Art

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.

The Pillowman

by Martin McDonagh

Publication year 2003

Genre Play, Fiction

Themes Guilt, Hate & Anger, Loneliness, Mental Health, Siblings, Politics & Government, Art, Justice, Literature

Tags Horror & Suspense, Irish Literature, Drama

Martin McDonagh is a British Irish playwright and filmmaker known for his absurdist black humor. He drew inspiration for The Pillowman from his own personal affinity for fairytales and his realization that many children’s stories have subtly dark undertones. The play is about two brothers, Katurian and Michal, who are under investigation for a series of child murders that bear an uncanny resemblance to some of Katurian’s fictional stories.The Pillowman debuted its first public reading... Read The Pillowman Summary

The Poetics of Space

by Gaston Bachelard

Publication year 1957

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Art, Beauty, Place

Tags Philosophy, Philosophy, Classic Fiction, Arts & Culture, French Literature

Gaston Bachelard (1884-1962) was born into a family of shoemakers and worked his way up from mail carrier to philosopher. He earned his Doctor of Letters from the Sorbonne in 1927, originally studying the intersection of science and philosophy. Bachelard’s The Poetics of Space attracts readers of all types, including architects, poets, and other creative people. The Poetics of Space represents his journey into the philosophy of the imagination. Bachelard published The Poetics of Space... Read The Poetics of Space Summary

The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie

by Muriel Spark

Publication year 1961

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Education, Loyalty & Betrayal, Coming of Age, Childhood & Youth, Art, Beauty

Tags British Literature, World History, Classic Fiction, Historical Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Post-War Era

The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie (1961) is a novel by Scottish writer Muriel Spark. It explores the relationship between a group of six female students and their eccentric teacher, Jean Brodie, over the course of roughly 15 years. Using nonlinear narrative techniques, including flashbacks and flash forwards, the novel examines the influence of adults on adolescents, particularly in the context of their sexual and spiritual development. Set in Edinburgh in the 1930s and early... Read The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie Summary

The Princess Bride

by William Goldman

Publication year 1973

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Art, Beauty, Joy

Tags Fantasy, Romance, Humor, Fairy Tale & Folklore, Action & Adventure, Classic Fiction

The Princess Bride is a 1973 adventure novel by American author and screenwriter William Goldman. It uses a unique framing narrative to tell two interwoven stories and claims to be a retelling of an older novel (one that does not actually exist). The Princess Bride was adapted into a film in 1987. Critics regard the film as one of the greatest cinematic accomplishments of all time, and it appears on numerous “best of” lists, including... Read The Princess Bride Summary

The Red Pencil

by Andrea Davis Pinkney

Publication year 2014

Genre Novel/Book in Verse, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Perseverance, Grief, Hope, Childhood & Youth, Family, War, Art, Coming of Age

Tags Historical Fiction, Realistic Fiction, Military & War, Arts & Culture, Education, Gender & Feminism, Coming of Age, African Literature, History: African , Children`s Literature

... Read The Red Pencil Summary

The Romance of the Forest

by Ann Radcliffe

Publication year 1791

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Gender Identity, Environment, Place, Art, Loyalty & Betrayal, Power & Greed

Tags Classic Fiction, British Literature, Mystery & Crime Fiction, Gothic Literature

The Romance of the Forest (1791) by British author and poet Ann Radcliffe is one of the definitive examples of the Gothic novel. Radcliffe’s books influenced many later Romantic and Victorian writers in Europe and the United States, and several of the tropes she relied on became standard for the genre. While her first novel, The Castles of Athlin and Dunbayne (1789), and second, A Sicilian Romance (1790), were not widely noted, The Romance of... Read The Romance of the Forest Summary

The Seagull

by Anton Chekhov

Publication year 1895

Genre Play, Fiction

Themes Regret, Fame, Conflict, Love, Art, Daughters & Sons, Appearance & Reality

Tags Drama, Tragedy, Comedy & Satire, Russian Literature, Education, Education, World History, Classic Fiction

While Anton Chekhov’s The Seagull is now regarded as one of his most famous plays, it was not until the second time it premiered in Russia that it garnered success. Written in 1895 and first produced the following year, The Seagull is set against the backdrop of a summer country home, and tackles The Consequences of Disillusionment, The Purpose of Art, and the price of Living in the Shadow of a Renowned Parent. Chekhov relies... Read The Seagull Summary

The Septembers Of Shiraz

by Dalia Sofer

Publication year 2007

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Family, Religion & Spirituality, Loyalty & Betrayal, Social Class, Safety & Danger, Art, The Past, Fear, Nation, Nostalgia

Tags Historical Fiction, World History, Arts & Culture, Middle Eastern Literature, Realistic Fiction, Life-Inspired Fiction, Incarceration, Middle Eastern History, Trauma & Abuse, Politics & Government, Jewish Literature

The Septembers of Shiraz (2007), a novel by Iranian writer Dalia Sofer, recounts the experiences of the Amins, an Iranian Jewish family, during the Iranian Revolution in the late 1970s. The book is closely based on Sofer’s family history: When Sofer was 10, her family fled Iran, crossing the border to Turkey with the help of smugglers. The Septembers of Shiraz depicts the changing atmosphere and events that characterize the treatment of the wealthy class... Read The Septembers Of Shiraz Summary

The Song of the Lark

by Willa Cather

Publication year 1915

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Perseverance, Gender Identity, Environment, Place, Self Discovery, Immigration, Art, Music

Tags Music, Classic Fiction, Historical Fiction, Coming of Age, American Literature

The Song of the Lark by Willa Cather is the second novel in her classic American series entitled The Great Plains Trilogy. The trilogy includes O, Pioneers! (1913), The Song of the Lark (1915), and My Antonia (1918). Each novel in this trilogy explores different stories of women who find themselves challenged, nurtured, and built up by the natural beauty of the American West. These novels explore the conflicts and compromises when women either lean... Read The Song of the Lark Summary