Fear

Should we heed our fears, or work to overcome them? Suppress and ignore them, or face them head-on? Do we fight—or should we flight? These books unpack the universal human emotion of fear.

Publication year 2023

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Fear, Guilt, Hope, Love, Memory, Shame & Pride, Femininity, Gender Identity, Language, Race, Sexual Identity, Future, Animals, Climate, Environment, Food, Place, Social Class, Power & Greed, Science & Technology

Tags Science Fiction, Food, Love & Sexuality, Modern Classic Fiction, LGBTQ+

Publication year 2021

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Self Discovery, Sexual Identity, Race, Gender Identity, Femininity, Masculinity, Love, Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Perseverance, Fear, Hope, Equality, Truth & Lies, Loyalty & Betrayal, Family, Friendship

Tags Historical Fiction, LGBTQ+, Romance, Coming of Age, Love & Sexuality, Women`s Studies, Modern Classic Fiction, World History

Publication year 2018

Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction

Themes Fear, Power & Greed, Politics & Government, Race, Gender Identity, Justice

Tags Politics & Government, Leadership, Self-Improvement, Gender & Feminism, Social Justice, Business & Economics, Biography

Publication year 1955

Genre Novella, Fiction

Themes Family, Conflict, Fear, Hope, Love, Memory, Femininity, Language, Masculinity, Mental Health, Aging, Childhood & Youth, Coming of Age, Midlife, Death, Future, The Past, Animals, Appearance & Reality, Objects & Materials, Place, Daughters & Sons, Friendship, Marriage, Mothers, Self Discovery, Social Class, Colonialism, Community, Beauty, Fate, Good & Evil, Justice, Loyalty & Betrayal, Order & Chaos, Religion & Spirituality, Trust & Doubt, Truth & Lies

Tags Magical Realism, Latin American Literature, Grief & Death

Leaf Storm and Other Stories is a collection of fiction by Colombian author Gabriel García Márquez. The collection includes the title novella, Leaf Storm (La Hojarasca), first published in its original Spanish-language text in 1955. When Gregory Rabassa produced the first English translation of the novella, it was published (originally in 1972) alongside six short stories representing García Márquez’s work between 1951 and 1968.The collection offers an early glimpse into the magical realism and rural... Read Leaf Storm Summary

Publication year 2020

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Race, Fear, Order & Chaos

Tags Horror & Suspense, Realistic Fiction, Information Age, Race & Racism, Social Class, Black Lives Matter, American Literature, Science Fiction, Mystery & Crime Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction

Rumaan Alam’s Leave the World Behind (2020) is a work of apocalyptic fiction that examines the relationship between race and class during an unspecified disaster that cuts off all communication, forcing two families together. The book uses omniscient narration and interpersonal conflict to heighten the fear of disconnection in the Information Age, treating the apocalypse as an event that happens on a human scale. Published to great acclaim, it has been longlisted for the National... Read Leave the World Behind Summary

Publication year 2019

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Music, Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Perseverance, Fear, Grief, Hate & Anger, Love, Joy, Hope, Guilt, Memory, Nostalgia, Regret, Revenge, Shame & Pride, Equality, Justice, Safety & Danger, Loyalty & Betrayal, Trust & Doubt, Truth & Lies, Power & Greed, Appearance & Reality, Environment, Daughters & Sons, Family, Friendship, Siblings, Mothers, Race, Language, Community

Tags Realistic Fiction, Mystery & Crime Fiction, Historical Fiction, Grief & Death, Modern Classic Fiction, World History, Music

Publication year 2017

Genre Short Story, Fiction

Themes Family, Politics & Government, Fear, Community, Self Discovery, Coming of Age, Daughters & Sons, Fathers

Tags Modern Classic Fiction, Magical Realism, Fantasy, Parenting

Publication year 2004

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Fear, Grief, Race, Coming of Age, Friendship, Equality, Economics, Justice, Religion & Spirituality, Community, Power & Greed, Fathers, Daughters & Sons, Hate & Anger

Tags Historical Fiction, American Literature, Grief & Death, Race & Racism, Religion & Spirituality, Children`s Literature, Realistic Fiction, World History

Gary D. Schmidt’s Lizzie Bright and the Buckminster Boy (2004), an historical novel for young adults, received the Newbery Honor in 2005. It is based on actual events occurring on Malaga Island, Maine in 1912, when the government of Maine placed the residents of the island in a mental hospital and tore down their homes.Turner Buckminster is the son of a reverend living in Phippsburg, Maine in 1912. Turner has just relocated to Phippsburg from... Read Lizzie Bright And The Buckminster Boy Summary

Publication year 2007

Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction

Themes Memory, Community, Fear

Tags Military & War, Middle Eastern History, Iraq War, Action & Adventure, World History, Biography

Lone Survivor: The Eyewitness Account of Operation Redwing and the Lost Heroes of SEAL Team 10 (2007) is a military-themed memoir by former Navy SEAL, Marcus Luttrell, with the help of ghostwriter Patrick Robinson. Based on a 2005 mission in Afghanistan, the book examines the intricacies of warfare. The narrative explores themes such as valor, self-sacrifice, and the multifaceted nature of combat. The book became a New York Times bestseller and subsequently inspired a 2013... Read Lone Survivor Summary

Publication year 2003

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Community, Loyalty & Betrayal, Safety & Danger, Power & Greed, Truth & Lies, Conflict, Fear, Perseverance, Hate & Anger

Tags US History, Colonial America, Education, Education, American Literature, World History, Biography

Love and Hate in Jamestown: John Smith, Pocahontas, and The Start of a New Nation (2003) is a narrative history of the English’s founding of Jamestown in 1606 written by David A. Price. Price is a journalist for The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, and other American publications. In his retelling of the story, Price seeks to puncture some of the romantic mythology surrounding the relationship between John Smith and Pocahontas, while placing their... Read Love and Hate in Jamestown Summary

Publication year 2023

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Conflict, Perseverance, Fear, Forgiveness, Hate & Anger, Revenge, Love, Regret, Power & Greed, Science & Technology, Trust & Doubt, Truth & Lies, Justice, Appearance & Reality, Shame & Pride, Femininity, Gender Identity, Masculinity, Sexual Identity, Self Discovery, Mothers, Education, Equality

Tags Romance, Education, Gender & Feminism, Love & Sexuality, Modern Classic Fiction

Publication year 1961

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Fear, Disability, Mental Health, Social Class, Art

Tags World History, Psychology, Philosophy, Mental Illness

Madness and Civilization: A History of Insanity in the Age of Reason is the second monograph by French intellectual historian and philosopher Michel Foucault (1926-1984). Originally published in French in 1961, it follows the development of Western European conceptions of “madness” beginning in the Late Middle Ages and ending in the early 19th century. Foucault argues that following the decline of leprosy in the 15th century, Western European societies demanded that the figure of the... Read Madness and Civilization Summary

Publication year 1964

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Good & Evil, Fear, Memory, Mental Health

Tags Psychology, Mythology, Relationships, Science & Nature, Philosophy, Philosophy, Arts & Culture, Psychology, Fantasy, Classic Fiction, Religion & Spirituality