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.
Publication year 1377
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Identity: Race, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Society: Community
Tags History: World, Medieval Literature / Middle Ages, History: Middle Eastern, Middle Eastern Literature, Sociology, Philosophy, Philosophy, Classic Fiction, Politics / Government, Religion / Spirituality
Publication year 1794
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Marriage, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Natural World: Appearance & Reality
Tags Classic Fiction, Gothic Literature, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Romance, Historical Fiction, History: World
Publication year 2023
Genre Biography, Nonfiction
Themes Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: The Past, Relationships: Teams, Society: Economics, Society: Globalization, Society: Nation, Society: Politics & Government, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Military / War, Science / Nature, Biography, History: European, History: World, Crime / Legal, Technology, WWI / World War I
Publication year 2016
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Relationships: Siblings
Tags Realistic Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 1888
Genre Short Story, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed
Tags Allegory / Fable / Parable, Fantasy, Romance, Irish Literature, Children's Literature, History: World, Fairy Tale / Folklore, Classic Fiction
“The Nightingale and the Rose” is a children’s story by Irish writer Oscar Wilde, included in his 1888 fairy tale collection, The Happy Prince and Other Tales. Like many of the other stories in the collection, “The Nightingale and the Rose” is a fable examining the nature of love and self-sacrifice. “The Nightingale and the Rose” conforms to the simplistic story structure of traditional fairy tales while subverting many of the genre’s norms.This guide refers... Read The Nightingale and the Rose Summary
Publication year 1970
Genre Play, Fiction
Themes Society: Nation, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed
Tags Play: Drama, Historical Fiction, Incarceration, Philosophy, Education, Education, Drama / Tragedy, Philosophy, Classic Fiction
The Night Thoreau Spent in Jail is a two-act play by Jerome Lawrence and Robert E. Lee. First performed in 1970, it dramatizes a historical event: The night in 1846 that Henry David Thoreau—American writer, transcendentalist, and naturalist—spent in jail for refusing to pay his poll tax. Since the American government sought to fund the war in Mexico in a bid to extend the territory of enslavement, Thoreau protested by refusing to pay the tax... Read The Night Thoreau Spent In Jail Summary
Publication year 2016
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Relationships: Family
Tags Fantasy, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Action / Adventure
Publication year 1901
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Literature, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Society: Economics, Life/Time: The Past, Life/Time: The Future, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict
Tags Historical Fiction, Social Justice, Naturalism, Technology, Business / Economics, American Literature, History: World, Classic Fiction, Politics / Government
Publication year 2020
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Win & Lose, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Relationships: Siblings
Tags Historical Fiction, Fantasy, Gender / Feminism, LGBTQ, Fairy Tale / Folklore, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, History: World, Religion / Spirituality
Publication year 2013
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Relationships: Teams
Tags Business / Economics, Self Help, Leadership/Organization/Management, Psychology, Psychology
Publication year 2023
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Society: Class, Relationships: Siblings, Society: Community, Relationships: Fathers, Natural World: Place, Life/Time: The Past, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Identity: Disability, Identity: Femininity
Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Gothic Literature, Realistic Fiction, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Addiction / Substance Abuse, Depression / Suicide, Disability, Grief / Death, Class
Publication year 2020
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Identity: Race, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Society: Class, Society: Community, Society: Education, Society: Nation, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags History: World, History: U.S., Science / Nature, Health / Medicine, Race / Racism, Crime / Legal
Publication year 1951
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Society: Class
Tags Politics / Government, Philosophy, History: World, Sociology, Psychology, Psychology, Philosophy, Classic Fiction
Hannah Arendt’s 1951 The Origins of Totalitarianism is an examination of the origins and ideologies of Nazism and Stalinism in the first half of the 20th century through an examination of antisemitism, imperialism, and totalitarianism. Arendt charts the emergence of the Nazi and Bolshevik totalitarian regimes and how those regimes operated as governments. Arendt asserts that imperialism, not nationalism, created the framework for the success of totalitarian movements, and she claims that totalitarian movements capitalized... Read The Origins of Totalitarianism Summary
Publication year 2024
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Marriage, Self Discovery, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed
Tags Modern Classic Fiction, Romance, Humor
Publication year 1947
Genre Novella, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Society: Colonialism, Relationships: Family
Tags American Literature, Classic Fiction, Allegory / Fable / Parable, Historical Fiction, Education, Education
The Pearl is a 1947 historical fiction novella by John Steinbeck. It is an expansion of his earlier short story, “The Pearl of the World,” published in the Woman’s Home Companion in 1945. Steinbeck also co-wrote the screenplay for a 1947 film adaption of the novella titled La perla, directed by Emilio Fernández. Citations in this guide correspond to the 1994 Penguin Books edition. The story, which is presented as a parable, follows a poor... Read The Pearl Summary
Publication year 1985
Genre Short Story Collection, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Equality, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Joy, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Natural World: Animals, Natural World: Environment, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Natural World: Food, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Fate, Identity: Race, Identity: Language, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Relationships: Mothers, Relationships: Teams
Tags Fairy Tale / Folklore, Allegory / Fable / Parable, History: U.S., African American Literature, Race / Racism
Publication year 2013
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Society: Colonialism, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Society: Community, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness
Tags Historical Fiction, Magical Realism, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, History: World, Fantasy
Publication year 2018
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Marriage, Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Romance, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction
Publication year 1842
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Art, Society: Community
Tags Narrative / Epic Poem, Children's Literature, Fairy Tale / Folklore, British Literature, Victorian Period, Animals, Class, Grief / Death
Publication year 2010
Genre Short Story, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Natural World: Environment, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Society: Class, Society: Colonialism
Tags Post Modernism, Poverty