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.

Source Code

by Bill Gates

Publication year 2025

Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction

Themes Childhood & Youth, Perseverance, Gratitude, Loneliness, Memory, Coming of Age, Future, The Past, Family, Teamwork, Self Discovery, Economics, Politics & Government, Science & Technology, Masculinity

Tags Memoir & Autobiography

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Spike Heels

by Theresa Rebeck

Publication year 1990

Genre Play, Fiction

Themes Social Class, Gender Identity, Education, Masculinity, Femininity, Self Discovery, Power & Greed

Tags Historical Drama, Comedy & Satire, Gender & Feminism, Love & Sexuality, American Literature, Trauma & Abuse, Dramatic Literature, Education, Education

Theresa Rebeck’s provocative feminist two-act drama Spike Heels, first produced in 1990, is a problem play, that is a drama that looks at cultural, social, and economic issues. Problem plays intended to participate in the cultural conversation have a long and significant history in the theater. Playwrights like the Ancient Greek Euripides, 19th century Henrik Ibsen and George Bernard Shaw (whose presence looms large in Spike Heels), and a wide number of contemporary playwrights have... Read Spike Heels Summary

Spunk

by Zora Neale Hurston

Publication year 1925

Genre Short Story, Fiction

Themes Masculinity, Loyalty & Betrayal, Revenge

Tags Harlem Renaissance, Women`s Studies, American Literature, Historical Fiction, Classic Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, US History, Arts & Culture, Black Lives Matter, African American Literature

“Spunk” is a short story by Zora Neale Hurston published in 1925. Set in the rural Southern United States, “Spunk” follows the conflict that ensues when one man pursues another man’s wife. The story’s publication helped establish Hurston as a significant literary voice during the Harlem Renaissance. In 1989, George C. Wolfe adapted the story, along with content from two others by Hurston, into a play by the same name. Citations in this guide correspond... Read Spunk Summary

Steppenwolf

by Hermann Hesse

Publication year 1927

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Loneliness, Masculinity, Mental Health, The Past, Self Discovery, War, Art, Beauty, Literature, Music, Religion & Spirituality

Tags Life-Inspired Fiction, Philosophy, Existentialism, German Literature, World History, 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

Stone Blind

by Natalie Haynes

Publication year 2022

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Femininity, Family, Masculinity, Truth & Lies, Safety & Danger, Mothers, Power & Greed, Justice, Good & Evil, Equality, Shame & Pride

Tags Mythology, Fantasy, Historical Fiction, Gender & Feminism, Trauma & Abuse, World History

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Strangers

by Belle Burden

Publication year 2026

Genre Biography, Nonfiction

Themes Marriage, Family, Conflict, Forgiveness, Grief, Loneliness, Memory, Nostalgia, Regret, Shame & Pride, Femininity, Masculinity, Mental Health, Midlife, Animals, Place, Self Discovery, Social Class, Power & Greed

Tags Memoir & Autobiography, Relationships

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Symposium

by Plato

Publication year 380

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Love, Education, Masculinity

Tags Philosophy, Ancient Egypt, Education, Education, Philosophy, World History, Classical Period, Classic Fiction

Ancient Greek philosopher Plato wrote the Symposium around 385 BCE. One of Plato’s best-known and most important works, the Symposium is a philosophical dialogue that explores the nature and virtues of Love (Eros) through seven speeches delivered at a symposium in 416 BCE. The Symposium is considered fiction, though the setting and characters are based on historical fact: For example, Socrates features in the dialogue, but Plato gives him a fictional speech. Plato is one... Read Symposium Summary

Taming 7

by Chloe Walsh

Publication year 2024

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Fear, Guilt, Shame & Pride, Masculinity, Mental Health, Coming of Age, Friendship, Safety & Danger

Tags Romance, Sports, New Adult

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Ten Indians

by Ernest Hemingway

Publication year 1927

Genre Short Story, Fiction

Themes Coming of Age, Place, Race, Hate & Anger, Gender Identity, Masculinity, Nation, Equality

Tags American Literature, Race & Racism, Classic Fiction

“Ten Indians” by American author Ernest Hemingway was first published in his second short story collection, Men Without Women (1927). The story follows Nick Adams, a recurring protagonist in Hemingway’s work who shares traits and backstory with the author. These stories, including “Ten Indians,” were later collected in the anthology The Nick Adams Stories.The title references an 1864 children’s rhyming and counting song, “Ten Little Indians,” composed by Septimus Winner. It was subsequently adapted as... Read Ten Indians Summary

Tenth of December

by George Saunders

Publication year 2013

Genre Short Story Collection, Fiction

Themes Social Class, Science & Technology, Justice, Good & Evil, Community, Family, Death, Masculinity, Power & Greed

Tags Satirical Literature, Science Fiction, Relationships, American Literature, Modern Classic Fiction, World History

Tenth of December: Stories (2013) is American author George Saunders’s fourth short story collection. Saunders is widely regarded as one of the modern masters of the short story form, and this collection features stories written between 1995 and 2012, some of which were previously published in various literary outlets. The book was a bestseller and was widely praised on release, winning both the Story Prize and the Folio Prize. This guide refers to the 2013... Read Tenth of December Summary

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian

by Sherman Alexie

Publication year 2007

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Race, Masculinity, Friendship

Tags Realistic Fiction, Coming of Age, Race & Racism, Poverty, Addiction & Substance Abuse, Grief & Death, Education, Education, Modern Classic Fiction, Humor

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian is a young adult novel by Sherman Alexie, published in 2007 with art by Ellen Forney. Alexie, a Spokane/Cour d’Alene Indian (a term he prefers to “Native American”), began the book as a memoir inspired by experiences he had growing up on the Spokane Indian Reservation in Wellpinit, Washington, and attending the predominantly white Reardan High School in Reardan, Washington. The book received much praise and many... Read The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian Summary

The Art of Fielding

by Chad Harbach

Publication year 2011

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Coming of Age, Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Perseverance, Fear, Forgiveness, Guilt, Hope, Love, Shame & Pride, Masculinity, Mental Health, Sexual Identity, Midlife, Death, Place, Family, Friendship, Teamwork, Self Discovery, Community, Education, Beauty, Fate, Good & Evil, Loyalty & Betrayal, Safety & Danger

Tags Sports, Relationships, Psychological Fiction

Published in 2011, The Art of Fielding by Chad Harbach is a work of literary fiction depicting the interwoven journeys of characters at Westish, a fictional small liberal arts college in Wisconsin. Henry Skrimshander is a talented baseball shortstop whose future is jeopardized by an errant throw. His development intersects with that of his teammate Schwartz; his roommate, Owen; college president Guert; and Pella, Guert’s daughter and a newly enrolled student of Westish. The novel... Read The Art of Fielding Summary

The Art of Love

by Ovid

Publication year 2

Genre Novel/Book in Verse, Fiction

Themes Sexual Identity, Wins & Losses, Loyalty & Betrayal, Beauty, Midlife, Loneliness, Love, Femininity, Masculinity

Tags Lyric Poem, Romance, Fairy Tale & Folklore, Ancient Rome, Didacticism, Love & Sexuality, Philosophy, Arts & Culture, European History, Gender & Feminism, Relationships, Philosophy, Classical Period, World History, Fantasy, Classic Fiction

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The Battle of Maldon

by Anonymous

Publication year 1726

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes War, Death, Loyalty & Betrayal, Revenge, Masculinity, Conflict, Shame & Pride, Nation, Perseverance

Tags Narrative Poem, Military & War, European History, Grief & Death, Trauma & Abuse, Medieval, British Literature, Education, Education, World History, Classic Fiction

“The Battle of Maldon” is a heroic poem, also classified as an epic, dating from the 10th century. Originally written in Old English, the text details a violent battle between the Anglo-Saxon warriors and the raiding Vikings. The Anglo-Saxons are led by Earl Byrhtnoth, who held land in the Anglo-Saxon kingdom of Essex and fought for his ruler, King Æthelred the Unready. The poem depicts some of the central tenets of Anglo-Saxon culture, praising loyalty... Read The Battle of Maldon Summary

The Best at It

by Maulik Pancholy

Publication year 2019

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Mental Health, Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Shame & Pride, Masculinity, Race, Sexual Identity, Coming of Age, Family, Self Discovery, Community, Justice, Safety & Danger

Tags Realistic Fiction, LGBTQ+

... Read The Best at It Summary

The Best of Friends

by Lucinda Berry

Publication year 2020

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Conflict, Fear, Forgiveness, Grief, Guilt, Hate & Anger, Loneliness, Love, Regret, Revenge, Shame & Pride, Masculinity, Mental Health, Death, Friendship, Mothers, Self Discovery, Community, Justice, Safety & Danger, Truth & Lies

Tags Horror & Suspense, Mystery & Crime Fiction, Psychological Fiction, Contemporary Literature

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The Bonfire of the Vanities

by Tom Wolfe

Publication year 1987

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Power & Greed, Masculinity, Race, Social Class, Truth & Lies

Tags Satirical Literature, Social Class, Race & Racism, American Literature, Modern Classic Fiction, World History, Humor, Classic Fiction

Tom Wolfe’s The Bonfire of the Vanities, published in 1987, is a critically acclaimed, sprawling saga of the vivid world of New York City in the 1980s. Modeled after Charles Dickens’s socially realistic novels, the book is a satire on the excesses and disparities of New York society. Powered by diverse, opinionated characters and iconic locations, the plot follows the wealthy, married Manhattan investment broker Sherman McCoy as his American Dream begins to unravel. Sherman’s... Read The Bonfire of the Vanities Summary