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 1978

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Society: Community

Tags Realistic Fiction, Humor, Children's Literature, Education, Education, Classic Fiction


Publication year 1989

Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction

Themes Society: Nation, Society: Politics & Government, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger

Tags Jewish Literature, Military / War, Journalism, History: World, Travel Literature, Politics / Government

From Beirut to Jerusalem is a 1989 book by the American journalist Thomas Friedman. It chronicles the years he spent as a journalist in the two cities of the book’s name, during a remarkably tumultuous period in that region’s politics. It is part personal memoir, part analysis (leaning on the advice of many of his expert friends, such as Fouad Ajami), part collection of anecdotes ranging from the funny to the heartbreaking to the absurd... Read From Beirut to Jerusalem Summary


Publication year 1967

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Siblings, Values/Ideas: Art

Tags Classic Fiction, Children's Literature, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Action / Adventure, Education, Education, Realistic Fiction

From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler is a 1967 children’s novel by E. L. Konigsburg. With elements of mystery and adventure, the novel follows two children who run away from home to hide out in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where they are drawn into a mystery involving a newly acquired sculpture, even as they learn about themselves and the world around them. Praised for its humor and characters, the novel won... Read From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler Summary


Publication year 1990

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth

Tags Children's Literature, Realistic Fiction, Humor, Modern Classic Fiction


Publication year 2015

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Natural World: Environment, Relationships: Friendship, Society: Community, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Natural World: Food, Natural World: Animals, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Society: Education, Society: Globalization, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Self Discovery, Life/Time: The Future, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger

Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Action / Adventure, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Survival Fiction, Natural Disaster, Science / Nature, Children's Literature, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Realistic Fiction

In Newbery medalist Louis Sachar’s sci-fi thriller Fuzzy Mud (2015), Tamaya and Marshall cut through the restricted woods behind their school to avoid a bully—but encounter a strange mud that has the potential to destroy nearly all life on Earth. While Marshall struggles with the emotional effects of being bullied, Tamaya develops an unusually aggressive rash from the mud and worries that in protecting Marshall she has gravely injured Chad. Each character faces difficult ethical... Read Fuzzy Mud Summary


Publication year 2021

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Apathy, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Self Discovery

Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Fantasy, Sports, LGBTQ, Race / Racism, Modern Classic Fiction


Publication year 1953

Genre Short Story, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Relationships: Marriage, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies


Publication year 1993

Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction

Themes Identity: Mental Health, Life/Time: The Past, Identity: Femininity, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Identity: Gender, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology

Tags Depression / Suicide, Mental Illness, Psychology, Gender / Feminism, Addiction / Substance Abuse, Health / Medicine, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Modern Classic Fiction, Psychology, Classic Fiction, Biography

Susanna Kaysen’s 1993, Girl, Interrupted, is a memoir that explores Kaysen’s time as a teenage psychiatric patient in McLean Hospital in the late 1960s. Kaysen explores the murky definitions of mental health and illness, as she recounters her experience of being diagnosed with Borderline Personality Disorder and makes compelling arguments about the subjective nature of personality, behavior, and disorder. Girl, Interrupted is a bestselling book and was adapted into the 1999 film starring Winona Ryder... Read Girl, Interrupted Summary


Publication year 2016

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Identity: Sexuality, Identity: Femininity, Life/Time: Coming of Age

Tags Gender / Feminism, Parenting, Psychology, Love / Sexuality, LGBTQ, Women's Studies (Nonfiction), Sociology, Psychology, Self Help


Publication year 2022

Genre Reference/Text Book, Nonfiction

Themes Identity: Race, Society: Colonialism, Society: Nation, Society: Politics & Government, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice

Tags Education, Education, History: U.S., History: World


Publication year 1983

Genre Play, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Identity: Masculinity, Society: Economics, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict

Tags Play: Drama, Play: Comedy / Satire, American Literature, Education, Education, History: World, Drama / Tragedy, Classic Fiction

The “coffee is for closers” line is considered one of the most iconic moments from playwright David Mamet’s entire oeuvre (Glengarry Glen Ross. Directed by James Foley, New Line Cinema, 1992). However, the line is actually nowhere to be found in the playscript for Glengarry Glenn Ross, which premiered at the National Theatre in London in 1983 and debuted on Broadway in 1984. Rather, it appears in the 1992 film adaptation, with a screenplay that... Read Glengarry Glen Ross Summary


Publication year 2007

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Society: Politics & Government

Tags Religion / Spirituality, Philosophy, Sociology, Science / Nature, History: World, Philosophy, Politics / Government

God Is Not Great: How Religion Poisons Everything (2007) is a polemical text by English writer Christopher Hitchens. The author argues that religion is a cultural construct that represses people more than it liberates them. He examines religion’s role in sexuality, science, and human dignity and posits that organized religion rarely (if ever) benefits humanity at large. Hitchens was a noted columnist and contributing editor to Vanity Fair magazine.Its themes include mass delusions, the misogyny... Read God Is Not Great Summary


Publication year 1959

Genre Short Story Collection, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Nostalgia, Identity: Race, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Family, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality

Tags Relationships, Class, Jewish Literature, History: U.S., American Literature, History: World, Classic Fiction

Goodbye, Columbus is Philip Roth’s first work of literary fiction, consisting of six short stories, published on May 7, 1959. The book won the National Book Award in 1960 and is the first of many popular and successful works of fiction by Roth. Like his other novels and short stories, many of the stories occur in and around Roth’s birthplace of Newark, New Jersey, exploring the Jewish experience in the US. Roth is known for... Read Goodbye Columbus Summary


Publication year 2017

Genre Biography, Nonfiction

Tags Politics / Government, History: U.S., American Civil War, Military / War, History: World, Biography


Publication year 2003

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Society: Class, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed

Tags History: European, History: World, Military / War, Politics / Government, Incarceration, Russian Literature


Publication year 1970

Genre Biography, Nonfiction

Themes Society: Economics, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Society: Class, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Identity: Race, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness

Tags History: U.S., Great Depression, Poverty, Depression / Suicide, American Literature, Business / Economics, Sociology, History: World, Biography, Politics / Government


Publication year 2009

Genre Biography, Nonfiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Society: Community, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Life/Time: Aging, Life/Time: Mortality & Death

Tags Religion / Spirituality, Inspirational, Biography

Have a Little Faith: A True Story is a 2009 nonfiction book by American journalist and author Mitch Albom. The book can be classified as an inspirational memoir, as it centers on the author’s interactions with two faith leaders, one Jewish and one Christian, over an eight-year period. In 2011, Have a Little Faith was adapted into a made-for-television film starring Laurence Fishburne, Martin Landau, and Bradley Whitford. This study guide refers to the 2009... Read Have a Little Faith: A True Story Summary


Publication year 2023

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Natural World: Appearance & Reality

Tags Fantasy, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Religion / Spirituality


Publication year 2016

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Fame, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed

Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Romance, Psychological Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction


Publication year 2016

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Mothers, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice

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