Mothers

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.

Cher: The Memoir

by Cher

Publication year 2024

Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Gender, Identity: Mental Health, Relationships: Marriage, Relationships: Mothers, Self Discovery, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Music

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Children of Virtue and Vengeance

by Tomi Adeyemi

Publication year 2019

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Life/Time: The Past, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Mothers, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies

Tags Fantasy, Romance, Mythology, Trauma / Abuse / Violence

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Christabel

by Samuel Taylor Coleridge

Publication year 1816

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Natural World: Place, Identity: Sexuality, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Relationships: Mothers, Values/Ideas: Beauty

Tags Narrative / Epic Poem, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Love / Sexuality, LGBTQ, Religion / Spirituality, Romanticism / Romantic Period, British Literature, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Gothic Literature, Fantasy, Classic Fiction

Samuel Taylor Coleridge, a key figure in the British Romantic Era of poetry wrote the Gothic narrative poem “Christabel” in two parts, the first in 1797, and the second in 1800. Though it was still unfinished, “Christabel” was published in 1816.“Christabel” is Coleridge’s longest poem, at almost 700 lines. It is also the least edited of Coleridge’s work. Most of the poem contrasts the innocent piety of Christabel with the experience and supernatural abilities of... Read Christabel Summary

Class

by Stephanie Land

Publication year 2023

Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction

Themes Relationships: Mothers, Society: Class, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Society: Education

Tags Poverty, Social Justice, Education, Education, Sociology, Biography, Politics / Government

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Clock Dance

by Anne Tyler

Publication year 2018

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Self Discovery, Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Society: Community, Relationships: Mothers, Relationships: Marriage, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Gratitude, Emotions/Behavior: Love

Tags Realistic Fiction, Gender / Feminism, Love / Sexuality, Parenting, Relationships, Modern Classic Fiction

Clock Dance (2018) is Anne Tyler’s 22nd domestic literary fiction novel that explores the smaller details of the human condition. Clock Dance, which spans time periods from 1967 to 2017, follows Willa, a woman who’s always made herself useful to those around her without any regard for her own needs. Through Willa’s life, Clock Dance explores themes of self-fulfillment, appreciation, passivity, and community to show how people do (or don’t) change throughout time. This novel... Read Clock Dance Summary

Clytemnestra

by Costanza Casati

Publication year 2023

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Mothers, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Identity: Femininity, Relationships: Family, Society: Politics & Government, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice

Tags Mythology, Fantasy, Historical Fiction, Gender / Feminism, History: World

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Comfort & Joy

by Kristin Hannah

Publication year 2005

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Identity: Femininity, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: Midlife, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: The Future, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Natural World: Environment, Relationships: Mothers, Relationships: Siblings, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality

Tags Romance, Holidays & Occasions

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Communion

by bell hooks

Publication year 2002

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Gender, Identity: Mental Health, Identity: Race, Identity: Sexuality, Life/Time: Midlife, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Marriage, Relationships: Mothers, Self Discovery, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice

Tags Feminist Theory, Gender Studies, Self Help, Gender / Feminism, Love / Sexuality, Philosophy, Relationships, Women's Studies (Nonfiction)

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Confessions

by Kanae Minato, Transl. Stephen Snyder

Publication year 2008

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Society: Education, Relationships: Mothers

Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Psychological Fiction, Japanese Literature, Asian Literature

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Coraline

by Neil Gaiman

Publication year 2002

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Mothers, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Gratitude, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Win & Lose, Natural World: Appearance & Reality

Tags Fantasy, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Relationships, Food, Children's Literature, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Classic Fiction, Religion / Spirituality

Neil Gaiman’s Coraline is a 2002 middle-grade horror novel that follows the titular character through a strange world of wonder and fear. Coraline must use her wit, her bravery, and the help of her allies to survive and escape the strange world. As the story unfolds, it examines What It Means to Be Brave, The Drawbacks of Always Getting What You Want, and The Importance of Having Allies. Coraline is a New York Times bestseller... Read Coraline Summary

Cora Unashamed

by Langston Hughes

Publication year 1933

Genre Short Story, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Fate, Relationships: Mothers, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride

Tags Race / Racism, Social Justice

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Crying in H Mart

by Michelle Zauner

Publication year 2021

Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction

Themes Relationships: Mothers, Society: Immigration, Life/Time: Mortality & Death

Tags Food, Grief / Death, Relationships, Asian Literature, Modern Classic Fiction, Music, Biography

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Day

by Michael Cunningham

Publication year 2023

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Masculinity, Identity: Mental Health, Identity: Sexuality, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Relationships: Marriage, Relationships: Mothers, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger

Tags LGBTQ, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman

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Dear Ijeawele, or a Feminist Manifesto in Fifteen Suggestions

by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

Publication year 2017

Genre Essay / Speech, Nonfiction

Themes Relationships: Mothers, Identity: Femininity, Values/Ideas: Equality, Identity: Gender

Tags Gender / Feminism, Parenting, Social Justice, Women's Studies (Nonfiction)

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Death Without Weeping

by Nancy Scheper-Hughes

Publication year 1992

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Relationships: Mothers

Tags Education, Education, Anthropology, Anthropology, Grief / Death, Social Science, Sociology, History: World, Politics / Government

Published in 1989, Death Without Weeping: The Violence of Everyday Life in Brazil, is an in-depth and long-ranging look at the crisis of infant and early-child mortality in the rural communities of the Brazilian Northeast. The author of the book is Nancy Scheper-Hughes, a former aidworker who returned to Brazil as an anthropologist. While the object of this book is infant and child mortality, its main focus is not a medical or scientific approach to... Read Death Without Weeping Summary

Dept. of Speculation

by Jenny Offill

Publication year 2014

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Marriage, Values/Ideas: Literature, Relationships: Mothers, Values/Ideas: Art

Tags Modern Classic Fiction, Romance, Literary Fiction

Dept. of Speculation is a work of literary fiction by American novelist Jenny Offill. The novel was originally published in January 2014 by Alfred A. Knopf and was named one of the year’s 10 best books by the New York Times. Written in Offill’s customary fragmented prose, Dept. of Speculation reinvents the familiar story of marital infidelity into an examination of life’s meaning and purpose. Offill combines elements of philosophy, myth, science, and poetry to... Read Dept. of Speculation Summary

Dictee

by Theresa Hak Kyung Cha

Publication year 1982

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Art, Society: Community, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Gender, Identity: Language, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Relationships: Mothers

Tags Prose poetry, Asian Literature, Gender / Feminism, Education, Education, Arts / Culture, Modern Classic Fiction, Classic Fiction

Theresa Hak Kyung Cha’s Dictee (1982) is a hybrid form of prose poetry, autobiography, ethnography, criticism, and fictional experiments. Cha was a Korean American visual artist, poet, and filmmaker. She was tragically murdered only a week after the book was published. The book went out of print for several years before interest in Cha’s work was revived in the 1990s by feminist authors, such as Norma Alarcón. Cha’s work was honored with an exhibition including... Read Dictee Summary

Disclaimer

by Renée Knight

Publication year 2015

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Mental Health, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: The Past, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Relationships: Marriage, Relationships: Mothers, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies

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

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