From Vladimir Nabokov's Lolita to Raven Leilani's Luster, the texts in this collection investigate themes related to the power and promise of many types of art — from the written word to visual arts such as painting and cinema.
Publication year 2021
Genre Biography, Nonfiction
Themes Relationships: Friendship, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Values/Ideas: Art
Tags WWII / World War II, Holocaust, History: European, Military / War, History: World, Biography
Publication year 1962
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Natural World: Climate, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: The Future, Life/Time: The Past, Natural World: Environment, Natural World: Place, Society: Class, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos
Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Climate Change, British Literature
The Drowned World is a 1962 post-apocalyptic science fiction novel by British author J.G. Ballard. Set in a future London that has been completely submerged in the ocean due to climate change-induced flooding, it follows a group of scientists who embark on a mission to study its unique, rapidly evolving flora and fauna. The novel is an extension of a shorter story published in Science Fiction Adventures. The novel is one of the first works... Read The Drowned World Summary
Publication year 1743
Genre Novel/Book in Verse, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Literature, Values/Ideas: Fame, Values/Ideas: Art
Tags Narrative / Epic Poem, Satire, British Literature, Georgian Era, Education, Education, History: World, Humor, Classic Fiction
Publication year 2006
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Values/Ideas: Literature, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: Midlife, Society: Education, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Identity: Language, Society: Community, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship, Self Discovery
Tags Modern Classic Fiction, Philosophy, Philosophy, Class, Arts / Culture, Depression / Suicide, Relationships, French Literature
The Elegance of the Hedgehog by Muriel Barbery was published in 2006 and translated by Alison Anderson into English for publication in 2008. The novel has been translated into more than 40 languages and was a major bestseller in France. The novel was adapted into a film called The Hedgehog (Le Hérisson) in 2009 to critical acclaim. The Elegance of the Hedgehog follows the narrative point of view of two erudite narrators: Renée, a concierge... Read The Elegance of the Hedgehog Summary
Publication year 2008
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Natural World: Appearance & Reality
Tags Historical Fiction, Magical Realism, Fantasy, Italian Literature, History: World, Indian Literature
The Enchantress of Florence is a 2008 magical-realist novel by Salman Rushdie. The story incorporates many fantastical, folkloric elements as it portrays life in the Mughal Empire and Renaissance Florence in the 16th century. In the novel, a mysterious European man arrives in the Mughal court with a story which can only be told to the emperor. Rushdie described the novel as his most heavily researched work and The Enchantress of Florence was praised by... Read The Enchantress Of Florence Summary
Publication year 1925
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Art, Life/Time: The Past
Tags Religion / Spirituality, Christian literature, Philosophy, History: World, Philosophy, Classic Fiction
IntroductionThe Everlasting Man is a work of philosophical history, written by G. K. Chesterton in 1925. In The Everlasting Man, Chesterton seeks to demonstrate the providential ordering of history and the uniqueness of human beings in general and of the person of Jesus Christ in particular. Ever since its publication, the book has been widely influential, even contributing to the intellectual conversion of C. S. Lewis, who called it the best popular apologetic he knew.A... Read The Everlasting Man Summary
Publication year 2018
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Natural World: Animals, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed
Tags Crime / Legal, History: European, Science / Nature, Animals, Mystery / Crime Fiction, History: World
The Feather Thief by American author, screenwriter, and journalist Kirk Wallace Johnson is about the 2009 heist of the British Natural History Museum at Tring. It retraces the background of the 20-year-old American thief, professional flautist, and master fly-tier, Edwin Rist, who stole 299 rare bird skins from the museum. Johnson first heard about the heist while fly-fishing on a river in New Mexico. Living with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) after years of aid work... Read The Feather Thief Summary
Publication year 2016
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Disability, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Siblings, Relationships: Teams, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt
Tags Modern Classic Fiction, Romance
Publication year 2013
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Art, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Life/Time: Coming of Age
Tags Historical Fiction, Realistic Fiction, Gender / Feminism, History: European, Love / Sexuality, Arts / Culture, American Literature, Italian Literature, Modern Classic Fiction
The Flamethrowers is a historical fiction novel published in 2013 by the American author Rachel Kushner. It follows the story of Reno, a young woman experiencing the turbulence of the 1970s in New York City. An aspiring artist, Reno finds herself in remarkable situations both in New York and abroad in Italy. Kushner weaves Italian and American history to highlight how people experience the implications of the societies and histories they inherit. Kushner subverts typical... Read The Flamethrowers Summary
Publication year 1943
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil
Tags Classic Fiction, American Literature, Philosophy, Politics / Government, Philosophy, Arts / Culture
Published in 1945, The Fountainhead was written by Russian American author Ayn Rand (1905-1982) and focuses on the genius architect Howard Roark as he struggles to pursue a career of innovation and integrity in an increasingly hostile society of altruists and con men led by the Machiavellian humanitarian Ellsworth Toohey.In The Fountainhead, Rand promotes values such as radical individualism and the primacy of objective reason, both of which would later form the foundation of her... Read The Fountainhead Summary
Publication year 2024
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Apathy, Identity: Mental Health, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2024
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Identity: Femininity, Relationships: Marriage, Society: Class, Society: Community, Society: Politics & Government, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Art
Tags History: World, Arts / Culture, Magical Realism
Publication year 159
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Sexuality, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Values/Ideas: Art
Tags Fantasy, Mythology, Humor, Allegory / Fable / Parable, Relationships, Animals, History: European, Ancient Rome
Publication year 2013
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Values/Ideas: Art
Tags Arts / Culture, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction
Donna Tartt’s 2013 novel, The Goldfinch, was a national best seller and won the Pulitzer Prize in 2014. It follows the life of Theo Decker from his early teens into his late twenties. The novel is told in five parts and begins when Theo is hiding out in a hotel room in Amsterdam as an adult. It moves back in time and finally makes a circle back to his adulthood, explaining the reason for his stay... Read The Goldfinch Summary
Publication year 1926
Genre Short Story, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Beauty, Emotions/Behavior: Joy, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Nostalgia, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Art
Tags Animals, Japanese Literature, Asian Literature
Publication year 2016
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Natural World: Environment, Natural World: Climate, Society: Globalization, Society: Immigration, Society: Colonialism, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Literature
Tags Climate Change, Science / Nature, Politics / Government, History: World
Publication year 2013
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Society: Class, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Historical Fiction, Health / Medicine, British Literature, Children's Literature, Grief / Death, History: World
The Great Trouble: A Mystery of London, the Blue Death, and a Boy Called Eel (2013) is a middle grade historical fiction novel by American author Deborah Hopkinson. Hopkinson is a prolific writer of books for young readers and has published over 70 books, including biographies, picture books, middle grade historical fiction, and long-form nonfiction. The Great Trouble explores themes of class disparity and scientific inquiry and is set against the background of the 1854... Read The Great Trouble Summary
Publication year 2009
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Art, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Relationships: Mothers
Tags Historical Fiction, Romance, British Literature, Modern Classic Fiction, History: World
Publication year 2020
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Values/Ideas: Art
Tags Romance, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 1988
Genre Play, Fiction
Themes Identity: Gender, Values/Ideas: Art, Life/Time: Mortality & Death
Tags Play: Drama, Gender / Feminism, Education, Education, American Literature, History: World, Drama / Tragedy, Humor
Wendy Wasserstein’s play The Heidi Chronicles first opened Off-Broadway with Playwrights Horizons in 1988, transferring to Broadway for a successful run in 1989. The play follows Heidi Holland from the ages of 16 to 40 as she explores her desires for her own life, inspired by the liberation of feminism, but tempered by gendered expectations in a patriarchal society. Critics celebrated the play for introducing feminism into mainstream theater. Wasserstein wrote 11 plays, and The... Read The Heidi Chronicles Summary