The titles in the Social Class Collection explore the historical and contemporary implications of social class and class division in cultures around the world. Representing a diverse range of perspectives, cultures, and societies, the selections in this Collection span a broad range of genres and forms, including essays, biographies, and fiction.
Publication year 2020
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Coming of Age, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Society: Class
Tags Romance, Realistic Fiction, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 1952
Genre Essay / Speech, Nonfiction
Themes Society: Class, Society: Economics, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Politics / Government, History: U.S., Cold War
Publication year 2024
Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Gender, Identity: Mental Health, Relationships: Marriage, Relationships: Mothers, Self Discovery, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Music
Publication year 2018
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Race, Society: Class, Society: Colonialism
Tags Fantasy, Romance, Action / Adventure, Trauma / Abuse / Violence
Children of Blood and Bone (2018) by Tomi Adeyemi is a young adult fantasy novel and the first book in the Legacy of Orϊsha trilogy. Adeyemi is a Nigerian American author and creative writing coach who graduated from Harvard University with a degree in English literature. Following her graduation, she studied West African mythology in Brazil, which partly inspired her to write Children of Blood and Bone. Adeyemi also wrote Children of Blood and Bone... Read Children of Blood and Bone Summary
Publication year 2015
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Society: Economics, Society: Class, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Emotions/Behavior: Love
Tags Humor, Satire, Romance, Asian Literature, Modern Classic Fiction, Chinese Literature
China Rich Girlfriend is an adult novel published by Doubleday in 2015, the sequel to Singapore-born author Kevin Kwan’s internationally bestselling romantic comedy Crazy Rich Asians (2013) and second in a trilogy which concludes with Rich People Problems (2017). Billed as a satire, a mock-epic, and a sprawling family saga that peers into the lives of the ultra-wealthy in Asia, China Rich Girlfriend depicts the efforts of Rachel Chu, a Chinese-born American university professor, and... Read China Rich Girlfriend Summary
Publication year 1983
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Nostalgia, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Masculinity, Identity: Mental Health, Identity: Sexuality, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship, Self Discovery, Society: Class, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Fantasy, Mystery / Crime Fiction
Publication year 1967
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Natural World: Place, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality
Tags History: World, Religion / Spirituality, Historical Fiction, Classic Fiction, Christian literature, Romance, Inspirational
Publication year 1400
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Society: War, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Society: Class
Tags History: European, Medieval Literature / Middle Ages, Military / War, Class, Religion / Spirituality, History: World, French Literature, Classic Fiction
Publication year 2020
Genre Graphic Novel/Book, Fiction
Themes Society: Education, Identity: Race, Self Discovery, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Equality, Relationships: Friendship
Tags Realistic Fiction, Arts / Culture, Class, Diversity, Education, Race / Racism, African American Literature, Children's Literature, Education, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2023
Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction
Themes Relationships: Mothers, Society: Class, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Society: Education
Tags Poverty, Social Justice, Education, Education, Sociology, Biography, Politics / Government
Publication year 2004
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Society: Colonialism, Society: Class, Life/Time: The Future, Life/Time: The Past, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Fantasy, Historical Fiction, Social Justice, Anthropology, Class, Depression / Suicide, Finance / Money / Wealth, Politics / Government, Love / Sexuality, Race / Racism, Sociology, Religion / Spirituality, Modern Classic Fiction, History: World
Cloud Atlas is a 2004 dystopian novel by British author David Mitchell. The sprawling narrative is composed of a series of nested stories, spanning centuries into the past and the future. In addition to winning numerous literary and science fiction awards, the novel was adapted into a 2012 film of the same name. This guide uses the 2014 Sceptre edition of Cloud Atlas.Content Warning: The novel and this guide depict slavery and discuss racism, death... Read Cloud Atlas Summary
Publication year 1781
Genre Scripture, Nonfiction
Themes Society: Class, Society: Community, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed
Tags Crime / Legal, History: Asian, Politics / Government, Religion / Spirituality, Philosophy
Publication year 1999
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Identity: Race, Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Society: Class
Tags Sociology, Race / Racism, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Poverty, Education, Education, Anthropology, Anthropology, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Social Science, Urban Development, History: World
Publication year 2024
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Gender, Identity: Race, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Art
Tags Humor, Satire, Literary Fiction, Race / Racism
Publication year 1939
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Nostalgia, Society: Class, Life/Time: The Past, Society: War, Society: Nation, Emotions/Behavior: Memory
Tags Historical Fiction, Satire, British Literature, History: World, Classic Fiction
Coming Up For Air is an interwar novel written by British author George Orwell shortly before the outbreak of World War II. Originally published in 1939, the novel was written in Morocco while Orwell was recovering from injuries received while fighting in the Spanish Civil War. Set in the late 1930s, the novel follows a middle-aged insurance salesman named George Bowling as he struggles with anxieties about the coming war. Like Orwell’s more famous novels... Read Coming Up for Air Summary
Publication year 2010
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Identity: Gender, Identity: Race, Life/Time: The Past, Society: Class, Society: Community, Society: Nation, Society: Politics & Government, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice
Tags History: U.S., American Civil War, Military / War, History: World, Politics / Government
Publication year 2000
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Identity: Mental Health, Life/Time: Midlife, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Teams, Self Discovery, Society: Class, Society: Community, Society: Economics, Society: Education, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Values/Ideas: Literature, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Romance, Humor
Published in 2000, Confessions of a Shopaholic was the breakout success of British novelist Sophie Kinsella (the pen name of Madeleine Wickham), a former financial journalist from London. Before adopting the Kinsella pseudonym, Wickham published several traditional novels, but she gained international recognition through the Shopaholic series, along with later stand-alone works such as Can You Keep a Secret? and The Undomestic Goddess.The novel follows Rebecca Bloomwood, a journalist whose compulsive spending habits clash comically... Read Confessions of a Shopaholic Summary
Publication year 2018
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Gender, Identity: Sexuality, Society: Class, Society: Colonialism, Society: Community
Tags Historical Fiction, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, LGBTQ, Class, Incarceration, Gender / Feminism, Love / Sexuality, Social Justice, Colonialism / Postcolonialism, History: World
Publication year 2016
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Society: Class, Identity: Masculinity, Identity: Femininity, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Life/Time: Midlife
Tags Japanese Literature, Relationships, Realistic Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Asian Literature
Publication year 1936
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Fate, Life/Time: Coming of Age
Tags Poverty, Class, Indian Literature, Realism, Asian Literature, History: World, Drama / Tragedy, Historical Fiction, Classic Fiction
Since its publication in 1936, Mulk Raj Anand’s novel Coolie has become a landmark in modern Indian literature. The novel condemned the social, economic, and cultural impact of more than two centuries of British occupation and indicted India’s own rigid caste system, which had long separated its citizens into groups based on their work status and their ethnicity. The novel appeared at the height of a turbulent decade in which India itself, under the moral... Read Coolie Summary