All the Light We Cannot See

Use these links to supplement and complement students’ reading of the work and to increase their overall enjoyment of literature. Challenge them to discern parallel themes, engage through visual and aural stimuli, and delve deeper into the thematic possibilities presented by the title.

Recommended Texts for Pairing

The Refugees

• a collection of short stories by Viet Thanh Nguyen
• touches on themes of Light Versus Darkness and Lost and Redeemed Humanity centering on Vietnam and resettlement in California
• The Refugees on SuperSummary

The German Girl

• a novel by Armando Lucas Correa set during World War II
• touches on ideas about communication and storytelling
• The German Girl on SuperSummary

A Constellation of Vital Phenomena

• a novel by Anthony Marra that takes place in wartime in Chechnya in 2004
• touches on the theme of Lost and Redeemed Humanity
• A Constellation of Vital Phenomena on SuperSummary

Other Student Resources

Anthony Doerr Q&A

• a question and answer session on the novel with Anthony Doerr
• touches on the theme of Light Versus Darkness and the motif of the Radio

Anthony Doerr on All the Light We Cannot See

• a YouTube video in which the author discusses the novel
• explores how Doerr came to the idea for the novel

13 Tips for Plowing through “IT” (or any long book) in a Few Days

• Lit Reactor’s guide for reading longer novels, such as All the Light We Cannot See

Teacher Resources

“Light Found in Darkness of Wartime” by Janet Mead

• a review in The New York Times discussing Doerr’s novel
• Touches on the theme of Light Versus Darkness

Interview with Anthony Doerr, author of All the Light We Cannot See

• an interview providing information on Doerr’s writing process
• hits on the Sea of Flames as a motif