Nature Versus Nurture

How much of our identity is shaped by our environments? How much is intrinsic to who we are and beyond the control of external forces? These are ancient questions with complex answers. In this collection we've gathered texts that explore the issue of nature versus nurture from a variety of angles.

Stripped Down

by Bunnie Xo

Publication year 2026

Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction

Themes Marriage, Forgiveness, Guilt, Love, Memory, Shame & Pride, Sexual Identity, Childhood & Youth, Coming of Age, Midlife, Nature Versus Nurture, Daughters & Sons, Family, Fathers, Self Discovery, Economics, Fame, Religion & Spirituality, Safety & Danger

Tags Memoir & Autobiography, Trauma & Abuse

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Summerland

by Michael Chabon

Publication year 2002

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Perseverance, Fear, Childhood & Youth, Nature Versus Nurture, Daughters & Sons, Fathers, Friendship, Teamwork, Self Discovery, Good & Evil, Loyalty & Betrayal, Order & Chaos, Religion & Spirituality, Truth & Lies, Wins & Losses

Tags Fantasy, Children`s Literature, Action & Adventure, Sports

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Tarzan of the Apes

by Edgar Rice Burroughs

Publication year 1912

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Nature Versus Nurture, Animals, Race, Family, Love, Colonialism, Education

Tags Action & Adventure, Classic Fiction, Historical Fiction, Race & Racism, Science Fiction, Fantasy

Tarzan of the Apes is an adventure fiction book written by Edgar Rice Burroughs in 1912 and initially published serially in the pulp magazine The All-Story before being printed as a novel in 1914. Burroughs was an American from Chicago who had a variety of careers before building a name for himself as a writer of pulp fiction. His first story, entitled Under the Moons of Mars (1911), became the first book in the science... Read Tarzan of the Apes Summary

The Acorn People

by Ron Jones

Publication year 1976

Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction

Themes Friendship, Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Fear, Gratitude, Hope, Joy, Loneliness, Love, Shame & Pride, Disability, Mental Health, Childhood & Youth, Appearance & Reality, Nature Versus Nurture, Place, Teamwork, Self Discovery, Community, Education, Politics & Government, Equality, Justice, Loyalty & Betrayal, Safety & Danger, Science & Technology, Trust & Doubt

Tags Memoir & Autobiography, Children`s Literature, Disability

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The Bean Trees

by Barbara Kingsolver

Publication year 1988

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Fear, Hope, Love, Family, Friendship, Daughters & Sons, Nature Versus Nurture, Plants, Community, Self Discovery

Tags Realistic Fiction, Relationships, Animals, Depression & Suicide, Diversity, Immigration & Refugeeism, Parenting, Poverty, Politics & Government, Race & Racism, Science & Nature, Social Justice, Trauma & Abuse, Education, Education, Modern Classic Fiction, Classic Fiction

The Bean Trees (first published in 1988) is the first novel by Barbara Kingsolver. Kingsolver is an American novelist, essayist, and poet who holds degrees in ecology and evolutionary biology, and her work often addresses biodiversity, social justice, communities, and people’s interactions with their environment. The Bean Trees is a work of realistic adult fiction that follows Taylor Greer as she leaves her rural upbringing in Kentucky, drives across the country to Tucson, Arizona, and... Read The Bean Trees Summary

The Blank Slate

by Steven Pinker

Publication year 2002

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Nature Versus Nurture

Tags Psychology, Technology, Anthropology, Anthropology, Science & Nature, Sociology, World History, Psychology, Philosophy, Philosophy, Politics & Government

In the nonfiction book The Blank Slate, Steven Pinker, a Harvard-educated experimental psychologist, draws from cutting-edge cognitive science to debunk popular ideas about the mind and human nature. Primarily, Pinker argues against the concept of the Blank Slate—that is, that the mind is a “blank slate”—showing instead that our brains come hardwired with universal attributes. He also discredits two related concepts, that of the Noble Savage (the idea that primitive humans were superior to and... Read The Blank Slate Summary

The Blind Side

by Michael Lewis

Publication year 2006

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Nature Versus Nurture

Tags Journalism, Sports, Business & Economics, Biography

The Blind Side, written by Michael Lewis, was published in 2006 by W. W. Norton & Company. The nonfiction book combines a discussion of the evolution of strategy in the National Football League (NFL) with elements of memoir through the story of Michael Oher who, after the book’s timeline, went on to have a long career as an NFL left tackle. Folded into these intersecting elements is the story of of Tom Lemming, who became... Read The Blind Side Summary

The Catcher in the Rye

by J. D. Salinger

Publication year 1951

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Coming of Age, Nature Versus Nurture

Tags Modern Classic Fiction, Coming of Age, American Literature, Depression & Suicide, Education, Education, Classic Fiction

J. D. Salinger’s Catcher in the Rye, published in 1951, is an American classic widely heralded as one of the best novels of the 20th century. This coming-of-age novel captures the alienation that teenagers experienced in the years following World War II, and its popularity as an assigned text in US schools has led to its enduring relevance in American literature (and notoriety, as it frequently faced challenges or censorship from concerned parents).Content Warning: This... Read The Catcher in the Rye Summary

The Comfort of Crows

by Margaret Renkl

Publication year 2023

Genre Essay Collection, Nonfiction

Themes Grief, Memory, Aging, Death, Future, The Past, Animals, Climate, Environment, Plants, Food, Nature Versus Nurture, Objects & Materials, Place, Family, Self Discovery, Community, Education, Globalization, Beauty, Equality, Fate, Good & Evil, Justice, Order & Chaos, Safety & Danger, Truth & Lies

Tags Animals, Science & Nature

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The Control of Nature

by John McPhee

Publication year 1989

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Nature Versus Nurture, Environment

Tags Science & Nature, World History

The Control of Nature by John McPhee was published in 1989 and includes three essays/articles reported from different geographic locales that reflect one common theme: man attempting to control nature. McPhee got his start in journalism writing for Time magazine. He has written for The New Yorker for several decades and has published 30 books, including Annals of the Former World, for which he received the Pulitzer Prize. He has also taught writing at Princeton... Read The Control of Nature Summary

The Deepest Well

by Nadine Burke Harris

Publication year 2018

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Family, Social Class, Community, Mental Health, Science & Technology, Memory, The Past, Disability, Future, Perseverance, Nature Versus Nurture, Education, Childhood & Youth

Tags Trauma & Abuse, Mental Illness, Science & Nature, Health, Education, Education, Parenting, Psychology, Psychology, Self-Improvement

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