Nobel Prize-winning poet Wislawa Szymborska writes, “When I pronounce the word Future, / the first syllable already belongs to the past." How does our vision of the future impact the way we live now? Do we have any control over what the future holds, or is the future inherently unknowable? In this thematic collection we've gathered texts that address these questions and others as they imagine the future.
Publication year 2013
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Gender, Identity: Race, Identity: Sexuality, Life/Time: The Future, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Marriage, Relationships: Mothers, Society: Class, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Literature
Tags Historical Fiction, Romance, British Literature, History: World, Regency Era
Longbourn (2013) is a work of fiction by British author Jo Baker, who is the author of several other novels of historical fiction and literary suspense. Longbourn depicts what life is like for the servants of the Bennet family of Jane Austen’s classic novel Pride and Prejudice. While events in Austen’s book frame this novel, Longbourn follows the inner lives of housemaid Sarah, housekeeper Mrs. Hill, and James Smith, the mysterious footman who shows up... Read Longbourn Summary
Publication year 2024
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Literature, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Life/Time: The Future, Life/Time: The Past, Natural World: Place, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Humor, Southern Literature, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2013
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Art, Relationships: Mothers, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Siblings, Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Natural World: Environment, Life/Time: The Future
Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Fantasy
Margaret Atwood’s novel MaddAddam, published in 2013, completes her post-apocalyptic MaddAddam trilogy that begins with Oryx and Crake (2003) and continues with The Year of the Flood (2009). The trilogy takes place in the aftermath of a destroyed technological dystopia, a world in which corporations have totalitarian control. Atwood, an award-winning Canadian author, has been a prolific writer of poetry, short stories, novels, and many other forms since the early 1960s. She is known for... Read MaddAddam Summary
Publication year 2023
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: The Future, Relationships: Teams, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt
Tags Fantasy, Romance, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, LGBTQ, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Religion / Spirituality
Publication year 2010
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Literature, Life/Time: The Future, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Self Discovery
Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Romance, Arts / Culture, Futurism, Fantasy
Matched is a science fiction novel for young adults by best-selling author Ally Condie. Published in 2010, it is the first novel in the Matched trilogy. It was followed by Crossed in 2011 and Reached in 2012. Matched was a critical and commercial success—as were the other two books in the trilogy. It was a New York Times bestseller and named one of the best children’s books of the year by Publisher’s Weekly. The Young... Read Matched Summary
Publication year 2011
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Life/Time: The Future, Society: Nation, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Equality
Tags History: U.S., American Civil War, Military / War, History: World, Politics / Government, Biography
Publication year 1971
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Life/Time: Aging, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Natural World: Place, Relationships: Friendship, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Relationships: Mothers, Natural World: Animals, Relationships: Family, Life/Time: The Past, Life/Time: The Future, Society: Education, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Hope
Tags Fantasy, Children's Literature, Classic Fiction, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Action / Adventure, Animals, Technology, Grief / Death, Agriculture, Parenting, Science / Nature, Philosophy, Sociology
Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH is a children’s science fiction novel written in 1971 by Robert C. O’Brien. It tells the story of a field mouse whose son becomes ill as moving day approaches, so she enlists the help of a group of highly intelligent experimental rats for help. Robert C. O’Brien was inspired to write the Rats of NIMH after a visit to the National Institute of Mental Health’s experimental rat compound... Read Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH Summary
Publication year 1807
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Aging, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: The Future, Life/Time: The Past, Natural World: Place, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Self Discovery, Emotions/Behavior: Joy
Tags Lyric Poem, Romanticism / Romantic Period, British Literature, Education, Education, Classic Fiction
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 1890
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: The Future, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Beauty
Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Classic Fiction, Politics / Government, Victorian Period, History: World, Philosophy, Philosophy, Victorian Literature / Period
News From Nowhere by William Morris (1834-1896) is a work of speculative science fiction and socialist utopian imagination. The narrator, William Guest, is mysteriously transported from 1890 to the 21st century. As he travels through a version of London that is both familiar and strange, he records his impressions of the socialist society that has come to replace the industrialized, capitalist one of his own time. Through conversations with a number of 21st-century Londoners, Guest... Read News from Nowhere Summary
Publication year 2023
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Natural World: Environment, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Values/Ideas: Fate, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: The Future, Life/Time: The Past, Natural World: Animals, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Natural World: Flora/plants, Natural World: Objects, Natural World: Place, Self Discovery, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger
Tags Historical Fiction, Science / Nature, History: World, Magical Realism
Publication year 1995
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Nostalgia, Life/Time: Aging, Life/Time: Midlife, Life/Time: The Future, Life/Time: The Past, Natural World: Environment, Natural World: Place, Self Discovery, Society: Economics, Society: Globalization, Society: Nation
Tags British Literature, History: World, Travel Literature, Humor, Biography
Publication year 1997
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: The Future
Tags Lyric Poem, Post-War Era, Existentialism
Publication year 1768
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Life/Time: The Future
Tags Lyric Poem, Grief / Death, British Literature
Publication year 401
Genre Play, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Life/Time: Aging, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: The Future, Life/Time: The Past, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality
Tags Classical Period, Play: Tragedy, Mythology, Ancient Greece
Oedipus at Colonus is an ancient Athenian tragedy composed by Sophocles in (it is widely believed) the last year of his life, approximately 406 BC. His grandson, who was named Sophocles after him, first produced the play in 401 BC at the Festival of Dionysus, also known as the Great Dionysia. Along with Oedipus Rex and Antigone, it is one of three surviving tragedies by Sophocles, known as the Theban plays, that retell episodes from... Read Oedipus at Colonus Summary
Publication year 2009
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Nostalgia, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: Midlife, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: The Future, Life/Time: The Past, Relationships: Marriage, Values/Ideas: Fate
Tags Romance, Play: Drama, British Literature, Modern Classic Fiction, Drama / Tragedy
Publication year 2021
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Life/Time: The Future, Life/Time: The Past, Identity: Sexuality, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Identity: Gender
Tags Romance, LGBTQ, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Humor, Magical Realism, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2013
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Identity: Language, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Life/Time: The Future, Life/Time: The Past, Society: Community, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Equality
Tags LGBTQ, Politics / Government, Immigration / Refugee
Publication year 49
Genre Essay / Speech, Nonfiction
Themes Life/Time: The Past, Life/Time: The Future, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Natural World: Nurture v. Nature
Tags Classical Period, Philosophy, Ancient Rome, History: World, Psychology, Psychology, Philosophy, Self Help, Classic Fiction, Religion / Spirituality
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