Family

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.

Night at the Fiestas

by Kirstin Valdez Quade

Publication year 2015

Genre Short Story Collection, Fiction

Themes Forgiveness, Femininity, Race, Coming of Age, Place, Family, Colonialism, Religion & Spirituality

Tags Latin American Literature, American Literature, Modern Classic Fiction

Night at the Fiestas is a 2015 story collection by New Mexican author Kirstin Valdez Quade. The collection won the National Book Critics Circle John Leonard Award, and after its publication, Valdez Quade was recognized as a “Top 5 Writer Under 35” by the National Book Foundation. In 2021, Valdez Quade revised one of the stories, “The Five Wounds” into an award-winning novel of the same title, establishing herself as an important new voice in... Read Night at the Fiestas Summary

Nightbitch

by Rachel Yoder

Publication year 2021

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Family, Community

Tags Magical Realism, Satirical Literature, Horror & Suspense, Fantasy, Gender & Feminism, Relationships, Women`s Studies, Modern Classic Fiction

... Read Nightbitch Summary

Night Flying Woman

by Ignatia Broker

Publication year 1983

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Colonialism, Religion & Spirituality, Community, Coming of Age, Childhood & Youth, The Past, Family, Shame & Pride, Hope

Tags Women`s Studies, Education, Education, US History, Coming of Age, Religion & Spirituality, American Literature, Anthropology, Anthropology, World History, Arts & Culture

... Read Night Flying Woman Summary

Night of the Twisters

by Ivy Ruckman

Publication year 1984

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Safety & Danger, Coming of Age, Environment, Community, Family

Tags Realistic Fiction, Natural Disaster, Children`s Literature, Education, Education, Historical Fiction, Action & Adventure

SummaryNight of the Twisters is a young adult realistic fiction novel written by award-winning author Ivy Ruckman. The book was the recipient of several awards, including the Golden Sower Award, the Iowa Children’s Choice Award, and the Sequoyah Children’s Book Award. It was also recommended as an Outstanding Science Trade Books for Children by the National Science Teachers Association and Children’s Book Council. A movie of the same name based loosely on the book was... Read Night of the Twisters Summary

Nimona

by N. D. Stevenson

Publication year 2015

Genre Graphic Novel/Book, Fiction

Themes Family, Sexual Identity, Good & Evil

Tags Fantasy, LGBTQ+, Humor, Action & Adventure, Fairy Tale & Folklore

Nimona is a young adult graphic novel created by N. D. Stevenson and published in 2015 by HarperCollins. It is based on Stevenson’s webcomic, also titled Nimona, which was published in 2012 and earned Slate magazine’s 2012 Cartoonist Studio Prize for Best Web Comic of the Year. The graphic novel adaptation also received critical acclaim, earning the 2016 Eisner Award for Best Graphic Album: Reprint and becoming a 2015 National Book Award Finalist.Nimona is a... Read Nimona Summary

Nine Perfect Strangers

by Liane Moriarty

Publication year 2018

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Religion & Spirituality, Truth & Lies, Loyalty & Betrayal, Grief, Forgiveness, Guilt, Love, Family, Community, Fear

Tags Horror & Suspense, Mystery & Crime Fiction, Religion & Spirituality, Relationships, Modern Classic Fiction

Nine Perfect Strangers is a 2018 novel by Liane Moriarty. Set in Sydney, Australia, the novel follows a group of strangers who gather at a wellness retreat to receive treatment from a mysterious health guru. The novel was adapted for a 2021 television series starring Nicole Kidman, Melissa McCarthy, and Michael Shannon.Other works by this author include Apples Never Fall, What Alice Forgot, and Here One Moment.This guide uses an eBook copy of the text... Read Nine Perfect Strangers Summary

Ninth Ward

by Jewell Parker Rhodes

Publication year 2010

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Coming of Age, Family, Environment

Tags Coming of Age, Relationships, Natural Disaster, African American Literature, Children`s Literature, Realistic Fiction, Historical Fiction, Action & Adventure

Jewell Parker Rhodes’s Ninth Ward is a realistic middle grade novel that follows 12-year-old Lanesha, a resident of New Orleans’s Ninth Ward neighborhood, in the days surrounding Hurricane Katrina, a devastating storm that hit the Gulf Coast in 2005. Lanesha must rely on her resourcefulness, resilience, and fortitude to survive the storm and subsequent flooding of the Ninth Ward. First published in 2010 by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, the book earned a School... Read Ninth Ward Summary

Njals Saga

by Anonymous

Publication year 1280

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Family, Masculinity, Fate, Justice

Tags Mythology, Classic Fiction, Historical Fiction

Njal’s Saga is a late medieval Icelandic family saga authored around 1280 but set around the year 1000. It combines legend and history—many of its protagonists were historical figures, and other historical sources corroborate some of the major events the saga mentions. However, the author also embellishes characters and events as he describes them in the saga.The saga recounts intermarriage, friendships, and tragic blood feuds between multiple Icelandic families who trace their ancestry back to... Read Njals Saga Summary

No Great Mischief

by Alistair MacLeod

Publication year 1999

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Family

Tags Mythology, Modern Classic Fiction, Historical Fiction, Canadian Literature

No Great Mischief is a 1999 bildungsroman by Canadian novelist Alistair MacLeod. The story begins with Alexander MacDonald, a successful Canadian orthodontist, driving to Toronto to visit his brother, Calum. He searches for his brother’s apartment through the city’s seedier districts and eventually finds the right place. Calum is an alcoholic, one of many people left behind by the modern world. They speak together in English and Gaelic, reminiscing about their family. As Calum becomes... Read No Great Mischief Summary

No Longer at Ease

by Chinua Achebe

Publication year 1960

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Conflict, Family, Social Class, Colonialism, Community

Tags Heinemann African Writers, African Literature, Historical Fiction, Colonialism & Postcolonialism, African American Literature, World History, Classic Fiction

No Longer At Ease (1960) is a novel by Nigerian author Chinua Achebe. The story takes place in the years prior to Nigeria’s independence from the British Empire and focuses on Obi Okonkwo. Obi is a young Nigerian man who returns home after studying English in Britain and finds a job in the civil service. He finds himself situated within the conflict between African and Western culture, raising questions about his identity and worldview. No... Read No Longer at Ease Summary