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.

Big Blonde

by Dorothy Parker

Publication year 1929

Genre Short Story, Fiction

Themes Beauty, Femininity, Marriage, Mental Health

Tags Relationships, Depression & Suicide, Modern Classic Fiction, Mental Illness, Addiction & Substance Abuse, Humor, Classic Fiction

“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 Swiss

by Jen Beagin

Publication year 2023

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Mental Health, Truth & Lies, Marriage, Sexual Identity

Tags LGBTQ+, Love & Sexuality, Romance, Humor, Modern Classic Fiction

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Bliss

by Katherine Mansfield

Publication year 1918

Genre Short Story, Fiction

Themes Marriage, Sexual Identity, Love, Gender Identity, Loyalty & Betrayal, Beauty

Tags Modernism, Education, Education, World History, Romance, LGBTQ+, Classic Fiction

“Bliss” is a short story written by New Zealand author Katherine Mansfield. It was originally published in 1918 in The English Review and later republished in 1920 as a collection of short stories entitled Bliss and Other Stories. Katherine Mansfield was a contemporary of British writers such as Virginia Woolf (Mrs. Dalloway, Orlando), D. H. Lawrence (Sons and Lovers, Women in Love), and James Joyce (Ulysses, Dubliners). As a Modernist story, “Bliss” focuses on the... Read Bliss Summary

Blithe Spirit

by Noël Coward

Publication year 1941

Genre Play, Fiction

Themes Loyalty & Betrayal, Marriage, Gender Identity, Love

Tags Comedy & Satire, British Literature, Gender & Feminism, Grief & Death, Love & Sexuality, Dramatic Literature, Fantasy, Humor, Classic Fiction

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

Blood Wedding

by Federico García Lorca

Publication year 1932

Genre Play, Fiction

Themes Conflict, Hate & Anger, Revenge, Marriage

Tags Tragedy, Drama, Latin American Literature, Dramatic Literature, Trauma & Abuse

Blood Wedding, a Spanish rural tragedy, was written by Federico Garcia Lorca in 1932 while he was director of the travelling theater company Teatro Universitario La Barraca. The play was first performed at Teatro Beatriz in Madrid in 1933 under the title Bodas de Sangre. It ran briefly in America on Broadway in 1935, where it was retitled Bitter Oleander. It was not well received; the passions and folkloric culture in the play were too... Read Blood Wedding Summary

Bluebeard

by Charles Perrault

Publication year 1697

Genre Short Story, Fiction

Themes Marriage, Fear, Good & Evil

Tags Fairy Tale & Folklore, Classic Fiction, French Literature

“Blue Beard,” by 17th-century French author Charles Perrault, is a short story in the fairy tale genre that relies on symbolism and concision to address themes of Female Agency, Transgressive Knowledge, and Patriarchal Control. First published in Perrault’s 1697 book Histoires ou Contes du Temps passé, avec des Moralités (meaning Stories or Tales from Times Past, with Morals), “Blue Beard” was found alongside other classic fairy tales that engage with similar themes, such as “Sleeping... Read Bluebeard Summary

Bluebird, Bluebird

by Attica Locke

Publication year 2017

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Community, Safety & Danger, Family, Hate & Anger, Music, Race, Mothers, Food, Trust & Doubt, Justice, Equality, Marriage, Grief, Fear, Perseverance, Conflict

Tags Mystery & Crime Fiction, Horror & Suspense, Race & Racism, African American Literature, Modern Classic Fiction

Bluebird, Bluebird (2017) by Texas native Attica Locke, published by Little, Brown and Company, is a 2018 Edgar and Anthony award-winning mystery novel. It was also selected as a New York Times Book Review Editor’s Choice Finalist for the Los Angeles Times Book Prize, and Kirkus Best Mysteries and Thrillers of 2017. The first in the Highway 59 series follows Texas Ranger Darren Mathews through the backroads of Texas in search of justice and reform... Read Bluebird, Bluebird Summary

Brain Damage

by Freida McFadden

Publication year 2016

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Perseverance, Memory, Shame & Pride, Disability, Femininity, Masculinity, Mental Health, Midlife, Appearance & Reality, Objects & Materials, Friendship, Marriage, Self Discovery, Community, Good & Evil, Justice, Loyalty & Betrayal, Order & Chaos, Power & Greed, Safety & Danger, Trust & Doubt, Truth & Lies

Tags Horror & Suspense, Psychological Fiction

... Read Brain Damage Summary

Bread of Angels

by Patti Smith

Publication year 2025

Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction

Themes Marriage, Family, Perseverance, Grief, Love, Memory, Mental Health, Childhood & Youth, Coming of Age, Midlife, Death, The Past, Objects & Materials, Place, Teamwork, Self Discovery, Art, Beauty, Fame, Literature, Music

Tags Memoir & Autobiography, Music, Arts & Culture, Love & Sexuality, Grief & Death

... Read Bread of Angels Summary

Bride

by Ali Hazelwood

Publication year 2024

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Love, Sexual Identity, Marriage

Tags Fantasy, Romance, Science Fiction, Religion & Spirituality

... Read Bride Summary

Bridge of Clay

by Markus Zusak

Publication year 2018

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Family, Love, Grief, Siblings, Conflict, Forgiveness, Guilt, Hate & Anger, Memory, Regret, Death, Order & Chaos, Loyalty & Betrayal, Literature, Mothers, Marriage, Daughters & Sons, Fathers, The Past

Tags Historical Fiction, Realistic Fiction, Grief & Death, Modern Classic Fiction

... Read Bridge of Clay Summary

Bringing Up Bébé

by Pamela Druckerman

Publication year 2012

Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction

Themes Family, Mothers, Gratitude, Hope, Love, Shame & Pride, Femininity, Language, Childhood & Youth, Midlife, Food, Nature Versus Nurture, Daughters & Sons, Marriage, Social Class, Immigration, Nation

Tags Memoir & Autobiography, Parenting

... Read Bringing Up Bébé Summary

Bring Up The Bodies

by Hilary Mantel

Publication year 2012

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Loyalty & Betrayal, The Past, Marriage, Truth & Lies

Tags World History, European History, Historical Fiction, British Literature, Elizabethan Era

Bring Up the Bodies (2012) is a Tudor-era historical novel by British writer Hilary Mantel. It is the second novel in a trilogy depicting the life and career of Thomas Cromwell, a 16th-century English politician and advisor to King Henry VIII. Bring Up the Bodies followed Wolf Hall (2009) and preceded The Mirror and The Light (2020). It received significant critical acclaim and was awarded the 2012 Man Booker Prize. BBC produced a television adaptation... Read Bring Up The Bodies Summary

Bruiser

by Neal Shusterman

Publication year 2010

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Friendship, Family, Coming of Age, Marriage, Siblings, Self Discovery

Tags Fantasy, Trauma & Abuse, Realistic Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Romance, Religion & Spirituality

Bruiser by Neal Shusterman, first published in 2010, is a young adult novel. It explores the life of Brewster “Bruiser” Rawlins, a high school student who has the ability to take pain away from those he cares about. Through his supernatural ability, the novel explores themes of Finding Emotional Balance, The Complications of Empathy, and The Dangers of Excessive Dependence on Others. Shusterman is the author of dozens of young adult novels, short stories, and works... Read Bruiser Summary