The titles in this Collection examine the concept of social equality through a broad array of literary genres and forms. These curated selections represent a diversity of voices and perspectives that examine social disparities through the lenses of gender, race, socioeconomics, and other factors.
Publication year 2014
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Gender, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Relationships: Teams, Self Discovery, Society: Community, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos
Tags Fantasy, Fairy Tale / Folklore, Romance, Action / Adventure
Publication year 1941
Genre Short Story, Fiction
Themes Identity: Race, Natural World: Environment, Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Values/Ideas: Equality
Tags Allegory / Fable / Parable, Race / Racism, Education, Education, American Literature, History: World, Classic Fiction
Eudora Welty’s short story “A Worn Path” is considered one of the author’s finest works and a classic in the repertory of American Southern literature. First published in 1941 as a stand-alone piece in The Atlantic Monthly, it was also included in her first short story collection, A Curtain of Green and Other Stories, published that same year. The story established Welty as a notable new voice in American literature. In addition to short stories... Read A Worn Path Summary
Publication year 2014
Genre Essay Collection, Nonfiction
Themes Identity: Race, Identity: Femininity, Values/Ideas: Literature, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Equality
Tags Gender / Feminism, Women's Studies (Nonfiction), Race / Racism, Social Justice, Politics / Government
Bad Feminist is a collection of essays from writer, scholar, and social critic Roxane Gay. Published in 2014 by Harper Perennial, the New York Times best seller draws together an array of topics, from pop culture to literary discourse to political legislation to personal recollections, in an analysis of society, culture, and politics. Gay tackles modern patriarchy and racism in ways that emphasize the humanity of marginalized people and how those systems of oppression deny... Read Bad Feminist Summary
Publication year 2023
Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction
Themes Identity: Gender, Relationships: Marriage, Relationships: Mothers, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality
Tags Biography, Religion / Spirituality
Publication year 1990
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Gender, Identity: Masculinity, Relationships: Family, Society: Class, Society: Community, Society: Education, Society: Globalization, Society: Immigration, Society: Nation, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Emotions/Behavior: Courage
Tags Women's Studies (Nonfiction), Education, Education, Gender / Feminism, Sociology, History: World, Social Justice, Politics / Government
Publication year 1971
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Identity: Femininity, Values/Ideas: Equality, Society: Politics & Government
Tags Gender / Feminism, Narrative / Epic Poem, American Literature
The American writer Marge Piercy wrote “Barbie Doll.” Originally published in Moving Out (1971), the poem also appears in her 1982 collection, Circles on the Water. A highly descriptive poem, “Barbie Doll” offers staunch diction and vivid, stereotypical imagery of a girl who grows up and dies by suicide as an adult. This free verse poem is an example of second-wave feminist thought, also known as the Women’s Liberation Movement, something Piercy explores here through... Read Barbie Doll Summary
Publication year 2025
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Gender, Relationships: Mothers, Relationships: Siblings, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Equality
Tags Romance, Humor
Publication year 2021
Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Identity: Gender, Identity: Race, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Marriage, Self Discovery, Society: Community, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice
Tags Self Help, Inspirational, African American Literature, History: U.S.
Publication year 1996
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Identity: Race, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal
Tags Historical Fiction, WWII / World War II, Holocaust, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, History: European, History: World, Children's Literature, Military / War
Behind the Bedroom Wall is a 1996 Young Adult historical fiction novel by Korean American author Laura E. Williams. The novel won the 1997 Jane Addams’ Children’s Book Award. Williams has written several other novels, including The Mystic Lighthouse series, Up a Creek, The Ghost Stallion, The Executioner’s Daughter, The Can Man, and Unexpected.Set in 1942 Germany, Behind the Bedroom Wall follows a 13-year-old Aryan German girl named Korinna Rehme, who is an active member... Read Behind the Bedroom Wall Summary
Publication year 2020
Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Equality, Society: Community, Society: Education, Society: Politics & Government, Identity: Disability
Tags Disability, Social Justice, History: U.S., Politics / Government, History: World, Biography
Publication year 2018
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Race, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Mothers, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice
Tags Historical Fiction, Social Justice, Race / Racism, African American Literature, Children's Literature, History: World
Publication year 2019
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Equality, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Society: Community
Tags Psychology, Race / Racism, Sociology, Social Justice, Science / Nature, Psychology, Politics / Government
Publication year 2010
Genre Short Story, Fiction
Themes Identity: Gender, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Values/Ideas: Equality
Publication year 2018
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Race, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Femininity, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice
Tags Realistic Fiction, African American Literature, Race / Racism
Publication year 2013
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Society: Community, Identity: Race, Values/Ideas: Equality, Identity: Gender
Tags Psychology, Race / Racism, Science / Nature, Social Justice, Sociology, Education, Education, Business / Economics, Psychology, Self Help
Publication year 2023
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Gender, Identity: Masculinity, Identity: Mental Health, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Natural World: Environment, Natural World: Place, Relationships: Teams, Self Discovery, Society: Class, Society: Colonialism, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Identity: Race
Tags Fantasy
Publication year 2017
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Values/Ideas: Music, Identity: Race, Relationships: Mothers, Natural World: Food, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Equality, Relationships: Marriage, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Race / Racism, African American Literature, Modern Classic Fiction
Bluebird, Bluebird (2017) by Texas native Attica Locke, published by Little, Brown and Company, is a 2018 Edgar and Anthony award-winning mystery novel. It was also selected as a New York Times Book Review Editor’s Choice Finalist for the Los Angeles Times Book Prize, and Kirkus Best Mysteries and Thrillers of 2017. The first in the Highway 59 series follows Texas Ranger Darren Mathews through the backroads of Texas in search of justice and reform... Read Bluebird, Bluebird Summary
Publication year 2001
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Society: Colonialism, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Equality, Society: Politics & Government, Society: Nation
Tags History: World, Latin American Literature, Arts / Culture, Military / War, Politics / Government, History: European, Class, Colonialism / Postcolonialism, Education, Education, History: U.S.
Born in Blood and Fire: A Concise History of Latin America, 4th Edition, by John Charles Chasteen was published in 2016. The first edition was printed in 2001. Chasteen works as an author, translator, and professor of Latin American history and culture. He teaches at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Some of his other notable works are Americanos: The Struggle for Latin American Independence, National Rhythms, African Roots: The Deep History of... Read Born in Blood and Fire Summary
Publication year 2016
Genre Biography, Nonfiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Joy, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: Midlife, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship, Self Discovery, Society: Community, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Fame, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Music, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Music, Arts / Culture, Mental Illness, Social Justice, History: U.S., Biography
Publication year 1987
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice
Tags Race / Racism, Social Justice, Black Arts Movement