Music

This collection brings together texts that explore the beauty and often redemptive power of music, from classical compositions in Peter Shaffer's Amadeus and Haruki Murakami's Kafka on the Shore, to gospel songs and spirituals in Lorraine Hansberry's A Raisin in the Sun.

Publication year 1872

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Music, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos

Tags Philosophy, Literary Criticism, History: World, Philosophy, Classic Fiction, Arts / Culture, Drama / Tragedy, German Literature

The Birth of Tragedy Out of the Spirit of Music is a work of dramatic theory and cultural criticism by the German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche (1844-1900). It was originally published in 1872 as Nietzsche’s first work, and later rereleased in 1886 under the title The Birth of Tragedy, or Hellenism and Pessimism. Nietzsche argues that Greek tragedy is born out of the merger between Apollonian and Dionysian perspectives. Nietzsche first differentiates between these two worldviews... Read The Birth of Tragedy Summary


Publication year 1993

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Identity: Race, Society: Nation, Values/Ideas: Music

Tags Sociology, Race / Racism, Arts / Culture, History: World, African American Literature, Afro-Caribbean Literature, British Literature, Education, Education, Philosophy, Philosophy, Politics / Government

The Black Atlantic: Modernity and Double Consciousness, published in 1993 by Harvard University Press, combines historical, social, political, and cultural dimensions to reconceptualize the contours of Western modernity. Paul Gilroy, noted sociologist and cultural historian, proposes that modernity can be better understood through the analytical frame of the Black Atlantic, a transnational, intercultural, fractal structure of Black political and expressive cultures in the West. Reflections of experiences of modernity by early Black Atlantic intellectuals and... Read The Black Atlantic Summary


Publication year 2006

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Values/Ideas: Music

Tags Lyric Poem, Music


Publication year 2007

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Music

Tags Historical Fiction, History: World

Aminata Diallo, from the village of Bayo, in western Africa, is the daughter of Mamadu, a jeweler, and Sira, a midwife. At the age of eleven, she is kidnapped after watching her parents murdered and her village burned. She is captured by African slave traders, who sell her to white slave traders. She and the other captives are marched in a coffle, a line of prisoners chained together, on a harrowing three-month journey to the... Read The Book of Negroes Summary


Publication year 1990

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Music

Tags Historical Fiction, British Literature, Modern Classic Fiction, History: World, Indian Literature, LGBTQ

The Buddha of Suburbia, by Hanif Kureishi, is a coming-of-age novel that explores significant themes of identity, class, and race in 1970s London. Karim Amir, the protagonist and narrator, tells the story of his maturation against a backdrop of political and social change, as he attempts to create himself, discover his place in life, and grow up. Told in the first person, Karim narrates his life from age 17 to about age 23.The Buddha of... Read The Buddha of Suburbia Summary


Publication year 2018

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: The Past, Natural World: Flora/plants, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Teams, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Music

Tags Children's Literature, Fantasy, Mythology, Action / Adventure, LGBTQ


Publication year 1914

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Society: Nation, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Music, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil

Tags Narrative / Epic Poem, Race / Racism, Music, Classic Fiction


Publication year 2021

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Identity: Mental Health, Relationships: Siblings, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Gratitude, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Joy, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: The Future, Life/Time: The Past, Relationships: Fathers, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Music, Natural World: Appearance & Reality

Tags Magical Realism, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Race / Racism, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Mental Illness, Fantasy


Publication year 1960

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Friendship, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Music, Emotions/Behavior: Nostalgia, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Self Discovery, Natural World: Animals, Natural World: Place

Tags Children's Literature, Fantasy, Action / Adventure, Animals, Diversity, Science / Nature, Education, Education, Classic Fiction

Trapped in a picnic basket, Chester Cricket travels from his peaceful Connecticut home to the bustling Times Square subway station in George Selden’s classic children’s novel, The Cricket in Times Square (1960). There, Chester makes three good friends who help him navigate—and enjoy—his new city life: Mario Bellini, a young boy whose parents run a struggling newsstand; Tucker, a sociable mouse; and Tucker’s best friend, the cultured Harry Cat. Mishaps in the newsstand set Mama... Read The Cricket In Times Square Summary


Publication year 2011

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Values/Ideas: Music

Tags Religion / Spirituality, Christian literature, Race / Racism, Social Justice, Reconstruction Era, History: World


Publication year 1914

Genre Novella, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Music, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Nostalgia, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Relationships: Marriage

Tags Grief / Death, Relationships, Education, Education, History: World, Irish Literature, Classic Fiction

“The Dead” is a short story by Irish writer James Joyce. The story is a part of Joyce’s renowned Dubliners collection, first published in 1914, which portrays daily life in the Irish city of Dublin in the early 20th century. In “The Dead,” a literary young man attends a party with his wife. The events at the party prompt him to reflect on his life and his place in the universe. The short story has... Read The Dead Summary


Publication year 2015

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Fathers, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Music, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt

Tags Romance, Modern Classic Fiction


Publication year 2014

Genre Play, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Music

Tags Education, Education, American Literature, Modern Classic Fiction, History: World, Drama / Tragedy, Arts / Culture

The Flick is a two-act play by Annie Baker that premiered at the New York City Playwrights Horizons theater in 2013. Set in a run-down movie theater of the same name, The Flick is located in the suburban Worchester County of central Massachusetts. The play follows the evolving workplace relationships of three underpaid movie theater employees as they struggle not only to make a living but to define their lives, their values, and their identities... Read The Flick Summary


Publication year 2016

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Life/Time: The Past, Values/Ideas: Music

Tags Historical Fiction, WWII / World War II, Military / War, History: World

The German Girl is a historical novel written by Cuban journalist and editor Armando Lucas Correa. It interweaves the stories of Anna Rosen, a 12-year-old girl living in New York in 2014, and Hannah Rosenthal, her great aunt, whose journey begins as a 12-year-old Jewish girl living in Nazi-occupied Berlin in 1939. Anna’s story revolves around a trip to Cuba to visit her great aunt Hannah, while Hannah’s story primarily centers around her journey onboard... Read The German Girl Summary


Publication year 2002

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Values/Ideas: Music

Tags Lyric Poem


Publication year 2013

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Music

Tags History: U.S., Race / Racism, Business / Economics, History: World, Social Justice, Politics / Government

Winner of the 2015 Avery O. Craven Prize and the 2015 Sidney Hillman Prize, Edward E. Baptist’s 2014 book, The Half Has Never Been Told, challenges revisionist historical studies and presents slavery as a modern and modernizing institution that was central to the creation of American wealth and power. Drawing on slave narratives and other sources, it examines the development and growth of American slavery and the far-reaching effects it had on the nation from... Read The Half Has Never Been Told: Slavery and the Making of American Capitalism Summary


Publication year 2019

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Music

Tags Historical Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, WWII / World War II, Military / War, History: World

The Huntress is a historical fiction novel published in 2019 by the American author Kate Quinn. Set in the years before, during, and after World War II, the novel weaves together the stories of three central characters: a Russian pilot in the Soviet Red Army’s all-female bomber unit; an American photographer whose father falls in love with a mysterious Austrian woman; and an English war correspondent committed to exposing Nazi war criminals. According to Washington... Read The Huntress Summary


Publication year 2017

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Music, Identity: Femininity, Values/Ideas: Fame

Tags Romance, New Adult, Love / Sexuality, Modern Classic Fiction, Music


Publication year 2023

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Mothers, Society: Community, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Literature, Values/Ideas: Music

Tags Historical Fiction, WWII / World War II, Military / War, History: World


Publication year 1889

Genre Novella, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Music, Relationships: Marriage, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil

Tags Classic Fiction, Love / Sexuality, Russian Literature, History: World