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.
Publication year 2020
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Masculinity, Identity: Sexuality, Life/Time: Coming of Age
Tags Romance, Realistic Fiction, Religion / Spirituality, Gender / Feminism, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2019
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Identity: Masculinity, Society: Community
Tags Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Gender / Feminism, Women's Studies (Nonfiction), Mystery / Crime Fiction, Sociology, Psychology, Psychology, Social Justice, Politics / Government
No Visible Bruises: What We Don’t Know About Domestic Violence Can Kill Us (2019) was written by Rachel Louise Snyder, an associate professor of creative writing and journalism at American University. A world traveler, longtime contributor to magazines and podcasts, and a 2020 Guggenheim Fellow, Snyder has won awards for both her fiction and nonfiction works, which include Fugitive Denim and What We’ve Lost is Nothing. No Visible Bruises, published by Bloomsbury Publishing, won the... Read No Visible Bruises Summary
Publication year 1990
Genre Novel/Book in Verse, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Indigenous, Identity: Language, Identity: Masculinity, Identity: Mental Health, Identity: Race, Life/Time: Midlife, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: The Future, Life/Time: The Past, Natural World: Climate, Natural World: Environment, Natural World: Flora/plants, Natural World: Place, Relationships: Friendship, Society: Class, Society: Colonialism, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Literature, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality
Tags Colonialism / Postcolonialism, Narrative / Epic Poem, Afro-Caribbean Literature, Post Modernism
Omeros (1990) by Derek Walcott is an epic poem that reimagines The Iliad and The Odyssey by Homer on the island of Saint Lucia in the Caribbean. Walcott explores themes of post-colonial identity and trauma while linking life on the island to Homer’s legendary characters, such as Achilles, Helen, and Hector. Omeros has been celebrated as a foundational work of post-colonial fiction and has won numerous awards. This guide refers to the 1992 Farrar, Straus... Read Omeros Summary
Publication year 2005
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Marriage, Life/Time: Aging, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Identity: Race, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Relationships: Mothers, Society: Class, Society: Community, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Siblings, Life/Time: Midlife, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Relationships: Friendship, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Values/Ideas: Art, Emotions/Behavior: Apathy, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Values/Ideas: Equality, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Identity: Masculinity, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Society: Education, Identity: Femininity, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Identity: Gender, Emotions/Behavior: Hope
Tags British Literature, Race / Racism, Modern Classic Fiction
On Beauty by the celebrated British author Zadie Smith was published in 2005. On Beauty was shortlisted for the prestigious Man Booker Prize and won the Orange Prize for Fiction. Smith is known for writing novels and essays that analyze the intersections of identity in the contemporary world with nuance, clarity, and empathy. She is also known to be influenced by the classic English author E.M. Forster. On Beauty is loosely based on Forster’s masterpiece... Read On Beauty Summary
Publication year 2020
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Identity: Sexuality, Identity: Gender, Identity: Masculinity, Relationships: Siblings
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Bullying, Gender / Feminism, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Romance
Publication year 1995
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Society: War, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Identity: Masculinity, Identity: Mental Health, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Society: Community
Tags Psychology, Military / War, Sociology, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Science / Nature, History: World, Psychology, Philosophy, Philosophy, Politics / Government
Publication year 2021
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Masculinity, Identity: Race, Values/Ideas: Art
Tags Romance, Race / Racism, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2024
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Joy, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Identity: Masculinity, Identity: Race, Identity: Sexuality, Life/Time: The Past, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Marriage, Relationships: Mothers, Self Discovery, Society: Class, Society: Colonialism, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Fame, Values/Ideas: Literature
Publication year 2015
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Race, Society: Class, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Siblings, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Masculinity
Tags Historical Fiction, Romance, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Realistic Fiction, Gender / Feminism, Grief / Death, History: U.S., Love / Sexuality, Race / Racism, Religion / Spirituality, American Literature, Class, History: World
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
Publication year 2014
Genre Short Story Collection, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Masculinity, Relationships: Marriage, Society: Class, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed
Tags Mythology, Fantasy, Humor, Action / Adventure
Publication year 2019
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Masculinity, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Values/Ideas: Literature, Identity: Mental Health
Tags Romance, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 1988
Genre Essay / Speech, Nonfiction
Themes Identity: Gender, Identity: Sexuality, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Masculinity
Tags Gender / Feminism, Philosophy, LGBTQ, Philosophy
Publication year 1858
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Identity: Masculinity, Identity: Femininity, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Natural World: Appearance & Reality
Tags Fantasy, Classic Fiction, Christian literature, History: World, 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
Publication year 2024
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Natural World: Environment, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Identity: Masculinity, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Marriage, Relationships: Siblings, Relationships: Teams, Self Discovery, Society: Community, Society: Education, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Literature, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Values/Ideas: Win & Lose
Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 1987
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Identity: Masculinity, Identity: Sexuality, Life/Time: Midlife, Life/Time: The Past, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Marriage, Relationships: Mothers, Society: Politics & Government
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Crime / Legal
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
Publication year 1986
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Mothers, Relationships: Siblings, Identity: Mental Health, Identity: Masculinity, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth
Tags Romance, Southern Literature, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Depression / Suicide, Modern Classic Fiction, Drama / Tragedy, Classic Fiction
Publication year 2025
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Nostalgia, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Identity: Gender, Identity: Masculinity, Identity: Mental Health, Identity: Sexuality, Relationships: Marriage, Relationships: Siblings, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Equality
Tags Romance
Publication year 1650
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Literature, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Equality, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Masculinity, Values/Ideas: Fame
Tags Gender / Feminism
Publication year 2023
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Masculinity, Identity: Race, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Relationships: Family, Self Discovery, Society: Class, Society: Community, Society: Education, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Realistic Fiction, Race / Racism
Publication year 2015
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Identity: Mental Health, Identity: Disability, Identity: Masculinity, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Self Discovery, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Courage
Tags Self Help, Psychology, Health / Medicine, Depression / Suicide, Inspirational, Mental Illness, Psychology, Biography