Betting on You (2023) is a young adult contemporary romance by Lynn Painter that follows Bailey and Charlie, two teens who bond over healing from their parents’ divorces. Charlie, who believes that all relationships are doomed to fail, realizes the error in his beliefs as he falls in love with Bailey. This coming-of-age novel explores themes including The Costs of Early Maturity, Overcoming Resistance to Change, and Becoming Unjaded About Love. This guide refers to... Read Betting on You Summary

Between Riverside and Crazy, a 2014 play in two acts by Stephen Adly Guirgis, won the 2015 Pulitzer Prize for Drama. This work is widely considered a New York play written by a New York playwright, as it captures the particular spirit of this unique city in its story about an ex-cop facing eviction from his rent-controlled apartment and his efforts to understand and adapt to his changing world.  Stephen Adly Guirgis, a native of New York City, grew up on... Read Between Riverside And Crazy Summary

“Big Blonde” is a short story written by Dorothy Parker. It was first published in 1929 in The Bookman (a prestigious New York City literary magazine) and won the O. Henry competition for the best story that same year. It was later published in Parker’s 1930 short-story collection Laments for the Living.This study guide refers to the online flipbook version of “Big Blonde.”Content Warning: The source text contains references to domestic violence, alcohol addiction, and... Read Big Blonde Summary

Big Dumb Eyes: Stories from a Simpler Mind (2025) is a memoir by comedian Nate Bargatze, written as a collection of short comedic narratives about the author’s life. Bargatze is a Grammy-nominated standup comedian, who had a breakthrough appearance in 2017 when he was featured on Netflix. His first special, The Tennessee Kid (2019), was well received by critics, and in 2024, Bargatze was the highest-grossing standup comedian in the United States. Bargatze’s writing draws... Read Big Dumb Eyes Summary

Big Fish: A Novel of Mythic Proportions, a novel by Daniel Wallace, presents the story of the life of Edward Bloom, as told and retold by his son, William. William recounts Edward’s life as Edward lays dying of an unnamed terminal illness. The truth of Edward's past has always eluded William, as his father's anecdotes tend toward the unbelievable, and he seems incapable of being serious. Using tall tales, dreams, and allusions to Greek mythology... Read Big Fish Summary

Big Nate: In a Class by Himself is Lincoln Pierce’s first of eight novels featuring the famous cartoon character Big Nate. The novel was published in 2010 and is based on the “Big Nate” comics syndicated since 1991. The Big Nate series has attained huge popularity, gracing the New York Times bestseller list and spawning a television series and musical. Big Nate: In a Class by Himself follows a day in the life of Nate... Read Big Nate Summary

Big Swiss is a contemporary literary novel by Jen Beagin. Published in 2023 by Simon & Schuster, Big Swiss explores the conflux of psychology, repression, love, desire, and individual development. The novel follows the protagonist, Greta, as she engages in an inappropriate and coerced relationship with the object of her desire, a woman she refers to as Big Swiss. Greta learned about Big Swiss through her job of transcribing recordings of sexual therapy meetings for... Read Big Swiss Summary

Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life by Anne Lamott was originally published in 1994. Many of Lamott’s books have been on the New York Times bestsellers list, which qualifies her to offer advice about how to write. She also taught at writing conferences and at UC Davis, received a Guggenheim Fellowship, and was inducted into the California Hall of Fame. Bird by Bird is a combination of memoir, self-help book, and writing... Read Bird By Bird Summary

In Birth Vibes: Stories and Strategies for an Empowered Birth (2026), labor and delivery nurse Jen Hamilton offers a practical guide to navigating pregnancy and childbirth within the hospital system. This book combines childbirth education, patient advocacy, and personal narrative with a focus on informed decision-making, communication, and emotional preparation for birth. Hamilton argues that a positive birth experience is defined not by adhering to a rigid plan but by feeling heard, respected, and in... Read Birth Vibes Summary

Black AF History, by celebrated journalist, author, and cultural critic Michael Harriot, is a satirical, creative revisioning of Black American history, focusing on systemically neglected and suppressed Black narratives in America. Published in September 2023, this book playfully subverts the standard format of historical nonfiction. Using satire and literary devices like chapter quizzes, asides, and sidebar passages, Black AF History nonetheless uses meticulous research and primary sources to provide an expert account of American history... Read Black AF History Summary

Mateo Askaripour’s debut novel Black Buck (2021) satirizes race relations and the contemporary culture of entrepreneurialism in the United States. Following Black protagonist Darren Vender’s transformation from a Starbucks manager into “Buck,” a hot-shot salesman, the novel skewers racism in contemporary culture and corporate institutions. Darren transitions from managing Starbucks to working in sales for the online therapy service provider Sumwun to teaching Black people and other people of color to use his sales techniques... Read Black Buck Summary

George S. Schuyler’s novel, Black No More: Being an Account of the Strange and Wonderful Workings of Science in the Land of the Free, A.D. 1933-1940, is a satirical novel first published in 1931 by the Macaulay Company. The novel was reissued in 2015 by Martino Publishing, based in Mansfield Centre, Connecticut. Some contemporary scholars categorize this work retrospectively as one of the earliest pieces of literary Afrofuturism, a kind of science fiction unique to... Read Black No More Summary

Blithe Spirit is a 1941 farce written by the English playwright, composer, and actor Noël Coward. Known for his wit and style, Coward’s theatrical career lasted for nearly six decades. Blithe Spirit, one of his most popular and enduring works, was first performed in the West End, running for 1,997 performances, before transferring to Broadway for 657 performances. It was adapted into the musical High Spirits in 1964. To this day, the play continues to... Read Blithe Spirit Summary

Jeff Smith’s Bone is a dark fantasy graphic novel with elements of humor, adventure, and generic pastiche. Fifty-five issues were released over the course of 13 years, from 1991 to 2004. These issues were later compiled into a single volume, which was published in 2004 in its original black-and-white format. Bone has received a total of 10 Eisner Awards and 11 Harvey Awards. Bone follows the adventures of three cousins drawn in the style of... Read Bone Summary

Bonk: The Curious Coupling of Science and Sex (2008) is a work of narrative nonfiction by American science writer Mary Roach, whose previous bestsellers (Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers and Spook: Science Tackles the Afterlife) tackle similarly sensitive topics. Known for blending humor, curiosity, and meticulous research, Roach approaches the science of sex with both intellectual seriousness and comedic irreverence. Bonk sits within the genre of popular science writing and examines the evolution... Read Bonk Summary

Born a Crime is a comedic autobiographical work chronicling Trevor Noah’s childhood growing up in South Africa during and after apartheid. Published in 2016, it became a New York Times bestseller, and it is currently being adapted into a film. Born a Crime doesn’t follow a linear timeline; rather, the narrative jumps in time, offering anecdotes from Noah’s past. Before each chapter begins, there is a prologue that’s related to the content of the upcoming... Read Born a Crime Summary

Gordan Korman’s 2006 young adult coming-of-age novel Born to Rock follows teenager Leo Caraway as he sets out to get to know his biological father—the frontman of a legendary punk rock band—hoping to fund his college tuition while navigating the foreign world of punk rock and gets to know his roots. The novel, which was written for and dedicated to Korman’s son, also named Leo, explores themes of genetics, identity, self-expression, and lying.Korman is a... Read Born to Rock Summary

Bossypants is a humorous memoir published in 2011 by actor and writer Tina Fey. Fey describes growing up as an awkward, smart-mouthed girl and traces the process by which she enters show business, from working at a theater summer camp, to taking night improv classes, to writing for Saturday Night Live, and finally to creating her own television sitcom, 30 Rock. Fey writes of the discrimination and double standards to which women in show business... Read Bossypants Summary

The novel Boyfriend Material (2020) is a romantic comedy by Alexis Hall. It follows Luc O’Donnell, the son of a rock star. Luc’s father, the rock star, is making a comeback.Luc tries to find a suitable partner to help him clean up his party-boy image. He reunites with Oliver Blackwood, a man who seems like his opposite in every possible way. The novel grapples with the difficulties of identity and sexuality, questioning traditional notions of... Read Boyfriend Material Summary

IntroductionMany readers are familiar with Roald Dahl (1916-1990) as the author of popular stories such as James and the Giant Peach (1961) and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (1964). Dahl published 19 novels and short story collections for children. He was born in Wales to a Norwegian family and spent most of his life in England. He was an intelligence officer and fighter pilot in the Royal Air Force during World War II and suffered... Read Boy: Tales of Childhood Summary