Books that Feature the Theme of Masculinity

This thematic Collection centers books that explore the concepts of manhood and masculinity. Through novels, plays, and literary genres, a diverse chorus of authors examines various interpretations of masculine identity and the masculine experience through coming-of-age stories, war narratives, and fantasy realms.

Rejection

by Tony Tulathimutte

Publication year 2024

Genre Short Story Collection, Fiction

Themes Perseverance, Fear, Hate & Anger, Loneliness, Love, Shame & Pride, Femininity, Gender Identity, Masculinity, Mental Health, Race, Sexual Identity, Coming of Age, Self Discovery, Community, Literature, Power & Greed, Science & Technology, Truth & Lies

... Read Rejection Summary

Rendezvous with Rama

by Arthur C. Clarke

Publication year 1973

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Space, Conflict, Fear, Hope, Memory, Masculinity, Future, The Past, Appearance & Reality, Objects & Materials, Place, Teamwork, Self Discovery, Colonialism, Politics & Government, Beauty, Fate, Good & Evil, Justice, Loyalty & Betrayal, Order & Chaos, Power & Greed, Religion & Spirituality, Safety & Danger, Science & Technology, Trust & Doubt, Truth & Lies

Tags Science Fiction, Fantasy

Published in 1973, Rendezvous With Rama is a science fiction adventure novel by British author Arthur C. Clarke. In his time, Clarke was known as one of the “Big Three” writers of science fiction alongside American authors Isaac Asimov and Robert A. Heinlein. Clarke’s expertise in space flight prompted him to develop the novel and screenplay for his best-known work, 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968). Rendezvous With Rama won major speculative fiction awards, including the... Read Rendezvous with Rama Summary

Resurrection

by Leo Tolstoy

Publication year 2018

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Religion & Spirituality, Forgiveness, Love, Guilt, Hope, Regret, Masculinity, Self Discovery, Social Class, Good & Evil, Justice

Tags Russian Literature, Classic Fiction, Philosophy, Social Science

... Read Resurrection Summary

Revolutionary Road

by Richard Yates

Publication year 1961

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Marriage, Loyalty & Betrayal, Masculinity, Social Class

Tags Historical Fiction, Psychological Fiction, American Literature, Modern Classic Fiction, World History, Classic Fiction

IntroductionRichard Yates’s novel Revolutionary Road was published in 1961 and was a finalist for the National Book Award in 1962, along with Joseph Heller’s Catch-22 and Walker Percy’s The Moviegoer, which won the award. The book was Yates’s first novel, though he had worked as a journalist and ghostwriter, writing some of John F. Kennedy’s speeches following his service in the US Army during World War II. In a 1976 interview for the literary journal... Read Revolutionary Road Summary

Riders of the Purple Sage

by Zane Grey

Publication year 1912

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Conflict, Gender Identity, Femininity, Masculinity, Justice, Safety & Danger, Loyalty & Betrayal, Good & Evil, Religion & Spirituality, Power & Greed, Trust & Doubt, Truth & Lies, Wins & Losses, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Perseverance, Fear, Grief, Hate & Anger, Loneliness, Revenge, Regret, Shame & Pride, Fathers, Friendship

Tags Classic Fiction, Western, Historical Fiction, Gender & Feminism, Religion & Spirituality, American Literature, World History, Romance, Action & Adventure

Riders of the Purple Sage is a novel by western writer Zane Grey. Set in 1871, the novel follows the story of Jane Withersteen, a Mormon woman being persecuted by her church leaders for refusing to become the third wife of church leader, Elder Tull, as well as her fondness for non-Mormons, or gentile, settlers in the area. The novel first appeared as a 19-part series in the magazine, Field and Stream, in January of... Read Riders of the Purple Sage Summary

Rodrick Rules

by Jeff Kinney

Publication year 2008

Genre Graphic Novel/Book, Fiction

Themes Friendship, Conflict, Apathy, Fear, Hate & Anger, Shame & Pride, Regret, Childhood & Youth, Power & Greed, Truth & Lies, Trust & Doubt, Masculinity, Appearance & Reality, Education, Family, Siblings, Mothers, Fathers, Daughters & Sons

Tags Humor, Realistic Fiction, Children`s Literature, Modern Classic Fiction

... Read Rodrick Rules Summary

Rumble Fish

by S. E. Hinton

Publication year 1975

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Masculinity, Loyalty & Betrayal, Hate & Anger

Tags Coming of Age, Bullying, Relationships, American Literature, Children`s Literature, Education, Education, Realistic Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Classic Fiction

Susan Eloise Hinton was born in 1948 and lives in Oklahoma, where most of her novels are set. She wrote her first novel, The Outsiders, while still in high school. It was published in 1967 and earned Hinton her reputation as a pioneer of the young adult genre. The work “grew out of her dissatisfaction with the way teen-age life was being portrayed in the books she read” (Michaud, Jon. “S.E. Hinton and the Y.A... Read Rumble Fish Summary

Runaway: Stories

by Alice Munro

Publication year 2004

Genre Short Story Collection, Fiction

Themes Love, Loyalty & Betrayal, Nostalgia, Loneliness, Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Fear, Guilt, Memory, Shame & Pride, Femininity, Masculinity, Mental Health, Sexual Identity, The Past, Daughters & Sons, Family, Fathers, Marriage, Mothers, Self Discovery, Social Class, Community, Fate, Good & Evil, Order & Chaos, Power & Greed, Safety & Danger

Tags Canadian Literature, Literary Fiction, Relationships

... Read Runaway: Stories Summary

Schooled

by Paul Langan

Publication year 2008

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Conflict, Perseverance, Guilt, Hate & Anger, Hope, Shame & Pride, Disability, Masculinity, Race, Coming of Age, Place, Family, Self Discovery, Social Class, Education, Literature

Tags Realistic Fiction, Dramatic Literature, Children`s Literature

... Read Schooled Summary

Scorpions

by Walter Dean Myers

Publication year 1988

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Friendship, Social Class, Masculinity, Race, Loyalty & Betrayal

Tags Realistic Fiction, Coming of Age, African American Literature, Children`s Literature, Arts & Culture

Scorpions is a young adult, coming-of-age novel written by best-selling children’s author Walter Dean Myers. Like many of Myers’s works, the book is based on his experience of growing up in New York City’s historically African American Harlem neighborhood. Exploring themes of brotherhood and masculinity, love and loyalty, race, class, and curtailed opportunity, the narrative follows 12-year-old Jamal Hicks as he is confronted with a life-changing dilemma: whether or not to step into the shoes... Read Scorpions Summary

Seven Guitars

by August Wilson

Publication year 1995

Genre Play, Fiction

Themes Death, Race, Masculinity

Tags Drama, Tragedy, Comedy & Satire, Race & Racism, African American Literature, World History, Dramatic Literature, Historical Fiction, Classic Fiction

Seven Guitars, which premiered in 1995 at the Goodman Theatre in Chicago and transferred to Broadway in 1996, is the seventh play in August Wilson’s American Century Cycle, also known as the Pittsburgh Cycle. This series, consisting of ten plays that are each set in a different decade of the 20th century, explore the lives of African Americans during each era. With the exclusion Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom (1984), which takes place in 1920s Chicago... Read Seven Guitars Summary

Shadow Ticket

by Thomas Pynchon

Publication year 2025

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Hope, Regret, Language, Masculinity, Future, The Past, Self Discovery, Nation, Politics & Government, War

Tags Mystery & Crime Fiction, Historical Fiction, Literary Fiction

... Read Shadow Ticket Summary

Sir Gawain and the Green Knight

by Anonymous

Publication year 1397

Genre Novel/Book in Verse, Fiction

Themes Masculinity, Fear, Loyalty & Betrayal

Tags Classic Fiction, Narrative Poem, Medieval, British Literature

Sir Gawain and the Green Knight is a chivalric romance of unknown authorship. Written sometime in the late-14th century, the work employs a complex metrical scheme that involves several lines of pentameter punctuated by a “bob and wheel”: a two-syllable “bob” followed by a rhyming quatrain of six-syllable lines. The bob and wheel structure is fairly typical of Middle English verse, as is the alliterative verse used throughout the sections written in pentameter. Its subject... Read Sir Gawain and the Green Knight Summary

Sky Full of Elephants

by Cebo Campbell

Publication year 2024

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Perseverance, Forgiveness, Grief, Guilt, Hate & Anger, Hope, Loneliness, Shame & Pride, Gender Identity, Masculinity, Mental Health, Race, Coming of Age, Future, The Past, Family, Fathers, Self Discovery, Community, Politics & Government, Justice

... Read Sky Full of Elephants Summary

Slay

by Brittney Morris

Publication year 2019

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Femininity, Masculinity, Race, Coming of Age, Friendship, Self Discovery, Equality, Justice, Loyalty & Betrayal, Safety & Danger

Tags Realistic Fiction, Science Fiction, Race & Racism, Sports, Modern Classic Fiction

... Read Slay Summary

Snapdragon

by Kat Leyh

Publication year 2020

Genre Graphic Novel/Book, Fiction

Themes Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Perseverance, Fear, Hope, Joy, Loneliness, Love, Memory, Shame & Pride, Regret, Forgiveness, Femininity, Gender Identity, Masculinity, Race, Sexual Identity, Fate, Religion & Spirituality, Safety & Danger, Trust & Doubt, Truth & Lies, Animals, Appearance & Reality

Tags Fantasy, Magical Realism, LGBTQ+, Children`s Literature

... Read Snapdragon Summary