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 1985

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Society: Class, Society: Economics, Society: War, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Natural World: Nurture v. Nature

Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Humor, Post Modernism, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Finance / Money / Wealth, Anthropology

Galapagos is a 1985 novel by American author Kurt Vonnegut. The novel’s narrator is the long-dead Leon Trout, a ghost who watched the evolution of humanity of the course of a million years. The story explores the themes Nature Versus Nurture, Pacifism, and Regret.This guide uses an eBook version of the 1985 Dial Press edition.Content Warning: This novel depicts explicit acts of violence and refers to death by suicide.Plot SummaryLeon Trout, the story’s narrator, is... Read Galapagos Summary


Publication year 1999

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Friendship, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal

Tags Fantasy, Action / Adventure, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Narrative / Epic Poem

Steven Erikson’s Garden of the Moon is an epic fantasy novel and the first installment in the Malazan Book of the Fallen series. Published in 1999, the novel follows a large cast of characters as they contend with the threat of an ever-expanding empire and grapple with ancient magical forces. Erikson, an anthropologist and archeologist by training, sets the novel in a fictional world peopled by human and non-human races, magic users, and a pantheon... Read Gardens of the Moon Summary


Publication year 1998

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Society: War, Relationships: Siblings

Tags Military / War, History: World, Historical Fiction, Fantasy

Gates of Fire is a 1998 work of historical fiction by Steven Pressfield centered around the famous Battle of Thermopylae (480 BC), in which a heavily-outnumbered force of native Greeks led by the Spartans held the invading army of the Persian Empire at bay for several days. Despite their eventual defeat, the Greek forces became renowned for their valor and sacrifice. The story is framed as a series of interviews between Xeones (“Xeo”), a wounded... Read Gates of Fire Summary


Publication year 1930

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Society: Class, Society: Nation, Society: War

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


Publication year 2023

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Society: Immigration, Society: Nation, Society: Politics & Government, Society: War

Tags WWII / World War II, History: World, Military / War, Spy / Espionage, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Japanese Literature


Publication year 2001

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Society: War, Relationships: Friendship, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Hope

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

Ghost Soldiers: The Epic Account of World War II’s Greatest Rescue Mission by American journalist and historian Hampton Sides tells the story of a daring rescue raid on the Japanese-controlled Cabanatuan Allied prisoner-of-war camp in the Philippines at the end of World War II. 121 US Rangers, Alamo Scouts, and hundreds of armed and unarmed Filipino guerillas successfully rescued over 500 remaining POWs on January 30, 1945. The book details the stories of the American POWs... Read Ghost Soldiers Summary


Publication year 2020

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Self Discovery, Society: Class, Society: Politics & Government, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed

Tags Fantasy, Romance, New Adult


Publication year 1775

Genre Essay / Speech, Nonfiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality

Tags History: U.S., Politics / Government, American Revolution, Military / War, History: World, Inspirational, Philosophy, Philosophy, Classic Fiction

Patrick Henry, widely considered a Founding Father of the United States, delivered his speech “Give me Liberty, or Give me Death” to the Second Virginia Convention in 1775. The goal of the convention was to decide how to handle Britain’s military threat. Henry believed in fighting for independence—the speech’s immediate goal was to convince Virginia to raise a militia—while others wanted to compromise with Britain. Although no manuscript of Henry’s speech exists, accounts from convention... Read Give Me Liberty, or Give Me Death Summary


Publication year 2022

Genre Reference/Text Book, Nonfiction

Themes Identity: Race, Society: Colonialism, Society: Nation, Society: Politics & Government, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice

Tags Education, Education, History: U.S., History: World


Publication year 1981

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Natural World: Space & The Universe, Identity: Gender, Life/Time: The Future, Natural World: Environment, Society: Politics & Government, Society: War

Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Fantasy, Philosophy, Philosophy, Classic Fiction


Publication year 1978

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Society: War, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt

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

Going After Cacciato, by Tim O’Brien, is a novel about a young soldier’s experiences in the Vietnam War. However, as the New York Times noted in its initial review of the novel upon its publication in 1978, “call[ing] Going After Cacciato a novel about war is like calling Moby Dick a novel about whales.” The novel does not simply recount the events of the war; it dives into the inner life of its protagonist, Paul... Read Going After Cacciato Summary


Publication year 1986

Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction

Themes Society: Community, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Nostalgia, Relationships: Mothers, Society: Class, Society: Colonialism, Society: Globalization, Society: War

Tags Social Science, Sociology, History: World, Psychology, Psychology, Relationships, Self Help, WWII / World War II, Military / War, Action / Adventure


Publication year 2015

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Natural World: Space & The Universe, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Relationships: Friendship, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Society: War, Society: Class

Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Fantasy, Action / Adventure


Publication year 1929

Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction

Themes Society: War, Relationships: Mothers

Tags Military / War, WWI / World War I, History: World, Classic Fiction, Biography

English poet and classicist Robert Graves wrote his autobiography, Good-Bye to All That, in 1929, at the age of 34. Graves undertook the writing of his autobiography with the hope of crafting a best-selling book that would support his career as a writer. Good-Bye to All That details Graves’s life from his upper-middle-class childhood in England to his service as a military officer in World War I, and on to his first few years as... Read Goodbye to All That Summary


Publication year 1981

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Gratitude, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Mothers, Society: Community, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger

Tags Historical Fiction, Military / War, WWII / World War II

Goodnight Mister Tom is a work of historical fiction written by Michelle Magorian and published in 1981. The novel is aimed at an audience of middle grade readers. It tells the story of eight-year-old William Beech, who, at the start of WWII, has to move with his abusive mother from an impoverished suburb of London to the countryside, where they are in the care of an elderly recluse, Thomas Oakley. The novel explores the impact... Read Goodnight Mister Tom Summary


Publication year 1918

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Life/Time: The Past, Society: War

Tags Science / Nature


Publication year 1973

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Society: War, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology

Tags Historical Fiction, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, WWII / World War II, Satire, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Military / War, American Literature, Classic Fiction

Gravity’s Rainbow is a 1973 historical satire by American novelist Thomas Pynchon, who is known for complex narratives that are often dense, fragmented, and episodic. The story is set during the last days of World War II as characters search for a mysterious rocket developed by the German military. The novel has been hailed as one of the most important English language works of the 20th century.Pynchon, disinclined to engage with the press or public... Read Gravity's Rainbow Summary


Publication year 1918

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Society: War, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Identity: Masculinity, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies

Tags Lyric Poem, Military / War, Grief / Death, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, History: European, WWI / World War I, British Literature, The Lost Generation


Publication year 2018

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Society: War, Relationships: Siblings, Natural World: Place, Identity: Race, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt

Tags Historical Fiction, Action / Adventure, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, WWII / World War II, Military / War, Grief / Death, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, History: Asian, History: U.S., Religion / Spirituality, Children's Literature, History: World


Publication year 2021

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Relationships: Teams, Society: War

Tags September 11 Attacks, Historical Fiction, Children's Literature, Military / War, Realistic Fiction, History: World, Action / Adventure