Popular Study Guides

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 1995

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Values/Ideas: Fate

Tags Fantasy, Mythology, Ancient Greece, Historical Fiction, Children's Literature, Education, Education, History: World, Classic Fiction


Publication year 1903

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Marriage, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Society: Education, Life/Time: Coming of Age

Tags Classic Fiction, Historical Fiction, Auto/Biographical Fiction, Victorian Period, British Literature, Music, History: World, Victorian Literature / Period


Publication year 2017

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Femininity, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Regret

Tags Historical Fiction, Gender / Feminism, Love / Sexuality, Philosophy, Jewish Literature, British Literature, History: World, Religion / Spirituality


Publication year 2019

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Relationships: Siblings, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Society: Politics & Government, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Relationships: Fathers, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Values/Ideas: Win & Lose

Tags Fantasy, Romance, Magical Realism, Action / Adventure, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction


Publication year 2018

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Life/Time: The Future, Natural World: Animals

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


Publication year 2019

Genre Novel, Fiction

Tags Historical Fiction, Romance, WWII / World War II, Holocaust, Military / War, History: World, French Literature


Publication year 2024

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Society: War, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Identity: Femininity, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger

Tags Historical Fiction, Gender / Feminism, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Military / War, History: World, Romance


Publication year 2021

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Society: War, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Fathers, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies

Tags Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Historical Fiction, Vietnam War, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Military / War, Modern Classic Fiction, History: World


Publication year 2019

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Love

Tags Magical Realism, Historical Fiction, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, History: World, Immigration / Refugee, Military / War, WWII / World War II, Holocaust, Fantasy


Publication year 2015

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Friendship, Society: Education

Tags Humor, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Realistic Fiction, Children's Literature, Education, Education, Action / Adventure


Publication year 1920

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Life/Time: Coming of Age

Tags Historical Fiction, Medieval Literature / Middle Ages, Scandinavian Literature, History: World, Romance, Classic Fiction


Publication year 1938

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Natural World: Animals, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Relationships: Family, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: Coming of Age

Tags Historical Fiction, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Classic Fiction, Animals, Agriculture, Grief / Death, Children's Literature, History: World

Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings published The Yearling in 1938 and won the Pulitzer Prize in 1939. Maxwell Perkins, who also worked with F. Scott Fitzgerald and Ernest Hemingway, edited the novel. The Yearling traces one year in the life of Jody Baxter, chronicling his family’s hardships as they endure floods, plague, and death—and Jody’s tender relationship with an orphaned fawn. The novel became a bestseller in 1938 and has since been translated into 29 languages. In... Read The Yearling Summary


Publication year 2019

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Identity: Race, Relationships: Family, Society: Community, Identity: Indigenous

Tags Modern Classic Fiction, History: World, Historical Fiction


Publication year 2023

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Fathers, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice

Tags Romance, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction


Publication year 2013

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Friendship, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Fame, Values/Ideas: Literature, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Emotions/Behavior: Nostalgia, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict

Tags Historical Fiction, Italian Literature, Gender / Feminism, Relationships, Women's Studies (Nonfiction), Modern Classic Fiction, History: World

Those Who Leave and Those Who Stay (2014) is the third book in pseudonymous Italian author Elena Ferrante’s world-acclaimed adult fiction series The Neapolitan Novels. The four-novel series chronicles the friendship between first-person narrator Elena Greco and Raffaella “Lila” Cerullo from childhood to old age in an impoverished neighborhood in Naples, Italy. Translated by Ann Goldstein, Those Who Leave and Those Who Stay documents the beginning of middle age, wherein the two women grapple with... Read Those Who Leave and Those Who Stay Summary


Publication year 1931

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice

Tags Race / Racism, Harlem Renaissance


Publication year 1786

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Natural World: Animals

Tags Science / Nature


Publication year 1820

Genre Poem, Fiction

Tags Animals


Publication year 2023

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Values/Ideas: Literature, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Life/Time: The Past, Natural World: Flora/plants, Natural World: Place

Tags Realistic Fiction, American Literature, Agriculture, Arts / Culture, Relationships, Modern Classic Fiction, Historical Fiction, Romance


Publication year 2015

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Siblings

Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Fantasy, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Children's Literature, Religion / Spirituality