Community

A community can come together for the common good or be torn apart by disagreement and strife. This collection explores what makes a community and how individuals struggle or succeed in finding their place within it.

Publication year 1849

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Society: Community

Tags Lyric Poem, Grief / Death, Love / Sexuality, Education, Education, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, American Literature, Gothic Literature, Romance, Classic Fiction

The last poem Edgar Allan Poe—infamous poet and fiction author of the macabre—completed during his tumultuous life, “Annabel Lee,” was first published in the New York Tribune in 1849, two days after Poe’s death. Displaying the melodic lyricism, gothic overtones, and memorable imagery which informed so much of Poe’s work, “Annabel Lee” is considered one of the defining entries in his canon, and a classic of 19th century American poetry.The poem concerns the death of... Read Annabel Lee Summary


Publication year 1909

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Life/Time: Coming of Age, Society: Community, Relationships: Friendship, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Society: Education, Emotions/Behavior: Hope

Tags Classic Fiction, Historical Fiction

Anne of Avonlea, the second novel in the Anne of Green Gables series, is the heralded sequel that brings readers back to the second chapter in Anne Shirley’s life from age 16 to 18. First published in 1909 by Canadian author L.M. Montgomery, Anne of Avonlea is set in the latter part of the 19th century in fictional Avonlea, a small town on Prince Edward Island, Canada. Filled with many familiar characters from the first... Read Anne of Avonlea Summary


Publication year 1936

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Equality, Society: Class, Society: Community

Tags Philosophy, Politics / Government, Social Justice, Asian Literature, Sociology, History: World, Philosophy, Indian Literature, Classic Fiction, Religion / Spirituality


Publication year 2024

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Identity: Mental Health, Self Discovery, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Literature

Tags Modern Classic Fiction, Magical Realism, Fantasy, Romance


Publication year 1938

Genre Novella, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Equality, Society: Politics & Government, Society: Community, Self Discovery

Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Classic Fiction, Psychological Fiction, Philosophy, Education, Education, Philosophy, Politics / Government

Anthem is a short novella written by Ayn Rand and published in 1938. Rand is known for her polarizing fiction, which includes the well-known novels Atlas Shrugged and The Fountainhead. She is also known as the founder of a controversial philosophy known as Objectivism. In 1987, Anthem won the Libertarian Futurist Society’s Hall of Fame Award. Since its publication, the novella has been met with mixed reviews due to the controversy around its Objectivist themes... Read Anthem Summary


Publication year 1940

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Society: Community, Emotions/Behavior: Apathy

Tags Modernism, The Lost Generation, Relationships


Publication year 1991

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Relationships: Family, Society: Immigration, Identity: Race, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Society: Community

Tags Realistic Fiction, Children's Literature, Education, Education, Arts / Culture

Tony Johnston’s Any Small Goodness: A Novel of the Barrio is a young adult novel originally published in 2001 by Scholastic, Inc. As a meditation on the value of friendship, family, and community, the novel centers the Mexican American Rodriguez family as they adapt to life in a lower-income Los Angeles barrio (Spanish for “neighborhood”). In school, their son Arturo bonds with other Mexican American students, joining them as they reclaim their Mexican roots. Ever... Read Any Small Goodness Summary


Publication year 2017

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Siblings, Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Society: Community, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Hope

Tags Relationships, American Literature, Modern Classic Fiction

Anything Is Possible is a 2017 novel by Elizabeth Strout in which each chapter features a character who is separate from but interconnects with the book’s other characters. Each chapter thus serves as both an autonomous short story and a piece of a larger, cohesive narrative and echoes or parallels other chapters.Strout, whose 2008 novel Olive Kitteridge won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction, received the prestigious Story Prize for Anything Is Possible. The novel follows... Read Anything Is Possible Summary


Publication year 1980

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Society: Colonialism, Society: Class, Society: Immigration, Society: Community, Society: Economics, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed

Tags History: U.S., Politics / Government, Social Justice, Race / Racism, American Literature, History: World, Classic Fiction

Howard Zinn’s A People’s History of the United States is one of the most famous American history books published in recent decades. It has sold over two million copies. First published in 1980, the book was nominated for the American Book Award and has gone through at least six major revisions. Although controversial when first published, the book has become comfortably mainstream. It is mentioned by name in the film Good Will Hunting and the... Read A People’s History of the United States Summary


Publication year 2006

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Society: Class, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Natural World: Place

Tags Satire, Humor, Race / Racism, History: U.S., Business / Economics, American Literature, Reconstruction Era, African American Literature, Modern Classic Fiction

Apex Hides the Hurt, a 2006 novel by American author Colson Whitehead, follows a nameless, emotionally muted nomenclature consultant, or an expert in creating brand names. The novel toggles between the protagonist’s memories of success at his company, and his current consulting assignment—renaming a town. The novel satirizes contemporary American consumer culture and features themes of race and identity. Whitehead uses humor and revelation as key narrative techniques in this story about a man who... Read Apex Hides the Hurt Summary


Publication year 2021

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Joy, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Identity: Masculinity, Identity: Mental Health, Identity: Sexuality, Natural World: Animals, Natural World: Place, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Teams, Self Discovery, Society: Class, Society: Community, Society: Politics & Government, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger

Tags Romance, New Adult


Publication year 2021

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Siblings, Relationships: Family, Society: Community

Tags Historical Fiction, WWII / World War II, Children's Literature, Military / War, History: World


Publication year 1992

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Natural World: Space & The Universe, Society: Community, Identity: Race, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance

Tags Lyric Poem, Race / Racism


Publication year 2020

Genre Memoir in Verse, Nonfiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Society: Colonialism, Society: Community, Identity: Indigenous

Tags Race / Racism, Social Justice, LGBTQ, Biography


Publication year 2021

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Life/Time: The Past, Natural World: Environment, Society: Community

Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Fantasy, LGBTQ


Publication year 2001

Genre Essay / Speech, Nonfiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Equality, Society: Nation, Society: Community

Tags Race / Racism, Social Justice, September 11 Attacks


Publication year 2012

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Society: Community, Emotions/Behavior: Apathy, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Gratitude, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: Midlife, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Natural World: Environment, Natural World: Nurture v. Nature, Relationships: Family, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger

Tags Historical Fiction, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Modern Classic Fiction, History: World


Publication year 2003

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Society: Class, Society: Community, Society: Globalization, Society: Economics, Society: Education, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Literature, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed

Tags Politics / Government, Race / Racism, Social Justice, History: U.S., Sociology, Gender / Feminism, History: World, Philosophy, Philosophy


Publication year 1970

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Life/Time: Coming of Age, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Self Discovery, Society: Community, Relationships: Mothers, Relationships: Grandparents, Relationships: Friendship

Tags Realistic Fiction, Children's Literature, Modern Classic Fiction, Classic Fiction

Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret is a 1970 middle-grade novel by bestselling American author Judy Blume (Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing, Tiger Eyes). The story focuses on 11-year-old Margaret Ann Simon and her family’s move to New Jersey at the beginning of her sixth-grade year. As Margaret navigates her new public school and new friend dynamics, she struggles to form a positive self-image about her changing body and starts exploring her religious... Read Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret Summary


Publication year 1922

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Society: Community

Tags Anthropology, Education, Education, Anthropology, Science / Nature, Social Science, Business / Economics, Sociology, History: World, Arts / Culture

Argonauts of the Western Pacific: An Account of Native Enterprise and Adventure in the Archipelagoes of Melanesian New Guinea (1922) is an ethnological monograph by Bronislaw Malinowski, a leading anthropologist of his time. It concerns his research in what was then called “Melanesian New Guinea,” which is today known as the Kiriwana island chain, northeast of New Guinea. The work focuses on the trade, magic, and cultural traditions of the Trobriand people on the archipelago... Read Argonauts of the Western Pacific Summary