War

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 2024

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Race, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Natural World: Environment, Natural World: Place, Relationships: Teams, Society: Colonialism, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger

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


Publication year 2022

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Society: War, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Society: Nation, Society: Politics & Government, Society: Community

Tags Politics / Government, History: World, Military / War, Social Science, Sociology


Publication year 1973

Genre Essay Collection, Nonfiction

Themes Society: War

Tags Military / War, Vietnam War, History: World, Biography

If I Die in a Combat Zone: Box Me Up and Ship Me Home is an autobiographical account of writer Tim O'Brien's tour of duty in the Vietnam War. Published in 1973, it was one of the first major autobiographical accounts of the Vietnam War and has been praised extensively for its unflinching look at the horrors of armed conflict. Many critics have called it among the greatest pieces of literature to come out of... Read If I Die in a Combat Zone Summary


Publication year 1947

Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Society: War

Tags History: European, Incarceration, WWII / World War II, Holocaust, Italian Literature

If This Is a Man is a Holocaust memoir written by Primo Levi, first published by the small publishing house Francesco de Silva in 1947. The text was out of print by 1952. In June 1958, however, the publisher Enaudi, which had previously rejected the manuscript, republished it with slight revisions, and translations began to appear. Re-publication secured Levi’s status as a canonical writer of the Holocaust.This study guide refers to the English translation of... Read If This Is a Man Summary


Publication year 2014

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Relationships: Friendship, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Society: War

Tags Romance, Fantasy, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Religion / Spirituality


Publication year 1967

Genre Short Story, Fiction

Themes Society: War, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality

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

“I Have No Mouth, and I Must Scream” is one of Harlan Ellison’s most enduring and popular short stories. It explores themes of dystopia, religion, and technological progress, as well as the dangers of technology. Ellison is a multiple Hugo and Nebula award-winning author and screenwriter whose work often tackles the darker, grittier sides of speculative and science fiction. “I Have No Mouth, and I Must Scream,” a story about a cruel artificial intelligence torturing... Read I Have No Mouth, and I Must Scream Summary


Publication year 1864

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Society: War

Tags Lyric Poem, American Civil War


Publication year 1925

Genre Short Story, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Society: War, Identity: Masculinity, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Relationships: Marriage

Tags Historical Fiction, WWI / World War I, Education, Education, Military / War, American Literature, History: World, Classic Fiction

“In Another Country” is a short story by Ernest Hemingway first published in Scribner’s Magazine in 1927. Hemingway was one of the most celebrated writers of his time and was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1954. His works include short stories and novels as well as journalism and non-fiction studies, such as Death in the Afternoon (1932), about bullfighting. This guide refers to the version of “In Another Country” reprinted in the 1938... Read In Another Country Summary


Publication year 1985

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Life/Time: Coming of Age, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Relationships: Family, Society: War

Tags Historical Fiction, Military / War, Mental Illness, Education, Education, American Literature, Southern Literature

In Country, published in 1985, is Bobbie Ann Mason's debut novel. The story takes place in Hopewell, Kentucky, in 1984, 10 years after the end of US involvement in Vietnam. Mason grew up on a dairy farm outside Mayfield, Kentucky, and is thus well-acquainted with the rural South and its people. The classic coming-of-age story follows protagonist Samantha Hughes (known as Sam) as she seeks to discover the truth about her father and his death... Read In Country Summary


Publication year 2015

Genre Play, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Language, Identity: Race, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Relationships: Teams, Society: Immigration, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Literature

Tags Play: Drama, Historical Fiction, LGBTQ, Jewish Literature, Gender / Feminism, Education, Education, History: World, Drama / Tragedy


Publication year 1941

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Society: Colonialism, Society: Community, Society: War

Tags Historical Fiction, Action / Adventure, Auto/Biographical Fiction, History: U.S., Colonial America, Children's Literature, Education, Education, History: World, Classic Fiction


Publication year 2023

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Sexuality, Society: War

Tags Historical Fiction, Romance, LGBTQ, Military / War, WWI / World War I


Publication year 2002

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Identity: Gender, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality

In the Devil’s Snare: The Salem Witchcraft Crisis of 1692 by Mary Beth Norton is an examination of the infamous Salem witch trials. It analyzes the social, political, and religious factors that caused the crisis to reach unprecedented levels. Norton argues that the English colonists’ war with the Wabanaki confederacy on the Maine frontier was the catalyst that created the conditions for the crisis. Norton, Professor Emeritus of American History at Cornell University, has written... Read In the Devil's Snare Summary


Publication year 2023

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Society: War, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Love

Tags Modern Classic Fiction, Romance, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Military / War, Mental Illness, Trauma / Abuse / Violence


Publication year 1983

Genre Short Story, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Society: War

Tags Historical Fiction, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, History: African

“In the Shadow of War,” a fictional short story by Nigerian author Ben Okri, was first published in the London magazine West Africa in 1983. Five years later, Okri included a revised version in his collection Stars of the New Curfew, which has been out of print since 2004. This anthology marked a point in Okri’s career during which he began to incorporate more magical and fantastical elements into his otherwise realist writing. Okri was... Read In the Shadow of War Summary


Publication year 1974

Genre Biography, Nonfiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Society: War

Tags WWII / World War II, Holocaust, Crime / Legal, Military / War, History: World, Psychology, Psychology, Biography


Publication year 410

Genre Play, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Society: Community, Society: War

Tags Drama / Tragedy, Military / War, Mythology, Classical Period, Fantasy, Classic Fiction


Publication year 1946

Genre Essay / Speech, Nonfiction

Themes Society: War, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Society: Politics & Government

Tags Politics / Government, Military / War, History: European


Publication year 2018

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Natural World: Space & The Universe, Relationships: Family, Society: Class, Society: War

Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Fantasy


Publication year 1988

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Identity: Gender, Society: War, Society: Politics & Government, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance

Tags Lyric Poem, Gender / Feminism, African American Literature