American Literature, Jewish Literature, Race / Racism, Holocaust, Children's Literature, Military / War, History: World


Publication year 2007

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Society: Education, Society: Class, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies

Tags Education, Social Justice, Race / Racism, Education, Psychology, Psychology

Jonathan Kozol’s Letters to a Young Teacher, originally published in 2007, is a collection of letters containing Kozol’s teaching advice for a new first grade schoolteacher named Francesca. The format of this book is inspired by Rainer Maria Rilke’s famous Letters to a Young Poet, which has become a model for advice books for young people in different professions and callings. Although some identifying elements have been changed, the book’s letters represent a real correspondence... Read Letters to a Young Teacher Summary


Publication year 2013

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger

Lincoln’s Grave Robbers is a nonfiction book for young readers by Steve Sheinkin. It describes how a gang of counterfeiters attempted to steal the body of Abraham Lincoln from his tomb in Springfield, Illinois, in order to hold it for ransom. Sheinkin’s retelling features rich historical detail, a colorful cast of characters, and probing insights into the fractiousness of the 1870s, as well as some striking parallels to contemporary events. Set in the aftermath of... Read Lincoln's Grave Robbers Summary


Publication year 1954

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Apathy, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Love

Tags Lyric Poem, Gender / Feminism, Relationships


Publication year 1991

Genre Play, Fiction

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

Tags Play: Drama, Education, Education, Jewish Literature, Drama / Tragedy, Humor, Classic Fiction

Lost in Yonkers is a play by American playwright Neil Simon that premiered in 1991. It centers around Jay Kurnitz, a teenage boy sent with his younger brother, Arty, to live with his grandmother in Yonkers. Many critics consider the play, which debuted to overwhelming critical acclaim, one of Simon’s best works. It explores themes of abbreviated childhood, war, and generational trauma. Lost in Yonkers won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama upon its release, and... Read Lost In Yonkers Summary


Publication year 2001

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Nostalgia, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality