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!
Publication year 2003
Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Literature, Society: War, Self Discovery, Society: Politics & Government
Tags Gender / Feminism, History: Middle Eastern, Politics / Government, Women's Studies (Nonfiction), History: World, Biography
Reading Lolita in Tehran: A Memoir in Books is a memoir by Iranian American author Azar Nafisi, first released to widespread critical and popular acclaim in 2003. The memoir recalls Nafisi’s experiences living and teaching in Iran after the 1979 revolution that created the Islamic Republic of Iran, until her eventual exile in the United States in 1997. At the center of the memoir is Nafisi’s account of a secret book club she hosted during... Read Reading Lolita in Tehran Summary
Publication year 2024
Genre Short Story Collection, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Gender, Identity: Masculinity, Identity: Mental Health, Identity: Race, Identity: Sexuality, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Self Discovery, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Literature, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Publication year 2002
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Masculinity, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: The Past, Natural World: Place, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Values/Ideas: Fame, Values/Ideas: Literature, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Romance, Historical Fiction, Regency Era
Publication year 2010
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Mothers, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Relationships: Grandparents, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Nostalgia, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Joy, Values/Ideas: Literature, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Fame, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Natural World: Animals, Natural World: Environment, Natural World: Flora/plants, Natural World: Food, Natural World: Place
Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Psychological Fiction, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Crime / Legal, Modern Classic Fiction, Drama / Tragedy
IntroductionEmma Donoghue’s Room is a 2010 novel about a boy named Jack who lives in a single room with his mother, Ma. Room is a crime thriller novel that explores themes of trauma, innocence, and adaptability through the eyes of five-year-old narrator, Jack. Room has received many awards, including the ALA Alex Award, the Indies Choice Book Award for Fiction, and The New York Times Book Review Best Book of the Year award. Room was... Read Room Summary
Publication year 2019
Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Literature, Natural World: Food, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Identity: Gender, Natural World: Place, Relationships: Family, Society: Community
Tags Memoir / Autobiography, Food
Publication year 2005
Genre Reference/Text Book, Nonfiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Literature, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Fame, Identity: Language
Tags Arts / Culture, Education, Business / Economics, Self Help
Publication year 2008
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Identity: Disability, Identity: Masculinity, Identity: Race, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Natural World: Place, Relationships: Family, Self Discovery, Society: Class, Society: Education, Values/Ideas: Literature
Tags Realistic Fiction, Drama / Tragedy, Children's Literature
Publication year 1980
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Beauty, Values/Ideas: Literature
Tags Lyric Poem
Publication year 2021
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Relationships: Mothers, Values/Ideas: Literature
Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Magical Realism, Romance, Fantasy
Publication year 1800
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Natural World: Flora/plants, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Identity: Femininity, Values/Ideas: Literature, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Apathy, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness
Tags Lyric Poem, Romanticism / Romantic Period, Grief / Death, British Literature
Publication year 1968
Genre Essay Collection, Nonfiction
Themes Society: Nation, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Values/Ideas: Literature
Tags Arts / Culture, History: U.S., American Literature, Vietnam War, Journalism, History: World, Classic Fiction, Biography
Slouching Towards Bethlehem is Joan Didion’s 1968 collection of essays that document her experiences living in California from 1961 to 1967. It is her first collection of nonfiction (many of the pieces originally appeared in The Saturday Evening Post) and is hailed as a seminal document of culture and counterculture in 1960s California. Didion’s style was part of what Tom Wolfe called “New Journalism,” which emphasized the search for meaning over the reporting of facts... Read Slouching Towards Bethlehem Summary
Publication year 2002
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Art, Identity: Gender, Values/Ideas: Literature
Tags Historical Fiction, Asian Literature, Modern Classic Fiction, Asian Literature
Snow is a novel of postmodern literary fiction published in Turkish in 2002 and in English in 2004. Snow won the Le Prix Médicis étranger award for the best foreign novel in France. The author, Orhan Pamuk, won the 2006 Nobel Prize for Literature and was the youngest person ever to receive this award. Pamuk was born in Istanbul in 1952 and grew up in Nişantaşı, Turkey. He studied architecture and journalism, only to decide... Read Snow Summary
Publication year 1924
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Beauty, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Identity: Gender, Natural World: Food, Natural World: Place, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Marriage, Self Discovery, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Literature
Tags Classic Fiction, Historical Fiction, American Literature, Poverty
Publication year 2025
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Gender, Identity: Indigenous, Identity: Masculinity, Identity: Mental Health, Life/Time: Aging, Natural World: Environment, Relationships: Family, Self Discovery, Society: Community, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Literature, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality
Tags Action / Adventure, Mystery / Crime Fiction
Publication year 1996
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Society: Colonialism, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Literature
Tags Historical Fiction, Military / War, Education, Education
Publication year 1591
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Identity: Masculinity, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Literature
Publication year 1991
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Society: Education, Values/Ideas: Fate, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Values/Ideas: Literature, Life/Time: The Past, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance
Tags Philosophy, Scandinavian Literature, Magical Realism, Science / Nature, Sociology, Religion / Spirituality, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Fantasy, Classic Fiction
Sophie's World is a young adult book by Norwegian author Jostein Gaarder. The book follows main character Sophie, a young girl who is fourteen years old and living with her parents in Norway. Sophie's life changes dramatically when she receives a series of strange postcards, which ask her large, existential questions about the world around her. Each day, Sophie receives a postcard, and in the evenings she receives a package from a man named Alberto... Read Sophie's World Summary
Publication year 1968
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Literature
Tags Lyric Poem
Publication year 1927
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Identity: Masculinity, Identity: Mental Health, Life/Time: The Past, Self Discovery, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Values/Ideas: Literature, Values/Ideas: Music, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality
Tags Auto/Biographical Fiction, Philosophy, Existentialism, German Literature, History: World, Psychology, Psychology, Philosophy, Classic Fiction
Steppenwolf, originally published in German in 1927, then translated into English in 1929, is the eighth novel published by Swiss German novelist Hermann Hesse. The novel was commercially successful upon publication, and it remains a popular novel to the present day. However, Hesse remarked that whereas his intention was to find humor in life and resist despair, Steppenwolf has often been misunderstood as a glorification of suffering. Much of Hesse’s body of work addresses spiritual... Read Steppenwolf Summary
Publication year 2022
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Values/Ideas: Literature, Society: Education, Identity: Mental Health
Tags Psychology, Self Help, Health / Medicine, Science / Nature, Addiction / Substance Abuse, Leadership/Organization/Management, Psychology, Mental Illness