Power

This curated selection of titles examines the concept of power and its role in shaping society. The texts in the Power Collection draw upon a wide range of literary traditions and genres to explore concepts related to power and its pursuit, such as equality and injustice, colonialism, authority, and conflict.

Sister Carrie

by Theodore Dreiser

Publication year 1900

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Social Class, Good & Evil, Power & Greed

Tags Classic Fiction, Historical Fiction, American Literature, Gender & Feminism, Naturalism, Education, Education, World History

Sister Carrie is a novel published in 1900 by the American author Theodore Dreiser. Dreiser uses the story of Caroline Meeber, a naïve young woman who gets caught up in the gaudy venality of the city, to explore the emptiness of materialism, the tension between flesh and spirit, the inevitability of loneliness, and the role of women in the emerging America of the new century. Now recognized as one of the defining expressions of American... Read Sister Carrie Summary

Sister Outsider

by Audre Lorde

Publication year 1984

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Hate & Anger, Mothers, Equality, Power & Greed, Sexual Identity, Race, Community

Tags Race & Racism, LGBTQ+, Social Justice, Gender & Feminism, Women`s Studies, Classic Fiction, Politics & Government

... Read Sister Outsider Summary

Six Feet of the Country

by Nadine Gordimer

Genre Short Story, Fiction

Themes Power & Greed, Justice

Tags Race & Racism, Relationships, African Literature, Grief & Death, Education, Education, African American Literature, Colonialism & Postcolonialism, Classic Fiction

Nadine Gordimer’s “Six Feet of the Country” is one of the seven short stories in her collection of the same name (1956). Gordimer, who was born and lived in South Africa, often explored the country’s racial issues in the context of apartheid. She received numerous literary awards, including the 1991 Nobel Prize for Literature. This short story concerns the death of a native of Rhodesia (modern Zimbabwe). When the young man’s family wants to give... Read Six Feet of the Country Summary

Skin

by Roald Dahl

Publication year 1960

Genre Short Story, Fiction

Themes Social Class, Equality, Power & Greed

Tags Poverty, Children`s Literature, Horror & Suspense, Mystery & Crime Fiction, Fantasy, Classic Fiction

... Read Skin Summary

Slade House

by David Mitchell

Publication year 2015

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Love, Death, The Past, Siblings, Power & Greed

Tags Horror & Suspense, Mystery & Crime Fiction, Fantasy

Published in 2015, Slade House is a literary fantasy horror novel by British author David Mitchell. The book is a companion piece to Mitchell’s previous novel, The Bone Clocks (2014), which features an invisible war between immortal beings known generally as Atemporals. Mitchell wrote the first chapter of Slade House as a writing experiment on Twitter, limiting himself to the social media platform’s 140-character limit to render the protagonist’s thoughts. The novel, which spans around... Read Slade House Summary

Slob

by Ellen Potter

Publication year 2009

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Apathy, Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Perseverance, Fear, Forgiveness, Grief, Hate & Anger, Loneliness, Memory, Regret, Revenge, Shame & Pride, Loyalty & Betrayal, Power & Greed, Trust & Doubt, Safety & Danger, Justice, Science & Technology, Equality, Truth & Lies, Wins & Losses, Appearance & Reality, Food, Gender Identity, Mental Health, Family, Siblings, Friendship, Mothers, Teamwork, Childhood & Youth, Coming of Age, Self Discovery, Community, Education

Tags Modern Classic Fiction, Realistic Fiction, Mystery & Crime Fiction, Humor, Children`s Literature, Coming of Age, Bullying, Grief & Death, Trauma & Abuse

... Read Slob Summary

Snow Crash

by Neal Stephenson

Publication year 1992

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Family, Language, Power & Greed

Tags Science Fiction, Fantasy, Classic Fiction

Snow Crash is a 1992 cyberpunk novel by Neal Stephenson. The novel is set in post-collapse Los Angeles in an imagined version of the 21st century, in which a young man becomes embroiled in a criminal scheme involving technology. As well as being credited as a foundational text in the cyberpunk genre, Snow Crash was nominated for the Locus Award for Best Science Fiction Novel and the Arthur C. Clarke Award. Stephenson was a relatively... Read Snow Crash Summary

Solitude and Leadership

by William Deresiewicz

Publication year 2009

Genre Essay / Speech, Nonfiction

Themes Power & Greed, War, Self Discovery, Emotions/Behavior: Courage

Tags Philosophy, Leadership

“Solitude and Leadership” is a speech by William Deresiewicz delivered in October 2009 to the freshman class of the United States Military Academy at West Point. Deresiewicz is an author, essayist, and former professor of English at Yale University. The lecture was published in The American Scholar in spring 2010, and this guide refers to the version hosted on the periodical’s website.Deresiewicz opens by acknowledging the apparent contradiction in the title of his speech, given... Read Solitude and Leadership Summary

Some Desperate Glory

by Emily Tesh

Publication year 2023

Genre Short Story Collection, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Revenge, Gender Identity, Language, Sexual Identity, Coming of Age, Future, Space, Family, Friendship, Self Discovery, Community, Nation, Politics & Government, War, Justice, Power & Greed, Science & Technology

Tags Science Fiction, LGBTQ+, Fantasy

... Read Some Desperate Glory Summary

Sophie's World

by Jostein Gaarder

Publication year 1991

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Education, Fate, Coming of Age, Literature, The Past, Order & Chaos, Power & Greed, Perseverance

Tags Philosophy, Scandinavian Literature, Magical Realism, Science & Nature, Sociology, Religion & Spirituality, Mystery & Crime Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Fantasy, Classic Fiction

Sophie's World is a young adult book by Norwegian author Jostein Gaarder. The book follows main character Sophie, a young girl who is fourteen years old and living with her parents in Norway. Sophie's life changes dramatically when she receives a series of strange postcards, which ask her large, existential questions about the world around her. Each day, Sophie receives a postcard, and in the evenings she receives a package from a man named Alberto... Read Sophie's World Summary

Spare

by Prince Harry

Publication year 2023

Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction

Themes Family, Perseverance, Conflict, Grief, Hope, Loneliness, Love, Shame & Pride, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Self Discovery, Social Class, Colonialism, Politics & Government, Truth & Lies, Trust & Doubt, Loyalty & Betrayal, Justice, Power & Greed, Safety & Danger

Tags European History, Politics & Government, British Literature, Animals, Grief & Death, Depression & Suicide, Social Class, Relationships, Journalism, Bullying, World History, Biography

... Read Spare Summary

Sparring Partners

by John Grisham

Publication year 2022

Genre Short Story Collection, Fiction

Themes Wins & Losses, Power & Greed, Justice, Siblings, Teamwork, Social Class, Politics & Government

Tags Mystery & Crime Fiction, Horror & Suspense, Realistic Fiction, Crime & Law, Incarceration, Social Justice, Finance

... Read Sparring Partners Summary

Spike Heels

by Theresa Rebeck

Publication year 1990

Genre Play, Fiction

Themes Social Class, Gender Identity, Education, Masculinity, Femininity, Self Discovery, Power & Greed

Tags Historical Drama, Comedy & Satire, Gender & Feminism, Love & Sexuality, American Literature, Trauma & Abuse, Dramatic Literature, Education, Education

Theresa Rebeck’s provocative feminist two-act drama Spike Heels, first produced in 1990, is a problem play, that is a drama that looks at cultural, social, and economic issues. Problem plays intended to participate in the cultural conversation have a long and significant history in the theater. Playwrights like the Ancient Greek Euripides, 19th century Henrik Ibsen and George Bernard Shaw (whose presence looms large in Spike Heels), and a wide number of contemporary playwrights have... Read Spike Heels Summary

Spy School

by Stuart Gibbs

Publication year 2012

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Death, Loyalty & Betrayal, Friendship, Community, Teamwork, Safety & Danger, Memory, Daughters & Sons, Science & Technology, Childhood & Youth, Education, Power & Greed, Shame & Pride, Fear, Order & Chaos, Trust & Doubt, Perseverance, Good & Evil, Justice, Politics & Government, Appearance & Reality, Truth & Lies, Conflict, Fathers, Loneliness

Tags Mystery & Crime Fiction, Horror & Suspense, Action & Adventure, Children`s Literature, Realistic Fiction, Humor

... Read Spy School Summary

Stardust

by Neil Gaiman

Publication year 1999

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Good & Evil, Coming of Age, Love, Family, Power & Greed

Tags Fantasy, Romance, Action & Adventure

Stardust is a historical fantasy novel by British author Neil Gaiman. The novel was originally published in 1999, though an illustrated comic book miniseries preceded the prose text in 1997, along with a full-length illustrated edition in 1998. It won the Mythopoeic Fantasy Award for Adult Literature in 1999 and was nominated for the Locus Award. Stardust was adapted into a film in 2007 and a radio production in 2016. The novel uses traditional folkloric... Read Stardust Summary