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 1989
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Life/Time: The Future
Tags Self Help, Business / Economics, Leadership/Organization/Management, Psychology, Psychology, Philosophy, Philosophy
The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People (Aug 1989) by Stephen R. Covey is one of the most influential self-help books of the late twentieth century. To date, the title has sold over 40 million copies and has been a New York Times bestseller. Covey was named as one of Time Magazine’s 25 Most Influential Americans of 1996. His book is classified under the categories of Business Management, Organizational Behavior, and Personal Success in Business... Read The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People Summary
Publication year 2018
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Life/Time: The Future, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Society: Politics & Government
Tags Technology, Business / Economics, Politics / Government, Class, War On Terrorism / Iraq War, Information Age, Science / Nature, Sociology, History: World, Philosophy, Philosophy
Publication year 2020
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Life/Time: The Future, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology
Tags Science / Nature, Technology, Philosophy, Psychology, Futurism, Technology, Business / Economics, Psychology, Philosophy
Publication year 2007
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Society: Economics, Life/Time: The Future
Tags Business / Economics, History: World, Finance / Money / Wealth, Politics / Government
The Ascent of Money: A Financial History of the World is a 2008 nonfiction book by historian Niall Ferguson. As its title implies, the book covers the rise of money and financial systems (in the West) throughout history. Ferguson argues that some aspect of finance lies behind all great events in history and that financial innovation has been as important to progress as scientific and technological innovation. Chapter 1 discusses the nature of money and... Read The Ascent of Money Summary
Publication year 2022
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Equality, Relationships: Friendship, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: The Future, Life/Time: The Past, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Values/Ideas: New Age, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil
Tags Fantasy, LGBTQ, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Relationships, Science / Nature, Social Justice, Education, Philosophy
Publication year 2014
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Identity: Gender, Identity: Indigenous, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: The Future, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Natural World: Climate, Society: Class, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed
Tags Fantasy, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Magical Realism
The Bone Clocks (2014) is a work of literary fantasy and the sixth novel by English author David Mitchell. It was longlisted for the 2014 Man Booker Prize, and also received the 2015 World Fantasy Award.Spanning nearly 60 years and featuring five different narrators, The Bone Clocks follows Holly Sykes, a young woman from Kent, England, who becomes embroiled in a secret war between two groups of immortal beings called the Horologists and the Anchorites... Read The Bone Clocks Summary
Publication year 2021
Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Natural World: Environment, Natural World: Animals, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Life/Time: The Future, Natural World: Climate, Society: Community
Tags Science / Nature, Philosophy, Self Help, Animals, Philosophy, Biography
Publication year 2023
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Literature, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Identity: Race, Life/Time: The Future, Life/Time: The Past, Relationships: Friendship, Society: Politics & Government, Society: Class, Society: War
Tags Fantasy, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Romance
Publication year 1764
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Identity: Masculinity, Life/Time: The Future, Natural World: Place, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Relationships: Family, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality
Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Classic Fiction, Gothic Literature, British Literature, History: European, Politics / Government, Medieval Literature / Middle Ages, Age of Enlightenment, Religion / Spirituality, Mystery / Crime Fiction, History: World, Fantasy
The Castle of Otranto, first published in 1764 by English author Horace Walpole (1717-1797), is considered the first supernatural work of Gothic fiction, influencing many well-known 19th century writers such as Clara Reeve, Mary Shelley, Bram Stoker, Edgar Allan Poe, and Robert Louis Stevenson.The five-chapter long novella revolves around the mysterious supernatural events at the titular castle, whose owner goes to villainous lengths to maintain control of it. Walpole introduces Gothic elements that drive the... Read The Castle of Otranto Summary
Publication year 1953
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Life/Time: The Future, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger
Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Fantasy, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Classic Fiction
Publication year 1993
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Life/Time: The Future, Natural World: Environment, Self Discovery
Tags Religion / Spirituality, Philosophy, Inspirational, Fantasy, Philosophy, Self Help, Action / Adventure
The Celestine Prophecy: An Adventure is a 1993 novel by James Redfield. A bestseller, the novel is a compilation of New Age philosophical and spiritual concepts, which Redfield labels as insights, that are loosely connected by a plot that follows the narrator’s search for them in the Peruvian jungle. An ancient manuscript is rumored to have been discovered, and the insights in the Manuscript claim that the end of the 20th century will witness a... Read The Celestine Prophecy Summary
Publication year 1992
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Apathy, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Identity: Gender, Life/Time: Birth, Life/Time: The Future, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed
Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Action / Adventure, British Literature, Climate Change, Depression / Suicide, Grief / Death, Health / Medicine, History: European, Immigration / Refugee, Love / Sexuality, Natural Disaster, Politics / Government, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Fantasy
The Children of Men is a dystopian 1992 science fiction novel by P.D. James set in 2021, years after the onset of a mass infertility epidemic. Unless scientists can discover a cure, there will be no more births and the human race will go extinct when the youngest generation dies. This scenario allows James to explore many themes, including existentialism, the meaning of a good life, and the corrupting nature of power.The novel switches between... Read The Children of Men Summary
Publication year 2014
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: The Future, Natural World: Climate, Society: Economics, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Natural World: Environment
Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Climate Change, Science / Nature, Business / Economics, History: World, Politics / Government
Publication year 2021
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Identity: Mental Health, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Life/Time: The Future
Tags Inspirational, Self Help, Psychology, Psychology, Philosophy, Philosophy, Mental Illness
Publication year 2023
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Society: Globalization, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Life/Time: The Future, Society: Politics & Government, Society: Community
Tags Technology, Science / Nature, Business / Economics, Politics / Government, Technology, Sociology, Philosophy, Philosophy
Publication year 1990
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Society: Economics, Society: Colonialism, Society: Community, Relationships: Teams, Society: Class, Society: Immigration, Society: Globalization, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Society: Education, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Society: Nation, Life/Time: The Future, Society: War, Life/Time: The Past, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Equality, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Win & Lose
Tags Business / Economics, Finance / Money / Wealth, Leadership/Organization/Management, Social Science, History: World, Politics / Government
The Competitive Advantage of Nations is a 1990 work of economics by American author Michael E. Porter, a Harvard Business School professor and expert in corporate competitive strategy whose influential works are frequently cited in business and economics. In this book, Porter dismantles traditional economic theories about how well a nation fares in global competition (factor costs and macro-economic policy) and proposes a model that focuses on active and malleable factors of business rather than... Read The Competitive Advantage Of Nations Summary
Publication year 2021
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Mental Health, Relationships: Siblings, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Gratitude, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Joy, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: The Future, Life/Time: The Past, Relationships: Fathers, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Music, Natural World: Appearance & Reality
Tags Magical Realism, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Race / Racism, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Mental Illness, Fantasy
Publication year 2018
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Society: Class, Society: Community, Identity: Mental Health, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Life/Time: The Past, Identity: Disability, Life/Time: The Future, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Natural World: Nurture v. Nature, Society: Education, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth
Tags Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Mental Illness, Science / Nature, Health / Medicine, Education, Education, Parenting, Psychology, Psychology, Self Help
Publication year 1955
Genre Play, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Coming of Age, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Life/Time: The Future, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Hope
Tags Holocaust, Play: Drama, WWII / World War II, Grief / Death, History: European, Military / War, Love / Sexuality
Publication year 1962
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Natural World: Climate, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: The Future, Life/Time: The Past, Natural World: Environment, Natural World: Place, Society: Class, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos
Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Climate Change, British Literature
The Drowned World is a 1962 post-apocalyptic science fiction novel by British author J.G. Ballard. Set in a future London that has been completely submerged in the ocean due to climate change-induced flooding, it follows a group of scientists who embark on a mission to study its unique, rapidly evolving flora and fauna. The novel is an extension of a shorter story published in Science Fiction Adventures. The novel is one of the first works... Read The Drowned World Summary