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.
Publication year 1994
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Apathy, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Identity: Masculinity, Identity: Race, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Society: Globalization, Society: Community, Relationships: Family, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Natural World: Place, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice
Tags Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Western, Historical Fiction, Action / Adventure, American Literature, Modern Classic Fiction, Classic Fiction
Publication year 1996
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Society: Education, Society: Nation, Natural World: Space & The Universe, Natural World: Appearance & Reality
Tags Science / Nature, Education, Religion / Spirituality, History: World, Psychology, Psychology, Philosophy, Philosophy
Publication year 2003
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Natural World: Appearance & Reality
Tags Humor, Satire, American Literature, Arts / Culture, Modern Classic Fiction, Romance
The Devil Wears Prada, published in 2004, is the debut novel of author Lauren Weisberger. It tells the tale of a hapless assistant working for a tyrannical boss in the fashion industry.The story takes place largely in present-day New York City, mostly in the offices of a high-fashion magazine called Runway. The central character, Andrea Sachs (who uses the nickname Andy), narrates the story from the first-person perspective, and the events she describes transpire over... Read The Devil Wears Prada Summary
Publication year 1964
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Natural World: Environment, Natural World: Objects, Natural World: Space & The Universe, Society: Colonialism, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Literature, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality
Tags History: World, Medieval Literature / Middle Ages, Philosophy, Arts / Culture, Literary Criticism, Philosophy, Classic Fiction, Religion / Spirituality
Written by C. S. Lewis (1898-1963), The Discarded Image is a 1964 nonfiction book that explores the literary landscape of Europe during the Medieval Era. Lewis, who is best known for his children’s book series The Chronicles of Narnia, was also a literature professor at Oxford and Cambridge, as well as one of the most widely celebrated Christian apologists of his time. Published shortly after his death, The Discarded Image explores how medieval writers and... Read The Discarded Image Summary
Publication year 2025
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Nostalgia, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Gender, Identity: Mental Health, Identity: Race, Life/Time: The Future, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Relationships: Marriage, Relationships: Teams, Self Discovery, Society: Immigration, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology
Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction
Publication year 1929
Genre Novella, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Natural World: Appearance & Reality
Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Classic Fiction, Fantasy
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 1999
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Natural World: Space & The Universe, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology
Tags Science / Nature, Philosophy, Philosophy
Publication year 1993
Genre Short Story Collection, Fiction
Themes Society: Community, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness
Tags Magical Realism, Fantasy, Modern Classic Fiction, Asian Literature, Japanese Literature
Publication year 2013
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Relationships: Marriage, Self Discovery, Society: Class, Society: Globalization, Society: Politics & Government, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Literature
Tags Romance, Fantasy, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction
Publication year 2020
Genre Novella, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Gender, Life/Time: The Past, Natural World: Animals, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Relationships: Friendship, Society: Class, Society: Colonialism, Society: Politics & Government, Society: War
Tags Fantasy, LGBTQ, Gender / Feminism
Publication year 2022
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Gender, Identity: Masculinity, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: The Past, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger
Tags Historical Fiction
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 2001
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Siblings, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Literature, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Teams
Tags Fantasy, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Action / Adventure, Humor, Children's Literature
Publication year 1841
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Natural World: Appearance & Reality
Tags Philosophy, Religion / Spirituality, German Literature, History: World, Philosophy, Classic Fiction
Publication year 2023
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Relationships: Fathers, Society: Nation, Society: Politics & Government, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Equality
Tags Fantasy
Publication year 2023
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Coming of Age, Natural World: Animals, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Natural World: Environment, Natural World: Flora/plants, Natural World: Place, Relationships: Friendship, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger
Tags Fantasy, Children's Literature, Animals, Science / Nature, Action / Adventure
Publication year 1935
Genre Short Story, Fiction
Themes Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Life/Time: Aging, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Nostalgia, Values/Ideas: Beauty
Tags Modernism, Education, Education
“The Far and the Near” by American author Thomas Wolfe was first published in 1935. The story is set in rural America in the early 20th century and tells of a train engineer who passes the same cottage on his route for over 20 years. When the engineer retires, he visits the people who live in the cottage for the first time. The story explores themes such as The Relentless Passage of Time, Idealized Perception... Read The Far and the Near Summary
Publication year 2025
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Natural World: Appearance & Reality
Tags Romance
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