From the Trojan War to World War II to the Iraq War, history has been shaped by humanity's tragic capacity to wage war. In this thematic collection, we have gathered fiction and nonfiction texts that investigate both the lessons and the senselessness crystallized in the aftermath of military conflict.
Publication year 1890
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Identity: Disability, Identity: Masculinity, Identity: Race, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Society: Colonialism, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality
Tags Classic Fiction, Military / War
Publication year 1990
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Natural World: Climate, Natural World: Environment, Relationships: Siblings, Relationships: Teams, Society: War
Tags Children's Literature, Education, Education, History: U.S., History: World, Historical Fiction, American Revolution
Publication year 1912
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Society: Colonialism, Society: War
Publication year 2002
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Society: War, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Relationships: Family, Life/Time: The Past
Tags Holocaust, WWII / World War II, Jewish Literature, Children's Literature, Military / War, History: World, Biography
Originally published in 2002 by Second Story Press, Hana’s Suitcase is a historical text by Karen Levine that weaves together the story of two young children in the Holocaust with the narrative of a Japanese museum curator in the early 21st century. Levine, a radio journalist and producer, first heard about Hana Brady’s suitcase from a news article and subsequently produced a radio show about the story. This launched what would become Hana’s Suitcase and... Read Hana's Suitcase Summary
Publication year 2006
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Identity: Race, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Natural World: Climate, Natural World: Environment, Natural World: Place, Relationships: Friendship, Society: Community, Society: Immigration, Society: War
Tags Historical Fiction, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, WWI / World War I
Kirby Larson’s Hattie Big Sky is a 2006 young adult historical fiction novel that won the Newbery Honor Award. Larson is a young adult author who specializes in writing historical fiction centering on strong female protagonists. Set during World War I, the novel follows Hattie Brooks as she travels to Montana to work on the farm that her uncle leaves to her after he dies. The novel explores themes of community, overcoming adversity, and issues... Read Hattie Big Sky Summary
Genre Play, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger
Tags Play: Tragedy, Mythology, Ancient Greece, Classical Period, Grief / Death, History: European, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Drama / Tragedy, Fantasy, Classic Fiction
Publication year 1991
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Natural World: Space & The Universe, Society: War, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed
Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Fantasy, Action / Adventure
Publication year 2023
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: The Future, Life/Time: The Past, Relationships: Family, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Music, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology
Tags Military / War, History: World, Literary Fiction, Historical Nonfiction
Genre Play, Fiction
Themes Society: War, Values/Ideas: Fate, Natural World: Appearance & Reality
Tags Classic Fiction, Mythology, Play: Tragedy, Drama / Tragedy, Fantasy
Publication year 1599
Genre Play, Fiction
Themes Society: Nation, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Society: War
Tags Classic Fiction, British Literature, Historical Fiction, Play: Drama, Education, Education, History: World, Drama / Tragedy
Henry V is a play by English playwright William Shakespeare, believed to have premiered in 1599. It is best preserved in the 1623 publication of Shakespeare’s work known as the First Folio. Shakespeare’s surviving work includes 10 history plays focusing on the history and kings of England 1399-1485 and based on actual events. Henry V is the fifth of these chronologically and focuses on King Henry V of England, specifically on the events surrounding the... Read Henry V Summary
Publication year 2024
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Race, Relationships: Friendship, Society: War
Tags Children's Literature, WWII / World War II, Military / War, History: World, Historical Fiction, Action / Adventure
Publication year 1942
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Emotions/Behavior: Joy, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Natural World: Space & The Universe
Publication year 1946
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Society: War
Tags Journalism, History: Asian, WWII / World War II, Creative Nonfiction, History: World, Education, Education, Military / War, Japanese Literature, Classic Fiction
Hiroshima, an account of the first atomic bomb used in warfare, is a nonfiction book by John Hersey. Alfred A. Knopf published it in 1946, several months after it first appeared as an article in the New Yorker. The magazine ran the article at the end of August 1946, just after the first anniversary of the dropping of the bomb, devoting the entire issue to the lengthy piece. The issue sold out immediately and was... Read Hiroshima Summary
Publication year 2012
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Marriage, Society: War, Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Identity: Mental Health
Tags Romance, Historical Fiction, Drama / Tragedy, Military / War, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2025
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Life/Time: The Past, Natural World: Place, Relationships: Mothers, Society: War
Tags Historical Fiction, Asian Literature
Publication year 1986
Genre Essay / Speech, Nonfiction
Themes Society: War, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Life/Time: The Past
Tags Holocaust, Religion / Spirituality
Publication year 2004
Genre Essay Collection, Nonfiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Society: Community, Society: Globalization, Society: Economics, Society: Politics & Government, Society: Nation, Society: Colonialism, Society: War, Natural World: Environment
Tags Social Justice, Politics / Government, Gender / Feminism, History: World, Philosophy, Philosophy
Publication year 1863
Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction
Themes Identity: Gender, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Race, Life/Time: The Past, Society: Community, Society: War
Tags Military / War, American Civil War, History: U.S.
Publication year 1858
Genre Essay / Speech, Nonfiction
Themes Society: Class, Society: Politics & Government, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Equality
Tags Politics / Government, History: U.S., History: World
Publication year 1968
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Emotions/Behavior: Apathy, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Natural World: Place, Natural World: Animals, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Society: Colonialism, Society: Community, Society: Nation, Society: Politics & Government, Society: War, Emotions/Behavior: Memory
Tags Historical Fiction, Classic Fiction, American Literature, Addiction / Substance Abuse, Social Justice, History: World
The novel House Made of Dawn, by N. Scott Momaday, was first published in 1968. Heralded as a major landmark in the emergence of Indigenous American literature, the novel won the 1969 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction. House Made of Dawn blends fictional and nonfictional elements to depict life on an Indigenous American reservation like the one where Momaday grew up.This guide uses an eBook version of the 2018 First Harper Perennial Modern Classics (50th Anniversary)... Read House Made of Dawn Summary