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 2015
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Race, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Natural World: Nurture v. Nature, Natural World: Place, Relationships: Teams, Self Discovery, Society: Colonialism, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed
Tags Fantasy, Romance, Action / Adventure, Fairy Tale / Folklore
Publication year 2023
Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Relationships: Family, Society: Politics & Government, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Art
Tags History: World
Publication year 2024
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Mental Health, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Natural World: Climate, Natural World: Objects, Natural World: Place, Relationships: Marriage, Society: Politics & Government, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Win & Lose
Tags Fantasy, Romance, Trauma / Abuse / Violence
Publication year 1942
Genre Essay / Speech, Nonfiction
Themes Society: War, Society: Colonialism, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice
Tags Philosophy, Politics / Government, History: Asian, WWII / World War II
Publication year 2003
Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Literature, Society: War, Self Discovery, Society: Politics & Government
Tags Gender / Feminism, History: Middle Eastern, Politics / Government, Women's Studies (Nonfiction), History: World, Biography
Reading Lolita in Tehran: A Memoir in Books is a memoir by Iranian American author Azar Nafisi, first released to widespread critical and popular acclaim in 2003. The memoir recalls Nafisi’s experiences living and teaching in Iran after the 1979 revolution that created the Islamic Republic of Iran, until her eventual exile in the United States in 1997. At the center of the memoir is Nafisi’s account of a secret book club she hosted during... Read Reading Lolita in Tehran Summary
Publication year 2021
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Relationships: Fathers, Society: Politics & Government, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal
Tags Fantasy, Action / Adventure
Publication year 2001
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Coming of Age, Society: War, Relationships: Family
Tags Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Children's Literature, Immigration / Refugee, Education, Education, Military / War, Modern Classic Fiction, Historical Fiction
Publication year 2021
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Relationships: Fathers, Self Discovery, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt
Tags Historical Fiction, Action / Adventure, Military / War, WWII / World War II, Children's Literature, History: World, French Literature
Publication year 2018
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Society: War
Tags Historical Fiction, WWII / World War II, Military / War, Children's Literature, History: World
Publication year 2018
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Society: War
Tags Romance, Fantasy, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, New Adult
Publication year 2020
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Identity: Mental Health, Natural World: Environment, Natural World: Place, Relationships: Teams, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Values/Ideas: Win & Lose
Tags Fantasy, Action / Adventure, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Narrative / Epic Poem
Publication year 1932
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Society: War
Tags Military / War, Classic Fiction, History: World, Historical Fiction, Action / Adventure
Rifleman Dodd, a 1932 historical novel by C.S. Forester, describes the adventures of an English soldier trapped behind enemy lines in 1810 during the Peninsular War, when Britain fights alongside Portugal and Spain against Napoleon’s invading French army. Rifleman Dodd employs guerrilla tactics to harass and kill French troops as he treks across a scorched and starving land to rejoin his regiment. The novel’s descriptions of battle tactics, improvisation under fire, and relentless determination make... Read Rifleman Dodd Summary
Publication year 1971
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Society: Politics & Government, Society: War, Identity: Race, Society: Globalization, Society: Economics, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Society: Nation
Tags Politics / Government, Business / Economics, History: U.S., American Literature, History: World
Publication year 2001
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Identity: Mental Health, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: The Past, Natural World: Place, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Marriage, Relationships: Teams, Society: Class, Society: Colonialism, Society: Community, Society: Economics, Society: Globalization, Society: Politics & Government, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed
Tags History: World, American Revolution, Historical Fiction, Military / War, History: U.S.
Publication year 2021
Genre Graphic Memoir , Nonfiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Identity: Race, Society: Nation, Society: Politics & Government, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Equality
Tags Historical Fiction, History: U.S., Politics / Government, Social Justice, Civil Rights / Jim Crow
Publication year 2005
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Friendship, Society: Class, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Publication year 2023
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Society: War, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Identity: Mental Health, Life/Time: The Past
Tags Fantasy, Romance, Historical Fiction, Trauma / Abuse / Violence
Publication year 1977
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Society: War, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship
Tags Historical Fiction, Children's Literature, Drama / Tragedy, Grief / Death, Education, Education, History: World, Japanese Literature, Classic Fiction
Originally published in 1977, Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes is a middle-grade historical fiction novel written by Eleanor Coerr based on the true story of Sadako Sasaki, a young girl living in Hiroshima, Japan, when the atomic bomb was dropped in 1945. At age 12, Sadako is diagnosed with leukemia, often called “the atom bomb disease.” Inspired by a Japanese legend, Sadako sets out to fold 1,000 origami cranes, hoping she will be granted... Read Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes Summary
Publication year 2017
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Relationships: Family, Society: Immigration, Society: War
Tags Military / War, Modern Classic Fiction, History: World, Historical Fiction
Salt Houses is a 2017 novel by Palestinian-American author Hala Alyan. A multi-generational saga that begins in 1963 and concludes in 2014, the narrative traces the family’s experiences during key events of 20th- and 21st-century Palestinian history. The novel is polyvocal; multiple family members act as narrators. Although the novel provides an in-depth character study of the way that war, displacement, and diaspora impact each family member, it is also a portrait of the Palestinian... Read Salt Houses Summary
Publication year 1671
Genre Play, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Identity: Gender, Identity: Disability, Relationships: Marriage, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal
Tags Poetry: Dramatic Poem, Narrative / Epic Poem, Drama / Tragedy, British Literature, Restoration, Religion / Spirituality, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, History: World, Historical Fiction, Classic Fiction
Famed 17th-century English poet and pamphleteer John Milton published Samson Agonistes (a Greek word that can mean “struggle”) in 1671. The work is a dramatic poem and a tragic drama—though Milton announces that it isn’t for the stage. Milton’s work is informed by one episode in a story from the Old Testament, in which the superhuman hero Samson is betrayed by his wife Dalila, loses his strength, and is imprisoned by his foes, the Philistines... Read Samson Agonistes Summary