Teams & Gangs

Anyone who has played a team sport knows the rush that comes from feeling like an integral piece of a well-oiled machine. Yet exhilaration and cooperation are only one aspect of team dynamics. This collection explores all facets of the team relationship, both positive and negative.

Publication year 2017

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Relationships: Teams, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos

Tags Business / Economics, Leadership/Organization/Management, Self Help


Publication year 2007

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Identity: Indigenous, Life/Time: The Past, Relationships: Teams

Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Sports, History: World, Historical Fiction


Publication year 2003

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Relationships: Teams, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Natural World: Appearance & Reality

Tags Business / Economics, Sports, Science / Nature, History: World, Biography

Moneyball: The Art of Winning an Unfair Game is a nonfiction book by Michael Lewis published in 2003 by W. W. Norton. Lewis holds a master’s degree in economics and made his writing debut with the acclaimed Liar’s Poker (1989), based on his experience working for the investment bank Salomon Brothers. This background prepared him for Moneyball, a book about how statistics is applied to baseball in a method known as sabermetrics. A movie adaptation... Read Moneyball Summary


Publication year 2016

Genre Novel/Book in Verse, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Life/Time: Aging, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Natural World: Animals, Natural World: Environment, Relationships: Siblings, Relationships: Teams, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Self Discovery

Tags Realistic Fiction, Animals, Children's Literature


Publication year 2016

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Literature, Relationships: Teams, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Values/Ideas: Win & Lose

Tags Action / Adventure, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Children's Literature, Realistic Fiction, Fantasy


Publication year 1998

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Art, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Identity: Gender, Life/Time: The Future, Life/Time: The Past, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Relationships: Teams, Society: Globalization, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality

Tags Historical Fiction, Middle Eastern Literature, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Asian Literature, History: World, Arts / Culture

My Name is Red (originally titled Benim Adim Kirmizi) is a 1998 historical novel by the Nobel Prize winning Turkish author Orhan Pamuk. Set in late-16th century Istanbul, the novel explores cultural tensions stemming from contemporary philosophical understandings of visual art. Told from the viewpoints of many different animate and inanimate characters—including Muslim and Jewish individuals, a corpse, the color red, and paintings of a horse, a devil, and a dog—the novel integrates elements of... Read My Name is Red Summary


Publication year 2022

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Natural World: Environment, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: The Past, Natural World: Place, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Teams, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger

Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Children's Literature, Action / Adventure, Historical Fiction


Publication year 2002

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Society: Education, Relationships: Teams, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed

Tags Business / Economics, Education, Education, Science / Nature, Social Science, Psychology, Psychology, Finance / Money / Wealth, Politics / Government

Naked Economics: Undressing the Dismal Science is a nonfiction book by Charles Wheelan published in 2002. The author holds a PhD from the University of Chicago and is a senior lecturer and policy fellow at Dartmouth College. Previously, he was a correspondent for the magazine The Economist. He has written a number of other books, including Naked Statistics and Naked Money. This study guide refers to the 2019 third edition of Naked Economics.SummaryNaked Economics is... Read Naked Economics: Undressing the Dismal Science Summary


Publication year 1996

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Identity: Race, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Natural World: Place, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Relationships: Siblings, Relationships: Teams, Self Discovery, Society: Community, Society: Immigration, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality

Tags Sports, Realistic Fiction


Publication year 2016

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Society: Economics, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Relationships: Teams, Identity: Language

Tags Business / Economics, Self Help, Leadership/Organization/Management, Psychology, Psychology

Never Split the Difference: Negotiating as If Your Life Depended on It is a 2016 nonfiction book cowritten by Chris Voss, an international hostage negotiator turned business consultant and professor, and journalist Tahl Raz. In this book, which straddles the line between the business and self-help genres, Voss shares principles gleaned from decades of experience in high-stakes negotiations. Citations in this guide correspond with the first edition published by Harper Collins. Although Raz is credited... Read Never Split the Difference Summary


Publication year 2017

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Teams

Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Climate Change, Fantasy

New York 2140 is a 2017 dystopian/science fiction novel by Kim Stanley Robinson. Through the viewpoints of multiple characters, global warming and its consequences acts as a backdrop to examining issues of greed, exploitative capitalism, the occasional need for revolution, and the importance of teamwork when organizing against a system. New York 2140 is a cautionary tale about global warming, and an illustration of the author’s fondness for resilient, tough New Yorkers.The novel unfolds in... Read New York 2140 Summary


Publication year 2022

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Disability, Life/Time: The Past, Natural World: Nurture v. Nature, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Mothers, Relationships: Siblings, Relationships: Teams

Tags Romance, Modern Classic Fiction


Publication year 2004

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Masculinity, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Teams, Self Discovery, Society: Community, Society: Education, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies

Tags Self Help, Gender / Feminism, Business / Economics, Psychology, Leadership/Organization/Management


Publication year 2000

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Teams, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil

Tags Realistic Fiction, Sports


Publication year 1973

Genre Biography, Nonfiction

Themes Society: Politics & Government, Relationships: Teams, Society: Colonialism

Tags Politics / Government, Social Justice, Race / Racism, History: World, Classic Fiction, Biography


Publication year 1982

Genre Play, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Teams, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos

Tags Play: Drama, Play: Comedy / Satire

Noises Off by Michael Frayn was originally performed and published in 1982. It ran in English theaters until 1987, was revived in 2000, and began running in the United States in 2001. Frayn’s career as a professional playwright began in 1970, and Noises Off brought him significant critical and commercial success. It was followed many other successful plays, including the Tony-award-winning Copenhagen (1998). Noises Off won the London Evening Standard Award and the Laurence Olivier... Read Noises Off Summary


Publication year 2007

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Teams, Values/Ideas: Equality

Tags Realistic Fiction, Children's Literature, Education, Education, Modern Classic Fiction, Humor

No Talking (2007) is a children’s novel by Andrew Clements, and the 2010 recipient of the California Young Reader Medal. In the novel, fifth-grade boys and girls compete to see who can talk the least at school. The competition causes an uproar among teachers and staff, exploring questions of authority in the school setting and building friendships across differences. Andrew Clements was a teacher, author, editor, and book publisher, best known for his debut novel, Frindle... Read No Talking Summary


Publication year 1860

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Relationships: Teams, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Equality, Society: Community, Society: Education

Tags Health / Medicine, Psychology, Relationships, Science / Nature, History: World, Classic Fiction

Florence Nightingale was an English nurse commonly known as the founder of modern nursing practices. Born in Italy, she became an experienced nurse and formed many of her opinions while serving in the Crimean War, enrolling in nursing school at age 24 in Germany. She penned Notes on Nursing: What It Is, and What it Is Not in 1859, just a few years after serving in the war, and the work was first published in... Read Notes on Nursing Summary


Publication year 2009

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Siblings, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Society: Nation, Society: Politics & Government, Society: Community, Relationships: Teams

Tags Military / War, Historical Fiction, Arts / Culture, Realistic Fiction, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Sports, African Literature


Publication year 2017

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Identity: Mental Health, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Relationships: Teams, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice

Tags Fantasy, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Action / Adventure, Narrative / Epic Poem