These texts explore the concept of the nation, an idea of community that inspires patriotism and nostalgia. What makes a nation? And why are people willing to die—or to kill—to protect it? These are just a couple of the questions examined in the texts in this collection.
Publication year 1965
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Society: Economics, Society: Colonialism, Identity: Race, Society: Globalization, Society: Nation, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed
Tags Politics / Government, History: African , Philosophy, African Literature
Publication year 2019
Genre Biography, Nonfiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Society: Nation, Identity: Race
Tags History: U.S., Race / Racism, African American Literature, American Revolution, Children's Literature, History: World, Biography
Publication year 1627
Genre Short Story, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Society: Colonialism, Society: Nation
Tags Classic Fiction, Allegory / Fable / Parable, British Literature, Renaissance, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Education, Education, History: World, Fantasy, Philosophy, Philosophy, Politics / Government
New Atlantis is an unfinished novel published posthumously in 1626 by the English philosopher Francis Bacon. It details the customs and culture of a utopian island society known as Bensalem, at the center of which lies a science and research institution called Salomon’s House. The work expresses many of Bacon’s scientific, philosophical, political, and religious ideas, though its unfinished status has made it the subject of intense scholarly debate over the novel’s meaning and themes... Read New Atlantis Summary
Publication year 2016
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Society: Colonialism, Society: Nation, Society: Politics & Government
Tags Race / Racism, Education, Education, History: U.S., American Literature, History: World
New England Bound: Slavery and Colonization in Early America is a 2017 history book by American historian and Princeton University professor Wendy Warren. In her work, Warren explores how 17th-century colonists in New England participated in the transatlantic slave trade by purchasing enslaved Africans and selling Indigenous peoples into slavery. Warren shows how this process of enslavement was integral to the expansion of English settlements and wealth in New England and explains the different manifestations... Read New England Bound Summary
Publication year 2022
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Natural World: Environment, Natural World: Place, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Identity: Race, Relationships: Mothers, Relationships: Siblings, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Marriage, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Society: Class, Society: Community, Society: Nation, Emotions/Behavior: Regret
Tags Race / Racism, Historical Fiction, Realistic Fiction, Children's Literature, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 1961
Genre Essay Collection, Nonfiction
Themes Identity: Race, Identity: Sexuality, Society: Nation, Society: Colonialism, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice
Tags Race / Racism, History: U.S., Politics / Government, Social Justice, History: World, Classic Fiction, Biography
Publication year 1995
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Nostalgia, Life/Time: Aging, Life/Time: Midlife, Life/Time: The Future, Life/Time: The Past, Natural World: Environment, Natural World: Place, Self Discovery, Society: Economics, Society: Globalization, Society: Nation
Tags British Literature, History: World, Travel Literature, Humor, Biography
Publication year 1785
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Society: Politics & Government, Society: Nation, Society: Colonialism
Tags Education, Education, Science / Nature, History: World, Philosophy, American Revolution, Classic Fiction, History: U.S., Politics / Government, Philosophy, Race / Racism
Publication year 2009
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Siblings, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Society: Nation, Society: Politics & Government, Society: Community, Relationships: Teams
Tags Military / War, Historical Fiction, Arts / Culture, Realistic Fiction, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Sports, African Literature
Publication year 2023
Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Society: Nation, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal
Tags Politics / Government, History: U.S., Trauma / Abuse / Violence, History: World, Biography
Publication year 1830
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Society: Nation, Society: War, Life/Time: Mortality & Death
Tags Military / War, History: U.S.
Publication year 2024
Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction
Themes Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Relationships: Family, Society: Community, Society: Nation, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology
Tags Biography, Politics / Government, Science / Nature, History: World, Health / Medicine
Publication year 2021
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Fame, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Values/Ideas: Fate, Society: Nation, Self Discovery, Emotions/Behavior: Fear
Tags Historical Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Arts / Culture, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Addiction / Substance Abuse, Depression / Suicide, History: U.S., Mental Illness, History: World
Publication year 1962
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Society: Politics & Government, Society: Nation
Tags Russian Literature, Historical Fiction, Auto/Biographical Fiction, Classic Fiction, Education, Education, History: World
One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich, first published in 1962 in the USSR, is a novel by Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn. It follows the protagonist, Ivan Denisovich Shukhov, during a typical day in the forced labor camp where he is imprisoned. The novel explores the human cost of Stalinism in Soviet Russia. Shukhov and the other prisoners waver between unity and division as they attempt to survive in the labor camp, which is situated far... Read One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich Summary
Publication year 2008
Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Gratitude, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Identity: Indigenous, Identity: Language, Natural World: Animals, Natural World: Flora/plants, Natural World: Place, Self Discovery, Society: Colonialism, Society: Community, Society: Education, Society: Nation, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Literature, Values/Ideas: Music, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags History: World, Biography
Publication year 2013
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Society: Nation, Society: Community, Relationships: Teams
Tags History: U.S., American Literature, Sports, History: World, Humor, Biography
Publication year 1830
Genre Essay / Speech, Nonfiction
Themes Society: Nation, Identity: Indigenous, Society: Colonialism
Tags History: U.S., Politics / Government
Publication year 1859
Genre Essay / Speech, Nonfiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Literature, Society: Politics & Government, Society: Nation
Tags Philosophy, Politics / Government, Arts / Culture, History: European, British Literature, Victorian Period, Business / Economics, History: World, Philosophy, Classic Fiction
On Liberty is a philosophical essay on ethics, society, and politics published in 1859 by the English philosopher John Stuart Mill. His work on the subject matter extended back several years, through an illustrious career as a politician and philosopher. Mill’s ideas center on the concept of utilitarianism, which emphasizes efficiency and collective well-being. The book remains in print in the 21st century.SummaryOn Liberty is divided into five chapters: an introduction; “On the liberty of... Read On Liberty Summary
Publication year 1977
Genre Essay Collection, Nonfiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Art, Society: Colonialism, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Society: Economics, Society: Nation, Society: Politics & Government
Tags Arts / Culture, Philosophy, History: World, Business / Economics, Class, Finance / Money / Wealth, Sociology, Literary Criticism, Philosophy, Classic Fiction
On Photography is a 1977 collection of seven essays by American scholar, activist, and philosopher Susan Sontag. The essays were published in the New York Review of Books from 1973 to 1977 before publication in a single volume. Sontag explores the history of photography and its relationship to reality, the fine arts, and sociopolitical power structures. Individual essays explore these various relationships between photography and the world through a different lens before the culminating exploration... Read On Photography Summary
Publication year 1874
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Society: Nation
Tags Philosophy, Existentialism, Education, Education, History: World, Philosophy, Classic Fiction
Written in 1874 as part of his second Untimely Meditation, Friedrich Nietzsche’s Vom Nutzen und Nachteil der Historie für das Leben or On the Advantage and Disadvantage of History for Life, considers the proper functioning of history in service to human (and specifically German) life and culture.At the outset of his essay, Nietzsche distinguishes between advantageous and disadvantageous historical awareness. The “historical fever” in Germany at the time of writing is a disease in the... Read On The Advantage And Disadvantage Of History For Life Summary