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.
Publication year 2019
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Identity: Race, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Teams, Society: Globalization, Society: Nation, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger
Tags History: U.S., Crime / Legal, September 11 Attacks, History: World, Biography, Politics / Government
Publication year 1945
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Society: Politics & Government, Society: Nation, Values/Ideas: Fate, Society: Community
Tags Politics / Government, Philosophy, History: World, Science / Nature, Sociology, Business / Economics, Philosophy, Classic Fiction
Publication year 2020
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Identity: Race, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Society: Class, Society: Community, Society: Education, Society: Nation, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags History: World, History: U.S., Science / Nature, Health / Medicine, Race / Racism, Crime / Legal
Publication year 1884
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Society: Class, Society: Community, Society: Economics, Society: Nation
Tags Anthropology, Anthropology, Gender / Feminism, Business / Economics, Sociology, History: World, Philosophy, Philosophy, Classic Fiction, Politics / Government
Publication year 2002
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Natural World: Environment, Society: Class, Society: Colonialism, Society: Community, Society: Economics, Society: Globalization, Society: Immigration, Society: Nation, Society: Politics & Government, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice
Tags Education, Education, Science / Nature, Social Science, History: World, History: European, Politics / Government
Publication year 2001
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Gender, Life/Time: The Future, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Relationships: Family, Society: Nation
Tags Historical Fiction, British Literature, Romance, Auto/Biographical Fiction
The Other Boleyn Girl (2001) is a historical women’s fiction novel by British author and journalist Philippa Gregory. Gregory first reached bestseller status with her debut historical novel Wideacre (1987). The Other Boleyn Girl won the Romantic Novel of the Year Award from the Romantic Novelists’ Association and was adapted into a film. The novel is narrated by Mary, the Boleyn daughter whose more famous sister, Anne, has overshadowed her in the historical record. Mary... Read The Other Boleyn Girl Summary
Publication year 2023
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Life/Time: The Past, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Relationships: Marriage, Society: Nation, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Historical Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, WWII / World War II, Military / War, French Literature, History: World
Publication year 1987
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Society: Nation
Tags Historical Fiction, Fantasy, History: World, Magical Realism, Romance, LGBTQ
British author Jeannette Winterson reimagines events from Napoleon Bonaparte’s reign in her 1987 novel The Passion. The novel is a work of historical metafiction that follows Henri, a young French soldier, and Villanelle, a vivacious Venetian, as they navigate war and love in early 19th-century Europe.The Passion begins in Henri’s voice; he’s a young, bright-eyed soldier in Napoleon’s army who dreamed of being a drummer but is assigned to cook instead. After coming to the... Read The Passion Summary
Publication year 2010
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Identity: Mental Health, Identity: Race, Natural World: Environment, Self Discovery, Society: Community, Society: Nation
Tags Anthropology, Psychology, Health / Medicine, Education, Education, Anthropology, Social Science, Psychology, Social Justice
Publication year 2019
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Society: Colonialism, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Society: Immigration, Society: Nation
Tags History: U.S., Action / Adventure, Colonial America, American Literature, History: World, Western, Biography
Publication year 2012
Genre Biography, Nonfiction
Themes Society: Class, Society: Nation, Society: Politics & Government
Tags History: European, Politics / Government, Medieval Literature / Middle Ages, British Literature
Publication year 2004
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Society: Nation
Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Jewish Literature, American Literature, Historical Fiction, Politics / Government
Philip Roth’s 2004 alternative history novel, The Plot Against America, is a reimagining of the years immediately preceding America’s entry into World War II. In 1940, in Roth’s version of events, Nazi sympathizer Charles Lindbergh wins the presidency and quickly begins instituting policies and attitudes that will shape the lives of all American Jews. Philip Roth is a child during the events of the book, and recounts the events that overtook his family during the... Read The Plot Against America Summary
Publication year 1532
Genre Essay / Speech, Nonfiction
Themes Society: Politics & Government, Society: Nation, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed
Tags History: European, Politics / Government, Philosophy, Class, Italian Literature, Renaissance, Education, Education, History: World, Philosophy
The Prince is a 16th-century political treatise of the Renaissance period written by Italian diplomat and philosopher Niccolò Machiavelli. The work, which was likely distributed for years prior to its official publication in 1532, is one of the most influential works of political philosophy in human history. Machiavelli wrote The Prince as a guide for new and future rulers, instructing them on how to seize and hold onto power, frequently citing specific examples from history... Read The Prince Summary
Publication year 2021
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship, Society: Nation, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt
Tags Fantasy, Romance
Publication year 1991
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Society: Colonialism, Society: Economics, Society: Globalization, Society: Nation, Society: Politics & Government, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Natural World: Environment
Tags Military / War, Science / Nature, Business / Economics, History: World, 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
Publication year 1991
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Society: Colonialism, Society: Nation, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Equality
Tags History: U.S., American Revolution, Politics / Government, American Literature, History: World
The Radicalism of the American Revolution (1991) is a non-fiction book written by American historian and Brown University professor Gordon S. Wood. Most revolutions are an act of violence that result in deaths, property destruction, and a world turned upside down. Americans do not see the American Revolution this way. The American founding fathers were educated men who wrote pamphlets and spoke openly in legislative halls. As the story goes, they were gentlemen, not radicals... Read The Radicalism of the American Revolution Summary
Publication year 2018
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Society: War, Society: Class, Society: Colonialism, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Identity: Race, Identity: Gender, Identity: Mental Health, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Masculinity, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Marriage, Relationships: Mothers, Relationships: Siblings, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: The Past, Society: Nation
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Historical Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Crime / Legal, Race / Racism, Military / War, History: World
Publication year 2021
Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction
Themes Society: Class, Society: Economics, Society: Education, Society: Politics & Government, Society: Nation, Society: Community
Tags Politics / Government, History: U.S., Poverty, Social Justice, Class, Education, Russian Literature, Business / Economics, History: World, Biography
Publication year 2022
Genre Biography, Nonfiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Life/Time: The Future, Relationships: Teams, Society: Colonialism, Society: Community, Society: Economics, Society: Nation, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos
Tags History: U.S., Politics / Government, American Revolution, Military / War, History: World, Biography
Publication year 2001
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Music, Emotions/Behavior: Joy, Identity: Race, Society: Nation
Tags History, Children's Literature, Inspirational