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.

Fresh Fruit, Broken Bodies

by Seth M. Holmes

Publication year 2013

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Immigration, Food, Social Class, Community, Globalization, Economics, Education, Politics & Government, Nation, Shame & Pride, Conflict, Justice, Safety & Danger, Power & Greed, Truth & Lies

Tags Anthropology, Social Justice, Sociology, Health, Education, Education, Anthropology, Food, Politics & Government

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From Beirut to Jerusalem

by Thomas L. Friedman

Publication year 1989

Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction

Themes Nation, Politics & Government, War, Justice, Order & Chaos, Safety & Danger

Tags Jewish Literature, Military & War, Journalism, World History, Travel Literature, Politics & Government

From Beirut to Jerusalem is a 1989 book by the American journalist Thomas Friedman. It chronicles the years he spent as a journalist in the two cities of the book’s name, during a remarkably tumultuous period in that region’s politics. It is part personal memoir, part analysis (leaning on the advice of many of his expert friends, such as Fouad Ajami), part collection of anecdotes ranging from the funny to the heartbreaking to the absurd... Read From Beirut to Jerusalem Summary

From #Blacklivesmatter to Black Liberation

by Keeanga-Yamahtta Taylor

Publication year 2016

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Perseverance, Hope, Hate & Anger, Race, Social Class, Colonialism, Politics & Government, Community, Economics, Education, Nation, Equality, Justice, Power & Greed, Truth & Lies, Trust & Doubt

Tags Black Lives Matter, Race & Racism, Social Justice, Civil Rights & Jim Crow South, US History, Business & Economics, Diversity, Social Class, Education, Finance, Poverty, Politics & Government, Trauma & Abuse, Sociology, World History

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Gooseberries

by Anton Chekhov

Publication year 1898

Genre Short Story, Fiction

Themes Fate, Equality, Justice, Self Discovery, Social Class, Community, Education, Nation

Tags Classic Fiction, Realistic Fiction, Historical Fiction, Social Class, Finance, Education, World History, Social Justice, Russian Literature, Education, Philosophy, Philosophy

“Gooseberries,” by Russian author Anton Chekhov, is a short story that uses symbolism, subtlety, irony, and keen observation of human behavior to explore themes of the quest for happiness, the meaning of life, social expectations, privilege, and social equality. Written in mid-1898, the story is the second in what was later referred to as The Little Trilogy, together with “The Man in the Case” and “About Love.” All three stories explore the definitions of happiness... Read Gooseberries Summary

Gulliver's Travels

by Jonathan Swift

Publication year 1726

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Power & Greed, Politics & Government, Self Discovery, Nation

Tags Satirical Literature, Classic Fiction, Fantasy, Action & Adventure, Travel Literature

Gulliver’s Travels is a 1726 novel written by Jonathan Swift. It is both an early English novel and a seminal satirical text in British Literature, remaining Swift’s best-known work and spawning many adaptations in both print and film. The targets of Swift’s satire range from political structures in early 18th-century England to the national rivalry between England and France during the same period. Swift also lampoons science and educational trends that lean towards more speculative... Read Gulliver's Travels Summary

Habits of the Heart

by Robert N. Bellah

Publication year 1985

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Community, Economics, Nation, Politics & Government, Religion & Spirituality

Tags Social Science, Arts & Culture, Sociology, World History, Psychology, Psychology, Philosophy, Philosophy, Religion & Spirituality, Politics & Government

Habits of the Heart: Individualism and Commitment in American Life by Robert N. Bellah, Richard Madsen, William M. Sullivan, Ann Swidler, and Steven M. Tipton, is a sociological study published in 1985 that explores the balance between individualism and community within American society. The authors, who bring a collective background in sociology and theology to their analysis, investigate how Americans navigate the tensions between personal autonomy and social belonging. The book addresses topics such as... Read Habits of the Heart Summary

Harlem

by Langston Hughes

Publication year 1951

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Future, Race, Justice, Equality, Nation

Tags Lyric Poem, Harlem Renaissance, African American Literature, Civil Rights & Jim Crow South, Race & Racism, US History, Urban Development

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Heart of a Dog

by Mikhail Bulgakov

Publication year 1925

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Masculinity, Coming of Age, Animals, Nature Versus Nurture, Social Class, Nation, War, Science & Technology

Tags Satirical Literature, Science Fiction, Russian Literature, Symbolic Narrative

The Heart of a Dog (1925) is a novella by Russian author and playwright Mikhail Bulgakov. During his lifetime, Bulgakov was celebrated as a playwright in the Soviet Union, but his works often faced censorship by authorities due to their satirical critiques of Soviet life and government. The Heart of a Dog is a satirical science fiction tale of a surgeon who uses organ transplants to transform a stray dog into a man. It deals... Read Heart of a Dog Summary

Hebrew Bible

by Anonymous

Publication year -600

Genre Scripture, Nonfiction

Themes Religion & Spirituality, Future, The Past, Daughters & Sons, Fathers, Marriage, Community, Immigration, Nation, Politics & Government, Good & Evil, Justice, Loyalty & Betrayal, Order & Chaos

Tags Religion & Spirituality, Philosophy, Jewish Literature

The Hebrew Bible is the standard canon of Jewish sacred texts, composed in a period that falls across the second and first millennia BCE. It is also referred to as the Tanakh, an acrostic portmanteau of the three major sections of the Hebrew Bible: the Torah (“teaching”), the Nevi’im (“prophets”), and the Ketuvim (“writings”). The Hebrew Bible is a collection of 24 major texts, in which there are 39 books. These 39 books correspond to... Read Hebrew Bible Summary

Heir

by Sabaa Tahir

Publication year 2024

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Hate & Anger, Hope, Love, Revenge, Gender Identity, Indigenous Identity, Coming of Age, Colonialism, Nation, Politics & Government, War, Good & Evil, Justice, Power & Greed

Tags Fantasy, Romance

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Henry V

by William Shakespeare

Publication year 1599

Genre Play, Fiction

Themes Nation, Coming of Age, War

Tags Classic Fiction, British Literature, Historical Fiction, Drama, Education, Education, World History, Dramatic Literature

Henry V is a play by English playwright William Shakespeare, believed to have premiered in 1599. It is best preserved in the 1623 publication of Shakespeare’s work known as the First Folio. Shakespeare’s surviving work includes 10 history plays focusing on the history and kings of England 1399-1485 and based on actual events. Henry V is the fifth of these chronologically and focuses on King Henry V of England, specifically on the events surrounding the... Read Henry V Summary

Hitler's Daughter

by Jackie French

Publication year 1999

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Coming of Age, Nation, War, Good & Evil, Justice, Safety & Danger

Tags Military & War, World History, Christian

Hitler’s Daughter is a historical fiction middle-grade novel written by Jackie French. It is part of the Hitler trilogy and was originally published in 1999. Jackie French is an Australian author, environmental activist, and historian, and her books have won over 60 awards internationally. Hitler’s Daughter was named a Blue Ribbon Book and a Children’s Book Council of Australia (CBCA) Book of the Year for Younger Readers. It was also adapted into a play. The... Read Hitler's Daughter Summary