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 1993
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Mental Health, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Identity: Sexuality, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Life/Time: The Past, Life/Time: The Future, Natural World: Environment, Natural World: Appearance & Reality
Tags Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Depression / Suicide, Climate Change, Grief / Death, Love / Sexuality, Modern Classic Fiction, Mental Illness, Classic Fiction
The Virgin Suicides is a realistic fiction novel written by Jeffrey Eugenides and originally published in 1993. Using death by suicide as its central motif, the novel examines the themes of The Objectification of Women, Romanticizing the Past, and The Effects of Loss. A statement of youth disillusionment, death by suicide becomes The Death of the Future, another of the novel’s themes. The novel was adapted into a critically acclaimed film directed by Sofia Coppola... Read The Virgin Suicides Summary
Publication year 1956
Genre Play, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Play: Tragedy, Play: Comedy / Satire, German Literature
The Visit, by Swiss author and playwright Friedrich Dürrenmatt, premiered in 1956 at the Schauspielhaus Zürich under the German title Der Besuch der alten Dame, or The Visit of the Old Lady. Dürrenmatt’s darkly comic satiric plays are credited with helping revitalize German theatre following World War II. His writing also reveals the influence of German playwright Bertolt Brecht, notably in Dürrenmatt’s use of parables: simple stories using human characters to illustrate a lesson or... Read The Visit Summary
Publication year 1995
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Values/Ideas: Fate
Tags Fantasy, Mythology, Ancient Greece, Historical Fiction, Children's Literature, Education, Education, History: World, Classic Fiction
Publication year 1903
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Marriage, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Society: Education, Life/Time: Coming of Age
Tags Classic Fiction, Historical Fiction, Auto/Biographical Fiction, Victorian Period, British Literature, Music, History: World, Victorian Literature / Period
Publication year 2017
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Femininity, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Regret
Tags Historical Fiction, Gender / Feminism, Love / Sexuality, Philosophy, Jewish Literature, British Literature, History: World, Religion / Spirituality
Publication year 2019
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Relationships: Siblings, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Society: Politics & Government, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Relationships: Fathers, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Values/Ideas: Win & Lose
Tags Fantasy, Romance, Magical Realism, Action / Adventure, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction
Publication year 2018
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Life/Time: The Future, Natural World: Animals
Tags Children's Literature, Animals, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Fantasy, Action / Adventure
Publication year 2019
Genre Novel, Fiction
Tags Historical Fiction, Romance, WWII / World War II, Holocaust, Military / War, History: World, French Literature
Publication year 2024
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Society: War, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Identity: Femininity, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger
Tags Historical Fiction, Gender / Feminism, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Military / War, History: World, Romance
Publication year 2021
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Society: War, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Fathers, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Historical Fiction, Vietnam War, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Military / War, Modern Classic Fiction, History: World
Publication year 2019
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Love
Tags Magical Realism, Historical Fiction, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, History: World, Immigration / Refugee, Military / War, WWII / World War II, Holocaust, Fantasy
Publication year 2015
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Friendship, Society: Education
Tags Humor, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Realistic Fiction, Children's Literature, Education, Education, Action / Adventure
Publication year 1920
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Life/Time: Coming of Age
Tags Historical Fiction, Medieval Literature / Middle Ages, Scandinavian Literature, History: World, Romance, Classic Fiction
Publication year 1938
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Natural World: Animals, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Relationships: Family, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: Coming of Age
Tags Historical Fiction, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Classic Fiction, Animals, Agriculture, Grief / Death, Children's Literature, History: World
Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings published The Yearling in 1938 and won the Pulitzer Prize in 1939. Maxwell Perkins, who also worked with F. Scott Fitzgerald and Ernest Hemingway, edited the novel. The Yearling traces one year in the life of Jody Baxter, chronicling his family’s hardships as they endure floods, plague, and death—and Jody’s tender relationship with an orphaned fawn. The novel became a bestseller in 1938 and has since been translated into 29 languages. In... Read The Yearling Summary
Publication year 2019
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Race, Relationships: Family, Society: Community, Identity: Indigenous
Tags Modern Classic Fiction, History: World, Historical Fiction
Publication year 2023
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Fathers, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice
Tags Romance, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction
Publication year 2013
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Friendship, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Fame, Values/Ideas: Literature, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Emotions/Behavior: Nostalgia, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict
Tags Historical Fiction, Italian Literature, Gender / Feminism, Relationships, Women's Studies (Nonfiction), Modern Classic Fiction, History: World
Those Who Leave and Those Who Stay (2014) is the third book in pseudonymous Italian author Elena Ferrante’s world-acclaimed adult fiction series The Neapolitan Novels. The four-novel series chronicles the friendship between first-person narrator Elena Greco and Raffaella “Lila” Cerullo from childhood to old age in an impoverished neighborhood in Naples, Italy. Translated by Ann Goldstein, Those Who Leave and Those Who Stay documents the beginning of middle age, wherein the two women grapple with... Read Those Who Leave and Those Who Stay Summary
Publication year 1931
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice
Tags Race / Racism, Harlem Renaissance
Publication year 1786
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Natural World: Animals
Tags Science / Nature
Publication year 1820
Genre Poem, Fiction
Tags Animals