Popular Study Guides

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 2014

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Relationships: Friendship, Natural World: Place, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Relationships: Teams, Identity: Mental Health, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt

Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Poverty, Mental Illness, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Class, Psychology, Realistic Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction


Publication year 2016

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger

Tags Realistic Fiction, Immigration / Refugee, Historical Fiction, Children's Literature, Education, Education, Modern Classic Fiction


Publication year 2014

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Identity: Gender, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil

Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Religion / Spirituality, Fantasy, Romance, Historical Fiction


Publication year 2020

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Society: War, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict

Tags Historical Fiction, WWII / World War II, Love / Sexuality, History: European, Holocaust, Military / War, History: World, Romance


Publication year 2020

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Love

Tags Romance, Historical Fiction, Relationships, Modern Classic Fiction


Publication year 2019

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Equality, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt

Tags Historical Fiction, Gender / Feminism, Southern Literature, History: World, Romance

The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek is a historical novel by American author Kim Michele Richardson. Published in 2019, the book takes place in the Kentucky hills during the Great Depression in 1936. In its depiction of prejudice and community in 1930s Kentucky, The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek touches upon themes including the distrust of authority, the random and dangerous nature of prejudice, the power of community, and the importance of caring.Content Warning: The... Read The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek Summary


Publication year 2020

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: Aging, Relationships: Friendship, Life/Time: The Past, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Relationships: Family

Tags Historical Fiction, British Literature, Modern Classic Fiction


Publication year 2009

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Society: Community, Emotions/Behavior: Fear

Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction


Publication year 1996

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Natural World: Animals

Tags Science / Nature


Publication year 2018

Genre Graphic Novel/Book, Fiction

Themes Identity: Gender, Relationships: Friendship, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Siblings, Relationships: Teams, Self Discovery

Tags Fantasy, Action / Adventure, LGBTQ, Children's Literature, Realistic Fiction


Publication year 2007

Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction

Themes Identity: Mental Health, Identity: Disability, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride

Tags Psychology, Mental Illness, Health / Medicine, Psychology, Biography


Publication year 1955

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Life/Time: Coming of Age, Society: Community, Society: War, Emotions/Behavior: Fear

Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Fantasy, Allegory / Fable / Parable, Cold War, Post-War Era, Education, Education, Classic Fiction

The Chrysalids is a young-adult science fiction novel, written by John Wyndham and first published in 1955. Wyndham was a renowned science fiction author of the post-World War II era, and many of his works are thus inspired by a potential nuclear apocalypse. The Chrysalids was well-received by critics and is considered one of Wyndham’s best novels. It was adapted into a BBC radio play in 1982 and a play in 1999.This guide utilizes the... Read The Chrysalids Summary


Publication year 2001

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family

Tags American Literature, Drama / Tragedy, History: U.S., Modern Classic Fiction

The Corrections is a 2001 novel by Jonathan Franzen that won the National Book Award. Franzen is the author of several essay collections and novels, including the novels Freedom, Purity, and Crossroads. He has received many awards for his work, including the Whiting Award in 1988 and a Guggenheim Fellowship in 1996.The main action of the novel takes place during the turn of the 21st century, a time of great financial prosperity in the United... Read The Corrections Summary


Publication year 2023

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Society: Colonialism, Values/Ideas: Literature

Tags Historical Fiction, Health / Medicine, Asian Literature


Publication year 2007

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Society: Community, Relationships: Friendship

Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction

The Cruelest Month by Louise Penny is the third book in her Chief Inspector Gamache series. Published by St. Martin’s Press, the novel earned the Agatha Award for Best Novel of 2008. Formerly a Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) journalist and radio host, Penny published her debut novel, Still Life, in 2005. The first book in the Gamache series, Still Life received numerous awards and propelled Penny into the top echelon of modern mystery writers. The... Read The Cruelest Month Summary


Publication year 2003

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Identity: Disability, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger

Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Animals, Disability, British Literature, Education, Education, Modern Classic Fiction, Psychology, Psychology, Classic Fiction

Book DetailsIn the mystery novel The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, Christopher Boone, a brilliant teenage boy, sets out to solve the murder of his neighbor’s dog. While it is not explicitly stated in the novel, critics and professional medical reviewers generally agree that Christopher has autism. Written by Mark Haddon and published in 2003, the book won the Whitbread Book Award for best Novel and Book of the Year and the... Read The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time Summary


Publication year 2017

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Relationships: Teams, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Self Discovery, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance

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


Publication year 2020

Genre Biography, Nonfiction

Themes Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Relationships: Fathers, Identity: Femininity, Society: Politics & Government

Tags History: World, Politics / Government, Military / War, WWII / World War II, Cold War, Women's Studies (Nonfiction), Biography


Publication year 2019

Genre Novella, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Self Discovery, Society: Community

Tags Fantasy, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, LGBTQ, Mythology, Afrofuturism


Publication year 2024

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Identity: Race, Society: Politics & Government, Society: War

Tags History: U.S., American Civil War, Military / War, History: World, Politics / Government