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 2017

Genre Novel, Fiction

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

Tags Historical Fiction, Children's Literature, Military / War, History: World, American Revolution, Action / Adventure


Publication year 2014

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Society: War

Tags Historical Fiction, WWII / World War II, Holocaust, Action / Adventure


Publication year 2016

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Society: Immigration, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Friendship, Society: War, Relationships: Family

Tags Historical Fiction, Humor, Children's Literature, Realistic Fiction, History: World


Publication year 1819

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Society: Nation, Society: War

Tags Historical Fiction, Romanticism / Romantic Period, British Literature, Classic Fiction, Action / Adventure, Medieval Literature / Middle Ages, History: World, Romance

Ivanhoe is a historical fiction novel by Walter Scott, first published in 1819. The novel or “romance” is a fanciful account of English life in the 12th century, during the time of King Richard I (Richard “Coeur de Lion”). The protagonist of the story is Wilfred of Ivanhoe, a knight returning home from fighting in the Third Crusade. His journey weaves together historical events, religious conflict, and Medieval folklore and explores themes of Chivalry as... Read Ivanhoe Summary


Publication year 1877

Genre Essay / Speech, Nonfiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Win & Lose, Society: War, Identity: Indigenous, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice

Tags History: U.S., Military / War


Publication year 1994

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Society: War, Relationships: Fathers, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness

Tags Lyric Poem


Publication year 1994

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Identity: Masculinity, Identity: Race, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship, Society: Community, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Art, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Self Discovery, Society: Class

Tags Realistic Fiction, Arts / Culture, Historical Fiction, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Agriculture, Class, History: U.S., Poverty, Race / Racism, Social Justice, Vietnam War


Publication year 1939

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Identity: Disability, Society: War, Society: Class

Tags Historical Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, WWI / World War I, Military / War, History: World, Classic Fiction, Politics / Government


Publication year 1943

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Society: War, Society: Politics & Government, Self Discovery, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage

Tags Historical Fiction, Children's Literature, Action / Adventure, American Revolution, Education, Education, Military / War, History: World, Classic Fiction

Originally published in 1943, Esther Forbes’s Johnny Tremain is a classic middle-grade historical fiction/adventure novel. After a prideful accident ends 14-year-old Johnny Tremain’s promising career as a silversmith, his search for a new trade leads to his direct involvement in the early events of the American Revolution. The novel won a Newbery Medal and explores themes of self-sacrifice, humility, and change. Citations in this study guide refer to the 2018 eBook edition released by Houghton... Read Johnny Tremain Summary


Publication year 1932

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Apathy, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Mental Health, Identity: Race, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Society: Class, Society: Colonialism, Society: War

Tags French Literature, Philosophy, Auto/Biographical Fiction, WWI / World War I, Modernism, The Lost Generation

Journey to the End of the Night is a modernist novel by Louis-Ferdinand Céline, first published in the French language in 1932 by Parisian publishing house Éditions Denoël et Steele. It is a semi-autobiographical work centered on the life and travels of cynical antihero Ferdinand Bardamu, set over several decades of Bardamu’s life, beginning at the outbreak of World War I. The novel became influential in the development of post–WWI literary modernism, but like many... Read Journey to the End of the Night Summary


Publication year 1971

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Identity: Race, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Family, Society: Immigration, Society: Nation, Society: Politics & Government, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice

Tags Historical Fiction, WWII / World War II, History: U.S., Children's Literature, Education, Education, Military / War, History: World

Published in 1971 by Japanese American author and educator Yoshiko Uchida (1921-1992), Journey to Topaz is the first children’s novel to address the United States government’s forced relocation of people of Japanese descent to wartime prison camps during World War II. The novel follows the Sakane family’s life as they are forced to move from their comfortable home in Berkeley, California, to the Topaz War Relocation Center, a concentration camp, in the harsh Utah desert... Read Journey to Topaz Summary


Publication year 975

Genre Poem, Fiction

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

Tags Military / War, Religion / Spirituality, Inspirational, Gender / Feminism, History: World, Classic Fiction


Publication year 1981

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Equality, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Identity: Race, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Marriage, Society: Class, Society: Colonialism, Society: Community, Society: Nation, Society: Politics & Government, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies

Tags Historical Fiction, Race / Racism, Military / War, African Literature

July’s People, a 1981 dystopian novel by South African author Nadine Gordimer, imagines the aftermath of a bloody uprising that topples South Africa’s notorious, white-ruled apartheid regime. Her novel, which follows a white family’s desperate flight from Johannesburg, traces the complex interdependencies of white and Black South Africans, revealing the insidiousness of the regime’s racial disparities and mindsets, even among liberal, well-meaning white people. Through the lens of this hypothetical future, Gordimer’s novel explores racial... Read July's People Summary


Publication year 1924

Genre Play, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Society: War, Life/Time: Mortality & Death

Tags Play: Drama, Class, Irish Literature, Realism, Education, Education, History: World, Drama / Tragedy, Classic Fiction

Irish-born playwright Sean O’Casey’s Juno and the Paycock was first produced in 1924 at the Abbey Theatre, Ireland’s national theatre, in Dublin. This Realistic play is one of three plays (known as the “Dublin Trilogy”) that O’Casey wrote for the Abbey Theatre. Juno and the Paycock is anthologized in various collections, including Masters of Modern Drama by Haskell Block and Robert Shedd in 1962 (which this guide references).The play is set entirely in a two-room... Read Juno and the Paycock Summary


Publication year 1976

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Society: War, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Society: Politics & Government

Tags Philosophy, Politics / Government, Military / War, History: World, Philosophy


Publication year 2022

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Identity: Gender, Identity: Sexuality, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Mothers, Self Discovery, Society: Community, Society: Nation, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality

Tags History: World, Fantasy, Historical Fiction, Mythology, LGBTQ, Indian Literature


Publication year 2023

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Society: Immigration, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality

Tags Jewish Literature, History: World, Historical Fiction, Religion / Spirituality


Publication year 2012

Genre Book, Nonfiction

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

Tags History: U.S., Politics / Government, Crime / Legal, Leadership/Organization/Management, Civil Rights / Jim Crow, Grief / Death, Vietnam War, History: World, Biography


Publication year 2014

Genre Book, Nonfiction

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

Tags Military / War, History: European, History: World, History: U.S., WWII / World War II, Biography

Killing Patton is a 2014 historical nonfiction work by American authors and journalists Bill O’Reilly and Martin Dugard. It explores the final months of World War II in Europe from an American perspective—specifically the role iconic General George S. Patton played in securing eventual Allied victory. The book also explores Patton’s death after a motor vehicle accident, floating the conspiracy theory that this death was no accident. Investigating the motives of Stalin, Eisenhower, and others... Read Killing Patton Summary


Publication year 2018

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Race, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Natural World: Flora/plants, Natural World: Place, Relationships: Teams, Society: Class, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger

Tags Fantasy, Romance, Action / Adventure