Leo Tolstoy famously begins the novel Anna Karenina with the sentence: "All happy families are alike; each unhappy family is unhappy in its own way." In this thematic collection, we have gathered noteworthy texts that navigate the joyous and sorrowful emotional terrain of the family unit.
Publication year 2011
Genre Novel/Book in Verse, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family
Tags Historical Fiction, Children's Literature
The story opens in February 1975. Hà lives with her mother and three older brothers (Brother Quang, Brother Vũ, and Brother Khôi) in Saigon, South Vietnam. Hà knows her father, a naval officer, only through Mother’s stories and memories; he disappeared nine years earlier, a victim of the Communist Army of North Vietnam. Hà learns fractions, practices embroidery, and celebrates the start of the new lunar year on Tết (February 11). As spring and Hà’s... Read Inside Out And Back Again Summary
Publication year 2017
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Disability, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Family
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Diversity, Disability, Bullying, Children's Literature, Realistic Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Humor
Publication year 2021
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Values/Ideas: Fate, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship
Tags Romance, Magical Realism, Modern Classic Fiction, Fantasy
Publication year 1999
Genre Short Story Collection, Fiction
Themes Society: Immigration, Relationships: Family, Life/Time: Coming of Age
Tags Realistic Fiction, Indian Literature, Education, Education, Modern Classic Fiction, Asian Literature
Interpreter of Maladies is a 1999 short story collection by Jhumpa Lahiri, who is an American of Indian (specifically Bengali) heritage. Lahiri’s publishing debut, the collection was well-received and garnered many awards, including the 2000 Pulitzer Prize in Fiction and the PEN/Hemingway Prize. Its nine stories are works of literary realism that consider the immigrant experience in the United States and contemporary Indian life. They have been held up as a model for high cultural... Read Interpreter of Maladies Summary
Publication year 1986
Genre Short Story, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Society: Immigration
Tags Race / Racism, Immigration / Refugee
“In the American Society” is a short story by Chinese American writer Gish Jen. It was first published in 1986 in the literary quarterly The Southern Review and was reprinted in 1999 in her short fiction collection, Who’s Irish?Jen, like the story’s narrator, is a second-generation American of Chinese descent, and her story tells of the trials faced by two first-generation Americans as they try to assimilate into their new culture while maintaining old ways... Read In the American Society Summary
Publication year 2015
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Identity: Indigenous, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: The Past, Relationships: Grandparents, Society: Colonialism, Society: Community
Tags Children's Literature, History: World, Historical Fiction, Realistic Fiction
Publication year 1912
Genre Short Story, Fiction
Themes Society: Immigration, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Mothers, Values/Ideas: Equality
Tags Chinese Literature, Race / Racism
“In the Land of the Free” is the first short story written by British Canadian author Edith Maude Eaton, who was of British and Chinese descent. As one of the first Asian North American writers, her works explored themes of racial discrimination, the difficulties of assimilation, and the effects of the legal system on immigration and kinship. “In the Land of the Free,” originally published by the Montreal Daily Witness in 1890, explores the latter... Read In the Land of the Free Summary
Publication year 1961
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Identity: Femininity, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Relationships: Mothers, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Identity: Gender
Tags Lyric Poem, Parenting, Gender / Feminism
Publication year 2021
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Self Discovery
Tags Realistic Fiction, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Romance, Addiction / Substance Abuse, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2010
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Identity: Masculinity, Life/Time: The Past, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Self Discovery
Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction
Genre Play, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Relationships: Mothers, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Identity: Gender, Society: Nation
Tags Play: Tragedy, Mythology, Classic Fiction, History: World, Drama / Tragedy, Fantasy
... Read Ion Summary
Publication year 410
Genre Play, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Society: Community, Society: War
Tags Drama / Tragedy, Military / War, Mythology, Classical Period, Fantasy, Classic Fiction
Publication year 2018
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Natural World: Space & The Universe, Relationships: Family, Society: Class, Society: War
Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Fantasy
Publication year 1998
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Identity: Indigenous, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Natural World: Climate, Natural World: Environment, Natural World: Place, Relationships: Family, Society: Colonialism, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction
Publication year 1939
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Aging, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Emotions/Behavior: Nostalgia, Relationships: Family
Tags Lyric Poem
Publication year 2017
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Family, Society: Colonialism, Society: War
Tags Historical Fiction, Children's Literature, Military / War, History: World, American Revolution, Action / Adventure
Publication year 2023
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Natural World: Place, Relationships: Family, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger
Tags Children's Literature, Action / Adventure, Survival Fiction, History: U.S.
Publication year 2016
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Society: Immigration, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Friendship, Society: War, Relationships: Family
Tags Historical Fiction, Humor, Children's Literature, Realistic Fiction, History: World
Publication year 2020
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Aging, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Relationships: Siblings, Values/Ideas: Beauty
Tags African American Literature, Realistic Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Romance
Publication year 1972
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Identity: Gender, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Marriage
Tags Children's Literature, Modern Classic Fiction, Realistic Fiction, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman