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 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


Publication year 2015

Genre Memoir in Verse, Nonfiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Identity: Language, Society: War

Tags History: World, Latin American Literature, Cold War, Children's Literature, Arts / Culture, Biography


Publication year 2012

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Society: War, Relationships: Mothers, Self Discovery, Natural World: Animals

Tags Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Action / Adventure, Survival Fiction, Animals, Children's Literature, Military / War, Realistic Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction

IntroductionEliot Schrefer’s coming-of-age novel Endangered was published by Scholastic in 2012 and is the first book in The Ape Quartet. Set the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the story is written for a young adult audience and is a 2012 National Book Award finalist in Young People’s Literature. The novel follows Sophie Biyoya-Ciardulli’s journey as she navigates the perils of war-torn Congo in search of her mother, protecting a young, orphaned bonobo throughout her journey... Read Endangered Summary


Publication year 1985

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Society: War, Relationships: Teams, Values/Ideas: Win & Lose, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Relationships: Siblings, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt

Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Fantasy, Classic Fiction, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Bullying, Military / War, Cold War, Action / Adventure

Ender’s Game (1985) is a best-selling dystopian science fiction novel by Orson Scott Card. The story follows a precocious boy’s fight against space aliens and his own government. The essence of the story first appeared in a small sci-fi journal in 1977 as a short story of the same name. Card expanded the premise into a series that includes 15 novels and 13 related short stories. In addition to winning a Nebula Award in 1985... Read Ender's Game Summary