Marriage

"It is not a lack of love, but a lack of friendship that makes unhappy marriages," said philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche. The texts in this collection depict happy and unhappy marriages—and those that fall somewhere in between.

I Capture the Castle

by Dodie Smith

Publication year 1948

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Femininity, The Past, Siblings, Fathers, Marriage, Love

Tags Classic Fiction, Coming of Age, Historical Fiction, Romance, British Literature, World History

I Capture the Castle is a young adult novel published in 1948 by Dodie Smith. It follows the fictional journal of aspiring author Cassandra Mortmain as she writes about her family’s rise from poverty to wealth through their association with the Cotton brothers. The novel discusses themes of authorship, history, and the multiplicity of feminine identities. I Capture the Castle was adapted for film in 2003 by director Tim Fywell. This summary uses the St... Read I Capture the Castle Summary

I Know Who You Are

by Alice Feeney

Publication year 2019

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Perseverance, Fear, Guilt, Hate & Anger, Hope, Loneliness, Love, Memory, Revenge, Mental Health, Childhood & Youth, Midlife, Death, Future, The Past, Animals, Nature Versus Nurture, Place, Family, Marriage, Mothers, Siblings, Self Discovery, Social Class, Economics, Fame, Fate, Good & Evil, Justice, Literature, Loyalty & Betrayal, Order & Chaos, Power & Greed, Safety & Danger, Trust & Doubt, Truth & Lies

Tags Horror & Suspense, Mystery & Crime Fiction

... Read I Know Who You Are Summary

In Another Country

by Ernest Hemingway

Publication year 1925

Genre Short Story, Fiction

Themes Loneliness, War, Masculinity, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Love, Marriage

Tags Historical Fiction, World War I, Education, Education, Military & War, American Literature, World History, Classic Fiction

“In Another Country” is a short story by Ernest Hemingway first published in Scribner’s Magazine in 1927. Hemingway was one of the most celebrated writers of his time and was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1954. His works include short stories and novels as well as journalism and non-fiction studies, such as Death in the Afternoon (1932), about bullfighting. This guide refers to the version of “In Another Country” reprinted in the 1938... Read In Another Country Summary

In Love

by Amy Bloom

Publication year 2022

Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction

Themes Marriage, Love, Grief, Disability, Death

Tags Grief & Death, Health, Biography

... Read In Love Summary

In Pieces

by Sally Field

Publication year 2018

Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction

Themes Family, Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Perseverance, Fear, Hope, Joy, Love, Mental Health, Memory, Childhood & Youth, Coming of Age, Midlife, Death, Marriage, Mothers, Self Discovery, Community, Art, Beauty, Fame, Good & Evil, Loyalty & Betrayal, Order & Chaos, Truth & Lies

Tags Trauma & Abuse, Gender & Feminism

... Read In Pieces Summary

Jazz

by Toni Morrison

Publication year 1992

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Race, Marriage, Family, Conflict

Tags Historical Fiction, African American Literature, Coming of Age, Race & Racism, Trauma & Abuse, American Literature, World History, Classic Fiction

Jazz by Toni Morrison is the second installment of the Beloved trilogy. Morrison outlines the entirety of the plot in the first paragraph of the novel, allowing the rest of the text to explore the histories and emotional landscapes of the characters. Set in Harlem in the 1920s, Joe Trace has an affair with a young woman named Dorcas. When Dorcas later rejects Joe, he relentlessly searches for her. Joe sees Dorcas dancing with another... Read Jazz Summary

Jealous Husband Returns in Form of Parrot

by Robert Olen Butler

Publication year 1996

Genre Short Story, Fiction

Themes Marriage, Love, Masculinity

Tags Magical Realism, Relationships, Fantasy

Robert Olen Butler’s 1995 short story “Jealous Husband Returns in Form of Parrot” has been widely reprinted and anthologized. Its themes, which typify Butler's work, include alienation, desire, and the challenges of communicating with others. Butler is a best-selling American author and won the 1992 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction for his short story collection A Good Scent from a Strange Mountain, which explores the experiences of Vietnamese immigrants in the United States. “Jealous Husband,” however... Read Jealous Husband Returns in Form of Parrot Summary

Jude the Obscure

by Thomas Hardy

Publication year 1895

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Marriage, Social Class, Education, Religion & Spirituality

Tags Victorian Period, Classic Fiction, Social Class, Historical Fiction, Romance, British Literature, World History, Victorian Era

English author Thomas Hardy published his final novel, Jude the Obscure, in 1895. Critics deemed it “immoral” and “indecent,” and it became a target of book burnings because of its critique of marriage, religion, education, and class structure. The narrative follows the tragic journey of Jude Fawley, a working-class man striving for education and love, whose aspirations are consistently thwarted by societal barriers, personal setbacks, and internal struggles.This guide refers to the e-book version of... Read Jude the Obscure Summary

July's People

by Nadine Gordimer

Publication year 1981

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Equality, Conflict, Fear, Guilt, Memory, Regret, Race, Family, Marriage, Social Class, Colonialism, Community, Nation, Politics & Government, War, Fate, Justice, Loyalty & Betrayal, Order & Chaos, Power & Greed, Safety & Danger, Trust & Doubt, Truth & Lies

Tags Historical Fiction, Race & Racism, Military & War, African Literature

July’s People, a 1981 dystopian novel by South African author Nadine Gordimer, imagines the aftermath of a bloody uprising that topples South Africa’s notorious, white-ruled apartheid regime. Her novel, which follows a white family’s desperate flight from Johannesburg, traces the complex interdependencies of white and Black South Africans, revealing the insidiousness of the regime’s racial disparities and mindsets, even among liberal, well-meaning white people. Through the lens of this hypothetical future, Gordimer’s novel explores racial... Read July's People Summary

Kingmaker

by Sonia Purnell

Publication year 2024

Genre Biography, Nonfiction

Themes Femininity, Gender Identity, Sexual Identity, The Past, Marriage, Social Class, Politics & Government, War

Tags Biography, History, European History, World War II, US History, Gender & Feminism

... Read Kingmaker Summary

Kristin Lavransdatter

by Sigrid Undset

Publication year 1920

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Guilt, Hope, Love, Nostalgia, Regret, Gender Identity, Coming of Age, Death, Family, Marriage, Community, Religion & Spirituality

Tags Historical Fiction, Classic Fiction, Scandinavian Literature

Kristin Lavransdatter is a trilogy of historical novels by Norwegian author and Nobel Prize winner Sigrid Undset. Published between 1920 and 1922, the trilogy consists of The Wreath (see the comprehensive SuperSummary guide to The Wreath here), The Wife, and The Cross. The novels chronicle Scandinavian life during the Middle Ages. They follow the eponymous protagonist, Kristin Lavransdatter, a woman living in 1300s Norway. The trilogy is generally considered Undset’s magnum opus. This guide is... Read Kristin Lavransdatter Summary