The Future

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 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


Publication year 2016

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Life/Time: The Future

Tags Lyric Poem, Technology, Health / Medicine, Arts / Culture


Publication year 2022

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: The Future, Life/Time: The Past, Relationships: Friendship, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology

Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Children's Literature, History: World, Historical Fiction


Publication year 1996

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Society: Nation, Life/Time: The Future, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger

Tags History: U.S., Sociology, Politics / Government, Business / Economics, History: World, Psychology, Psychology, Philosophy, Philosophy


Publication year 2023

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Life/Time: The Future, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology

Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Fantasy, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, LGBTQ


Publication year 2001

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Life/Time: The Future, Natural World: Environment

Tags Science / Nature, Climate Change, Philosophy, Philosophy

The Future of Life is a 2002 non-fiction book of popular science by the two-time Pulitzer Prize-winning writer and biologist Edward O. Wilson. In the book, Wilson draws on his decades of experience as a biologist of invertebrates, as well as his years spent advocating for conservation causes, to paint a picture of the threat people pose to the world’s biodiversity and to suggest ways that humanity can change course. The book is structured as... Read The Future of Life Summary


Publication year 2005

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Identity: Indigenous, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: The Future, Natural World: Animals, Self Discovery, Society: Colonialism

Tags Historical Fiction, American Literature, Children's Literature, History: World

The Game of Silence is work of middle-grade historical fiction by contemporary American author Louise Erdrich. Published in 2005, it is the second novel in Erdrich’s Birchbark House series. The first novel in this series, The Birchbark House (1999), is set in 1847 and introduces Omakayas and her family. The Birchbark House was a finalist for the prestigious National Book Award. With The Game of Silence, Erdrich continues the saga of Omakayas’s family, and this... Read The Game of Silence Summary


Publication year 1941

Genre Short Story, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Fate, Life/Time: The Future, Life/Time: The Past

Tags WWI / World War I, Latin American Literature, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Science / Nature, Fantasy, History: World, Magical Realism, Philosophy, Philosophy, Classic Fiction

In his short story “The Garden of Forking Paths,” Jorge Luis Borges uses the metaphor of the labyrinth to suggest the presence of infinite possible realities. First published in 1941 under the Spanish title “El jardín de senderos que se bifurcan,” the story reflects new modes of thought and expression, ranging from developments in quantum mechanics to the advent of detective thrillers. A spy mystery, a philosophical puzzle, and a mythic history all in one... Read The Garden of Forking Paths Summary