Our Military Reads Collection features works that examine military service, conflict, and peace. Representing global perspectives and a broad range of literary genres, these selections explore the impacts of wars both real and imagined on civilians and service members alike.
Publication year 1994
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Identity: Race, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Society: Community, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags WWII / World War II, Military / War, French Literature, History: World, Philosophy, Philosophy, Religion / Spirituality
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 2009
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Race, Relationships: Family, Society: Immigration
Tags Historical Fiction, Auto/Biographical Fiction, Immigration / Refugee, Military / War, History: European, WWI / World War I, Children's Literature, Russian Literature, Jewish Literature, Education, Education, WWII / World War II, History: World
Karen Hesse’s young adult historical novel Letters from Rifka (1992) takes place between 1919 and 1920 and follows a young Jewish girl, Rifka, and her family as they escape persecution in Russia and begin a new life in America. The novel takes the form of letters Rifka writes, but cannot send, to her cousin in Russia, composed in the blank spaces of a volume of poetry by Russian poet Alexander Pushkin. The work thus combines... Read Letters from Rifka Summary
Publication year 2014
Genre Biography, Nonfiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Gender
Tags Women's Studies (Nonfiction), Military / War, History: World, Biography, American Civil War, Gender / Feminism, History: U.S., History: The Americas
Liar, Temptress, Soldier, Spy: Four Women Undercover in the Civil War is the third book by New York Times best-selling author Karen Abbott. Though Abbott has recently changed her publishing name to Abbott Kahler, because Liar Temptress, Soldier, Spy is still printed and published as authored by Karen Abbott, this guide will refer to the author by that name. Abbott often writes about American women’s history, focusing on overlooked stories, accomplishments, and contributions of women... Read Liar, Temptress, Soldier, Spy Summary
Publication year 2011
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Society: Nation, Society: Politics & Government, Society: Colonialism
Tags History: U.S., American Revolution, Politics / Government, Military / War, American Literature, History: World
Publication year 2013
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Relationships: Family, Society: War
Tags Historical Fiction, Fantasy, WWII / World War II, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Military / War, History: World
Life After Life is a work of adult historical fiction written by acclaimed British author Kate Atkinson and published in 2013. Atkinson’s debut novel, Behind the Scenes at the Museum, won the Whitbread Book of the Year prize and her subsequent novels have all been international bestsellers, including the mystery series featuring Jackson Brodie, which has been adapted to a BBC show. Other works by this author include Case Histories, A God in Ruins, and... Read Life After Life Summary
Publication year 1881
Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction
Themes Identity: Race, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice
Tags History: U.S., American Civil War, Race / Racism, Military / War, History: World, Classic Fiction, Biography
Publication year 2018
Genre Novel/Book in Verse, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Natural World: Environment
Tags Historical Fiction, Survival Fiction, WWII / World War II, Action / Adventure, Children's Literature, Military / War, History: World
Publication year 2005
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Relationships: Family
Tags Children's Literature, History: European, WWII / World War II, Military / War, History: World, Biography
Life in a Jar: The Irena Sendler Project is a work of creative nonfiction written by Jack Mayer and originally published in 2010. The book tells two overlapping stories. One is about Irena Sendler, a Polish social worker who helped save 2,500 Jewish children in Warsaw from the Nazis during World War II. The other is about three high school girls—Liz Cambers, Megan Stewart, and Sabrina Coons. In 1999, the girls, with the help of... Read Life in a Jar: The Irena Sendler Summary
Publication year 1833
Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction
Themes Identity: Indigenous, Society: War, Society: Colonialism
Tags History: U.S., Military / War, History: World, Classic Fiction, Biography
Publication year 2016
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness
Tags Historical Fiction, WWII / World War II, Military / War, History: World
Lilac Girls is a historical fiction novel by Martha Hall Kelly. Published in 2016, Kelly’s debut novel is inspired by the true story of New York City activist and socialite Caroline Ferriday. Kelly was also inspired by the true story of the Ravensbrück Rabbits, a group of Polish women who were victims of torturous medical experiments during the Second World War. The novel explores the themes of hope, sacrifice, and forgiveness in the face of... Read Lilac Girls Summary
Publication year 1992
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Relationships: Teams
Tags Military / War, History: U.S., Politics / Government, American Civil War, Education, Education, Leadership/Organization/Management, Business / Economics, History: World, Biography, Self Help
Publication year 1865
Genre Essay / Speech, Nonfiction
Themes Society: Nation, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Identity: Race, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Society: Colonialism, Society: Politics & Government, Society: War
Tags History: U.S., Politics / Government, Military / War, American Civil War, American Literature, History: World, Classic Fiction
Publication year 2022
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Friendship, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice
Tags Historical Fiction, Action / Adventure, Military / War, WWI / World War I, Children's Literature, History: World
Publication year 2011
Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction
Themes Society: War, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Teams
Tags Travel Literature, Inspirational, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Military / War, Love / Sexuality, Social Justice, Biography
Publication year 2007
Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Society: Community, Emotions/Behavior: Fear
Tags Military / War, History: Middle Eastern, War On Terrorism / Iraq War, Action / Adventure, History: World, Biography
Lone Survivor: The Eyewitness Account of Operation Redwing and the Lost Heroes of SEAL Team 10 (2007) is a military-themed memoir by former Navy SEAL, Marcus Luttrell, with the help of ghostwriter Patrick Robinson. Based on a 2005 mission in Afghanistan, the book examines the intricacies of warfare. The narrative explores themes such as valor, self-sacrifice, and the multifaceted nature of combat. The book became a New York Times bestseller and subsequently inspired a 2013... Read Lone Survivor Summary
Publication year 2016
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Tags Children's Literature, History: World, Military / War, WWII / World War II, Action / Adventure
Written by Tod Olson and published in 2016, Lost in the Pacific, 1942 is a fictionalized account of the true story of soldiers lost at sea during World War II. The text begins with a Prologue describing a plane crash that strands the soldiers in the Pacific Ocean. The B-17 transport plane’s pilot, Captain Bill Cherry, plans to land at Canton Island to refuel. However, due to a faulty navigational antenna and a problem with... Read Lost in the Pacific 1942 Summary
Publication year 1970
Genre Novel, Fiction
Tags Historical Fiction, Asian Literature, Korean Literature, Education, Education, Military / War, Asian Literature, History: World, Japanese Literature
Lost Names: Scenes from a Korean Boyhood is a fictionalized autobiography and bildungsroman by author and literature professor Richard E. Kim (1932-2009). Originally published in 1970, Lost Names is a collection of seven scenes from Kim’s life from 1932 (birth) to 1945 (age 13). Kim examines the Korean experience of Japanese colonial occupation through the eyes of himself as a child. Though it is autobiographical, Kim was ambivalent about its status as fiction or nonfiction:... Read Lost Names Summary
Publication year 2019
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Friendship, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Relationships: Mothers, Society: Class, Society: War
Tags Historical Fiction, Auto/Biographical Fiction, Poverty, WWI / World War I, Russian Literature, WWII / World War II, Military / War, History: World
Publication year 2019
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Race, Identity: Mental Health, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Values/Ideas: Music
Tags Historical Fiction, Romance, Mythology, Civil Rights / Jim Crow, Grief / Death, History: World, Love / Sexuality, Military / War, Music, Race / Racism, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, WWI / World War I, WWII / World War II, Fantasy