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 2021
Genre Biography, Nonfiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Gratitude, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Life/Time: Aging, Natural World: Animals, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Natural World: Environment, Natural World: Flora/plants, Natural World: Place, Relationships: Friendship, Society: Community, Society: Nation, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Self Discovery
Tags Animals, History: World, Travel Literature, Action / Adventure, Biography
Publication year 1791
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Society: Class, Society: Nation, Society: Politics & Government
Tags Philosophy, Politics / Government, History: U.S., History: European
Thomas Paine’s Rights of Man (1791) is one of the 18th-century’s most influential political treatises. It offers a spirited defense of the ongoing French Revolution and calls for dramatic reforms in Britain. Paine wrote Rights of Man as a direct response to Edmund Burke’s Reflections on the Revolution in France (1790), a conservative critique that professes skepticism and even horror at the course of events in France since the Revolution began in 1789. Rights of... Read The Rights of Man Summary
Publication year 1772
Genre Essay / Speech, Nonfiction
Themes Society: Politics & Government, Society: Nation, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality
Tags Politics / Government, History: U.S., Colonialism / Postcolonialism
Publication year 171
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Life/Time: The Past, Society: Colonialism, Society: Nation, Society: Politics & Government, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Win & Lose
Tags History: European, Politics / Government, Philosophy, Military / War, Ancient Rome, Classical Period
Publication year 2018
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Society: Globalization, Society: Nation, Society: Politics & Government, Society: War
Tags Russian Literature, Military / War, American Literature, History: World, Philosophy, Philosophy, Politics / Government
Publication year 2004
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Relationships: Friendship, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Values/Ideas: Fame, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: The Past, Society: Education, Natural World: Animals, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Society: War, Relationships: Fathers, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Values/Ideas: Win & Lose, Society: Nation, Self Discovery
Tags Fantasy, Children's Literature, Action / Adventure, 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
Publication year 2019
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Identity: Race, Society: Nation, Society: War
Tags History: U.S., American Civil War, Politics / Government, Race / Racism, Military / War, American Literature, History: World
Publication year 2007
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Art, Life/Time: The Past, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Society: Nation, Emotions/Behavior: Nostalgia
Tags Historical Fiction, History: World, Arts / Culture, Middle Eastern Literature, Realistic Fiction, Auto/Biographical Fiction, Incarceration, History: Middle Eastern, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Politics / Government, Jewish Literature
The Septembers of Shiraz (2007), a novel by Iranian writer Dalia Sofer, recounts the experiences of the Amins, an Iranian Jewish family, during the Iranian Revolution in the late 1970s. The book is closely based on Sofer’s family history: When Sofer was 10, her family fled Iran, crossing the border to Turkey with the help of smugglers. The Septembers of Shiraz depicts the changing atmosphere and events that characterize the treatment of the wealthy class... Read The Septembers Of Shiraz Summary
Publication year 2018
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Self Discovery, Society: Nation, Society: Colonialism, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Equality
Tags History: U.S., Politics / Government, American Literature, History: World
Publication year 1947
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Society: Class, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Identity: Femininity, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Society: Nation, Values/Ideas: Literature, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos
Tags Historical Fiction, Classic Fiction, Post-War Era, Japanese Literature
Publication year 2019
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Identity: Gender, Identity: Masculinity, Identity: Race, Society: Class, Society: Colonialism, Society: Nation, Society: War
Tags African American Literature, History: World, Historical Fiction, Military / War, History: African
Publication year 2009
Genre Essay / Speech, Nonfiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Natural World: Environment, Society: Nation, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos
Tags Politics / Government, History: U.S., American Literature, History: World, Western, Philosophy, Philosophy, Classic Fiction
Publication year 2015
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Society: Colonialism, Society: Globalization, Society: Economics, Society: Nation
Tags History: World, Politics / Government, Business / Economics, War On Terrorism / Iraq War
Publication year 2024
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Society: Nation, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed
Tags History: U.S., Journalism, History: World, Biography, Politics / Government
Publication year 2024
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Identity: Gender, Identity: Race, Life/Time: The Past, Society: Education, Society: Nation, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice
Tags History: World, Politics / Government
Publication year 1915
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Society: Nation
Tags Military / War, WWI / World War I, Classic Fiction
Publication year 2013
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Indigenous, Identity: Masculinity, Identity: Race, Life/Time: The Past, Natural World: Environment, Natural World: Place, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Grandparents, Society: Class, Society: Colonialism, Society: Community, Society: Nation, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Win & Lose
Tags Historical Fiction, Western, History: U.S., History: World
Publication year 1095
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Win & Lose, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Society: War, Society: Nation, Emotions/Behavior: Courage
Tags Medieval Literature / Middle Ages, Narrative / Epic Poem, Military / War, History: European, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, French Literature
Composed at the turn of the 12th century, La Chanson de Roland (translated as The Song of Roland) recounts the events surrounding the Battle of Roncevaux Pass in 778 CE. The Song of Roland is likely the oldest surviving poem in French and was immensely popular across Europe during the Middle Ages. The poem establishes many tropes and themes that have come to characterize medieval chivalric romances, but Roland is also an epic poem in... Read The Song of Roland Summary
Publication year 2018
Genre Biography, Nonfiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Teams, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Society: Nation
Tags History: European, Politics / Government, Military / War, History: World, Russian Literature, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Biography
Publication year 1963
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Society: War, Society: Nation, Society: Class
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Classic Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Historical Fiction, Cold War
The Spy Who Came in from the Cold is a 1963 novel by John le Carré, the pen name of the English author David Cornwell (1931-2020). Le Carré worked for British Intelligence, including a brief period as a secret agent in Germany. He also began writing novels during this time, and chose a pseudonym to preserve his cover. The Spy Who Came in from the Cold, his third novel, achieved widespread popularity, allowing Le Carré... Read The Spy Who Came in from the Cold Summary