Memorial Day Reads

Our selection of Memorial Day Reads highlights the voices of writers with experience serving in the military or living through conflict. Exploring the concepts of war and peace, these selections expound on the nature of conflict and its impacts on the people affected by it.

The Port Chicago 50

by Steve Sheinkin

Publication year 2014

Genre Biography, Nonfiction

Themes War

Tags Military & War, Social Justice, World War II, Children`s Literature, US History, World History, Arts & Culture

In The Port Chicago 50: Disaster, Mutiny, and the Fight for Civil Rights, historian Steve Sheinkin traces the story of the Port Chicago 50, a group of African-American sailors charged with mutiny for disobeying orders during World War II. Sheinkin’s history opens, however, with the story of Dorie Miller, a black mess attendant stationed at Pearl Harbor when the Japanese attack in 1942. Though not trained for battle, Miller courageously begins fighting with an anti-aircraft... Read The Port Chicago 50 Summary

The Postcard

by Anne Berest

Publication year 2023

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Family, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Fear, Forgiveness, Grief, Guilt, Hate & Anger, Memory, Regret, Mental Health, Race, Death, The Past, Mothers, Siblings, Community, Immigration, Good & Evil

Tags Historical Fiction, World War II, Holocaust, Jewish Literature, French Literature, Military & War, World History

... Read The Postcard Summary

The Prize: The Epic Quest for Oil, Money, and Power

by Daniel Yergin

Publication year 1991

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Colonialism, Economics, Globalization, Nation, Politics & Government, War, Power & Greed, Environment

Tags Military & War, Science & Nature, Business & Economics, World History, Politics & Government

The Prize: The Epic Quest for Oil, Money, & Power is an influential work by Daniel Yergin that was originally published in 1991. Yergin, a highly regarded American historian and economic researcher, examines the history and influence of the global oil industry. With a background in energy economics and policy, Yergin brings a wealth of expertise to this comprehensive examination, providing a detailed narrative of the oil industry’s evolution and its substantial impact on global... Read The Prize: The Epic Quest for Oil, Money, and Power Summary

The Quiet American

by Graham Greene

Publication year 1955

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Colonialism, Death, Trust & Doubt, War

Tags Historical Fiction, Romance, Military & War, Vietnam War, British Literature, Horror & Suspense, Classic Fiction

The Quiet American is a 1955 novel by Graham Greene. Set during the era of French colonialism in Vietnam, it tells the story of an English journalist who is caught in a love triangle with an American intelligence agent and a Vietnamese woman. Greene had published over a dozen novels before The Quiet American and was considered one of the most influential American authors during his career. He drew on his own experiences as a... Read The Quiet American Summary

The Radical and the Republican

by James Oakes

Publication year 2007

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Tags US History, Race & Racism, Education, Education, American Civil War, Military & War, World History, Politics & Government, Biography

The Radical and the Republican is a nonfiction book written by James Oakes and published in 2007. While many nonfiction works are centered around a central thesis, hypothesis, or argument, The Radical and the Republican does not follow this pattern; instead, Oakes’s approach is one of compare-and-contrast. He sets up Abraham Lincoln (the Republican) and Frederick Douglass (the Radical) as foils, which allows him to move back and forth from the two historical figures as... Read The Radical and the Republican Summary

The Rape of Nanking

by Iris Chang

Publication year 1997

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Tags Trauma & Abuse, World History, World War II, Military & War, Chinese Literature, Japanese Literature, Politics & Government

The Rape of Nanking is a historical nonfiction book published in 1997 by American author and journalist Iris Chang. Subtitled The Forgotten Holocaust of World War II, the book chronicles the 1937 Nanking massacre, during which the Imperial Japanese Army, over a six-week period, killed between 260,000 and 400,000 Chinese noncombatants and raped between 20,000 and 80,000 women. The Rape of Nanking was enormously influential in drawing attention to Japanese wartime atrocities, earning Chang numerous... Read The Rape of Nanking Summary

The Reader

by Bernhard Schlink

Publication year 1995

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Love, Guilt, Memory

Tags Historical Fiction, Holocaust, German Literature, World War II, Military & War, World History, Romance, Classic Fiction

Introduction Law professor Bernhard Schlink published The Reader (Der Vorleser) in Germany in 1995. Two years later, an English version arrived in the United States, and it became a bestseller and a selection for Oprah's Book Club. The German newspaper Abendzeitung named the book Stern des Jahres (Star of the Year), and it was also awarded the 1998 Hans Fallada Prize, given to works that address social or political issues. Translated editions of The Reader... Read The Reader Summary

The Reckoning

by John Grisham

Publication year 2018

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Conflict, Perseverance, Forgiveness, Guilt, Grief, Hate & Anger, Revenge, Shame & Pride, War, Social Class, Colonialism, Politics & Government, Equality, Justice, Loyalty & Betrayal, Safety & Danger, Truth & Lies, Trust & Doubt, Race, Gender Identity, Mental Health, Femininity, Masculinity, Daughters & Sons, Family, Fathers, Marriage, Mothers, Siblings, Death, Coming of Age, The Past, Nation

Tags Mystery & Crime Fiction, Historical Fiction, Horror & Suspense, Crime & Law, Race & Racism, Military & War, World History

... Read The Reckoning Summary

The Red Badge of Courage

by Stephen Crane

Publication year 1895

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes War, Fear, Shame & Pride

Tags Military & War, American Literature, Historical Fiction, US History, American Civil War, Naturalism, Education, Education, World History, Classic Fiction

The Red Badge of Courage was written in 1895 by Stephen Crane, a novelist, poet, and journalist well known for his naturalist style and for incorporating the inner lives of common and marginalized people. The novel won wide acclaim for Crane, though his life after the book’s publication was distinguished by scandal and money troubles. Its themes reframe the concept of military duty as a rite of passage, detailing a highly individual and self-searching act... Read The Red Badge of Courage Summary

The Red Pencil

by Andrea Davis Pinkney

Publication year 2014

Genre Novel/Book in Verse, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Perseverance, Grief, Hope, Childhood & Youth, Family, War, Art, Coming of Age

Tags Historical Fiction, Realistic Fiction, Military & War, Arts & Culture, Education, Gender & Feminism, Coming of Age, African Literature, History: African , Children`s Literature

... Read The Red Pencil Summary

The River Between Us

by Richard Peck

Publication year 2003

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Equality, Family, War

Tags Historical Fiction, Military & War, American Civil War, Children`s Literature, World History

The River Between Us by Richard Peck is a young adult historical fiction novel about the Civil War. Peck was the author of over 35 novels for children and young adults and won a Newberry Medal, Newberry Honor, the Edgar Allan Poe Award, the Boston Globe-Horn Book Award, and the Christopher Medal. The River Between Us, published in 2003, won the Scott O’Dell Award and was a National Book Award finalist. The book deals with... Read The River Between Us Summary

The Room on Rue Amélie

by Kristin Harmel

Publication year 2018

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Perseverance, Love, Coming of Age, Friendship, Community, War, Safety & Danger, Emotions/Behavior: Courage

Tags Historical Fiction, World War II, Military & War, World History, French Literature, Romance

The Room on Rue Amélie (2018) is a historical fiction novel by American author Kristin Harmel. The novel follows the experiences of Ruby Henderson, an American immigrant in Paris, during World War II. Ruby eventually becomes involved in the French Resistance and forms a close friendship with Charlotte, whose Jewish identity leaves her vulnerable to persecution. Both women navigate the risks of resistance and the nature of love in a time of war. The novel... Read The Room on Rue Amélie Summary

The Rose Code

by Kate Quinn

Publication year 2021

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Femininity, Teamwork, Friendship, Loyalty & Betrayal, Safety & Danger, Science & Technology, Trust & Doubt

Tags Historical Fiction, World War II, Gender & Feminism, Mystery & Crime Fiction, Military & War, World History, Romance

... Read The Rose Code Summary

The Shadow King

by Maaza Mengiste

Publication year 2019

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Perseverance, Hope, Regret, Gender Identity, Masculinity, Race, Social Class, Colonialism, Nation, War

Tags African American Literature, World History, Historical Fiction, Military & War, History: African

... Read The Shadow King Summary