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 2020

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Society: Class, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed

Tags Fantasy, Romance


Publication year 2010

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Values/Ideas: Literature, Life/Time: The Future, Emotions/Behavior: Memory

Tags Science / Nature, Technology, Sociology, Philosophy, Information Age, Education, Education, Technology, Psychology, Psychology, Self Help

The Shallows: What the Internet Is Doing to Our Brains (2011) is a nonfiction book by writer, editor, and media critic Nicholas Carr. Carr is a prolific nonfiction writer known for his analysis of cloud computing, artificial intelligence, and human society. A 2011 Pulitzer Prize Finalist, The Shallows combines elements of personal essay, journalism, and academic research to explore The Impact of the Internet on Cognitive Processes, The Nature of Learning and Media in the... Read The Shallows Summary


Publication year 2013

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Life/Time: Midlife, Relationships: Marriage, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies

Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Psychological Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction

The Silent Wife by A. S. A. Harrison is a psychological thriller about a failing marriage. Published in 2013, the novel is Harrison’s first entry into the genre, though she had previously published an erotic novel and a non-fiction book on the female orgasm in the 1970s. Harrison passed away from cancer weeks before the novel’s publication. The novel has been compared to Gillian Flynn’s Gone Girl in terms of both its content—the depiction of... Read The Silent Wife Summary


Publication year 1956

Genre Novel, Fiction

Tags Historical Fiction, Military / War, WWII / World War II, Action / Adventure


Publication year 2018

Genre Biography, Nonfiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Teams, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Society: Nation

Tags History: European, Politics / Government, Military / War, History: World, Russian Literature, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Biography


Publication year 2018

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Art, Identity: Disability, Society: Community, Identity: Sexuality

Tags Children's Literature, Realistic Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, LGBTQ, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Grief / Death, Class, African American Literature, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Race / Racism


Publication year 2008

Genre Graphic Novel/Book, Fiction

Themes Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed

Tags Children's Literature, Fantasy, Action / Adventure


Publication year 1981

Genre Short Story Collection, Fiction

Themes Life/Time: Coming of Age, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Joy, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Natural World: Animals, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Natural World: Flora/plants, Natural World: Food, Natural World: Nurture v. Nature, Natural World: Objects, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Mothers, Relationships: Siblings, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies

Tags Relationships, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Children's Literature, Education, Education, Realistic Fiction, Humor


Publication year 1955

Genre Biography, Nonfiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger

Tags Creative Nonfiction, Action / Adventure

Gabriel García Márquez’s The Story of a Shipwrecked Sailor was first published in Spain in 1970 under the title Relato de un naufrago (“story of a castaway”). The nonfiction work relates Luis Alejandro Velasco’s 10-day survival adrift on a raft in the Caribbean after being thrown overboard from his Colombian destroyer in rough seas. While there had been a censored, government-backed version of Velasco’s story that was publicized, the uncensored story was first published in... Read The Story of a Shipwrecked Sailor Summary


Publication year 2019

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Relationships: Mothers, Life/Time: Coming of Age

Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Technology, American Literature, Children's Literature, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Fantasy, Action / Adventure

The Strangers is a young adult mystery novel published in 2019 by the American author Margaret Peterson Haddix. It tells the story of the three Greystone children who seek to unravel a kidnapping mystery. It is Volume 1 in the Greystone Secrets series, which Haddix returned to in 2020 with Volume 2, The Deceivers. Haddix is the author of more than 40 books for kids and teens, including the Shadow Children series, the Missing series... Read The Strangers Summary


Publication year 2020

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Society: Community, Natural World: Place

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


Publication year 2016

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Friendship, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Fame, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies

Tags Historical Fiction, Auto/Biographical Fiction, History: World


Publication year 2021

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Identity: Masculinity, Identity: Race, Identity: Sexuality, Life/Time: The Past, Relationships: Marriage, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Society: Community, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Natural World: Flora/plants

Tags Historical Fiction, LGBTQ, Race / Racism, American Civil War, African American Literature, Grief / Death, History: U.S., Love / Sexuality, Post-War Era, Military / War, History: World


Publication year 2005

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Friendship, Society: Education, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Family

Tags Poverty, Diversity, Realistic Fiction, Children's Literature, Education, Education, Arts / Culture

The Tequila Worm, published in 2005 by Random House, (first edition) is a middle grade novel about a young Mexican American girl, Sofia, who comes from a family of storytellers. The tales Sofia hears strengthen her ties to her family and their traditions in the Texas barrio where they live. Though poor, the family does not struggle, finding riches in the practice of making Easter cascarones, (colored eggs) celebrating Dia de los Muertos, (Day of... Read The Tequila Worm Summary


Publication year 1899

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Society: Economics, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Society: Class

Tags Business / Economics, Education, Education, Social Science, History: World, Philosophy, Classic Fiction, Sociology, Philosophy, Politics / Government

The Theory of the Leisure Class: An Economic Study of Institutions (1899), written by Norwegian-American sociologist and economist Thorstein Veblen, is a critique of consumerism and conspicuous culture promoted by the wealthy leisure class in America during the Industrial era. Veblen proposes that economics is not simply the study of markets and cash flow; it must include sociological analysis to accurately reflect a society’s consumption patterns and their cultural and economic repercussions. Though the book... Read The Theory of the Leisure Class Summary


Publication year 2021

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Society: Community, Natural World: Appearance & Reality

Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Psychological Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction


Publication year 2011

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos

Tags Fantasy, Action / Adventure, Mythology


Publication year 2020

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Relationships: Fathers, Values/Ideas: Fate

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


Publication year 2019

Genre Novel, Fiction

Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Psychological Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction


Publication year 2019

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance

Tags Children's Literature, History: African , Black Lives Matter, Civil Rights / Jim Crow, History: U.S., Race / Racism

“The Undefeated” (2019) is a free verse children’s poem by poet and novelist Kwame Alexander. The poem, published as a picture book, celebrates Black Americans, highlighting the struggles the Black community has endured and overcome throughout America’s history, with particular attention on great figures from history, including artists, athletes, and civil rights activists. While the poem’s target audience is children, Alexander and the book’s illustrator, Kadir Nelson, address serious topics like slavery and police brutality... Read The Undefeated Summary