Colonialism & Postcolonialism

With best-selling novels like Barbara Kingsolver's The Poisonwood Bible and influential academic texts such as Edward Said's Orientalism, this collection gathers books from across genres to explore the complex dynamics and lasting legacies of colonialism.

Good Advice is Rarer than Rubies

by Salman Rushdie

Publication year 1987

Genre Short Story, Fiction

Themes Gender Identity, Colonialism, Femininity

Tags Colonialism & Postcolonialism, Immigration & Refugeeism, Gender & Feminism, Indian Literature

“Good Advice Is Rarer Than Rubies,” a short story written by Salman Rushdie, was first published in The New Yorker in 1987 and then reprinted in East, West, a collection of Rushdie’s short stories published in 1994. This anthology divides the stories into three sections: “East, “West,” and “East/West.” “Good Advice Is Rarer Than Rubies” can be found in the “East” section. Most of this story takes place in a shantytown next to the British... Read Good Advice is Rarer than Rubies Summary

Green Grass, Running Water

by Thomas King

Publication year 1993

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Conflict, Indigenous Identity, Power & Greed, Colonialism

Tags Magical Realism, American Literature, Education, Education, Fantasy, Modern Classic Fiction, Canadian Literature

Thomas King’s novel Green Grass, Running Water (1993) is set in a contemporary First Nations Blackfoot community in Alberta, Canada. The book gained critical acclaim due to its unique structure and King’s combination of oral and written history within a compelling narrative. The novel follows several plotlines, ranging from realist to mythical, and revolves around the broad theme of Indigenous identity in the 20th century. The novel is notable for its use of magical realism... Read Green Grass, Running Water Summary

Gunga Din

by Rudyard Kipling

Publication year 1890

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Guilt, Memory, Shame & Pride, Disability, Masculinity, Race, Death, Colonialism, War, Religion & Spirituality

Tags Classic Fiction, Military & War

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Hawaii

by James A. Michener

Publication year 1959

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Indigenous Identity, Colonialism, Globalization

Tags Historical Fiction, US History, Narrative Poem, World History, Travel Literature, Classic Fiction

Hawaii (1959) is one of the earlier books by well-known and prolific author James A. Michener. The novel is typical of Michener’s historical epics, which focus on transgenerational family sagas played out against the backdrop of world events. Prior to writing Hawaii, Michener had already gained fame with Tales of the South Pacific, which won a Pulitzer Prize for Literature in 1948, and was later adapted into the Broadway musical South Pacific. The author gained... Read Hawaii Summary

Heart of Darkness

by Joseph Conrad

Publication year 1899

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Colonialism

Tags Classic Fiction, Victorian Period, British Literature, Colonialism & Postcolonialism, Education, Education, Historical Fiction, Action & Adventure

Heart of Darkness (1899) is a novel by Joseph Conrad detailing the story of Marlow, the captain of a steamboat, who travels up the Congo River to find a man named Kurtz. The novel is set in what was then known as the Congo Free State, which was owned by King Leopold II of Belgium. It is loosely based on Conrad's own experiences of working for a Belgian trading company. While Conrad partially intended to... Read Heart of Darkness Summary

Heir

by Sabaa Tahir

Publication year 2024

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Hate & Anger, Hope, Love, Revenge, Gender Identity, Indigenous Identity, Coming of Age, Colonialism, Nation, Politics & Government, War, Good & Evil, Justice, Power & Greed

Tags Fantasy, Romance

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Honor

by Thrity Umrigar

Publication year 2022

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Hope, Love, Loyalty & Betrayal, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Fear, Grief, Hate & Anger, Memory, Shame & Pride, Femininity, Family, Self Discovery, Social Class, Colonialism, Community, Justice, Safety & Danger

Tags Historical Fiction

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Hope In The Dark

by Rebecca Solnit

Publication year 2004

Genre Essay Collection, Nonfiction

Themes Power & Greed, Community, Globalization, Economics, Politics & Government, Nation, Colonialism, War, Environment

Tags Social Justice, Politics & Government, Gender & Feminism, World History, Philosophy, Philosophy

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House Made of Dawn

by N. Scott Momaday

Publication year 1968

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Justice, Apathy, Perseverance, Loneliness, Love, Place, Animals, Religion & Spirituality, Equality, Fate, Good & Evil, Order & Chaos, Colonialism, Community, Nation, Politics & Government, War, Memory

Tags Historical Fiction, Classic Fiction, American Literature, Addiction & Substance Abuse, Social Justice, World History

The novel House Made of Dawn, by N. Scott Momaday, was first published in 1968. Heralded as a major landmark in the emergence of Indigenous American literature, the novel won the 1969 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction. House Made of Dawn blends fictional and nonfictional elements to depict life on an Indigenous American reservation like the one where Momaday grew up.This guide uses an eBook version of the 2018 First Harper Perennial Modern Classics (50th Anniversary)... Read House Made of Dawn Summary

House of Flame and Shadow

by Sarah J. Maas

Publication year 2024

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Perseverance, Forgiveness, Guilt, Hate & Anger, Love, Race, Coming of Age, Environment, Place, Teamwork, Colonialism, War, Equality, Good & Evil, Loyalty & Betrayal, Safety & Danger

Tags Fantasy, Romance, Action & Adventure, Fairy Tale & Folklore

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How I Became a Ghost

by Tim Tingle

Publication year 2013

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Death, Colonialism, Community

Tags Historical Fiction, US History, Trauma & Abuse, Children`s Literature, World History, Magical Realism, Fantasy, Arts & Culture

Published in 2013 by Tim Tingle, How I Became a Ghost is a work of middle grade fiction that follows a young boy in the Choctaw nation and his death on the Trail of Tears. The Choctaw Trail of Tears refers to The Indian Removal Act of 1830 and the forced relocation of Choctaws from their homes in the deep south to areas further west. How I Became a Ghost has received an American Indian... Read How I Became a Ghost Summary

How to Stand Up to a Dictator

by Maria Ressa

Publication year 2022

Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Perseverance, Hope, Sexual Identity, Teamwork, Colonialism, Community, Economics, Education, Globalization, Nation, Politics & Government, Justice, Literature, Power & Greed, Science & Technology, Trust & Doubt, Truth & Lies

Tags Politics & Government, Asian History, Journalism, Social Justice, World History, Biography

... Read How to Stand Up to a Dictator Summary