With classics like J.M. Barrie's Peter Pan and contemporary hits like Min Jin Lee's Pachinko, this collection gathers texts that grapple with the complex and archetypal role of the mother.
Publication year 2023
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Identity: Mental Health, Identity: Sexuality, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Marriage, Relationships: Mothers, Self Discovery, Society: Class, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2021
Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Identity: Mental Health, Self Discovery, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Mothers
Tags Psychology, Science / Nature, Psychology, Biography
Publication year 2017
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Relationships: Mothers, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Identity: Femininity, Natural World: Climate, Relationships: Friendship
Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction
The End We Start From (2017) is a dystopian novel by British author Megan Hunter. Set in an apocalyptic version of London, the story centers on climate disaster survival and the trauma of navigating pregnancy and motherhood in the wake of a cataclysmic climate event that alters the world as we know it. The story is primarily told from the first-person perspective of an unnamed narrator and written in a lyrical style that swings between... Read The End We Start From Summary
Publication year 2016
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Relationships: Mothers, Self Discovery, Society: Community
Tags Modern Classic Fiction, Asian Literature, Historical Fiction, Chinese Literature
Publication year 1978
Genre Reference/Text Book, Nonfiction
Themes Society: Community, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Identity: Gender, Identity: Mental Health, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Marriage, Relationships: Mothers
Tags Education, Education, Psychology, Psychology, Relationships, Mental Illness, Self Help
Publication year 2022
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Relationships: Mothers
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Psychological Fiction, Finance / Money / Wealth, Holidays & Occasions, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 1991
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Society: Community, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Mothers, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed
Tags Magical Realism, Fantasy, African Literature, Poverty, Colonialism / Postcolonialism, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, African American Literature, Classic Fiction
Written in a style that evokes the oral tradition of storytelling, The Famished Road, by Nigerian writer Ben Okri, follows the peripatetic adventures of Azaro, a young boy who is finding his way amid the poverty and political passions of a newly independent nation. Winner of the prestigious Booker Prize in 1991, the novel presents an allegorical tale of both the pitfalls and the promise latent in the post-colonial moment. Nigeria was one of the... Read The Famished Road Summary
Publication year 1977
Genre Short Story, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Coming of Age, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Mental Health, Relationships: Mothers, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Identity: Sexuality
Tags Psychological Fiction
“The Fat Girl” is a short story by Andre Dubus II that was originally published in his 1977 collection Adultery and Other Choices. Dubus was an American writer of short stories and essays from Louisiana. “The Fat Girl” chronicles nearly two decades in protagonist Louise’s life, spanning childhood to motherhood. The story explores Louise’s issues with body image, food and dieting, secrecy, gender roles, and relationships.This guide is based on the version of the text... Read The Fat Girl Summary
Publication year 2006
Genre Reference/Text Book, Nonfiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Masculinity, Identity: Gender, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: Aging, Life/Time: Midlife, Relationships: Marriage, Relationships: Mothers, Natural World: Nurture v. Nature
Tags Psychology, Science / Nature, Health / Medicine, Self Help, Gender / Feminism, Relationships, Love / Sexuality
Publication year 2015
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Mothers, Identity: Gender
Tags Fantasy, Gender / Feminism, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, LGBTQ
The Fifth Season is the first installment of author N. K. Jemisin’s Broken Earth trilogy—a “science fantasy” series that blends scientific explanation with the magical or supernatural elements of the fantasy genre. After its publication in 2015, the novel received the 2016 Hugo Award recognizing excellence in science fiction or fantasy writing. Jemisin was the first black woman to win the prize, and went on to break another record when her sequels to The Fifth... Read The Fifth Season Summary
Publication year 1991
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Relationships: Siblings, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Relationships: Mothers, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Relationships: Marriage, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Society: Politics & Government, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Crime / Legal
OverviewBook DetailsThe Firm is the second legal thriller written by attorney John Grisham. It followed his 1988 debut novel A Time to Kill. The Firm was the top-selling novel of 1991 on the New York Times bestseller list, bringing its author international fame. It focuses on new Harvard Law School graduate Mitch McDeere, who accepts a financially lucrative position with a Memphis law firm that he discovers is embroiled in unethical and illegal activities.Author HighlightsGrisham... Read The Firm Summary
Publication year 2003
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Life/Time: Aging, Values/Ideas: Fate, Relationships: Friendship, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: The Past, Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Society: War, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Relationships: Marriage, Relationships: Fathers, Emotions/Behavior: Nostalgia, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Relationships: Mothers
Tags Inspirational, Magical Realism, Religion / Spirituality, Grief / Death, Modern Classic Fiction, Fantasy, Philosophy, Philosophy, Classic Fiction
The Five People You Meet in Heaven is a novel by best-selling writer Mitch Albom. Published in 2003, it sold more than 10 million copies and appeared on the New York Times bestseller list. In 2004, the story was adapted into a made-for-television movie starring Jon Voight. In 2018, Albom penned a follow-up called The Next Person You Meet in Heaven. The novel follows the story of Eddie, a man who believes his life was... Read The Five People You Meet In Heaven Summary
Publication year 2014
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Values/Ideas: Fame, Relationships: Mothers, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Relationships: Friendship, Life/Time: Aging, Life/Time: The Past
Tags Fantasy, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Children's Literature, Humor
In 2014’s The Fourteenth Goldfish, by Jennifer L Holm, an aging scientist turns himself into a teenager who must re-enter middle school alongside his granddaughter while they plot to get him back into his lab to finish his brilliant work. A humorous science-fiction novel for middle-grade readers, The Fourteenth Goldfish is the first in a two-book series. New York Times Bestselling author Holm has written nearly 60 books for young readers, including the May Amelia... Read The Fourteenth Goldfish Summary
Publication year 2023
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Gender, Identity: Indigenous, Identity: Masculinity, Identity: Sexuality, Life/Time: Birth, Natural World: Animals, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Mothers, Society: Class, Society: Colonialism, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Historical Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Gender / Feminism
Publication year 2020
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Siblings, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Identity: Mental Health, Identity: Femininity, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Mothers, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Psychological Fiction, Diversity, Grief / Death, Mental Illness, Parenting, Relationships, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 1843
Genre Essay / Speech, Nonfiction
Themes Relationships: Mothers
Tags Sociology, Transcendentalism, History: World
“The Great Lawsuit” is an essay by Margaret Fuller, an American writer known for her contributions to transcendentalism and the women’s rights movement of the 1800s. It was first published in 1843 in The Dial, a journal she edited at the time. Fuller expanded the piece to create Woman in the Nineteenth Century, a book published in 1845.An early example of feminist writing and a vehicle for transcendental ideas, “The Great Lawsuit” centers on concepts... Read The Great Lawsuit Summary
Publication year 2009
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Art, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Relationships: Mothers
Tags Historical Fiction, Romance, British Literature, Modern Classic Fiction, History: World
Publication year 1959
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Mothers, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger
Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Religion / Spirituality, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Gothic Literature, Classic Fiction
Published in 1959, The Haunting of Hill House, a Gothic novel by Shirley Jackson, was a 1960 finalist for the National Book Award. The protagonist is Eleanor Vance, a young woman with a troubled past who, along with two other guests, is invited to spend three months in a haunted house to take part in research gathered by Dr. John Montague. Like other Gothic novels, The Haunting of Hill House takes place in an old... Read The Haunting Of Hill House Summary
Publication year 2018
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Mothers, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Fantasy, Fairy Tale / Folklore, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Magical Realism
Publication year 1981
Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction
Themes Relationships: Mothers, Identity: Race, Self Discovery
Tags Gender / Feminism, Civil Rights / Jim Crow, Race / Racism, American Literature, Classic Fiction, Biography