Memory

In many ways, who we are is shaped by what we remember, yet our recollections aren't always a reliable account of the past. This collection gathers texts that explore the ideas, theories, and challenges conjured by memory.

Human Acts

by Han Kang

Publication year 2014

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Death, Justice, Politics & Government, Community, Memory

Tags Historical Fiction, Grief & Death, Social Justice, Korean Literature, Trauma & Abuse, Modern Classic Fiction, Asian Literature, World History

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Hurt Locker

by Brian Turner

Publication year 2005

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Forgiveness, Memory, Guilt, Hate & Anger, Fear, Grief, Perseverance, Conflict, Safety & Danger, Good & Evil, Wins & Losses, Death

Tags Iraq War

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I Am Number Four

by Pittacus Lore

Publication year 2010

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Friendship, Memory, Good & Evil

Tags Science Fiction, Relationships, Science & Nature, Social Class, Fantasy, Romance, Action & Adventure, Religion & Spirituality

I Am Number Four (2010) is the first book in the modern young adult science fiction series Lorien Legacies by Pittacus Lore, the pseudonym of authors James Frey and Jobie Hughes. Despite the novel’s mixed reviews, I Am Number Four spent seven successive weeks at the top of the New York Times children’s bestseller list. The novel was adapted into a film of the same name in 2011 by DreamWorks Pictures.Other works by this author... Read I Am Number Four Summary

I Am The Messenger

by Markus Zusak

Publication year 2002

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Grief, Fear, Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Conflict, Forgiveness, Hate & Anger, Guilt, Perseverance, Apathy, Memory, Love, Regret, Shame & Pride, Coming of Age, Self Discovery, Daughters & Sons, Fathers, Mothers, Beauty, Literature

Tags Mystery & Crime Fiction, New Adult, Realistic Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction

Originally published in 2002, Markus Zusak’s I Am the Messenger is a young adult realistic fiction novel. Ed Kennedy, the protagonist and narrator, is a 19-year-old cab driver whose average life takes an unexpected turn when he stops a bank robber. After this moment of heroism, he begins receiving mysterious playing cards with cryptic messages that lead him to people in need of his assistance. The novel is set in suburban Sydney and draws on... Read I Am The Messenger Summary

I Cheerfully Refuse

by Leif Enger

Publication year 2024

Genre Short Story Collection, Fiction

Themes Conflict, Perseverance, Grief, Hate & Anger, Hope, Love, Memory, Revenge, Death, Future, Climate, Environment, Self Discovery, Social Class, Community, Economics, Nation, Politics & Government, Equality, Fate, Good & Evil, Justice, Music, Order & Chaos, Power & Greed, Safety & Danger, Trust & Doubt

Tags Fantasy, Action & Adventure, Science Fiction

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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

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I'll Give You the Sun

by Jandy Nelson

Publication year 2014

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Art, Family, Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Fear, Forgiveness, Grief, Guilt, Hate & Anger, Loneliness, Love, Memory, Shame & Pride, Aging, Childhood & Youth, Coming of Age, Sexual Identity, The Past, Death, Daughters & Sons, Fathers, Mothers, Siblings, Fate, Trust & Doubt, Truth & Lies, Wins & Losses

Tags Coming of Age, Magical Realism, Romance, Realistic Fiction, LGBTQ+, Grief & Death, Love & Sexuality, Modern Classic Fiction

I’ll Give You the Sun (2015) is an award-winning novel penned by Jandy Nelson about relationships, art, and destiny. It follows the story of twins Noah and Jude Sweetwine who once shared a close relationship but find themselves barely speaking to each other two years after their mother’s death.Jandy Nelson is an American author who writes young adult fiction. I’ll Give You the Sun is her second novel, which won numerous awards and honors, including... Read I'll Give You the Sun Summary

I Lost My Talk

by Rita Joe

Publication year 2007

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Race, Indigenous Identity, Forgiveness, Grief, Memory, Language, Childhood & Youth, Colonialism, Wins & Losses, Literature

Tags Lyric Poem, Education, Arts & Culture, Diversity, History of the Americas, Race & Racism, Trauma & Abuse, Colonialism & Postcolonialism

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Imagining Argentina

by Lawrence Thornton

Publication year 1987

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Fear, Hope, Memory, Politics & Government, Art, Good & Evil, Justice

Tags Magical Realism, Historical Fiction, Military & War, Education, Education, World History

Imagining Argentina (1987) is a fantasy novel by American author Lawrence Thornton. Set against the backdrop of Argentina’s Dirty War, Imagining Argentina centers Carlos Rueda, a Buenos Aires native whose supernatural abilities grant him insight into the fates of Argentina’s disappeared. The novel’s complicated consideration of power, memory, and authoritarianism has been critically acclaimed, earning a nomination for the PEN/Faulkner Award in Fiction. Thornton would later expand the story into two succeeding novels, Naming the... Read Imagining Argentina 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

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