Nation & Nationalism

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 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


Publication year 1993

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Values/Ideas: Equality, Society: Nation

Tags Free verse, Science / Nature, Diversity, History: U.S., African American Literature, American Literature, Spoken Word Poetry, Education, Education, Biography, Classic Fiction


Publication year 2019

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Win & Lose, Society: Community, Society: Politics & Government, Society: Nation, Society: War, Identity: Race, Society: Colonialism, Natural World: Environment

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


Publication year 1959

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Society: Nation, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Natural World: Appearance & Reality

Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Satire, Military / War, Politics / Government, Cold War, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, British Literature, History: World, Humor, Classic Fiction

Graham Greene’s Our Man in Havana, a 1958 satirical spy novel, evokes the political atmosphere in Cuba on the cusp of the Communist takeover and the Cuban Missile Crisis. Relevant and well-received, the novel has been adapted into a film, a play, and an opera. Greene was himself a member of M16, the United Kingdom’s Secret Intelligence Service, and his background allowed him to portray both accurately and comically the behind-the-scenes espionage antics that make... Read Our Man in Havana Summary


Publication year 1956

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Identity: Femininity, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Marriage, Society: Colonialism, Society: Nation, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed

Tags Historical Fiction, African Literature, WWI / World War I

Palace Walk is a 1956 novel by Egyptian writer Naguib Mahfouz. The story takes place in Cairo during World War I and in its immediate aftermath, touching on the political climate of the time as Egypt transitioned from British occupation to nationalism. The novel presents this change through the day-to-day life of the Muslim al-Jawad family. This guide refers to the 1994 Black Swan edition of the novel, which was translated by William Maynard Hutchins... Read Palace Walk Summary


Publication year 1939

Genre Novella, Fiction

Themes Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Fate, Society: War, Society: Nation

Tags Historical Fiction, Health / Medicine, History: U.S., American Literature, History: World, Classic Fiction

Pale Horse, Pale Rider is a novella written by Katherine Anne Porter. It was published in 1939, along with two other short novellas, Old Mortality and Noon Wine, under the collective title Pale Horse, Pale Rider. The story portrays two young lovers who are tragically affected by the 1918 influenza epidemic, or Spanish Flu.Other works by this author include The Jilting of Granny Weatherall and Flowering Judas.This guide uses an eBook version of the 2008... Read Pale Horse, Pale Rider Summary


Publication year 2024

Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction

Themes Society: Nation, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed

Tags Politics / Government


Publication year 1861

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Life/Time: The Past, Society: Nation

Tags Narrative / Epic Poem, American Revolution, History: U.S.


Publication year 2003

Genre Essay / Speech, Nonfiction

Themes Society: Community, Society: Nation, Values/Ideas: Equality

Tags Diversity, Sociology

“People Like Us” was published in the September 2003 issue of The Atlantic Monthly. Using a series of examples to compare different areas of the United States, author and political commentator David Brooks argues that although America prides itself on being a diverse nation, its population actively self-segregates along multiple demographic lines.The essay begins by painting a picture of an unlikely community where “a black Pentecostal minister lives next to a white anti-globalization activist, who... Read People Like Us Summary