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 1992
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Identity: Race, Life/Time: The Past, Self Discovery, Society: Colonialism, Society: Community, Society: Globalization, Society: Immigration, Society: Nation
Tags Anthropology, Indian Literature, Travel Literature, History: Middle Eastern, Colonialism / Postcolonialism
In an Antique Land (1992) is a book written by Amitav Ghosh which interweaves descriptions of his experiences in rural Egypt in the 1980s with an attempt to reconstruct the life of a 12th-century Jewish merchant and Bomma, an Indian man he enslaved. Ghosh is a renowned Indian author, known for his ability to combine genres and employ complex narrative strategies to examine national and personal identity. He employs these strategies in In an Antique... Read In an Antique Land Summary
Publication year 2020
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Race, Society: Nation, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice
Tags Realistic Fiction, Allegory / Fable / Parable, Race / Racism, Arts / Culture, Diversity, History: U.S., Asian Literature, American Literature, Modern Classic Fiction, Asian Literature, Humor
Publication year 2019
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Society: Immigration, Society: Nation, Identity: Race
Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Realistic Fiction, Social Justice, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2017
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Society: Nation, Values/Ideas: Win & Lose, Life/Time: The Future, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Literature, Society: Community, Society: Politics & Government, Society: Immigration, Identity: Race, Identity: Language, Natural World: Place, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Hope
Tags Lyric Poem, Diversity, Social Justice, History: U.S., Black Lives Matter, Immigration / Refugee, American Literature
Publication year 1935
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Society: Nation, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos
Tags Russian Literature, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Absurdism, Modernism, History: World, Fantasy, Classic Fiction
Invitation to a Beheading is a 1938 novel by Russian author Vladimir Nabokov, and the penultimate novel Nabokov wrote in his native Russian before transitioning to English. This guide uses the 1965 Capricorn Books edition, based on the 1959 English version, translated by Dmitri Nabokov with help from his father, Vladimir. Plot SummaryCincinnatus C. has been arrested and imprisoned by the government in the unnamed country in which he resides. Cincinnatus has been found guilty... Read Invitation to a Beheading Summary
Genre Play, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Relationships: Mothers, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Identity: Gender, Society: Nation
Tags Play: Tragedy, Mythology, Classic Fiction, History: World, Drama / Tragedy, Fantasy
... Read Ion Summary
Publication year 1819
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Society: Nation, Society: War
Tags Historical Fiction, Romanticism / Romantic Period, British Literature, Classic Fiction, Action / Adventure, Medieval Literature / Middle Ages, History: World, Romance
Ivanhoe is a historical fiction novel by Walter Scott, first published in 1819. The novel or “romance” is a fanciful account of English life in the 12th century, during the time of King Richard I (Richard “Coeur de Lion”). The protagonist of the story is Wilfred of Ivanhoe, a knight returning home from fighting in the Third Crusade. His journey weaves together historical events, religious conflict, and Medieval folklore and explores themes of Chivalry as... Read Ivanhoe Summary
Publication year 1914
Genre Short Story, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Emotions/Behavior: Nostalgia, Society: Nation, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Literature
Tags Politics / Government, Irish Literature, Modernism
Publication year 1898
Genre Essay / Speech, Nonfiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Society: Nation, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Politics / Government, History: European, Journalism, French Literature, Sociology, History: World, Classic Fiction
Publication year 1961
Genre Essay / Speech, Nonfiction
Themes Society: Globalization, Society: Nation, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology
Tags History: U.S., Politics / Government, History: The Americas, Business / Economics, History: World
Publication year 1971
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Identity: Race, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Family, Society: Immigration, Society: Nation, Society: Politics & Government, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice
Tags Historical Fiction, WWII / World War II, History: U.S., Children's Literature, Education, Education, Military / War, History: World
Published in 1971 by Japanese American author and educator Yoshiko Uchida (1921-1992), Journey to Topaz is the first children’s novel to address the United States government’s forced relocation of people of Japanese descent to wartime prison camps during World War II. The novel follows the Sakane family’s life as they are forced to move from their comfortable home in Berkeley, California, to the Topaz War Relocation Center, a concentration camp, in the harsh Utah desert... Read Journey to Topaz Summary
Publication year 1981
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Equality, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Identity: Race, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Marriage, Society: Class, Society: Colonialism, Society: Community, Society: Nation, Society: Politics & Government, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Historical Fiction, Race / Racism, Military / War, African Literature
July’s People, a 1981 dystopian novel by South African author Nadine Gordimer, imagines the aftermath of a bloody uprising that topples South Africa’s notorious, white-ruled apartheid regime. Her novel, which follows a white family’s desperate flight from Johannesburg, traces the complex interdependencies of white and Black South Africans, revealing the insidiousness of the regime’s racial disparities and mindsets, even among liberal, well-meaning white people. Through the lens of this hypothetical future, Gordimer’s novel explores racial... Read July's People Summary
Publication year 2022
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Identity: Gender, Identity: Sexuality, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Mothers, Self Discovery, Society: Community, Society: Nation, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality
Tags History: World, Fantasy, Historical Fiction, Mythology, LGBTQ, Indian Literature
Publication year 2013
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Society: Colonialism, Society: Nation, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal
Tags Religion / Spirituality, Biography, History: World, Christian literature
Publication year 2012
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Society: War, Society: Nation
Tags History: U.S., Politics / Government, Crime / Legal, Leadership/Organization/Management, Civil Rights / Jim Crow, Grief / Death, Vietnam War, History: World, Biography
Publication year 2023
Genre Biography, Nonfiction
Themes Identity: Race, Values/Ideas: Equality, Society: Nation
Tags Politics / Government, Race / Racism, History: U.S., History: World, Social Justice, Biography
Publication year 2005
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Society: Community, Society: Immigration, Society: Nation, Society: Politics & Government, Society: War, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Society: Colonialism
Tags Creative Nonfiction, American Revolution, Children's Literature, Education, Education, History: U.S., Military / War, History: World
Publication year 1985
Genre Play, Fiction
Themes Identity: Masculinity, Identity: Race, Relationships: Family, Society: Community, Society: Nation, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice
Tags Play: Drama, Historical Fiction, African American Literature, Race / Racism, American Literature, Drama / Tragedy, Classic Fiction
August Wilson’s King Hedley II premiered in 1999 and opened on Broadway in 2001. It is the ninth installment in Wilson’s Pittsburgh Cycle (also known as the Century Cycle), a series of 10 plays that examine the experiences of Black Americans during the 20th century. It was nominated for multiple awards including a Tony and was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize. Wilson won two Pulitzer Prizes for other Pittsburgh Cycle plays, Fences in 1987... Read King Hedley II Summary
Publication year 2021
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Values/Ideas: Fate, Society: War, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Life/Time: The Past, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Marriage, Self Discovery, Society: Nation, Society: Politics & Government
Tags Fantasy, Romance
Publication year 1987
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Win & Lose, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Relationships: Teams, Society: Nation, Society: War, Society: Politics & Government
Tags Business / Economics, History: World, Leadership/Organization/Management, Creative Nonfiction, Self Help, Military / War, Psychology, Psychology, Philosophy, Philosophy, Politics / Government
Leadership Secrets of Attila the Hun is a self-improvement and business leadership book by Wess Roberts, who was a human resources manager at Fireman’s Fund Insurance when he published the book in 1989. Using the historical figure of Attila the Hun as his mouthpiece, Roberts outlines his management style and approach to business. This guide refers to Attila’s “persona” when quoting words that Roberts imagines Attila might have said. In the introduction, Roberts discusses Attila... Read Leadership Secrets of Attila the Hun Summary