This assortment of study guides focuses on the arts, from cinema to cuisine. Read on to explore Aristotle’s Poetics, which analyzes the nature and uses of poetry; An Actor Prepares by Constantin Stanislavski, a manual for actors based on the author’s work and teachings at the Moscow Art Theatre in Russia; and Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver, which chronicles the art of fine dining.
Publication year 2007
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Natural World: Appearance & Reality
Tags Fantasy, Action / Adventure, Mythology, Ancient Greece, Relationships, Arts / Culture, Military / War, American Literature, Children's Literature
The Titan’s Curse (2007) is the third installment in Rick Riordan’s Percy Jackson & the Olympians series, following The Lightning Thief (2005) and The Sea of Monsters (2006) and preceding The Battle of the Labyrinth (2008) and The Last Olympian (2009). The series centers around the adventures of Percy Jackson, a boy who is the son of the Greek god of the sea Poseidon and a mortal woman named Sally Jackson. Percy learns that he... Read The Titan's Curse Summary
Publication year 2014
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Marriage, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Nostalgia, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Natural World: Animals, Natural World: Place, Relationships: Grandparents, Society: Globalization, Relationships: Family
Tags Realistic Fiction, Children's Literature, Modern Classic Fiction, Arts / Culture
Publication year 1976
Genre Reference/Text Book, Nonfiction
Themes Life/Time: The Past, Values/Ideas: New Age, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality
Tags Education, Education, Christian literature, Philosophy, Philosophy, Arts / Culture, Religion / Spirituality
Publication year 2017
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Relationships: Friendship
Tags Action / Adventure, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Children's Literature, Realistic Fiction, Arts / Culture
Publication year 2021
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Art, Self Discovery, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Relationships: Family, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal
Tags Historical Fiction, Romance, Mystery / Crime Fiction, WWII / World War II, Military / War, Italian Literature, History: World, Arts / Culture
Publication year 2019
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Apathy, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Identity: Mental Health
Tags Psychology, Science / Nature, Self Help, Sociology, Arts / Culture, Technology, Business / Economics, Psychology, Philosophy, Philosophy, Religion / Spirituality
Publication year 2002
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Art, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Fame, Identity: Language
Tags Business / Economics, Self Help, Arts / Culture, Psychology, Philosophy, Leadership/Organization/Management, Psychology, Philosophy
Publication year 2000
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Grief
Tags Historical Fiction, Education, Education, Latin American Literature, Military / War, Arts / Culture, Modern Classic Fiction, Classic Fiction
The Weight of All Things, written by esteemed American author Sandra Benitez, is a lyrical novel portraying the effects of the civil war in El Salvador during the 1980s. This war between conservatives and communists is portrayed through the eyes of a child; detailing the brutality of both sides and showcasing the futility of war. Written in the third person omniscient style, the events of a brutal war are depicted with graphic detail, yet the... Read The Weight of All Things Summary
Publication year 1979
Genre Essay Collection, Nonfiction
Themes Life/Time: The Past, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Literature, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt
Tags History: U.S., Journalism, Politics / Government, Arts / Culture, Class, Women's Studies (Nonfiction), Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Grief / Death, American Literature, History: World, Classic Fiction, Biography
Publication year 2023
Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Fame, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Relationships: Mothers, Relationships: Fathers, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed
Tags Music, Arts / Culture, Biography, Mental Illness
Publication year 1995
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Memory
Tags Grief / Death, Race / Racism, Education, Education, History: U.S., American Literature, Arts / Culture, Classic Fiction
Publication year 1935
Genre Essay / Speech, Nonfiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Values/Ideas: Beauty
Tags Philosophy, Arts / Culture, Sociology, German Literature
Publication year 2015
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Self Discovery, Society: Economics, Society: Globalization, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology
Tags Education, Education, Science / Nature, Sociology, Psychology, Psychology, Philosophy, Philosophy, Self Help, Arts / Culture
Publication year 1989
Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Literature, Values/Ideas: Art, Identity: Language
Tags Arts / Culture, Biography
The Writing Life by Annie Dillard is a work of creative nonfiction and memoir originally published in 1989 by Harper & Row. As a Pulitzer Prize winning author, Dillard explores the triumphs and struggles of her early writing years while also offering advice and guidance to aspiring writers through imaginative anecdotes. Dillard has called the work “an embarrassing nonfiction narrative,” and she distances herself from all but the final chapter about the pilot, Dave Rahm... Read The Writing Life Summary
Publication year 2005
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Race, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Relationships: Family, Self Discovery, Society: Immigration
Tags Children's Literature, Education, Education, Realistic Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Arts / Culture
Publication year 2023
Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Gratitude, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Identity: Race, Identity: Sexuality, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: The Past, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Mothers, Self Discovery, Society: Community, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Fame, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Emotions/Behavior: Courage
Tags Biography, Arts / Culture
Publication year 2004
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Race, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Family
Tags Historical Fiction, WWII / World War II, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Race / Racism, Children's Literature, Education, Education, Military / War, History: World, Arts / Culture
Thin Wood Walls by David Patneaude was published by Houghton Mifflin Company in 2004. A historical fiction novel for young adult readers, Thin Wood Walls explores the experience of incarceration through the eyes of an 11-year-old Japanese American boy during World War II. The novel depicts themes of hope, family, resilience, and xenophobia, or bigotry against individuals from other countries. Thin Wood Walls is a Washington Reads Selection and a Mark Twain Award nominee. It... Read Thin Wood Walls Summary
Publication year 1971
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Literature, Life/Time: The Past, Values/Ideas: Fate
Tags Lyric Poem, Grief / Death, Arts / Culture, Heinemann African Writers, African Literature
Publication year 1999
Genre Novel, Fiction
Tags Historical Fiction, Chinese Literature, Asian Literature, Education, Education, Asian Literature, History: World, Arts / Culture
Ties That Bind, Ties That Break (1999) is a young adult historical novel by Lensey Namioka that won the 2000 Washington State Book Award and the 2004 California Young Readers Medal for Young Adults. It focuses on a young Chinese girl growing up during a revolutionary period in the 1920s who refuses to have her feet bound as tradition dictates. A sequel, An Ocean Apart, A World Away (2002) focuses on the main character’s best... Read Ties That Bind, Ties That Break Summary
Publication year 2023
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Values/Ideas: Literature, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Life/Time: The Past, Natural World: Flora/plants, Natural World: Place
Tags Realistic Fiction, American Literature, Agriculture, Arts / Culture, Relationships, Modern Classic Fiction, Historical Fiction, Romance