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.

A History of the World in Seven Cheap Things

by Raj Patel

Publication year 2017

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Economics, Environment, Femininity, Race, Social Class, Colonialism, Globalization, Nation, Politics & Government, Power & Greed, Community

Tags Business & Economics, World History, Politics & Government, Social Justice, Education, Education, Science & Nature

A History of the World in Seven Cheap Things: A Guide to Capitalism, Nature, and the Future of the Planet (2017) is a nonfiction book written by Raj Patel, a political economist and professor at the University of Texas at Austin, also known for Stuffed and Starved (2007), and Jason W. Moore, an environmental historian and associate professor at Binghamton University. The authors’ expertise in political economy and environmental history provides a unique perspective on... Read A History of the World in Seven Cheap Things Summary

Ain't No Makin It

by Jay Macleod

Publication year 1987

Genre Reference/Text Book, Nonfiction

Themes Perseverance, Race, Social Class, Community, Economics, Nation, Politics & Government, Equality, Justice

Tags Race & Racism, Education, Education, Anthropology, Anthropology, Sociology, Social Justice, Poverty

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Alchemised

by SenLinYu

Publication year 2025

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Grief, Loneliness, Love, Memory, Coming of Age, Self Discovery, Nation, War, Justice, Loyalty & Betrayal, Power & Greed

Tags Fantasy, Romance, Action & Adventure

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A Lie Of The Mind

by Sam Shepard

Publication year 1985

Genre Play, Fiction

Themes Gender Identity, Family, Nation

Tags US History, Dramatic Literature

A Lie of the Mind is a play by American playwright Sam Shephard. A Lie of the Mind was first performed at the Promenade Theater in New York City on December 5, 1985, and ran for 186 performances, closing on June 1, 1986. A work of psychological realism, the play charts the dysfunction of two American families in the 1980s. The premise is that a man named Jake has severely beaten his wife, Beth, forcing... Read A Lie Of The Mind Summary

All the Glimmering Stars

by Mark Sullivan

Publication year 2024

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Perseverance, Fear, Forgiveness, Guilt, Hope, Joy, Loneliness, Love, Memory, Shame & Pride, Mental Health, Coming of Age, Future, The Past, Food, Place, Family, Friendship, Teamwork, Self Discovery, Colonialism, Community, Globalization, Nation, War, Fate, Justice, Loyalty & Betrayal, Order & Chaos, Power & Greed, Safety & Danger, Trust & Doubt, Truth & Lies, Wins & Losses

Tags Historical Fiction

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America

by Walt Whitman

Publication year 1888

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Nation, Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Gratitude, Hope, Love, Equality, Place, Community

Tags Free Verse

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America is in the Heart

by Carlos Bulosan

Publication year 1946

Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction

Themes Coming of Age, Nation

Tags Coming of Age, Race & Racism, World History, Classic Fiction, Biography

America is in the Heart is a semi-autobiographical novel published in 1946 by the Filipino American author Carlos Bulosan. A coming of age narrative told in four parts, the story begins in the Philippines, ends in America, and spans decades. Scholars compare it to other social activism classics like John Steinbeck’s The Grapes of Wrath, but America is in the Heart is unique in that it portrays the plight of Filipino immigrants in America during... Read America is in the Heart Summary

American History

by Alan Brinkley

Publication year 1971

Genre Reference/Text Book, Nonfiction

Themes War, Colonialism, Social Class, Economics, Community, Education, Immigration, Globalization, Nation, Politics & Government

Tags Education, Education, World History, US History

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American Lion: Andrew Jackson in the White House

by Jon Meacham

Publication year 2008

Genre Biography, Nonfiction

Themes Family, Nation, Politics & Government

Tags US History, World History, Biography, Politics & Government

American Lion: Andrew Jackson in the White House is a Pulitzer Prize–winning biography of President Andrew Jackson written in 2008 by historian Jon Meacham. The book focuses on Jackson’s transformative and often controversial time in the White House, exploring themes of democracy, the Expansion of Executive Power, leadership, and the interaction of the personal and public, including the Impact of Personal Character on Public Duty and the Intersection of Private Lives and Public Roles. Meacham... Read American Lion: Andrew Jackson in the White House Summary

American Scripture

by Pauline Maier

Publication year 1997

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Nation, The Past, Colonialism, Community, Politics & Government

Tags US History, Politics & Government

American Scripture: Making the Declaration of Independence (1997) is a nonfiction history by Pauline Maier (1938-2013), a historian specializing in the American Revolution. A revisionist historian, Maier uses narrative techniques to bring to life the era in which the Declaration of Independence was created, seeking to demystify this foundational American document and to raise questions about how history is constructed. American Scripture was shortlisted for the National Book Critics Circle Award in 1997. This study... Read American Scripture Summary

Amongst Women

by John McGahern

Publication year 1990

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Femininity, Family, Nation

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

Amongst Women by John McGahern is a contemporary Irish novel published in 1990. This novel explores themes of The Individual in a Changing World, The Individual Versus the Collective, and The Importance of Women. Amongst Women is also specific to Irish history and culture, as it portrays a rapidly modernizing Ireland that threatens the protagonist Moran’s sense of self. Considered McGahern’s greatest work, Amongst Women is the fifth of his six published novels. It was... Read Amongst Women Summary

Among the Betrayed

by Margaret Peterson Haddix

Publication year 2002

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Loyalty & Betrayal, Coming of Age, Teamwork, Nation, Politics & Government, Trust & Doubt

Tags Science Fiction

Among The Betrayed (2002) is a speculative fiction novel for young adult readers by Margaret Peterson Haddix. The book is the third installment of the Shadow Children series, which consists of seven novels in total. Set in a dystopian future society that resembles the United States, the novel shows the characters’ struggle against a totalitarian government that enforces fascist and dehumanizing laws to control overpopulation and resources. Margaret Peterson Haddix is a New York Times bestselling... Read Among the Betrayed Summary