The Popular Study Guides Collection brings together a selection of our most-visited Guides in one convenient place. Featuring titles ranging from classic literature with enduring appeal to popular book club picks, this Collection represents a diverse array of literature readers can't get enough of.
Publication year 2019
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Identity: Race
Tags Technology, Race / Racism, Social Justice, Philosophy, Education, Education, Science / Nature, Technology, Sociology, Politics / Government
Publication year 1975
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Race, Society: Class, Relationships: Family
Tags Historical Fiction, Social Justice, Class, Race / Racism, American Literature, History: World, Classic Fiction
Publication year 2001
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Coming of Age, Society: War, Relationships: Family
Tags Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Children's Literature, Immigration / Refugee, Education, Education, Military / War, Modern Classic Fiction, Historical Fiction
Publication year 2018
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Society: War
Tags Historical Fiction, WWII / World War II, Military / War, Children's Literature, History: World
Publication year 2020
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Friendship, Identity: Gender, Identity: Sexuality, Life/Time: Coming of Age
Tags Realistic Fiction, LGBTQ, Children's Literature, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2022
Genre Biography, Nonfiction
Themes Society: Colonialism, Identity: Race, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Natural World: Place, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Values/Ideas: Fame, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal
Tags History: African , Action / Adventure, Travel Literature, Science / Nature, History: World, Biography
Publication year 2008
Genre Graphic Novel/Book, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Friendship, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Apathy, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Identity: Masculinity, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Society: Education, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Siblings, Relationships: Mothers, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Daughters & Sons
Tags Humor, Realistic Fiction, Children's Literature, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 1967
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Mothers, Identity: Femininity, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil
Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Classic Fiction, Fantasy, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Religion / Spirituality
Rosemary’s Baby is a Gothic horror novel by American writer Ira Levin. Published in 1967, it was a bestseller that was adapted into a critically acclaimed 1968 film starring Mia Farrow and directed by her husband, Roman Polanski. The novel is known for its focus on themes like women’s liberation and reproductive freedom, urban paranoia and fears of surveillance, and the relationship between conservative Christianity and the occult in the 20th century. Critics have also... Read Rosemary's Baby Summary
Publication year 2014
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Gender, Identity: Race
Tags Historical Fiction, Southern Literature, African American Literature, Race / Racism
Publication year 2006
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Identity: Disability, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Siblings, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Mothers, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict
Tags Realistic Fiction, Disability, Diversity, Children's Literature, Education, Education, Modern Classic Fiction
Rules was the first novel published by Cynthia Lord. Rules is a book for middle-grade readers that has remained popular and in print from the time of its initial publication. The Scholastic paperback version summarized here first appeared in 2018. For a debut novel, Rules was immediately accepted by young readers and by the literary community. The book won a prestigious Newberry Honor Book award and received the Schneider Family Book Award. It was named... Read Rules Summary
Publication year 1920
Genre Play, Fiction
Themes Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology
Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Play: Drama, Technology, Play: Tragedy, Drama / Tragedy, Education, Education, History: World, Classic Fiction
R.U.R. (Rossum’s Universal Robots) is a play by Karel Čapek. Čapek was a Czech writer who produced work in many genres, including journalism, essays, plays, short stories, novels, and translations of French poetry. R.U.R. premiered in 1921 at Prague’s National Theater. It is based on a short story by Karel Čapek and his brother Josef Čapek called “The System,” which was published in 1908. Čapek categorized R.U.R. as a collective drama, but it is generally... Read R.U.R. Summary
Publication year 1997
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Identity: Race, Society: Nation, Society: Politics & Government
Tags History: U.S.
Publication year 1974
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Race, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Relationships: Family, Identity: Indigenous
Tags Gender / Feminism, Race / Racism, African Literature, Historical Fiction, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Women's Studies (Nonfiction), African American Literature, History: World, Classic Fiction
Publication year 1987
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Society: Colonialism, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict
Tags Poetry: Dramatic Poem, British Literature
Publication year 2014
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Relationships: Friendship
Tags Children's Literature, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Action / Adventure
Publication year 1773
Genre Play, Fiction
Themes Society: Class, Relationships: Marriage, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Win & Lose
Tags Humor, Classic Fiction, Play: Comedy / Satire, British Literature, History: World, Drama / Tragedy
She Stoops to Conquer is a play by British writer Oliver Goldsmith, first performed in 1773. The play is a comedy of manners and a romance set in 18th-century England. Goldsmith was an Anglo-Irish poet and dramatist and this play is his most popular and well-known work, with performances still regularly occurring in the 21st century. In 1778, John O'Keeffe wrote a successful sequel to the play, entitled Tony Lumpkin in Town. She Stoops to... Read She Stoops to Conquer Summary
Publication year 1849
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Femininity, Relationships: Friendship, Society: Community
Tags Classic Fiction, Victorian Period, Historical Fiction, Romance, Gender / Feminism, British Literature, History: World, Victorian Literature / Period
Shirley is a historical novel by Charlotte Brontë (1816-1855). Written in 1849, it is Brontë’s second novel and followed the overwhelming success of Jane Eyre (1847). It was also very popular when it was published. Set in Yorkshire in 1812-1813, a time of financial depression, its setting engages directly with the Luddite uprisings in the North of England, when textile workers protested the unemployment caused by new mechanical equipment in mills and factories. Shirley follows... Read Shirley Summary
Publication year 1936
Genre Essay / Speech, Nonfiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Society: Colonialism, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed
Tags Education, Education, History: World, Classic Fiction, Politics / Government, Biography
“Shooting an Elephant,” is an essay by British author George Orwell, first published in the magazine New Writing in 1936. Orwell, born Eric Blair, is world-renowned for his sociopolitical commentary. He served as a British officer in Burma from 1922 to 1927, then worked as a journalist, novelist, short-story writer, and essayist for the remainder of his career, going on to produce celebrated works such as Animal Farm (1945) and 1984 (1949). Before penning this... Read Shooting an Elephant Summary
Publication year 2017
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Art, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Identity: Disability
Tags Children's Literature, Modern Classic Fiction, Realistic Fiction, Humor, Grief / Death
Publication year 2013
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Win & Lose, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Society: War, Self Discovery, Natural World: Animals, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness
Tags Fantasy, Action / Adventure, Addiction / Substance Abuse, Leadership/Organization/Management, Love / Sexuality, Military / War, Politics / Government, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Religion / Spirituality, Romance