In many ways, who we are is shaped by what we remember, yet our recollections aren't always a reliable account of the past. This collection gathers texts that explore the ideas, theories, and challenges conjured by memory.
Publication year 2010
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Siblings, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Values/Ideas: Literature
Tags Action / Adventure, Children's Literature, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Realistic Fiction, Historical Fiction, Arts / Culture
Publication year 2024
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Literature, 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: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Nostalgia, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Identity: Gender, Identity: Masculinity, Identity: Mental Health, Identity: Race, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: The Past, Relationships: Grandparents, Relationships: Mothers, Relationships: Siblings, Society: Colonialism, Society: Community, Society: Globalization, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Identity: Indigenous
Tags Historical Fiction, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Addiction / Substance Abuse, Modern Classic Fiction, History: World
Publication year 2020
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Relationships: Family
Tags Historical Fiction, Realistic Fiction, Military / War, WWII / World War II, Children's Literature, History: World
Publication year 2006
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Life/Time: Aging, Identity: Disability, Natural World: Animals, Society: Class, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Fathers, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal
Tags Historical Fiction, Romance, Great Depression, Mental Illness, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Modern Classic Fiction, History: World
Water for Elephants, a New York Times bestseller and author Sara Gruen’s third novel, was published in 2006 by Algonquin. The novel was adapted into a full-length film in 2011 starring Reese Witherspoon and Robert Pattison.Gruen often features animals in her novels, and Water for Elephants is no exception, as she follows two lovers in a forbidden relationship set against the backdrop of a circus and its eclectic mix of characters and exotic animals. The... Read Water for Elephants Summary
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Joy, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Identity: Sexuality, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: The Future, Life/Time: The Past, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Mothers, Self Discovery, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt
Tags Fantasy, Romance
Publication year 2013
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Natural World: Animals, Emotions/Behavior: Memory
Tags Psychology, Incarceration, Animals, Relationships, Realistic Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction
We Are All Completely Besides Ourselves is Karen Joy Fowler’s seventh novel. The book was first published in 2013. The following year, it won the PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction and was shortlisted for the Man Booker Prize. Fowler said that the book takes inspiration from a real 1930s experiment. In an interview with Carmen Maria Machado published in The American Reader, Fowler states that she believes that using animals for research purposes is wrong, and... Read We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves Summary
Publication year 2018
Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction
Themes Society: Immigration, Society: War, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Identity: Femininity, Society: Politics & Government, Relationships: Family, Society: Education, Identity: Gender, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict
Tags Politics / Government, Social Justice, History: World, Immigration / Refugee, Gender / Feminism, Education, Biography
Publication year 2025
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Friendship, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Self Discovery, Society: Nation
Tags Literary Fiction, History: Asian
Publication year 2021
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Coming of Age, Natural World: Animals, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Identity: Race, Identity: Gender
Tags Historical Fiction, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Action / Adventure, Animals, Great Depression, History: World
Publication year 2024
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Identity: Mental Health, Life/Time: The Future, Life/Time: The Past, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Natural World: Objects, Natural World: Place, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, LGBTQ, Religion / Spirituality, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction
Publication year 2021
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Friendship, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Memory
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Psychological Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2009
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Marriage, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Relationships: Siblings
Tags Romance, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Mental Illness, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2012
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Society: Education, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Life/Time: Coming of Age
Tags Education, Self Help, Education, Social Science, Psychology, Psychology
What the Best College Students Do, by American professor Ken Bain, describes how students can make the best of their college experience, not by trying to get good grades, but by studying deeply the topics that fascinate them. Filled with examples of students who followed their love of knowledge and went on to successful professional careers, What the Best College Students Do makes the case for deep learning, a process that provides benefits that can... Read What the Best College Students Do Summary
Publication year 1998
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Nostalgia, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance
Tags Lyric Poem, Grief / Death, American Literature, Education, Education, Gender / Feminism, Modern Classic Fiction, LGBTQ
Publication year 2019
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Society: Colonialism, Identity: Language, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Life/Time: The Past, Society: Politics & Government, Relationships: Family, Society: Nation
Tags Historical Fiction, Romance, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Fantasy, Love / Sexuality, Military / War, History: European, Politics / Government, History: World, Irish Literature
Publication year 2019
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Life/Time: Aging, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: The Past, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Relationships: Marriage, Relationships: Siblings, Relationships: Family
Tags Irish Literature, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2014
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Nostalgia, Society: Immigration, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Life/Time: The Past, Emotions/Behavior: Memory
Publication year 2016
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: The Past, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Relationships: Grandparents, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed
Tags Fantasy, Action / Adventure, Fairy Tale / Folklore, Children's Literature, Chinese Literature
When the Sea Turned Silver by Grace Lin takes readers on a journey through a richly imagined world full of imagery and Chinese folklore. The novel follows the adventures of Pinmei and Yishan as they navigate themes of Finding and Creating Identity, The Power of Stories, and how Perception Shapes Reality. Recognized for its storytelling and cultural depth, When the Sea Turned Silver was a 2016 National Book Award Finalist. Critics praise the novel for... Read When the Sea Turned to Silver Summary
Publication year 2019
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Identity: Mental Health, Relationships: Family
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Romance, Love / Sexuality, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2020
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: The Past, Relationships: Friendship
Tags Romance, Realistic Fiction, LGBTQ, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Modern Classic Fiction