Appearance Versus Reality

Can we ever fully trust our senses, or are they too unreliable to perceive the world as it is? In this collection, we gather texts that explore the idea of appearance versus reality, from classics such as Aristotle's On the Soul to contemporary bestsellers like Jia Tolentino's Trick Mirror.

A Beautiful Mind

by Sylvia Nasar

Publication year 1998

Genre Biography, Nonfiction

Themes Appearance & Reality

Tags Mental Illness, Science & Nature, World History, Psychology, Psychology, Biography

John Nash is born and raised in Bluefield, West Virginia. As a child, he is introverted and quiet, preferring reading and performing experiments to playing with other children. He is obsessed with codes and patterns and enjoys playing pranks on his sister and schoolmates. Intending to become an engineer like his father, Nash secures a scholarship to study at the Carnegie Institute of Technology. After a year, he abandons engineering to major in mathematics. He... Read A Beautiful Mind Summary

A Deadly Education

by Naomi Novik

Publication year 2020

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Friendship, Teamwork, Fate, Safety & Danger, Fear, Equality, Power & Greed, Good & Evil, Loneliness, Wins & Losses, Appearance & Reality

Tags Horror & Suspense, Romance, Religion & Spirituality, Fantasy, Coming of Age, Social Class

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A Fable

by William Faulkner

Publication year 1955

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Perseverance, Fear, Hate & Anger, Grief, Death, Fate, Social Class, Colonialism, Politics & Government, War, Nation, Power & Greed, Religion & Spirituality, Order & Chaos, Appearance & Reality, Conflict

Tags Symbolic Narrative, Classic Fiction, Historical Fiction, World War I, Military & War, American Literature, World History

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A Game of Thrones

by George R. R. Martin

Publication year 1996

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Politics & Government, Loyalty & Betrayal, Love, Hate & Anger, Revenge, Shame & Pride, Masculinity, Femininity, Grief, Wins & Losses, Power & Greed, Safety & Danger, Justice, Social Class, War, Economics, Siblings, Mothers, Fathers, Marriage, Family, Daughters & Sons, Appearance & Reality, Friendship, Disability, Gender Identity, Birth, Childhood & Youth, Death, Coming of Age, Future, The Past, Truth & Lies, Trust & Doubt

Tags Fantasy, Action & Adventure, Social Class, Politics & Government, Religion & Spirituality, Trauma & Abuse, Grief & Death

A Game of Thrones is a 1996 epic fantasy novel by George R. R. Martin and is the first in his long-running A Song of Ice and Fire series. The novel introduces the audience to the fictional world of Westeros, where characters become embroiled in a complicated web of plots, conspiracies, and betrayals as they pursue power. A Game of Thrones won numerous awards on publication and was adapted for television in 2011. This guide... Read A Game of Thrones Summary

All Her Fault

by Andrea Mara

Publication year 2021

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Guilt, Appearance & Reality, Mothers, Social Class, Safety & Danger, Truth & Lies

Tags Mystery & Crime Fiction, Horror & Suspense, Domestic Fiction, Psychological Fiction

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All Her Little Secrets

by Wanda M. Morris

Publication year 2021

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Equality, Justice, Power & Greed, Safety & Danger, Trust & Doubt, Truth & Lies, Appearance & Reality, Femininity, Race, Mental Health, Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Perseverance, Fear, Grief, Guilt, Hate & Anger, Loneliness, Revenge, Shame & Pride

Tags Mystery & Crime Fiction, Horror & Suspense, Race & Racism, Trauma & Abuse, Modern Classic Fiction

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All In

by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

Publication year 2015

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Conflict, Fear, Grief, Hate & Anger, Memory, Revenge, Shame & Pride, Death, The Past, Appearance & Reality, Family, Fathers, Teamwork, Self Discovery, Community, Good & Evil, Loyalty & Betrayal, Order & Chaos, Religion & Spirituality

... Read All In Summary

All's Well

by Mona Awad

Publication year 2021

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Revenge, Gender Identity, Appearance & Reality, Art, Good & Evil

Tags Horror & Suspense, Magical Realism, Fantasy, Mystery & Crime Fiction

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All the President's Men

by Bob Woodward, Carl Bernstein

Publication year 1974

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Politics & Government, Truth & Lies, Appearance & Reality

Tags Crime & Law, Politics & Government, Journalism, US History, Mystery & Crime Fiction, World History, Classic Fiction

All the President’s Men (1974) is the story of the most famous American political scandal of the 20th century. Written by Washington Post reporters Carl Bernstein and Bob Woodward (also known for War), the book follows in exacting detail their investigation into the Watergate Hotel break-in and subsequent coverup of that crime. The case began with a story on an unusual burglary attempt at the Democratic National Headquarters in the summer of 1972. It eventually... Read All the President's Men Summary