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.

The Raven

by Edgar Allan Poe

Publication year 1845

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Memory

Tags Horror & Suspense, Narrative Poem, Classic Fiction, Animals, Grief & Death

Influenced by the English Romantic poets Samuel Taylor Coleridge, “Lord” George Gordon Byron, and Percy Shelley, Edgar Allan Poe represents one of the essential American Romantic poets of the nineteenth century. Romanticism here refers to a literary movement of the late 1700s and 1800s which focused on the emotional life of the individual and curiosity about the self. This movement complemented a larger geopolitical and ideological shift in the United States. As a young nation... Read The Raven 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

There Is No Antimemetics Division

by qntm

Publication year 2020

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Perseverance, Fear, Hope, Loneliness, Memory, Language, Mental Health, Death, Future, The Past, Appearance & Reality, Marriage, Teamwork, Politics & Government, War, Equality, Justice, Literature, Loyalty & Betrayal, Order & Chaos, Power & Greed, Safety & Danger, Science & Technology, Truth & Lies, Wins & Losses

Tags Science Fiction, Horror & Suspense, Fantasy

... Read There Is No Antimemetics Division Summary

The Rememberer

by Aimee Bender

Publication year 2002

Genre Short Story, Fiction

Themes Memory, Space, Grief

Tags Magical Realism

“The Rememberer,” by American author Aimee Bender, is a short story that uses conventions of magical realism to explore the themes of Thought Versus Feeling, Love and Obligation, and The Sublime Quality of Loss. First published in the September 1, 1997, issue of The Missouri Review, the piece later appeared in Bender’s award-winning short story collection, The Girl in the Flammable Skirt (1998). Bender uses first-person point-of-view to tell the story of Annie, a woman... Read The Rememberer Summary

The Rest of Our Lives

by Ben Markovits

Publication year 2025

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Family, Apathy, Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Fear, Guilt, Loneliness, Love, Memory, Shame & Pride, Gender Identity, Race, Aging, Midlife, Death, The Past, Daughters & Sons, Marriage, Self Discovery, Community, Fate, Order & Chaos, Truth & Lies

Tags Domestic Fiction, Relationships

... Read The Rest of Our Lives Summary

The Revolution of Evelyn Serrano

by Sonia Manzano

Publication year 2012

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Conflict, Memory, Race, Coming of Age, Family, Community, Immigration, Politics & Government

Tags Historical Fiction, Coming of Age, Realistic Fiction, Children`s Literature, World History, Arts & Culture

Written by Sonia Manzano in 2012, The Revolution of Evelyn Serrano is a middle grade coming-of-age story set in the heart of Spanish Harlem, New York, in 1969. The novel introduces Evelyn Serrano, a young Puerto Rican girl caught between her conservative family and the vibrant, radical spirit of the Young Lords Movement. As Evelyn becomes more involved with the movement, she starts to uncover her family’s complex history and the struggles of the Puerto... Read The Revolution of Evelyn Serrano Summary

The Road to Wigan Pier

by George Orwell

Publication year 1937

Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction

Themes Memory, Social Class, Community

Tags Social Justice, Social Class, European History, British Literature, Journalism, Business & Economics, Sociology, World History, Classic Fiction, Politics & Government, Biography

The Road to Wigan Pier is a 1937 nonfiction book by George Orwell. The book describes Orwell’s firsthand experiences of life in Great Britain’s working-class communities in the early 20th century and advocates for the adoption of socialism. SummaryThe Road to Wigan Pier begins in a small lodging house in Northern England. The impoverished, rundown house rents crowded rooms to people who work in the nearby mines. The landlord, Mr. Brooker, was once a miner... Read The Road to Wigan Pier Summary

The Ruins of Gorlan

by John Flanagan

Publication year 2004

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Death, Loyalty & Betrayal, Friendship, Safety & Danger, Coming of Age, Fame, Revenge, Memory, Childhood & Youth, The Past, Education, Animals, Fear, Good & Evil, War, Fathers, Perseverance, Conflict, Wins & Losses, Nation, Self Discovery

Tags Fantasy, Children`s Literature, Action & Adventure, Social Class

In The Ruins of Gorlan, a Medieval adventure-fantasy novel for middle-grade readers, young Will learns the arts of the secretive Ranger tracker-warriors and defends his kingdom against an evil baron. Released in 2004 by author John Flanagan, The Ruins of Gorlan won multiple awards, spawned the bestselling Ranger Apprentice book series, and has been published in 18 countries. A television adaptation is in the works.Following a long career in advertising, author Flanagan shifted to book... Read The Ruins of Gorlan Summary

The Scorch Trials

by James Dashner

Publication year 2010

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Memory, Friendship

Tags Science Fiction, Mystery & Crime Fiction, Fantasy, Action & Adventure

The Scorch Trials is a Young Adult novel by James Dashner, and is the second installment in the Maze Runner Series. Set in a post-apocalyptic world, the novel deals with the mysterious and devastating events surrounding a group of teenagers who are being manipulated and tested by a seemingly omnipotent agency known as WICKED. The novel takes place immediately after the events that take place in The Maze Runner, leaving Thomas, Teresa and their friends... Read The Scorch Trials Summary

The Sea

by John Banville

Publication year 2005

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Grief, Childhood & Youth, Aging, Memory

Tags Modern Classic Fiction, World History, Irish Literature, Classic Fiction

... Read The Sea Summary

The Sense of an Ending

by Julian Barnes

Publication year 2011

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Memory, Friendship, Regret

Tags Psychological Fiction, Mystery & Crime Fiction, British Literature, Postmodernism, Relationships, Modern Classic Fiction

The Sense of an Ending (2011) is a novel by English author Julian Barnes. Composed of two chapters, the book follows the life of Tony Webster, a retired man looking back on his youth and reflecting on his relationship with his ex-girlfriend, Veronica Ford, and an enigmatic friend, Adrian Finn. The title alludes to the meaning and closure Tony seeks as he nears the end of his life. The novel was met with critical acclaim... Read The Sense of an Ending Summary