Nation & Nationalism

These texts explore the concept of the nation, an idea of community that inspires patriotism and nostalgia. What makes a nation? And why are people willing to die—or to kill—to protect it? These are just a couple of the questions examined in the texts in this collection.

The Eagle of the Ninth

by Rosemary Sutcliff

Publication year 1954

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Fathers, Religion & Spirituality, Nation

Tags Historical Fiction, British Literature, Children`s Literature, Education, Education, World History, Fantasy, Action & Adventure, Classic Fiction

First published in 1954, The Eagle of the Ninth is the first of three novels constituting English author Rosemary Sutcliff’s Roman Britain trilogy, all of which are connected through the emerald ring belonging to the family of Marcus Flavius Aquila. A work of historical fiction, The Eagle of the Ninth draws upon two historical events. One is the disappearance of the Ninth Legion of the Roman Army around the year AD 117 after they departed... Read The Eagle of the Ninth Summary

The Farming Of Bones

by Edwidge Danticat

Publication year 1998

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Nation

Tags Historical Fiction, Education, Education, Modern Classic Fiction, World History

The Farming of Bones, by Edwidge Danticat, was originally published in 1998. The novel’s setting is the Dominican Republic and the surplus of the book takes place in the late 1930s. Amabelle Désir, orphan and servant to Señora Valencia and her father, Papi, finds herself going above and beyond the call of duty as she delivers Señora Valencia’s twin babies. When the doctor arrives, he comments on Amabelle’s stellar abilities as a midwife, and suggests... Read The Farming Of Bones Summary

The Fifth Of March

by Ann Rinaldi

Publication year 1993

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes War, Conflict, Hate & Anger, Love, Revenge, Gender Identity, Coming of Age, Friendship, Self Discovery, Social Class, Colonialism, Community, Nation, Politics & Government, Justice

Tags Historical Fiction, Children`s Literature, American Revolution

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The Garden of Evening Mists

by Tan Twan Eng

Publication year 2011

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Memory, Forgiveness, Guilt, Hate & Anger, Love, Gender Identity, Self Discovery, Colonialism, Nation, Politics & Government, War, Art, Beauty, Justice, Order & Chaos, Religion & Spirituality

Tags Historical Fiction, Asian Literature, Military & War

The Garden of Evening Mists (2012) is a historical novel by Malaysian author Tan Twan Eng. A former intellectual property lawyer, Eng received international acclaim for his first novel, The Gift of Rain (2007), which was longlisted for the Man Booker Prize. The Garden of Evening Mists, his second novel, was shortlisted for the same prize. The narrative follows Teoh Yun Ling, a Malaysian woman who, while confronting a degenerative neurological condition that is erasing... Read The Garden of Evening Mists Summary

The German Wife

by Kelly Rimmer

Publication year 2022

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Fear, Guilt, Hope, Regret, Gender Identity, Mental Health, Race, Marriage, Immigration, Nation, Politics & Government, War, Good & Evil, Justice, Safety & Danger

Tags World History, Military & War

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The Great Train Robbery

by Michael Crichton

Publication year 1975

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Teamwork, Social Class, Colonialism, Nation, Politics & Government

Tags Mystery & Crime Fiction, Historical Fiction, Horror & Suspense, World History, Action & Adventure, Classic Fiction

The Great Train Robbery (1975) by Michael Crichton is a fictionalized account of the Great Gold Robbery of 1855. It details the actions of criminal mastermind Edward Pierce and his co-conspirators as they plan and execute the heist of £12,000 of gold from a train in London. This historical thriller analyzes Victorian beliefs about crime in the context of a rapidly changing society overwhelmed by industrialization. Historically, Pierce’s successful heist shocked a nation that believed... Read The Great Train Robbery Summary

The Guardians

by Ana Castillo

Publication year 2007

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Gender Identity, Family, Social Class, Community, Immigration, Nation, Religion & Spirituality

Tags Women`s Studies, Education, Education, Latin American Literature, American Literature, Arts & Culture

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The Heartbeat of Wounded Knee

by David Treuer

Publication year 2019

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Colonialism, Race, Nation

Tags US History, Gilded Age, Race & Racism, World History, Social Justice, Politics & Government

Anthropologist David Treuer’s The Heartbeat of Wounded Knee: Native America from 1890 to the Present (2019) revives Indigenous history and centers Indigenous people as subjects, not as mere victims of American avarice. It was a finalist for the National Book Award in Nonfiction. Treuer is a member of the Ojibwe tribe from the Leech Lake Reservation in north-central Minnesota. He has a doctorate in anthropology, teaches at the University of Southern California, and is the... Read The Heartbeat of Wounded Knee Summary