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 1990
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Femininity, Relationships: Family, Society: Nation
Tags Modern Classic Fiction, History: World, Historical Fiction, Irish Literature, Classic Fiction
Amongst Women by John McGahern is a contemporary Irish novel published in 1990. This novel explores themes of The Individual in a Changing World, The Individual Versus the Collective, and The Importance of Women. Amongst Women is also specific to Irish history and culture, as it portrays a rapidly modernizing Ireland that threatens the protagonist Moran’s sense of self. Considered McGahern’s greatest work, Amongst Women is the fifth of his six published novels. It was... Read Amongst Women Summary
Publication year 2023
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Gender, Relationships: Family, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Beauty
Tags Love / Sexuality, Realistic Fiction, History: World, Drama / Tragedy, Historical Fiction, Romance
Publication year 2019
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Psychological Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2005
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Relationships: Siblings, Relationships: Fathers, Life/Time: Mortality & Death
Tags Fantasy, Modern Classic Fiction, Magical Realism, Humor
Anansi Boys is a fantasy novel by British author Neil Gaiman, written in 2005. It is set within the same world as his earlier novel American Gods and shares the title character of Anansi. In 2006, the novel won both the Locus Award and the British Fantasy Society Award. Anansi Boys deals with themes of family, duality, and storytelling, drawing from West African mythology and archetypes to create a story rooted in the here and... Read Anansi Boys Summary
Publication year 1978
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: Mortality & Death
Tags Children's Literature, Realistic Fiction, Humor
Publication year 2012
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family
Tags Historical Fiction, Middle Eastern Literature, Modern Classic Fiction, History: World, Drama / Tragedy
The third novel by Khaled Hosseini, And the Mountains Echoed, is a work of historical fiction that examines the factors that lead to and reverberate from one action: A poor family sells their youngest daughter to a wealthy couple in Kabul. Set in Afghanistan, the novel spans over 50 years and four generations. Hosseini includes several narrative voices, rather than just those of the story’s main family. The multiple narrators provide several different angles into... Read And the Mountains Echoed Summary
Publication year 2024
Genre Novel/Book in Verse, Fiction
Themes Identity: Mental Health, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Natural World: Food, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Grandparents, Society: Class, Society: Economics, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt
Tags Children's Literature
Publication year 2018
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Identity: Femininity, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice
Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2009
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Society: War, Relationships: Mothers
Tags Historical Fiction, Animals, WWII / World War II, Children's Literature, Military / War, History: World, Action / Adventure
Publication year 1996
Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction
Themes Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Family
Tags Poverty, Irish Literature, History: World, Classic Fiction, Biography
Angela’s Ashes is a 1996 memoir written by Frank McCourt. It recounts his challenging upbringing in the slums of Limerick, Ireland. At the heart of the memoir is McCourt’s account of the people and events of his childhood, and how he tried to make sense of the world around him. McCourt narrates in the present tense and follows a generally chronological order, with his time in America as a young child and then later as... Read Angela's Ashes Summary
Publication year 2011
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Identity: Disability, Identity: Gender, Identity: Mental Health, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Siblings, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality
Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Fantasy, Romance
Publication year 2021
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Race, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger
Tags Race / Racism, Social Justice, History: World, Historical Fiction, Romance
Publication year 2000
Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction
Themes Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Society: Community, Identity: Race, Life/Time: The Past, Relationships: Family, Society: Politics & Government
Tags Memoir / Autobiography, Southern Literature, History: U.S., Politics / Government
Publication year 2015
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family
Tags Realistic Fiction, Children's Literature, Military / War, History: World, Historical Fiction
A Night Divided by Jennifer A. Nielsen dramatizes the experiences of the division of Germany after World War II and tells a tale of family separation from a child’s perspective. The novel explores the effects of repressive government on intimate relationships as the main character, 12-year-old Gerta, watches friendships and partnerships dissolve due to the Cold War. It is a story of individual heroism and family devotion. The novel became an ILA-CBC Children’s Choices Reading... Read A Night Divided Summary
Publication year 2010
Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Fate, Society: Community
Tags Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Poverty, Addiction / Substance Abuse, Children's Literature, Biography
Author Laura Schroff’s 2012 New York Times bestseller An Invisible Thread: The True Story of an 11-Year-Old Panhandler, a Busy Sales Executive, and an Unlikely Meeting with Destiny recounts a fateful meeting between two vastly different individuals: Maurice, a young boy living in poverty and a broken home, and Schroff, a successful ad executive enjoying a fast-paced career. In the memoir, the author posits that an invisible thread joins their lives. It is beyond her... Read An Invisible Thread Summary
Publication year 2024
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Femininity, Identity: Race, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Relationships: Family, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Music, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, History: World, Historical Fiction, Arts / Culture
Publication year 1999
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Family, Society: Politics & Government
Tags Children's Literature, Education, Education, Medieval Literature / Middle Ages, History: World, Historical Fiction
Publication year 1908
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship
Tags Classic Fiction, Historical Fiction, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman
Anne of Green Gables is a world-renowned classic children’s novel first published in 1908 by Canadian author L. M. Montgomery. Set in the latter part of the 19th century in fictional Avonlea, a small town on Prince Edward Island, Canada, the story follows the accidental arrival of a precocious 11-year-old orphan girl, Anne Shirley, at Green Gables, the family homestead of middle-aged siblings Matthew and Marilla Cuthbert. Many mishaps, adventures, and ultimate successes follow Anne... Read Anne Of Green Gables Summary
Publication year 1985
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Femininity, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Mothers, Society: Colonialism
Tags Classic Fiction, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Education, Education, History: World, Historical Fiction
Annie John, published in 1985, is the second book by the Antiguan American author Jamaica Kincaid (née Elaine Cynthia Potter Richardson). Annie John is a coming-of-age novel that follows the life of a young girl from age 10 to 17, until she leaves her home in Antigua, bound for nursing school in England. In the novel, Annie describes her most important relationships, and the bond with her mother is chief among them. Life is heaven... Read Annie John Summary
Publication year 2001
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Relationships: Family, Society: Class
Tags Romance, Historical Fiction, Regency Era