The Popular Study Guides Collection brings together a selection of our most-visited Guides in one convenient place. Featuring titles ranging from classic literature with enduring appeal to popular book club picks, this Collection represents a diverse array of literature readers can't get enough of.
Publication year 1861
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Natural World: Animals
Tags French Literature, Romanticism / Romantic Period, Food, Lyric Poem
Publication year 2003
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Society: Politics & Government
Tags Fantasy, Action / Adventure, Children's Literature
Publication year 2020
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Fate
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Classical Period, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Psychological Fiction, French Literature, Post Modernism
Publication year 2002
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Identity: Disability, Relationships: Family, Society: Colonialism, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Fate
Tags Romance, Historical Fiction, Magical Realism, Relationships, Asian Literature, Modern Classic Fiction, History: World
Originally written in German and published in 2002, Jan-Philipp Sendker’s debut novel, The Art of Hearing Heartbeats, was translated into English by Kevin Wiliarty in 2006. An international bestseller, the novel received the Indies Choice Honor Award for Best Fiction Novel in 2013. In response to such acclaim, Sendker penned a sequel, A Well-Tempered Heart, in 2012. The novel is international in scope—being written by a German journalist who lived in upstate New York, detailing... Read The Art of Hearing Heartbeats Summary
Publication year 1999
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Siblings, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Relationships: Teams, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil
Tags Humor, Fantasy, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Action / Adventure, Children's Literature
Published in 1999, The Bad Beginning, a darkly humorous adventure novel for middle-grade readers, chronicles the misadventures of three orphaned children whose distant cousin adopts them as part of a plan to steal their huge inheritance. As the first of 13 books in the bestselling A Series of Unfortunate Events, the novel is written by Daniel Handler under the pen name Lemony Snicket, who’s also a character in the story. The books have sold 60... Read The Bad Beginning Summary
Publication year 2012
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Relationships: Teams, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Music, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Religion / Spirituality, Arts / Culture
The Beautiful Mystery, published in 2012, is the eighth book in former Canadian journalist Louise Penny’s Chief Inspector Gamache series. The Gamache series is known for its recurring cast of characters, psychological depth, and long-term story arcs. Gamache is a longtime member of Québec’s provincial police force, most often known by its French name, the Sûreté du Québec. Gamache’s struggles with police corruption form the main plot of several books, including A Fatal Grace and... Read The Beautiful Mystery Summary
Publication year 2019
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Society: Immigration, Society: War, Emotions/Behavior: Grief
Tags Immigration / Refugee, Military / War, Modern Classic Fiction, History: World, Historical Fiction
Publication year 2018
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Teams, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride
Tags Realistic Fiction, Poverty, Class, Children's Literature, Education, Education, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 1889
Genre Short Story, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Life/Time: Mortality & Death
Tags Classic Fiction, Russian Literature, Philosophy
“The Bet” is one of over 500 short stories by Russian literary giant Anton Chekov. Published in 1889, the story addresses related and intertwined themes of life and death, theoretical versus empirical knowledge, and confinement versus freedom.Considered a master of short fiction and, along with Henrik Ibsen and August Strindberg, a founder of Modernist theater, Chekov is one of the late-19th-century writers who have reached 21st-century readers and audiences most powerfully and widely. “The Bet”... Read The Bet Summary
Publication year 1939
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Relationships: Siblings, Natural World: Place, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Classic Fiction, American Literature, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Finance / Money / Wealth, Grief / Death, Love / Sexuality
Published in 1939, The Big Sleep by novelist and screenwriter Raymond Chandler is a murder mystery widely regarded as one of the greatest hard-boiled detective stories of the 20th century. The work introduces Philip Marlowe, a fictional private eye with a jaundiced view of humanity but a strong sense of fairness, who appears in seven other novels by Chandler. Hired by a super-rich family to negotiate with a blackmailer, Marlowe encounters murder, mayhem, and a... Read The Big Sleep Summary
Publication year 2006
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Society: Politics & Government, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Emotions/Behavior: Regret
Tags Fantasy, Action / Adventure, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction
Publication year 2014
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Relationships: Friendship, Natural World: Place, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Relationships: Teams, Identity: Mental Health, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Poverty, Mental Illness, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Class, Psychology, Realistic Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2016
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger
Tags Realistic Fiction, Immigration / Refugee, Historical Fiction, Children's Literature, Education, Education, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2025
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Femininity, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Marriage, Self Discovery, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Equality
Tags Historical Fiction, Gender / Feminism
Publication year 2014
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Gender, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil
Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Religion / Spirituality, Fantasy, Romance, Historical Fiction
Publication year 2020
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Society: War, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict
Tags Historical Fiction, WWII / World War II, Love / Sexuality, History: European, Holocaust, Military / War, History: World, Romance
Publication year 2020
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Love
Tags Romance, Historical Fiction, Relationships, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2019
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Equality, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt
Tags Historical Fiction, Gender / Feminism, Southern Literature, History: World, Romance
The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek is a historical novel by American author Kim Michele Richardson. Published in 2019, the book takes place in the Kentucky hills during the Great Depression in 1936. In its depiction of prejudice and community in 1930s Kentucky, The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek touches upon themes including the distrust of authority, the random and dangerous nature of prejudice, the power of community, and the importance of caring. Other work... Read The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek Summary
Publication year 2020
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: Aging, Relationships: Friendship, Life/Time: The Past, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Relationships: Family
Tags Historical Fiction, British Literature, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2009
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Society: Community, Emotions/Behavior: Fear
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction