Memory

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 1853

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Nostalgia, Identity: Gender, Life/Time: The Future

Tags Classic Fiction, Historical Fiction, Victorian Period, Gender / Feminism, British Literature, History: World, Victorian Literature / Period


Publication year 2011

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Self Discovery, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Literature, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology

Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Romance, Fantasy, Action / Adventure, Arts / Culture, Love / Sexuality, Science / Nature, Social Justice


Publication year 1989

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Identity: Race, Society: Colonialism, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Identity: Sexuality, Relationships: Family, Self Discovery, Society: Class

Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Afro-Caribbean Literature, Women's Studies (Nonfiction), Education, Education, French Literature, History: World, Classic Fiction

Crossing the Mangrove (1995) by Maryse Condé was originally published in French as Traversée de la Mangrove. It was translated to English by her husband Richard Philcox. Told from multiple perspectives, the novel opens with a mystery—that of Francis Sancher’s murder. As characters gather to speak at Sancher’s wake, they reveal his impact on the village of Rivière au Sel (“Salty River”), as well as why he returned to the village of his ancestors. While... Read Crossing the Mangrove Summary


Publication year 1987

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Relationships: Friendship

Tags American Literature, Historical Fiction, Classic Fiction

Crossing to Safety is a 1987 semi-autobiographical novel by Wallace Stegner. Using a series of flashbacks in the mind of a writer, Larry Morgan, throughout a single day, the novel is a reflection on youth, idealism, and the often unarticulated but lifelong process of compromise one must endure while seeking a stable place in the world. Stegner’s novel explores these themes via Larry’s perspective on two academic couples: Larry and his wife, Sally Morgan, and Sidney... Read Crossing to Safety Summary


Publication year 1971

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Life/Time: The Past, Values/Ideas: Fame, Emotions/Behavior: Nostalgia, Society: Nation

Tags Narrative / Epic Poem


Publication year 1973

Genre Poem, Nonfiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Joy, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Life/Time: The Past, Natural World: Flora/plants, Natural World: Place


Publication year 1957

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Self Discovery, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Emotions/Behavior: Memory

Tags Classic Fiction, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Magical Realism, Fantasy

Written by Ray Bradbury, Dandelion Wine is a collection of connected short stories that are loosely based on the author’s memories of his own childhood in upstate Illinois; as such, the narrative uses the nostalgic mystique of summer to evoke the wonders, adventures, and mysteries of growing up. As the first volume in the Green Town trilogy, which also includes Farewell Summer and Something Wicked This Way Comes, this coming-of-age story includes elements of fantasy... Read Dandelion Wine Summary


Publication year 1993

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Family, Life/Time: Mortality & Death

Tags Historical Fiction, WWII / World War II, Holocaust, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Children's Literature, Education, Education, Military / War, History: World

Carol Matas is the author of the 1993 novel for young readers, Daniel’s Story, and she published the book in conjunction with the United States Holocaust Museum Memorial exhibit Remember the Children: Daniel’s Story. Like the museum exhibit, Daniel’s Story presents a researched account of what it was like to grow up in Nazi Germany and live through the Holocaust. Before she wrote Daniel’s Story, Matas published two historical novels about the Dutch resistance during... Read Daniel's Story Summary


Publication year 2022

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Life/Time: The Past, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Siblings, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies

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


Publication year 1850

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Memory

Tags Classic Fiction, Victorian Period

David Copperfield is Charles Dickens’ eighth novel. The book was originally produced in serial form between 1849 and 1850, and then published in full in 1850. Written from the first-person perspective of its eponymous narrator, the novel recounts his experiences from boyhood to manhood. Because many of these experiences closely mirror the life of Charles Dickens, David Copperfield is widely considered both a bildungsroman and an autobiographical novel. In addition to being Dickens’ favorite among... Read David Copperfield Summary


Publication year 1960

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Society: War

Tags Historical Fiction, WWII / World War II, Holocaust, Military / War, Relationships, Jewish Literature, History: World, Classic Fiction


Publication year 2011

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Natural World: Place, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil

Tags Children's Literature, Historical Fiction, Humor, Auto/Biographical Fiction

Jack Gantos is the author of the coming-of-age, historical fiction novel Dead End in Norvelt (2011). The story is partly autobiographical, as it is based on Gantos’s experiences growing up in the early 1960s in Pennsylvania. Gantos gives the adolescent main character his name. Gantos has published many books for children and young readers including the illustrated Rotten Ralph series (1976-2011), a chapter book series about Joey Pigza (1998-2014), and the memoir Hole in My... Read Dead End In Norvelt Summary


Publication year 2013

Genre Biography, Nonfiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Identity: Language, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: The Past, Natural World: Climate, Natural World: Environment, Natural World: Place, Relationships: Teams, Society: Nation, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies

Tags Russian Literature, Mystery / Crime Fiction, History: World, Biography, History: European, Crime / Legal, Action / Adventure, Travel Literature


Publication year 2017

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Identity: Race, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Win & Lose, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict

Tags Race / Racism, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, American Literature


Publication year 1949

Genre Play, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Fathers, Identity: Masculinity, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal

Tags Play: Tragedy, Play: Drama, Modern Classic Fiction, American Literature, Education, Education, Drama / Tragedy, Classic Fiction

Death of a Salesman is a play written by American playwright Arthur Miller and first performed on Broadway in 1949. Winner of the Pulitzer Prize for Drama and a Tony Award for Best Play, it is considered by critics to be one of the greatest plays of the 20th century. The cynical play follows the final hours of a mentally unstable salesman at the end of his career who fails to attain the American Dream... Read Death of a Salesman Summary


Publication year 2018

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice

Tags Race / Racism, Social Justice, Trauma / Abuse / Violence


Publication year 2007

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Life/Time: Mortality & Death

Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Relationships, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Children's Literature, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Fantasy, Religion / Spirituality

Mary Downing Hahn’s Deep and Dark and Dangerous, published in 2007 by Clarion Books, is one of numerous stories in the American artist and former librarian’s extensive catalogue. Hahn has published in the historical fiction, fantasy, and contemporary fiction genres, but some of her most acclaimed novels are ghost stories—including this one. Deep and Dark and Dangerous was well received by critics and was awarded Missouri’s 2010 Mark Twain Award for the best book for... Read Deep and Dark and Dangerous Summary


Publication year 1905

Genre Essay / Speech, Nonfiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice

Tags LGBTQ, Philosophy, Religion / Spirituality


Publication year 1994

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Identity: Disability, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Identity: Mental Health, Natural World: Nurture v. Nature, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology

Tags Psychology, Science / Nature, Philosophy, Health / Medicine, Education, Education, Psychology, Philosophy


Publication year 2013

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Identity: Race, Emotions/Behavior: Memory

Tags Race / Racism