Jewish American Literature

Including Pulitzer Prize winners like Art Spiegelman's groundbreaking Maus and Michael Chabon's The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay, the texts in this collection celebrate the literary contributions and stories of Jewish Americans.

This Is Our Youth

by Kenneth Lonergan

Publication year 1996

Genre Play, Fiction

Themes Coming of Age, Apathy, Friendship

Tags Drama

This Is Our Youth is a theatrical play of the realistic fiction genre, written by Kenneth Lonergan. It originally premiered in 1996 off-Broadway. It takes place in the US in 1982, during Ronald Reagan’s presidency, and centers around the lives of privileged youth who lack direction and fear The Disillusionment of Adulthood. Lonergan was inspired by his own experiences of listlessness and feeling lost in his youth in the early 1980s, as well as The... Read This Is Our Youth Summary

Titan

by Ron Chernow

Publication year 1998

Genre Biography, Nonfiction

Themes Fame, Family, Fathers, Power & Greed, Religion & Spirituality, Economics

Tags US History, Business & Economics, Finance, Leadership, World History, Biography

... Read Titan Summary

Trust Exercise

by Susan Choi

Publication year 2019

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Trust & Doubt, Siblings

Tags Korean Literature, Asian Literature, Realistic Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Historical Fiction

Trust Exercise (2019), a literary fiction novel by Susan Choi, centers on two high school students who fall in love. As the plot develops, it becomes obvious that the relationship is not at all that it seems. Although Trust Exercise received mixed reviews from readers, critics praise the novel for challenging preconceived ideas of what a novel should be. It won the 2019 National Book Award for fiction. Choi is a best-selling, award-winning novelist who typically writes literary... Read Trust Exercise Summary

Undefeated

by Steve Sheinkin

Publication year 2017

Genre Biography, Nonfiction

Themes Perseverance, Indigenous Identity, Colonialism

Tags US History, Sports, Diversity, Race & Racism, Children`s Literature, World History, Biography

... Read Undefeated Summary

Under the Banner of Heaven

by Jon Krakauer

Publication year 2003

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Religion & Spirituality

Tags Crime & Law, Religion & Spirituality, US History, Mystery & Crime Fiction, Journalism, World History, Biography

In 2003, Jon Krakauer, nonfiction author and journalist, published Under the Banner of Heaven: A Story of Violent Faith. Now the inspiration for a television series of the same title on Hulu, the story sent shockwaves as it explored religious extremism on American soil that closely resembled the Taliban-style extremism that had captured the country’s attention following the September 11 attacks. This guide refers to the 2004 paperback edition published by First Anchor Books.Content warning:... Read Under the Banner of Heaven Summary

Upheaval

by Jared Diamond

Publication year 2019

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Conflict, Mental Health, Economics, Immigration, Nation, Politics & Government, War

Tags Political Science, Social Science, World History, Politics & Government, Business & Economics, Sociology, Anthropology

... Read Upheaval Summary

Uprooted

by Naomi Novik

Publication year 2015

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Hate & Anger, Love, Power & Greed

Tags Fantasy, Romance, Fairy Tale & Folklore, Relationships, Medieval

Uprooted (2016) is a fantasy novel inspired by Polish folktales and written by New York Times bestselling American fantasy author Naomi Novik, best known for her Temeraire series. In Uprooted, a young woman named Agnieszka lives in a small village in a valley on the edge of the deadly Wood. It is the task of the Dragon, a powerful wizard in a nearby tower, to keep the Wood at bay. As payment, the Dragon chooses... Read Uprooted Summary

Valley of the Dolls

by Jacqueline Susann

Publication year 1966

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Fame, Loyalty & Betrayal, Equality, Femininity

Tags Addiction & Substance Abuse, Dramatic Literature, Modern Classic Fiction, Historical Fiction, Romance, Classic Fiction

The novel Valley of the Dolls, originally published in 1966, is a fictional exposé of the lives of three young career women who meet in New York City in 1945, just after the end of World War II. Anne, a recent Radcliffe College graduate, works for a law firm that represents well-known entertainers. Jennifer is an astonishingly beautiful showgirl who marries a famous singer. Neely, only 17, is a budding singer and dancer who eventually... Read Valley of the Dolls Summary

Waiting For Lefty

by Clifford Odets

Publication year 1935

Genre Play, Fiction

Themes Justice, Community, Social Class

Tags Drama, Social Class, Social Justice, Education, Education, American Literature, World History, Dramatic Literature, Historical Fiction, Classic Fiction

Waiting for Lefty is a one-act play by Clifford Odets. It initially premiered in January 1935, performed by the Group Theatre, a company started in 1931 by Harold Clurman, Cheryl Crawford, and Lee Strasburg with the goal of revolutionizing American theater as a means for social change. Lefty was Odets’s first produced play, written in response to a call by the New Theatre League for a piece to perform in union halls or meeting spaces... Read Waiting For Lefty Summary

War Games

by Alan Gratz

Publication year 2025

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Justice, Self Discovery, Politics & Government, Race, Religion & Spirituality

Tags Historical Fiction, World War II, Sports

... Read War Games Summary

Way of the Peaceful Warrior

by Dan Millman

Publication year 1980

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Religion & Spirituality, Self Discovery, Appearance & Reality, Joy

Tags Life-Inspired Fiction, Inspirational, Religion & Spirituality, Philosophy, Self-Improvement, Psychology, Psychology, Philosophy

Originally published in 1980, Way of the Peaceful Warrior: A Book that Changes Lives, is a semiautobiographical novel by American author and lecturer Dan Millman. The book is Millman’s first novel and part of the Peaceful Warrior Saga, a series of four novels about personal development and spirituality. The text is based on the author’s early life as a college student in California, with a narrative that blends reality with fiction. The storyline follows a... Read Way of the Peaceful Warrior Summary