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.

Publication year 2023

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Relationships: Fathers, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed

Tags Business / Economics, Science / Nature, Leadership/Organization/Management, History: World, Biography


Publication year 1995

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Identity: Mental Health, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Society: Education

Tags Self Help, Psychology, Leadership/Organization/Management, Science / Nature, Business / Economics, Relationships, Psychology

In Emotional Intelligence: Why It Can Matter More Than IQ, Daniel Goleman discusses how The Components of Emotional Intelligence, like self-awareness, empathy, and social skills, shape an individual’s life. He explores key themes, such as The Impact of Emotional Intelligence on Personal and Professional Success, The Relationship Between Emotional Intelligence and Traditional IQ, and Emotional Intelligence Affecting Mental Health and Interpersonal Relationships. This guide refers to the 1995 Bantam Books hardcover edition. Content Warning: The... Read Emotional Intelligence: Why It Can Matter More Than IQ Summary


Publication year 1941

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Society: Community

Tags Psychology, Sociology, History: World, Psychology, Philosophy, Philosophy, Classic Fiction, Politics / Government

Escape From Freedom is a book of social psychology written by Erich Fromm in 1941. A German-Jewish psychoanalyst, Fromm had been a member of Frankfurt’s influential Institute for Social Research before fleeing the Nazis and relocating to the United States. In Escape From Freedom, Fromm uses ideas from both psychology and sociology to explain humanity’s ambivalent relation to freedom, with a particular attention paid to the rise of Nazism in Germany. The first two chapters of... Read Escape From Freedom Summary


Publication year 2006

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Siblings, Self Discovery

Tags Fantasy, Action / Adventure, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Grief / Death, Religion / Spirituality

Best-selling and award-winning novelist Neal Shusterman published the fantasy novel Everlost in 2006. It is the first novel in the young adult Skinjacker trilogy, which also includes Everwild (2009) and Everfound (2011). Everlost explores what might lie between life and death and incorporates a rich cast of characters, all of whom are children. The novel has won multiple awards and distinctions, including being included among the 2009 Garden State Teen Book Award nominees and the... Read Everlost Summary


Publication year 2002

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Memory

Tags Auto/Biographical Fiction, Historical Fiction, Holocaust, Jewish Literature, WWII / World War II, Modern Classic Fiction, History: World, Magical Realism

Everything is Illuminated, Jonathan Safran Foer’s first book, was originally published by Houghton Mifflin in 2002. A portion of the book had been published previously in The New Yorker. The novel won several awards, including the National Jewish Book Award, the Guardian First Book Award, and the Young Lions Fiction Award. The book received rave reviews but also received some criticism for its fictional portrayal of historical events. In response to this criticism, Safran Foer... Read Everything Is Illuminated Summary


Publication year 2014

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Society: Community

Tags Sociology, Education, Education, History: World, Parenting, Psychology, Psychology, Philosophy, Philosophy, Politics / Government

William Deresiewicz’s 2014 nonfiction book Excellent Sheep: The Miseducation of the American Elite and the Way to a Meaningful Life examines elite education in America in the 21st century and finds it sorely lacking. By “elite education,” Deresiewicz is referring to the Ivy League schools and a handful of top-tier universities just below the Ivy League. Having spent over two decades in the Ivies as both a student and professor, Deresiewicz speaks from his own... Read Excellent Sheep Summary


Publication year 1958

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Society: Nation, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Identity: Race, Society: Immigration, Society: War

Tags Historical Fiction, Jewish Literature, Military / War, WWII / World War II, History: World, Classic Fiction, Religion / Spirituality

Exodus (1958) is a historical novel by the Jewish American author Leon Uris. The novel follows the multigenerational story of a Jewish family in Palestine, giving the sweep of Jewish history from the First Aliyah in the 1880s to the modern state of Israel’s establishment in 1948. It focuses its greatest attention on the years from 1946 to 1948, following a group of Jewish agents and refugees as they first attempt to transport immigrants to... Read Exodus Summary


Publication year 2005

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Relationships: Family, Society: War

Tags Historical Fiction, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Drama / Tragedy, Grief / Death, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, September 11 Attacks, Modern Classic Fiction

Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close is a realistic fiction novel written by Jonathan Safran Foer and based on the September 11 terrorist attacks that occurred in New York City in 2001. The novel was originally published in 2005. Its characters grapple with Fear of Death and Loss as an Obstacle to Living, The Complex Nature of Relationships, The Importance of Little Things, and The Influence of the Past on the Present. This guide uses the... Read Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close Summary


Publication year 1973

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Gender, Identity: Mental Health, Identity: Sexuality, Relationships: Marriage, Relationships: Mothers, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal

Tags Love / Sexuality, Gender / Feminism

Fear of Flying (1973) is author Erica Jong’s first novel, considered by many to be semiautobiographical. Like her protagonist, Isadora Wing, Jong was married multiple times, published a book of poetry, and earned degrees from Barnard College and Columbia University. She also underwent psychoanalysis, a process in which Isadora has been engaged for many years. Isadora is married to an analyst, and the novel follows her as she attempts to reconcile her desire for sexual... Read Fear of Flying Summary


Publication year 2007

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Identity: Race, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt

Tags Crime / Legal, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction


Publication year 1964

Genre Play, Fiction

Tags Jewish Literature, Drama / Tragedy, Historical Fiction, Music, Humor, Classic Fiction

Fiddler on the Roof, a musical with a score by Jerry Bock, lyrics by Sheldon Harnick, and a libretto by Joseph Stein, first opened on Broadway in 1964. The play is based on an amalgam of stories written by Solomon NaumovichRabinovich under the pen name Sholem Aleichem, which is Hebrew for “peace be unto you.” The musical takes place on a fictional Russian shtetl, or Jewish village, called Anatevka during the reign of Tsar Nicholas... Read Fiddler on the Roof Summary


Publication year 2024

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Tags Self Help


Publication year 2019

Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: Mortality & Death

Tags Inspirational, Parenting, Religion / Spirituality, Biography


Publication year 2019

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: The Past, Life/Time: Aging, Identity: Sexuality, Relationships: Family

Tags Romance, LGBTQ


Publication year 2025

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Identity: Language, Identity: Mental Health, Identity: Race, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: Midlife, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Natural World: Place, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Marriage, Society: Community, Society: Immigration

Tags Coming of Age / Bildungsroman


Publication year 2016

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Identity: Gender, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies

Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction


Publication year 2013

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: The Future, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Teams, Values/Ideas: Fame, Values/Ideas: Win & Lose

Tags Children's Literature, Realistic Fiction, Sports, Modern Classic Fiction, Action / Adventure


Publication year 1951

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Natural World: Space & The Universe

Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Classic Fiction, Fantasy

First published in 1951, Isaac Asimov’s space saga Foundation tells the story of a secretive science institute that tries to save a galactic empire from the worst effects of its coming collapse. Four of the five interrelated stories comprising the novel appeared in Astounding Science Fiction between 1942 and 1944. The book and its sequels set a high standard for speculative fiction and exerted a major influence on later science fiction works, including the Star... Read Foundation Summary


Publication year 1996

Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Gratitude, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Race, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: The Past, Society: Politics & Government, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger

Tags WWII / World War II, Holocaust

Four Perfect Pebbles is a Holocaust memoir written by Marion Blumenthal Lazan and co-authored by Lila Perl. It was originally published in 1996, 51 years after Marion and her family were liberated from the death train by Russian troops in Nazi Germany. Marion was five years old when she and her family moved to a refugee camp in Holland, which was later converted into a transit camp for Auschwitz. The Blumenthals also lived at the... Read Four Perfect Pebbles Summary


Publication year 1961

Genre Short Story Collection, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Siblings, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality

Tags Classic Fiction, American Literature, History: World

Franny and Zooey is a 1961 book by J. D. Salinger. The book contains the 1955 short story Franny and the 1957 novella Zooey, both works that Salinger published separately in The New Yorker before he published them as a single book. J. D. Salinger is an American author most famous for his novel The Catcher in the Rye. The short story Franny follows Franny Glass as she visits her boyfriend Lane Coutell at school... Read Franny and Zooey Summary