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.

Publication year 1986

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Identity: Gender, Society: Nation

Tags Women's Studies (Nonfiction), Military / War, Gender / Feminism, Historical Fiction, Religion / Spirituality


Publication year 2016

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Apathy, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Win & Lose, Self Discovery, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Society: Economics, Society: Nation, Society: Politics & Government

Tags Self Help, Psychology, Philosophy, Business / Economics, Humor, Grief / Death, Psychology, Philosophy, Mental Illness


Publication year 2024

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Identity: Disability, Identity: Mental Health, Natural World: Animals, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Natural World: Flora/plants, Natural World: Place, Relationships: Teams, Society: Colonialism, Society: Community, Society: Economics, Society: Nation, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed

Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Fantasy


Publication year 2007

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Society: Colonialism, Society: Nation, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger

Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Humor, Fantasy, Children's Literature, Action / Adventure


Publication year 1977

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Natural World: Environment, Natural World: Animals, Natural World: Flora/plants, Natural World: Food, Natural World: Place, Society: Community, Society: Globalization, Society: Economics, Society: Education, Society: Nation, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology

Tags History: World


Publication year 2013

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Society: Nation

Tags Business / Economics, History: U.S., Politics / Government, American Literature, Journalism, Sociology, History: World, Biography

The Unwinding: An Inner History of the New America is a 2013 work of contemporary political science and history by the American journalist George Packer. It won the National Book Award in 2013 and was a finalist for the 2013 National Book Critics Circle Award. The book explores the trajectory of the United States from 1978 to 2012 and argues that those years saw a diminishing of the institutions, promises, and social connections that had... Read The Unwinding Summary


Publication year 1981

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Society: War, Society: Politics & Government, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Society: Class, Society: Nation

Tags Historical Fiction, Latin American Literature, Classic Fiction


Publication year 2024

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Nostalgia, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Identity: Masculinity, Relationships: Teams, Society: Nation, Society: Politics & Government, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Win & Lose

Tags Politics / Government, History: World, Military / War


Publication year 1905

Genre Short Story, Fiction

Themes Society: War, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Society: Nation

Tags Classic Fiction, Religion / Spirituality, American Literature, Education, Education, Military / War, Philosophy, Philosophy, Politics / Government


Publication year 2015

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Identity: Race, Society: Nation, Society: Politics & Government, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice

Tags American Civil War, History: World, History: U.S., Military / War, Politics / Government


Publication year 2007

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Mental Health, Self Discovery, Society: Class, Society: Community, Society: Nation, Society: Politics & Government, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt

Tags Fantasy, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Action / Adventure


Publication year 2021

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Identity: Femininity, Relationships: Marriage, Society: Class, Society: Nation, Society: Politics & Government, Society: War

Tags Historical Fiction, Military / War, WWI / World War I, WWII / World War II, History: World, French Literature


Publication year 1942

Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction

Themes Society: War, Society: Nation, Life/Time: The Past

Tags WWI / World War I, WWII / World War II, Military / War, History: World, Biography


Publication year 2024

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Nostalgia, Identity: Indigenous, Identity: Race, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: Midlife, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: The Future, Life/Time: The Past, Natural World: Place, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Marriage, Relationships: Mothers, Relationships: Siblings, Self Discovery, Society: Colonialism, Society: Community, Society: Globalization, Society: Nation, Society: Politics & Government, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies

Tags Military / War, History: World, French Literature, Historical Fiction


Publication year 1981

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Identity: Gender, Identity: Race, Relationships: Fathers, Society: Immigration, Society: Nation, Values/Ideas: Equality

Tags Historical Fiction, Auto/Biographical Fiction, Asian Literature, Chinese Literature, Education, Education, Asian Literature, History: World, Classic Fiction

Thousand Pieces of Gold is a biographical novel written by Ruthanne Lum McCunn. McCunn is known for writing about the lives of often-forgotten Chinese Americans, and Thousand Pieces of Gold follows the life of Polly Bemis, a Chinese American woman considered to be one of the most important female pioneers in Idaho in the 19th century. The novel explores themes such as The Burden and Pain of Family Betrayal, Gender Expectations and the Quest for... Read Thousand Pieces of Gold Summary


Publication year 1968

Genre Biography, Nonfiction

Themes Identity: Race, Values/Ideas: Equality, Society: Nation

Tags History: U.S., Race / Racism, Children's Literature, Education, Education, History: World, Classic Fiction, Biography

To Be a Slave is a nonfiction children’s book written by Julius Lester and published in 1968. In 1969, the book was named a John Newbery Honor Book in recognition of its important contribution to children’s literature.The book focuses on the history of enslavement in the United States. Julius Lester compiled slave narratives and wrote his own historical commentary to accompany them. Lester was writing in the context of the civil rights movement of the... Read To Be a Slave Summary


Publication year 1968

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Identity: Masculinity, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Relationships: Teams, Society: Nation, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies

Tags Historical Fiction, Western, Action / Adventure, Classic Fiction

True Grit is a 1968 western novel by Charles Portis that tells the story of Mattie Ross, a determined and headstrong 14-year-old girl from Arkansas who seeks vengeance for her father’s murder. With the unlikely help of Rooster Cogburn, a tough US Marshal, and LaBoeuf, a Texas Ranger, Mattie sets out to capture the killer, Tom Chaney. True Grit was an instant bestseller, adapted as a film in 1969 and in 2010. This guide uses the... Read True Grit Summary


Publication year 1992

Genre Biography, Nonfiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Society: Politics & Government, Society: War, Society: Nation, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance

Tags Politics / Government, History: U.S., WWII / World War II, Crime / Legal, History: World, Biography


Publication year 2020

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Society: Nation, Society: Community

Tags Politics / Government, History: U.S., Sociology, History: World, Philosophy, Philosophy


Publication year 2021

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Relationships: Family, Society: Class, Society: Nation, Society: Politics & Government

Tags Romance, New Adult