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.

The Metamorphosis

by Franz Kafka

Publication year 1915

Genre Novella, Fiction

Themes Family

Tags Classic Fiction, Education, Education, Horror & Suspense, Fantasy, Philosophy, Philosophy

First published in 1915, Franz Kafka’s surrealist novella The Metamorphosis, translated from Die Verwandlung, is widely acclaimed and one of the author’s best-known works. Kafka, a Jewish novelist and short-story writer, is regarded for his exploration of the fantastic. Kafka employs realism to depict his protagonists in bizarre circumstances. In The Metamorphosis, Kafka incorporates themes of alienation and absurdity to convey narratives about isolated and anxious protagonists. The time period in which The Metamorphosis transpires is... Read The Metamorphosis Summary

The Million Dollar Shot

by Dan Gutman

Publication year 1997

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Perseverance, Coming of Age, Family, Fathers, Teamwork, Self Discovery, Social Class, Justice, Power & Greed, Wins & Losses

Tags Children`s Literature, Education, Education, Modern Classic Fiction, Sports, Realistic Fiction, Humor

... Read The Million Dollar Shot Summary

The Miracle Worker

by William Gibson

Publication year 1959

Genre Play, Fiction

Themes Coming of Age, Friendship, Family, Gender Identity

Tags Drama, Historical Drama, Disability, Coming of Age, Education, Education, World History, Dramatic Literature, Classic Fiction, Biography

William Gibson’s drama The Miracle Worker chronicles the relationship between the real-life Helen Keller, a young girl from Alabama who was blind and deaf, and her teacher, the Irish, headstrong Annie Sullivan from Boston. The play follows a three-act structure and was adapted from Gibson’s 1957 Playhouse 90 teleplay. The staged production premiered in New York City at the Playhouse Theatre in 1959. The show received five Tony Award nominations in 1960 and won four... Read The Miracle Worker Summary

The Moment of Lift

by Melinda French Gates

Publication year 2019

Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction

Themes Safety & Danger, Science & Technology, Justice, Equality, Community, Globalization, Economics, Education, Teamwork, Family

Tags Gender & Feminism, Social Justice, Inspirational, Women`s Studies, Business & Economics, Self-Improvement, Biography

... Read The Moment of Lift Summary

The Monkey

by Stephen King

Publication year 1980

Genre Short Story, Fiction

Themes Nature Versus Nurture, Good & Evil, Family, Coming of Age

Tags Horror & Suspense, Fantasy, American Literature, Classic Fiction, Religion & Spirituality

... Read The Monkey Summary

The Monkey's Paw

by W.W. Jacobs

Publication year 1902

Genre Short Story, Fiction

Themes Death, Fate, Family

Tags Horror & Suspense, Classic Fiction, Gothic Literature, Education, Education, Mystery & Crime Fiction, Fantasy, Religion & Spirituality

W. W. Jacobs (William Wymark Jacobs) wrote his well-known horror story “The Monkey’s Paw” in 1902. The short story is about the White family and the three wishes granted to them through an ominous monkey’s paw. The “monkey’s paw” has become part of popular culture and appeared, for example in The Simpsons television show as part of its Treehouse of Terror episodes. This guide cites the paragraphs of the Project Gutenberg version.Written in the third... Read The Monkey's Paw Summary

The Mother-in-Law

by Sally Hepworth

Publication year 2019

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Family, Mothers, Siblings, Self Discovery

Tags Mystery & Crime Fiction, Horror & Suspense, Modern Classic Fiction

The Mother-in-Law by Sally Hepworth chronicles the turbulent family dynamics of the wealthy Goodwin family. Published in 2019, the crime thriller explores the complexities of motherhood as Lucy Goodwin struggles to uncover the truth behind the tragic death of her mother-in-law, Diana Goodwin. Hepworth’s sixth novel, the book features multiple narrators and flashbacks that offer a suspenseful examination of Lucy’s self-discovery while grappling with the violent death of her family’s complicated matriarch.Content Warning: The Mother-in-Law... Read The Mother-in-Law Summary

The Mothers

by Brit Bennett

Publication year 2016

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Family, Shame & Pride, Religion & Spirituality, Mothers, Community, Friendship, Forgiveness, Guilt, Gender Identity, Masculinity, Race, Coming of Age, Self Discovery, Social Class, Truth & Lies

Tags Coming of Age, African American Literature

The Mothers (2016) is the debut literary fiction novel by American author Brit Bennett. Set within a contemporary Black church community in Southern California, the story follows Nadia Turner, a grieving teenager whose decision to terminate a pregnancy creates ripples effects for her, the baby’s father, and her best friend for years to come. The narrative, framed by the collective voice of the church’s elderly women, explores themes including The Corrosive Power of Secrets, Motherhood... Read The Mothers Summary

The Mountain Between Us

by Charles Martin

Publication year 2010

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Perseverance, Grief, Guilt, Hope, Love, Memory, Death, The Past, Animals, Appearance & Reality, Food, Place, Family, Marriage, Self Discovery, Beauty, Fate, Safety & Danger, Trust & Doubt

Tags Christian, Romance, Action & Adventure, Survival Fiction

The Mountain Between Us (2010) is a survival romance novel by Charles Martin. It tells the story of Ben Payne, a surgeon who becomes trapped in the remote Utah wilderness with writer Ashley Knox. The novel interweaves Ben’s personal history with his growing feelings for Ashley as they rely on each other for survival, and their love begins to pose a potential complication in the lives to which they hope to return. Through their journey... Read The Mountain Between Us Summary