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.

Publication year 2013

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies

Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Modern Classic Fiction, Drama / Tragedy


Publication year 2015

Genre Play, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Society: Class, Society: Economics

Tags Play: Drama, Play: Comedy / Satire, LGBTQ


Publication year 2005

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Identity: Indigenous, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Fathers, Society: Colonialism, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice

Tags Historical Fiction, Magical Realism, Latin American Literature

Written by Luis Alberto Urrea in 2005, The Hummingbird’s Daughter is a fictional account of the life of Teresa Urrea, a woman whose mystical powers and religious fervor earned her the reputation of a living saint in the late 1800s and early 1900s. Luis Alberto Urrea is a distant cousin of Teresa and grew up hearing about her. He eventually researched her life through his family connections and the communities that she helped. The novel... Read The Hummingbird's Daughter Summary


Publication year 1831

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Gratitude, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Identity: Disability, Identity: Language, Identity: Sexuality, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship, Society: Class, Society: Community, Society: Education, Society: Nation, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt

Tags Classic Fiction, Historical Fiction, Romance, Gothic Literature, French Literature, History: World

The Hunchback of Notre-Dame is an 1831 gothic novel by French author Victor Hugo, originally published under the title Notre-Dame de Paris. Set in 15th-century France, the novel concerns the intertwined stories of Quasimodo, Esmeralda, and Archdeacon Claude Frollo. The story has been adapted many times for theater, television, and film, including an animated film by Disney released in 1996.This guide refers to the 2009 Oxford Classics edition of the novel, translated from French to... Read The Hunchback of Notre-Dame Summary


Publication year 2019

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Music

Tags Historical Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, WWII / World War II, Military / War, History: World

The Huntress is a historical fiction novel published in 2019 by the American author Kate Quinn. Set in the years before, during, and after World War II, the novel weaves together the stories of three central characters: a Russian pilot in the Soviet Red Army’s all-female bomber unit; an American photographer whose father falls in love with a mysterious Austrian woman; and an English war correspondent committed to exposing Nazi war criminals. According to Washington... Read The Huntress Summary


Publication year 2011

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Relationships: Family, Self Discovery

Tags Romance, Mystery / Crime Fiction


Publication year 2025

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Identity: Masculinity, Identity: Mental Health, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger

Tags True Crime


Publication year 2017

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Relationships: Siblings, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Life/Time: Mortality & Death

Tags Romance


Publication year 1951

Genre Short Story Collection, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family

Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Fantasy, Classic Fiction

First published in 1951, The Illustrated Man is a collection of 18 short stories of speculative fiction by one of the preeminent American writers of the 20th and 21st centuries: Ray Bradbury. It includes some of his most famous short stories, including “The Veldt” and “Marionettes, Inc.” While the volume received mixed reviews on release, it was nominated for the International Fantasy Award in 1952 and is now widely considered to be a highlight of... Read The Illustrated Man Summary


Publication year 1673

Genre Play, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Fathers

Tags Play: Comedy / Satire, Classic Fiction, French Literature

Le Malade Imaginaire, typically translated as The Imaginary Invalid, opened in Paris in 1673 and was the final play written by the famous French satirist Molière. Molière wrote frequently about doctors, and six of his comedies deal significantly with medical practitioners. The trope of the doctor who is as greedy and as pompous as he is inept—often speaking a jumble of Latin and Greek to prove his intelligence—is a stock character of commedia dell’arte, the... Read The Imaginary Invalid Summary


Publication year 2014

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Identity: Mental Health, Society: War, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Life/Time: The Past

Tags Realistic Fiction, Mental Illness, Military / War, Modern Classic Fiction, Romance


Publication year 2009

Genre Biography, Nonfiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Natural World: Environment, Society: Nation

Tags History: U.S., Crime / Legal, Action / Adventure, Drama / Tragedy, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, History: World, Biography


Publication year 2018

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Identity: Gender, Identity: Race, Relationships: Family, Society: Class, Society: Colonialism, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice

Tags History: U.S., Southern Literature, History: World, Historical Fiction, Romance


Publication year 2020

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Win & Lose, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Relationships: Siblings, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Relationships: Family

Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Romance, Poverty, Grief / Death, Finance / Money / Wealth, Information Age, Class, Modern Classic Fiction, Fantasy


Publication year 2019

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Friendship, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Relationships: Family, Life/Time: The Future, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance

Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Fantasy, Religion / Spirituality

Critically acclaimed, The Institute (2019) is the 60th entry in Stephen King’s body of more than 100 works. While best known as a horror writer (and one of the most popular writers since the 1970s in general), King dabbles in many genres, including fantasy, mystery, and science fiction—often blurring the boundaries between them. The Institute is more sci-fi thriller than horror, sharing story beats and themes with King’s earlier novels Firestarter and It: It follows... Read The Institute Summary


Publication year 1919

Genre Short Story, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Relationships: Family

Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Education, Education, British Literature, Classic Fiction

“The Interlopers” is one of the best-known short stories by British author Hector Hugh Munro (H. H. Munro), who wrote under the pseudonym Saki. As is typical of the author’s style, the story uses nature to question the morals and manners of humanity, especially of the more elite classes. Saki is also known for his twist endings, of which this story is a prime example. Other works by Saki include “The Open Window” and “The... Read The Interlopers Summary


Publication year 1899

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Relationships: Family, Identity: Mental Health, Life/Time: Coming of Age

Tags Psychology, Science / Nature, Philosophy, History: World, Psychology, Philosophy, Self Help, Classic Fiction

Sigmund Freud's The Interpretation of Dreams is a landmark work in the field of psychoanalysis. First published in 1899, it is one of Freud's most famous and influential books. At its core, the book explores the significance of dreams in revealing the unconscious desires, fears, and conflicts of the individual. Freud argues that dreams are not just random collections of images and sensations, as was commonly held in his day. Neither are they inspirations from... Read The Interpretation of Dreams Summary


Publication year 2007

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Friendship, Values/Ideas: Art, Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness

Tags Historical Fiction

The Invention of Hugo Cabret (2007) is written and illustrated by Brian Selznick, author of Wonderstruck, The Marvels, and several other well-known novels. The Invention of Hugo Cabret is categorized as historical fiction, but it fits into multiple other genres as well. In an Amazon Exclusive letter, Selznick says his novel’s unique nature makes it “not exactly a novel, not quite a picture book, not really a graphic novel, or a flip book or a... Read The Invention of Hugo Cabret Summary


Publication year 2021

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Identity: Race, Society: Nation, Life/Time: The Past, Natural World: Animals, Relationships: Family, Natural World: Flora/plants, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger

Tags Historical Fiction, Magical Realism, Fantasy, Romance, Addiction / Substance Abuse, Food, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, History: European, History: World, Immigration / Refugee, LGBTQ, Love / Sexuality, Military / War, Politics / Government, Science / Nature, Race / Racism, Relationships, Religion / Spirituality, Grief / Death, Modern Classic Fiction


Publication year 2021

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Relationships: Siblings, Society: Colonialism, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed

Tags Fantasy, LGBTQ, Romance