The titles in the Social Class Collection explore the historical and contemporary implications of social class and class division in cultures around the world. Representing a diverse range of perspectives, cultures, and societies, the selections in this Collection span a broad range of genres and forms, including essays, biographies, and fiction.
Publication year 1886
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Mothers, Society: Class, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Relationships: Family, Natural World: Nurture v. Nature
Tags Classic Fiction, Children's Literature, Victorian Period, British Literature, History: World, Historical Fiction
Publication year 1932
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Society: Class, Society: Economics, Society: Nation, Society: Politics & Government
Tags History: World, Historical Fiction, Classical Period, Classic Fiction
Publication year 2024
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Identity: Gender, Identity: Sexuality, Relationships: Marriage, Self Discovery, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger
Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, LGBTQ, Modern Classic Fiction, Literary Fiction
Publication year 1971
Genre Short Story Collection, Fiction
Themes Identity: Femininity, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Mothers, Society: Class
Tags Gender / Feminism, Historical Fiction, Canadian Literature, Classic Fiction
Lives of Girls and Women by Alice Munro was published in 1971 and is composed of eight interlinked short stories. Munro examines the everyday life of a young girl, Del Jordan, as she comes of age in a small, Canadian town during the 1940s, against the backdrop of World War II. Inspired by Munro’s childhood, the narrator explores the setting, including local wildlife and the town’s inhabitants, and focuses on themes surrounding coming of age... Read Lives of Girls and Women Summary
Publication year 2021
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Society: Community, Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Fear
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2019
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed
Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Psychological Fiction
Publication year 2017
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Identity: Race, Society: Class, Society: Nation, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice
Tags Race / Racism, History: U.S., Politics / Government, Social Justice, Incarceration, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Sociology, History: World
Locking Up Our Own: Crime and Punishment in Black America is a work of nonfiction by James Forman Jr., an American lawyer and legal scholar specializing in racial inequities in criminal justice. Published in 2017, this critically acclaimed book examines the complex role Black leaders played in advancing tough-on-crime policies that ultimately contributed to the mass incarceration of Black people in the United States. Drawing on his experience as a public defender and his extensive... Read Locking Up Our Own Summary
Publication year 2003
Genre Novel/Book in Verse, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Identity: Race, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Natural World: Animals, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Mothers, Relationships: Siblings, Self Discovery, Society: Class, Society: Community, Society: Education, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Values/Ideas: Literature, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt
Tags Realistic Fiction, African American Literature, Children's Literature, Arts / Culture
Locomotion, Jacqueline Woodson’s 2003 novel in verse, follows the perspective of Lonnie Collins Motion, nicknamed Locomotion. After his parents die in a fire and his sister is adopted, Lonnie grieves and navigates life, first in a group home and then with Miss Edna, his foster mother. Through poetry, he slowly finds joy in life again, highlighting the themes of The Search for Identity and Belonging, The Healing Power of Writing, and The Enduring Support of... Read Locomotion Summary
Publication year 2023
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Relationships: Family, Self Discovery, Society: Class
Tags Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 1851
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Society: Economics, Society: Class, Society: Community, Society: Education, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice
Tags History: European, Social Justice, Poverty, Journalism, British Literature, Sociology, History: World, Victorian Literature / Period, Classic Fiction
Publication year 2013
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Gender, Identity: Race, Identity: Sexuality, Life/Time: The Future, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Marriage, Relationships: Mothers, Society: Class, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Literature
Tags Historical Fiction, Romance, British Literature, History: World, Regency Era
Longbourn (2013) is a work of fiction by British author Jo Baker, who is the author of several other novels of historical fiction and literary suspense. Longbourn depicts what life is like for the servants of the Bennet family of Jane Austen’s classic novel Pride and Prejudice. While events in Austen’s book frame this novel, Longbourn follows the inner lives of housemaid Sarah, housekeeper Mrs. Hill, and James Smith, the mysterious footman who shows up... Read Longbourn Summary
Publication year 2024
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: Midlife, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Marriage, Relationships: Siblings, Self Discovery, Society: Class, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality
Tags Modern Classic Fiction, History: World, Historical Fiction, Literary Fiction, Jewish Literature
Publication year 1887
Genre Short Story, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Fate, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Classic Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Humor, History: World, Victorian Literature / Period
Publication year 2019
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Friendship, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Relationships: Mothers, Society: Class, Society: War
Tags Historical Fiction, Auto/Biographical Fiction, Poverty, WWI / World War I, Russian Literature, WWII / World War II, Military / War, History: World
Publication year 2003
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Society: Class, Identity: Race, Identity: Gender
Tags African American Literature, Grief / Death, American Literature, Modern Classic Fiction, Classic Fiction
Publication year 2024
Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Gratitude, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Joy, Identity: Gender, Identity: Race, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Marriage, Self Discovery, Society: Class, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice
Publication year 2022
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Society: Class
Tags Romance, Relationships, Grief / Death, American Literature, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 1856
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Marriage, Society: Class, Emotions/Behavior: Apathy
Tags Classic Fiction, French Literature, Realism
Madame Bovary is a foundational realist novel. Authored by the esteemed French writer Gustave Flaubert (1821-1880), Madame Bovary was first released through serialization in 1856, and then formally published as Flaubert’s debut novel in 1857. Madame Bovary is one of the earliest examples of realism in literature and is credited with helping to develop the importance of psychological realism in literature. It is a love story, a vociferous critique of the ways in which society... Read Madame Bovary Summary
Publication year 2021
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt
Tags Romance, Fantasy, Drama / Tragedy, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2019
Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction
Themes Society: Class, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Mental Health, Relationships: Mothers
Tags Sociology, Poverty, Biography, Social Justice
Maid: Hard Work, Low Pay, and a Mother’s Will to Survive is Stephanie Land’s first book. Land is a former professional house cleaner whose work has appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, and The Atlantic. Her writing explores issues related to systemic poverty, the hardships and stigmas associated with social services, surviving in the gig economy, and the challenges of motherhood. Maid was originally inspired by a Vox article she wrote about... Read Maid Summary