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 1927
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Beauty
Tags Lyric Poem, Philosophy
Publication year 2023
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Sexuality, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Literature, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger
Tags WWII / World War II, Military / War, History: World, Historical Fiction, LGBTQ
Publication year 2023
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Relationships: Family, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice
Tags Historical Fiction, WWII / World War II, Holocaust, Jewish Literature, Military / War, History: World
Publication year 1934
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Natural World: Objects
Tags Philosophy, Science / Nature, Education, Education, Sociology, History: World, Psychology, Psychology, Philosophy, Classic Fiction
Publication year 2014
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Mental Health, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Fame, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction
The Long Way Home (2014) is the 10th novel in the Inspector Gamache series written by the Canadian author Louise Penny. Like the other books in the series, the novel revolves around the village of Three Pines, Quebec, although it also encompasses events in other places. In addition to a central mystery focused on a wife’s attempt to find her estranged husband, the novel explores themes of art, creativity, ambition, and loss. This guide references... Read The Long Way Home Summary
Publication year 1987
Genre Poem, Fiction
Tags Lyric Poem, Grief / Death, Poverty, American Literature
Publication year 2009
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Society: Colonialism, Life/Time: The Past, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Natural World: Place
Tags History: World, Action / Adventure, Travel Literature, Mystery / Crime Fiction, History: The Americas, Race / Racism, WWI / World War I, Anthropology, Anthropology, Science / Nature, Biography
David Grann’s The Lost City of Z: A Tale of Deadly Obsession in the Amazon (2009) tells the story of Percy Harrison Fawcett’s ill-fated expedition into the Brazilian jungle. After nearly two decades spent exploring the region and gathering evidence, Fawcett concluded that a sophisticated ancient civilization, a city he called Z, lay hidden deep in the Amazonian wilderness. In 1925, while searching for Z, Fawcett disappeared along with his son Jack and Jack’s friend... Read The Lost City of Z Summary
Publication year 1984
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Siblings, Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Society: Community, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Hope
Tags Relationships, American Literature, French Literature, History: World, Historical Fiction, Romance, Classic Fiction
Publication year 1868
Genre Short Story, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Identity: Masculinity, Society: Community, Natural World: Environment
Tags Western, Historical Fiction, Drama / Tragedy, Education, Education, American Literature, History: World, Classic Fiction
“The Luck of Roaring Camp” is the short story that established Bret Harte’s (also spelled Hart) reputation in the United States and internationally. Set in a gold prospecting camp in 1850 California, the story explores the themes of relationships between man and nature, the possibility of man’s redemption, and the rejection of standard gender roles. Widely published in newspapers and magazines, Harte was known for his depictions of rough or romantic life in the American... Read The Luck of Roaring Camp Summary
Publication year 1958
Genre Short Story Collection, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Identity: Race, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Self Discovery
Tags Jewish Literature, Immigration / Refugee, Magical Realism, History: U.S., American Literature, Classic Fiction
Publication year 1966
Genre Novel, Fiction
Tags Fantasy, Classic Fiction, Humor, Animals, Allegory / Fable / Parable
Publication year 1955
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil
Tags Fantasy, Classic Fiction, Action / Adventure, Christian literature, Children's Literature, Religion / Spirituality
The Magician’s Nephew by C. S. Lewis is the sixth book published in The Chronicles of Narnia series but the first in terms of the series’ chronology. Published in 1955, the middle-grade fantasy novel is the prequel to the famous The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. It deals with themes of Temptation and Its Consequences, Creative Selflessness Versus Destructive Pride, and the Loss of Innocence. Lewis was a famous British author and lay theologian... Read The Magician's Nephew Summary
Publication year 2022
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Equality, Society: Class, Society: Economics, Relationships: Fathers, Natural World: Place, Relationships: Marriage, Values/Ideas: Fame, Identity: Femininity, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride
Tags Historical Fiction, Realistic Fiction, Class, Finance / Money / Wealth, Gender / Feminism, History: U.S., Leadership/Organization/Management, Relationships, History: World, Romance
Publication year 1930
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Apathy, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: The Past, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Gender, Identity: Masculinity, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Society: Politics & Government, Society: Class, Society: Community, Society: Immigration
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Classic Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Roaring Twenties, Great Depression
Dashiell Hammett’s The Maltese Falcon (1930) is a detective novel that was first serialized in the magazine Black Mask. As Hammett’s third novel, The Maltese Falcon includes the introduction of Sam Spade as the protagonist, a departure from the nameless Continental Op who narrated his previous stories. Spade’s hard exterior, cool detachment, and reliance on his own moral code would become staples of the hardboiled genre, and The Maltese Falcon has since been named one... Read The Maltese Falcon Summary
Publication year 2011
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Gender, Identity: Mental Health, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Marriage, Self Discovery, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Literature
Tags Romance, American Literature, Relationships
Jeffrey Eugenides’s The Marriage Plot (2011), set in the early 1980s, follows a love triangle among a group of recent Brown University graduates. As the 20-somethings forge a path into adulthood, they explore the dynamics of love and commitment while wrestling with ways to imbue their lives with meaning and make a purposeful mark on the world. The title references a plot trope common to 19th-century British novels, such as those by Jane Austen, in... Read The Marriage Plot Summary
Publication year 2022
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Self Discovery, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Courage
Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Fantasy, LGBTQ, Modern Classic Fiction, Magical Realism
Publication year 1860
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Society: Class, Society: Community, Relationships: Family, Identity: Femininity
Tags Classic Fiction, Historical Fiction, Victorian Period, British Literature, History: World, Victorian Literature / Period
Publication year 2020
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Natural World: Environment, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Society: Politics & Government, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Natural World: Climate
Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Climate Change, Fantasy, Politics / Government
Publication year 2024
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Identity: Race, Life/Time: The Future, Life/Time: The Past, Natural World: Climate, Natural World: Environment, Society: Class, Society: Community, Society: Economics, Society: Globalization, Society: Immigration, Society: Nation, Society: Politics & Government, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags History: World, Historical Fiction, Fantasy, Romance, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction