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: Determination / Perseverance, Identity: Femininity, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: The Past, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Relationships: Family, Society: Nation, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger
Tags History: World
Publication year 1960
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Society: War
Tags Historical Fiction, WWII / World War II, Holocaust, Military / War, Relationships, Jewish Literature, History: World, Classic Fiction
Publication year 1941
Genre Essay / Speech, Nonfiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Society: Nation, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil
Tags Politics / Government
Publication year 2016
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Society: War, Identity: Gender, Identity: Sexuality, Relationships: Family
Tags Western, Historical Fiction, Military / War, LGBTQ, American Civil War, Race / Racism, History: World, Irish Literature
Days Without End (2016) is a novel by Irish author Sebastian Barry. Days Without End is Barry’s ninth novel and received considerable critical acclaim. The novel won the 2017 Walter Scott Prize, was listed at number 74 on The Guardian’s list of the 100 best books of the 21st century (2019 edition), and made BBC News’s 2019 list of the 100 most influential novels. The novel also won the 2016 Costa Book Award, making Barry... Read Days Without End Summary
Publication year 2013
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: The Past, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Relationships: Grandparents, Relationships: Teams, Society: Politics & Government, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed
Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction
Publication year 2014
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Society: War, Relationships: Family, Life/Time: Coming of Age
Tags Historical Fiction, Vietnam War, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Military / War, History: World
Publication year 2010
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: The Future, Natural World: Objects, Natural World: Space & The Universe, Relationships: Teams, Society: Colonialism, Society: Politics & Government, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology
Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Fantasy, Chinese Literature
Publication year 1994
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Win & Lose, Society: War, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict
Tags History: U.S., Military / War, History: World, Philosophy, Philosophy, Politics / Government
Diplomacy (1994) is a book by the scholar and diplomat Henry Kissinger. After leaving the government in 1977, Kissinger wrote a series of memoirs such as White House Years (1979) and Years of Upheaval (1982). Diplomacy was the first of what would be many books offering a broader view of international affairs and US foreign policy. It has lessons for policymakers but is also accessible to general readers. The book received many positive reviews for... Read Diplomacy Summary
Publication year 1977
Genre Essay Collection, Nonfiction
Themes Society: War
Tags Military / War, History: U.S., Journalism, History: World, Biography
First published in 1977, Dispatches is Michael Herr’s account of his time spent as a war correspondent in Vietnam. The conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia started on November 1, 1955. President Kennedy escalated U.S. involvement in 1961, followed by President Johnson, who committed even more resources and men in 1963. 58,220 U.S. soldiers and approximately 250,000 South Vietnamese soldiers lost their lives during the conflict. Michael Herr was a correspondent for Esquire Magazine... Read Dispatches Summary
Publication year 2023
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Society: Politics & Government, Society: War, Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Love
Tags Fantasy, Romance, Military / War, History: World, Historical Fiction
Publication year 1957
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Nostalgia, Society: Class, Society: War
Tags Historical Fiction, Classic Fiction, Romance, Russian Literature, Military / War, History: World
Introduction Doctor Zhivago is a 1957 novel by Russian author Boris Pasternak. Set during the early 20th century, the story follows the titular Yuri Zhivago as he deals with revolution and social upheaval in his native country. As well as being widely praised following its publication, the novel has been adapted numerous times for the screen, most famously in a 1965 film—for which Pasternak cowrote the screenplay—directed by David Lean and starring Omar Sharif and Julie... Read Doctor Zhivago Summary
Publication year 2001
Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Identity: Race, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Natural World: Place, Relationships: Family, Society: Colonialism, Society: War, Identity: Indigenous
Don’t Let’s Go to the Dogs Tonight (2002) is a memoir by Alexandra Fuller. Fuller recounts her childhood during the tumultuous years of the Rhodesian Bush War and life in post-independence Southern Africa. The author details her family‘s tragedies against the backdrop of political upheaval and social change as they settle on a series of struggling farms in Zimbabwe (then known as Rhodesia), Malawi, and Zambia. The memoir was a New York Times Notable Book for... Read Don't Let's Go to the Dogs Tonight Summary
Publication year 1992
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Emotions/Behavior: Nostalgia, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Identity: Masculinity, Identity: Gender, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Sexuality, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: The Past, Life/Time: The Future, Natural World: Place, Relationships: Marriage, Society: Nation, Society: Politics & Government, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Win & Lose, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality
Tags Historical Fiction, Romance, Fantasy, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Action / Adventure, History: European, Health / Medicine, History: World
Publication year 1920
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Society: War, Society: Nation
Tags Military / War, Grief / Death, WWI / World War I, Education, Education, British Literature, History: World, Classic Fiction
Among Wilfred Owen’s most famous poems, “Dulce et Decorum Est” was written in 1917 while he was in Craiglockhart War Hospital in Scotland, recovering from injuries sustained on the battlefield during World War I. The poem details the death of a soldier from chlorine gas told by another soldier who witnesses his gruesome end. Owen himself died in action on November 4, 1918 in France at the age of 25. He published only five poems... Read Dulce et Decorum est Summary
Publication year 2023
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Identity: Race, Society: War
Tags Historical Fiction, Asian Literature, Military / War, Modern Classic Fiction, Asian Literature, History: World
Publication year 2005
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Identity: Disability, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Teams, Society: Politics & Government, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice
Tags Fantasy, Action / Adventure, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction
Eldest is the second book in American author Christopher Paolini’s Inheritance Cycle, the popular young adult fantasy series that consists of Eragon (2003), Eldest (2005), Brisingr (2008), and Inheritance (2011). This installment follows Eragon’s continuing adventures as he and his dragon, Saphira, take on new responsibilities in their fight against the despotic king, Galbatorix. Paolini also wrote a collection of short stories titled The Fork, the Witch, and the Worm (2018), which is set in... Read Eldest Summary
Publication year 1863
Genre Essay / Speech, Nonfiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Equality, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Society: Politics & Government, Society: Nation, Identity: Race
Tags History: U.S., Politics / Government, Race / Racism, American Civil War
Publication year 1999
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Society: War, Society: Colonialism
Tags History: Asian, WWII / World War II, Politics / Government, Military / War, Asian Literature, History: World, Japanese Literature
Publication year 2016
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: The Future, Life/Time: The Past, Society: Politics & Government, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil
Tags Fairy Tale / Folklore, Fantasy, Romance, Action / Adventure, New Adult
Publication year 1984
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Coming of Age, Society: War, Society: Colonialism
Tags Historical Fiction, Auto/Biographical Fiction, Military / War, WWII / World War II, History: World, Chinese Literature, Japanese Literature, Classic Fiction
Empire of the Sun is a 1984 novel written by British author J.G. Ballard. In it, Jim, the 11-year-old son of a wealthy British family, is living in the International Settlement in Shanghai, China on the eve of Pearl Harbor, 1941. When Japanese forces attack the Settlement, Jim is separated from his parents. He survives for several weeks by scavenging food from abandoned houses, before being arrested by the Japanese. He is then taken to... Read Empire of the Sun Summary