Books & Literature

The Dutch philosopher Erasmus said, “When I have a little money, I buy books; and if I have any left, I buy food and clothes.” Why do we value books and literature so highly? This thematic collection gathers books that offer unique insights into the power, energy, and appeal of, well, books!

2666

by Roberto Bolano

Publication year 2004

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Conflict, Guilt, Hate & Anger, Loneliness, Memory, Nostalgia, Regret, Shame & Pride, Masculinity, Race, Sexual Identity, Midlife, The Past, Family, Immigration, War, Art, Good & Evil, Literature, Truth & Lies

Tags Latin American Literature, Mystery & Crime Fiction, Trauma & Abuse

2666 (2004) is a novel by Chilean author Roberto Bolaño, published one year after Bolaño's death. Centering around a reclusive German author and his role in investigating the ongoing unsolved murders in the fictional city of Santa Teresa, Mexico, 2666 jumps in location, narrative style, location, and characters over its five sections. The novel is widely acclaimed and was adapted into stage plays three times. The New York Times Book Review ranked 2666 as the... Read 2666 Summary

Adonais

by Percy Bysshe Shelley

Publication year 1821

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Death, Language, Art, Beauty, Literature

Tags Lyric Poem, Mythology, Romanticism, Grief & Death, British Literature, World History, Classic Fiction

The death of the young has been a thematic concern in literature since Antiquity. That untimely demise not only exposes human vulnerability but makes for melancholic contemplation over the waste of beauty, confidence, and youth’s energy. And when that person is an artist, still young and learning, the implications seem more tragic. Percy Bysshe Shelley’s “Adonais” (1821) is at one level a contemplation of the sudden death in 1821 of fellow poet John Keats. Keats... Read Adonais Summary

after the quake

by Haruki Murakami

Publication year 2000

Genre Short Story Collection, Fiction

Themes Loneliness, Love, Memory, Gender Identity, Mental Health, Death, Social Class, Art, Literature, Religion & Spirituality

Tags Magical Realism, Modern Classic Fiction

... Read after the quake Summary

A House for Mr. Biswas

by V. S. Naipaul

Publication year 1961

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Family, Conflict, Perseverance, Fear, Grief, Guilt, Hate & Anger, Shame & Pride, Revenge, Birth, Mental Health, Aging, The Past, Death, Childhood & Youth, Midlife, Daughters & Sons, Fathers, Marriage, Religion & Spirituality, Fate, Equality, Power & Greed, Loyalty & Betrayal, Trust & Doubt, Social Class, Colonialism, Community, Self Discovery, Literature, Economics

Tags Historical Fiction, Life-Inspired Fiction, Trauma & Abuse, Poverty, Finance, Depression & Suicide, Social Class, Colonialism & Postcolonialism, Indian Literature, Asian Literature, World History, Classic Fiction

A House for Mr. Biswas is a 1961 historical fiction novel by V. S. Naipaul. The story takes a postcolonial perspective of the life of a Hindu Indian man in British-owned and occupied Trinidad. Now regarded as one of Naipaul's most significant novels, A House for Mr. Biswas has won numerous awards and has been adapted as a musical, a radio drama, and a television show. Naipaul is also known for the works The Mimic... Read A House for Mr. Biswas Summary

All Fours

by Miranda July

Publication year 2024

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Perseverance, Love, Sexual Identity, Aging, Midlife, Future, The Past, Friendship, Marriage, Self Discovery, Community, Education, Art, Literature, Loyalty & Betrayal, Truth & Lies, Family

Tags Gender & Feminism, Modern Classic Fiction, LGBTQ+, Humor

... Read All Fours Summary

All the Water in the World

by Eiren Caffall

Publication year 2025

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Race, Childhood & Youth, Coming of Age, Death, Future, The Past, Animals, Climate, Environment, Food, Objects & Materials, Place, Family, Teamwork, Self Discovery, Social Class, Colonialism, Community, Economics, Art, Beauty, Equality, Justice, Literature, Music, Order & Chaos, Power & Greed, Safety & Danger, Science & Technology, Trust & Doubt

Tags Science Fiction

... Read All the Water in the World Summary

A Moveable Feast

by Ernest Hemingway

Publication year 1964

Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction

Themes Literature, Friendship

Tags Travel Literature, American Literature, French Literature, Classic Fiction, Biography

A Moveable Feast was written by Ernest Hemingway and published posthumously in 1964, three years after his death. The title, A Moveable Feast, is a play on the term used for holy days that do not consistently fall on the same date every year. The memoir’s structure mirrors this concept, featuring 20 separate yet related stories that make up Hemingway’s own collection of inconsistent holy days. The memoir blends fact with fiction as Hemingway recalls... Read A Moveable Feast Summary

Anthills Of The Savannah

by Chinua Achebe

Publication year 1987

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Politics & Government, Power & Greed, Colonialism, Literature

Tags Satirical Literature, Historical Fiction, Colonialism & Postcolonialism, African Literature

Anthills of the Savannah (1987) is a postcolonial literary novel by Nigerian author Chinua Achebe. Achebe’s influence looms large not only over modern African literature but also over postcolonial fiction and theory; his African Trilogy, consisting of Things Fall Apart, Arrow of God, and No Longer at Ease, is considered a modern classic. Achebe received multiple honors, including the Nigerian National Merit Award for intellectual achievement and the Man Booker International Prize for lifetime achievement... Read Anthills Of The Savannah Summary

Arcadia

by Tom Stoppard

Publication year 1993

Genre Play, Fiction

Themes Science & Technology, Truth & Lies, The Past, Literature

Tags Historical Fiction, Tragedy, Comedy & Satire, Science & Nature, British Literature, Education, Education, World History, Dramatic Literature, Classic Fiction

Arcadia by Tom Stoppard was first performed on April 13, 1993, at the Royal National Theatre in London. In 2006, the Royal Institution of Great Britain named it one of the best science-related works ever written.The play, which contains elements of historical fiction, has dual plot lines—one historical and one modern—that share the same physical setting. In the 19th century, the play follows the young Thomasina, a mathematical genius far ahead of her time, and... Read Arcadia Summary

Are Prisons Obsolete?

by Angela Y. Davis

Publication year 2003

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Social Class, Community, Globalization, Economics, Education, Politics & Government, Justice, Equality, Literature, Power & Greed

Tags Politics & Government, Race & Racism, Social Justice, US History, Sociology, Gender & Feminism, World History, Philosophy, Philosophy

... Read Are Prisons Obsolete? Summary