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.

Out of Darkness

by Ashley Hope Pérez

Publication year 2015

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Race, Social Class, Fear, Hate & Anger, Hope, Love, Family, Siblings, Community, Justice, Religion & Spirituality, Femininity, Masculinity

Tags Historical Fiction, Romance, Trauma & Abuse, Realistic Fiction, Gender & Feminism, Grief & Death, US History, Love & Sexuality, Race & Racism, Religion & Spirituality, American Literature, Social Class, World History

Out of Darkness is a young adult historical novel written by Ashley Hope Pérez and published in 2015 by Holiday House of New York. Pérez holds a PhD in Comparative Literature from Indiana University, where her research focused on Latin American literature. A professor of World Literatures at Ohio State University, she is also the author of What Can’t Wait (2011), The Knife and The Butterfly (2012), and Rural Voices: 15 Authors Challenge Assumptions about... Read Out of Darkness Summary

Phantastes

by George MacDonald

Publication year 1858

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Good & Evil, Masculinity, Femininity, Coming of Age, Religion & Spirituality, Appearance & Reality

Tags Fantasy, Classic Fiction, Christian, World History, Fairy Tale & Folklore, Religion & Spirituality

Phantastes: a Faerie Romance for Men and Women (1858) by George MacDonald is an extended fairy tale in which Anodos, a youth just coming of age, enters a hauntingly beautiful fairy wood. Ever pursuing his ideal of beauty, he meets many of the inhabitants of the enchanted world, overcoming obstacles as he learns what it means to become not just a man but a good man, eventually achieving union with the divine.George MacDonald (1824-1905) was a... Read Phantastes Summary

Playground

by Richard Powers

Publication year 2024

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Environment, Conflict, Perseverance, Masculinity, Death, Fathers, Friendship, Marriage, Siblings, Teamwork, Self Discovery, Community, Education, Fate, Literature, Loyalty & Betrayal, Order & Chaos, Power & Greed, Science & Technology, Wins & Losses

Tags Science Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction

... Read Playground Summary

Post Office

by Charles Bukowski

Publication year 1971

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Apathy, Conflict, Perseverance, Hope, Loneliness, Masculinity, Mental Health, Sexual Identity, Midlife, Family, Friendship, Teamwork, Self Discovery, Economics, Nation, Politics & Government, Fate, Justice, Order & Chaos, Truth & Lies, Wins & Losses

Tags Classic Fiction, Life-Inspired Fiction, Humor, American Literature, The Beat Generation

... Read Post Office Summary

Presumed Innocent

by Scott Turow

Publication year 1987

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Loyalty & Betrayal, Power & Greed, Truth & Lies, Justice, Conflict, Forgiveness, Guilt, Revenge, Masculinity, Sexual Identity, Midlife, The Past, Family, Fathers, Marriage, Mothers, Politics & Government

Tags Mystery & Crime Fiction, Horror & Suspense, Crime & Law

Presumed Innocent (1987) is Scott Turow’s first novel, originally published by Farrar Straus & Giroux. The hit novel stayed on the New York Times bestseller list for 44 weeks and is often credited as an early example of the modern legal thriller, helping to shape the genre’s conventions. Turow went on to publish 12 additional novels and three nonfiction works. He also continued to practice law, specializing in criminal defense, contrasting with Presumed Innocent’s protagonist... Read Presumed Innocent Summary

Prince of Tides

by Pat Conroy

Publication year 1986

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Family, Fathers, Mothers, Siblings, Mental Health, Masculinity, Childhood & Youth

Tags Romance, Southern Literature, Trauma & Abuse, Depression & Suicide, Modern Classic Fiction, Dramatic Literature, Classic Fiction

... Read Prince of Tides Summary

Promise Boys

by Nick Brooks

Publication year 2023

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Masculinity, Race, Childhood & Youth, Family, Self Discovery, Social Class, Community, Education, Justice, Power & Greed, Truth & Lies

Tags Mystery & Crime Fiction, Horror & Suspense, Realistic Fiction, Race & Racism

... Read Promise Boys Summary

Reasons to Stay Alive

by Matt Haig

Publication year 2015

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Mental Health, Disability, Masculinity, Fear, Self Discovery, Death, Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Courage

Tags Self-Improvement, Psychology, Health, Depression & Suicide, Inspirational, Mental Illness, Psychology, Biography

... Read Reasons to Stay Alive Summary

Red Harvest

by Dashiell Hammett

Publication year 1929

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Masculinity, Justice, Power & Greed, Truth & Lies

Tags Mystery & Crime Fiction, Horror & Suspense

Red Harvest (1929) is a detective novel by American author Dashiell Hammett. The plot is loosely based on the Anaconda Road massacre, a 1920 labor dispute that escalated after a mining company fired upon its miners who were on strike, wounding 16 men and killing another. In 2005, Time magazine named Red Harvest one of the 100 best novels of the 20th century. The novel has influenced many works of noir fiction. This guide uses the... Read Red Harvest Summary

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