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.

The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency

by Alexander McCall Smith

Publication year 1998

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Perseverance, Community, Femininity

Tags Mystery & Crime Fiction, Horror & Suspense, Humor

The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency (1998) is the first novel in the series of the same name written by British author Alexander McCall Smith. It follows the career of Precious Ramotswe, the fictionalized first female private detective in Botswana, as she solves mysteries for her friends and neighbors. Throughout the novel, McCall Smith draws on his childhood in Zimbabwe (bordering Botswana); he was born into a family of white British administrators under the British... Read The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency Summary

The One Hundred Years of Lenni and Margot

by Marianne Cronin

Publication year 2021

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Friendship, Community, Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Perseverance, Fear, Gratitude, Loneliness, Love, Memory, Hope, Joy, Death, Self Discovery, Art, Truth & Lies, Guilt

Tags LGBTQ+, Romance, Arts & Culture, Grief & Death, Health, Love & Sexuality, Mental Illness, Parenting, Relationships, Religion & Spirituality, Modern Classic Fiction

... Read The One Hundred Years of Lenni and Margot Summary

The Only One Left

by Riley Sager

Publication year 2023

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Truth & Lies, Trust & Doubt, Power & Greed, Loyalty & Betrayal, Social Class, Siblings, Community, Fathers, Place, The Past, Guilt, Revenge, Disability, Femininity

Tags Horror & Suspense, Mystery & Crime Fiction, Gothic Literature, Realistic Fiction, Trauma & Abuse, Addiction & Substance Abuse, Depression & Suicide, Disability, Grief & Death, Social Class

... Read The Only One Left Summary

Theo of Golden

by Allen Levi

Publication year 2023

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Friendship, Community, Forgiveness, Gratitude, Love, Memory, Mental Health, Race, Aging, Death, The Past, Family, Fathers, Art, Beauty, Religion & Spirituality

Tags Literary Fiction, Christian, Contemporary Literature

... Read Theo of Golden Summary

The Open Boat

by Stephen Crane

Publication year 1897

Genre Short Story, Fiction

Themes Environment, Community, Fate

Tags Classic Fiction, Life-Inspired Fiction, Naturalism

The prolific American writer, poet, and journalist Stephen Crane is the author of “The Open Boat.” He published his short story in 1897 after surviving a shipwreck earlier in the year. To cover the brewing war between Cuba and its colonizer, Spain, Crane boarded the Commodore as 1896 turned into 1897. The ship sank, and Crane and others endured a day and a half on a tiny lifeboat. Before publishing his fictional account of the... Read The Open Boat Summary

The Orchid Thief

by Susan Orlean

Publication year 1998

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Environment, Plants, Beauty, Community

Tags Journalism, Crime & Law, Science & Nature, Mystery & Crime Fiction, World History, Biography

The Orchid Thief is a nonfiction book by Susan Orlean, originally published in 1998. It is a narrative nonfiction account of the crimes and trial of John Laroche, accused of stealing endangered orchid species from the Fakahatchee Strand State Preserve in Florida. The basic story of Laroche and his crimes originally ran as an article in The New Yorker, entitled “Orchid Fever” and published in 1995. The book expands the story and also details Orlean’s... Read The Orchid Thief Summary

The Organ Thieves

by Chip Jones

Publication year 2020

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Race, Death, Social Class, Community, Education, Nation, Politics & Government, Equality, Justice, Power & Greed, Safety & Danger, Science & Technology, Truth & Lies

Tags World History, US History, Science & Nature, Health, Race & Racism, Crime & Law

... Read The Organ Thieves Summary

The Outcasts of Poker Flat

by Bret Harte

Publication year 1869

Genre Short Story, Fiction

Themes Fate, Justice, Community

Tags Western, Naturalism, Classic Fiction, Education, Education, American Literature, World History, Historical Fiction

“The Outcasts of Poker Flat,” a short story by American author Bret Harte, showcases the customs and dialect of American Western Regionalism. As one of the first American writers to popularize Regionalism, Harte paved the way for other writers in this movement. Originally written in 1869 and published in The Overland Monthly, the literary magazine of which Harte was the pioneering editor, the story thematically employs gambling terminology to depict the choices humans face when... Read The Outcasts of Poker Flat Summary

The Passengers

by John Marrs

Publication year 2019

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Conflict, Perseverance, Fear, Hate & Anger, Love, Memory, Revenge, Mental Health, Death, Future, Environment, Teamwork, Social Class, Colonialism, Community, Economics, Education, Globalization, Immigration, Nation, Politics & Government, Equality, Fame, Fate, Good & Evil, Justice, Loyalty & Betrayal, Order & Chaos, Power & Greed, Safety & Danger, Science & Technology, Trust & Doubt, Truth & Lies

... Read The Passengers Summary

The People of Sparks

by Jeanne DuPrau

Publication year 2004

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Teamwork, Community, Conflict

Tags Science Fiction, Children`s Literature, Fantasy, Action & Adventure

The People of Sparks is the second of four science fiction novels in the highly lauded Book of Ember series, written by Jeanne DuPrau. Published in 2004, The People of Sparks follows Lina and Doon, the protagonists of The City of Ember, as they attempt to help the people of Ember navigate the post-apocalyptic surface world. This middle grade novel explores ideas of communities, the cyclical nature of violence and war, and the importance of... Read The People of Sparks Summary