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.
Publication year 2022
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Identity: Disability, Identity: Gender, Identity: Mental Health, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: The Past, Natural World: Environment, Natural World: Place, Relationships: Siblings, Society: Education, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, History: World
Publication year 2024
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Relationships: Friendship
Tags Fantasy, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 1984
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Siblings, Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Society: Community, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Hope
Tags Relationships, American Literature, French Literature, History: World, Historical Fiction, Romance, Classic Fiction
Publication year 1930
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Apathy, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: The Past, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Gender, Identity: Masculinity, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Society: Politics & Government, Society: Class, Society: Community, Society: Immigration
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Classic Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Roaring Twenties, Great Depression
Dashiell Hammett’s The Maltese Falcon (1930) is a detective novel that was first serialized in the magazine Black Mask. As Hammett’s third novel, The Maltese Falcon includes the introduction of Sam Spade as the protagonist, a departure from the nameless Continental Op who narrated his previous stories. Spade’s hard exterior, cool detachment, and reliance on his own moral code would become staples of the hardboiled genre, and The Maltese Falcon has since been named one... Read The Maltese Falcon Summary
Publication year 1955
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Life/Time: Midlife, Relationships: Marriage, Society: Community
Tags American Literature, History: World, Historical Fiction, Classic Fiction
Publication year 2009
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos
Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Fantasy, Action / Adventure
The Maze Runner is a young adult dystopian novel set in a post-apocalyptic world. The story begins in a dark metal elevator, where a teenage boy awakens with no real memories other than the fact that his name is Thomas. When the elevator stops and the doors open, Thomas finds himself surrounded by teenage boys. Their leader, a boy named Alby, welcomes Thomas to the Glade. Thomas quickly sees that the Glade is surrounded by... Read The Maze Runner Summary
Publication year 2024
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Indigenous, Identity: Mental Health, Life/Time: The Past, Society: Class, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed
Tags Historical Fiction, Health / Medicine
Publication year 2016
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Relationships: Fathers, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Life/Time: Mortality & Death
Tags Realistic Fiction, Romance, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, September 11 Attacks, Modern Classic Fiction, History: World, Historical Fiction
Publication year 1984
Genre Biography, Nonfiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Art, Society: Globalization
Tags Philosophy, Philosophy, History: World, Biography, Chinese Literature, Religion / Spirituality
Jonathan D. Spence’s The Memory Palace of Matteo Ricci (1984) is a biography of 16th-century Jesuit priest Matteo Ricci. Spence is a former professor of history at Yale University and a specialist in Chinese history. The biography is a study of cross-cultural exchange between Ming China and Counter-Reformation Europe. It charts Ricci’s attempts to teach a mnemonic device called the memory palace to scholarly elites in Ming China and his experiences as a missionary in... Read The Memory Palace Of Matteo Ricci Summary
Publication year 1994
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Society: Nation
Tags Asian Literature, Japanese Literature, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Asian Literature, Magical Realism, Fantasy
The Memory Police is a science fiction novel by Yoko Ogawa. The Japanese edition debuted in 1994 and was translated into English by Stephen Snyder in 2019. Under the sci-fi umbrella, the novel more specifically belongs in the dystopian, or Orwellian, speculative fiction subgenre in that the story explores the quiet, quotidian results of scientific experimentation. In doing so, it considers themes like Memory and Manufacturing the Uncanny as well as Alienation Within a Police... Read The Memory Police Summary
Publication year 1968
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Natural World: Animals, Natural World: Environment, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice
Tags Children's Literature, Animals, Realistic Fiction, Classic Fiction
Publication year 2024
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Identity: Indigenous, Identity: Masculinity, Identity: Sexuality, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Natural World: Climate, Natural World: Environment, Natural World: Flora/plants, Relationships: Marriage, Relationships: Mothers, Society: Colonialism, Society: Community, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice
Tags Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 1976
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Natural World: Animals, Emotions/Behavior: Memory
Publication year 2010
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: The Past, Natural World: Animals, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Natural World: Food, Natural World: Place, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Marriage, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt
Tags Christian literature, Romance, Action / Adventure, Survival Fiction
The Mountain Between Us (2010) is a survival romance novel by Charles Martin. It tells the story of Ben Payne, a surgeon who becomes trapped in the remote Utah wilderness with writer Ashley Knox. The novel interweaves Ben’s personal history with his growing feelings for Ashley as they rely on each other for survival, and their love begins to pose a potential complication in the lives to which they hope to return. Through their journey... Read The Mountain Between Us Summary
Publication year 2022
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Natural World: Animals, Emotions/Behavior: Apathy, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Gratitude, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Life/Time: The Future, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Natural World: Climate, Natural World: Environment, Natural World: Place, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Teams, Self Discovery, Society: Class, Society: Colonialism, Society: Community, Society: Globalization, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt
Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Fantasy, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Science / Nature, Animals
Publication year 2023
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Life/Time: The Past, Relationships: Grandparents, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2013
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Values/Ideas: Fate
Tags Historical Fiction, WWII / World War II, Military / War, History: World
Richard Flanagan’s 2014 novel The Narrow Road to the Deep North won the Man Booker Prize for fiction. It is an examination of the consequences of war, regret, loneliness, adultery, and love. The book unfolds through brief chapters that span five parts and multiple decades. The experiences of the men in the WWII Japanese POW camp mirror those of Richard Flanagan’s father, who was himself a prisoner of war. Although the novel has many characters—even... Read The Narrow Road to the Deep North Summary
Publication year 1921
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Identity: Race, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Emotions/Behavior: Memory
Tags Free verse, History: African
Publication year 2024
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Identity: Gender, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Marriage, Society: Class, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Religion / Spirituality, Psychological Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction
Publication year 2007
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Identity: Indigenous, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Natural World: Place, Society: Colonialism
Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Fantasy, Gothic Literature, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Religion / Spirituality