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 2013

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Society: Nation, Society: Community, Relationships: Teams

Tags History: U.S., American Literature, Sports, History: World, Humor, Biography


Publication year 2025

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Sexuality, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: The Future, Life/Time: The Past, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Siblings, Relationships: Teams, Self Discovery, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt

Tags Fantasy, Romance, New Adult


Publication year 2009

Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Identity: Mental Health, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: Midlife, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Siblings, Self Discovery, Society: Community, Society: Education, Values/Ideas: Fame, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Win & Lose, Relationships: Teams

Tags History: U.S., Sports, Biography


Publication year 2005

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Relationships: Teams, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt

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


Publication year 2009

Genre Biography, Nonfiction

Themes Relationships: Teams, Society: Immigration, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Society: Community, Society: Politics & Government

Tags Sports, Sociology, Inspirational, Education, Education, Military / War, Biography

Outcasts United: An American Town, a Refugee Team, and One Woman’s Quest to Make a Difference (2007) is the second book by former New York Times journalist Warren St. John. It follows one season with the Fugees, a soccer team for refugee boys in Clarkston, Georgia. Weaving personal stories with local and international histories, St. John demonstrates The Value of Organized Sports for Young People and the systemic injustices preventing refugees from equal participation in... Read Outcasts United Summary


Publication year 2013

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Identity: Race, Identity: Language, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Relationships: Teams, Society: Immigration

Tags Sports, Immigration / Refugee, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Realistic Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Romance, Arts / Culture


Publication year 2010

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Natural World: Space & The Universe, Values/Ideas: Equality, Relationships: Teams, Natural World: Place, Identity: Gender, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology

Tags Science / Nature, Humor, History: U.S., Technology, History: World

Packing for Mars: The Curious Science of Life in the Void is one of several bestselling nonfiction works by science writer and humorist Mary Roach. Published in 2010, the work focuses on the human side of space travel and offers behind-the-scenes accounts of peculiar and taboo topics such as sex, vomit, and toilets in space. Roach writes from a candid, outsider’s point of view and demystifies some of the grandeur of space travel by reporting... Read Packing for Mars Summary


Publication year 2017

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Identity: Race, Relationships: Teams, Emotions/Behavior: Grief

Tags Realistic Fiction, Sports, Children's Literature, Modern Classic Fiction


Publication year 2004

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Society: Colonialism, Relationships: Teams, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Relationships: Friendship, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Society: Community

Tags Fantasy, Fairy Tale / Folklore, Action / Adventure, Humor, Children's Literature, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Relationships, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Poverty, American Literature


Publication year 2011

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Teams

Tags British Literature, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction

Stephen Kelman’s 2011 debut novel, Pigeon English, recounts eleven-year-old Harrison (Harri) Opoku’s move with his mother and older sister from Ghana to England, where they go to live in a working-class apartment complex in a London estate, a tough environment plagued by crime and violence. A coming-of-age narrative that explores the binary of innocence and experience, Harri’s narrative captures what it means to be a young boy in the modern era dealing with all of... Read Pigeon English Summary


Publication year 1974

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Natural World: Space & The Universe, Relationships: Teams, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Fame, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Identity: Femininity

Tags Lyric Poem, Gender / Feminism, Social Justice, Relationships


Publication year 2024

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Natural World: Environment, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Identity: Masculinity, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Marriage, Relationships: Siblings, Relationships: Teams, Self Discovery, Society: Community, Society: Education, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Literature, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Values/Ideas: Win & Lose

Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction


Publication year 2007

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Relationships: Teams, Society: Community

Tags Italian Literature, Sports, Modern Classic Fiction, Travel Literature


Publication year 1991

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Relationships: Teams, Society: Community

Tags History: U.S., Race / Racism, Southern Literature, History: World, Politics / Government

Praying for Sheetrock is a book of literary nonfiction by writer Melissa Fay Greene. The book was a finalist for the National Book Award in 1991. A group of experts convened by New York University’s journalism department also included the book on its list of the best journalism of the 20th century. The book’s author, Greene, is a native of Georgia. She has published six nonfiction books and has written for many publications, including The... Read Praying for Sheetrock Summary


Publication year 2011

Genre Book, Nonfiction

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

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


Publication year 2004

Genre Biography, Nonfiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Identity: Race, Life/Time: The Future, Life/Time: The Past, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Teams, Self Discovery, Society: Colonialism, Society: Community, Society: Nation, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Fame, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Win & Lose

Tags Biography, African American Literature, Sports, History: U.S.


Publication year 2023

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Self Discovery, Relationships: Teams, Identity: Sexuality

Tags Romance, Sports, LGBTQ, Love / Sexuality, Modern Classic Fiction


Publication year 2015

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Race, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Natural World: Nurture v. Nature, Natural World: Place, Relationships: Teams, Self Discovery, Society: Colonialism, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed

Tags Fantasy, Romance, Action / Adventure, Fairy Tale / Folklore


Publication year 2001

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Life/Time: The Past, Natural World: Objects, Relationships: Teams, Society: Community, Society: Nation, Values/Ideas: Fame, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology

Tags Fantasy, Children's Literature, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction


Publication year 2012

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Relationships: Teams, Self Discovery, Society: Community, Society: Education, Values/Ideas: Win & Lose

Tags Self Help, Business / Economics, Psychology, Psychology, Sociology, Education, Leadership/Organization/Management, Parenting

Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking is a nonfiction book by Susan Cain, published in 2012. It is considered part of the psychology and self-help genres. The book made several bestseller lists, including those of the New York Times, the Washington Post, the Los Angeles Times, and National Public Radio. It also was voted the best nonfiction book of 2012 by the Goodreads Choice Awards and has been translated... Read Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking Summary