Power

This curated selection of titles examines the concept of power and its role in shaping society. The texts in the Power Collection draw upon a wide range of literary traditions and genres to explore concepts related to power and its pursuit, such as equality and injustice, colonialism, authority, and conflict.

Heroes, Gods and Monsters of the Greek Myths

by Bernard Evslin

Publication year 1966

Genre Short Story Collection, Fiction

Themes Power & Greed, Love

Tags Mythology, Ancient Greece, Education, Education, Fantasy, Classic Fiction

Heroes, Gods and Monsters of the Greek Myths by Bernard Evslin was first published in hardcover in 1967. A collection of stories from ancient Greek and Roman mythology retold for a young adult audience, it is considered a modern classic in the genre of ancient myth retellings.Plot SummaryIn a short introduction, Evslin shares his personal experience hearing stories from Greek mythology as a child and explains how he understands them. He notes that ancient Greek... Read Heroes, Gods and Monsters of the Greek Myths Summary

Her Soul for Revenge

by Harley Laroux

Publication year 2021

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Conflict, Love, Memory, Revenge, Coming of Age, Animals, Appearance & Reality, Place, Family, Teamwork, Self Discovery, Community, Fate, Good & Evil, Justice, Loyalty & Betrayal, Order & Chaos, Power & Greed, Religion & Spirituality, Safety & Danger, Trust & Doubt, Truth & Lies, Wins & Losses

Tags Fantasy, Romance, Horror & Suspense

... Read Her Soul for Revenge Summary

Homeless Bird

by Gloria Whelan

Publication year 2000

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Perseverance, Hope, Memory, Shame & Pride, Femininity, Coming of Age, Animals, Plants, Family, Friendship, Marriage, Self Discovery, Social Class, Community, Economics, Education, Nation, Politics & Government, Justice, Literature, Loyalty & Betrayal, Power & Greed, Religion & Spirituality, Safety & Danger, Trust & Doubt, Truth & Lies

Tags Coming of Age, Historical Fiction, Children`s Literature, Education, Education, Realistic Fiction, World History, Indian Literature

Homeless Bird, a novel written by Gloria Whelan and published in 2000, was a New York Times Best Seller and winner of the National Book Award for Young People’s Literature. Marketed to middle grade readers, the novel has elements of historical fiction in its portrayal of cultural customs in India. Homeless Bird tells the story of Koly, a 13-year-old girl whose arranged marriage leads to her untimely widowhood. Through Koly’s coming-of-age journey from helplessness to... Read Homeless Bird Summary

Hope In The Dark

by Rebecca Solnit

Publication year 2004

Genre Essay Collection, Nonfiction

Themes Power & Greed, Community, Globalization, Economics, Politics & Government, Nation, Colonialism, War, Environment

Tags Social Justice, Politics & Government, Gender & Feminism, World History, Philosophy, Philosophy

... Read Hope In The Dark Summary

Hope Rises

by David Baldacci

Publication year 2026

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Conflict, Revenge, Justice, Loyalty & Betrayal, Power & Greed

Tags Horror & Suspense, Mystery & Crime Fiction

Hope Rises (2026) is a thriller by the bestselling American author David Baldacci. The novel is the second installment in the Walter Nash series, following Nash Falls. Baldacci is a prolific writer known for his numerous character-driven thriller series, many of which have become global bestsellers. In Hope Rises, former business executive Walter Nash continues his deep undercover work for the FBI. Now living as the hardened security expert Dillon Hope, Nash is blackmailed by... Read Hope Rises Summary

Howl’s Moving Castle

by Diana Wynne Jones

Publication year 1986

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Love, Power & Greed, Language

Tags Fantasy, Romance, Action & Adventure, Love & Sexuality, Children`s Literature, Classic Fiction

Howl’s Moving Castle was written by Diana Wynne Jones and published in 1986. It won the Phoenix Award for Children’s Literature 20 years after its publication. It is the first in a series of three books, followed by Castle in the Air, published in 1990; and House of Many Ways, published in 2008. Howl's Moving Castle introduces the main characters of Howl and Sophie and discusses themes of acceptance, identity, and the enemies-to-lovers trope. Howl’s... Read Howl’s Moving Castle Summary

How Much Land Does a Man Need

by Leo Tolstoy

Publication year 1886

Genre Short Story, Fiction

Themes Power & Greed, Good & Evil, Gratitude

Tags Classic Fiction, Russian Literature, World History, Historical Fiction, Philosophy, Philosophy

“How Much Land Does a Man Need?” is a short story by Leo Tolstoy, the great 19th-century Russian novelist and short story and essay writer best known for War and Peace (1867) and Anna Karenina (1879). Published in 1886, the story was translated into English in 1906 by Louise and Aylmer Maude in a collection of Tolstoy’s short fiction titled Twenty-Three Tales (1906). This translation has been reprinted many times and is the one this... Read How Much Land Does a Man Need Summary

How to Rule the World

by Theo Baker

Publication year 2026

Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction

Themes Education, Power & Greed, Science & Technology, Truth & Lies

Tags Education, Memoir & Autobiography, Business & Economics, Technology, Journalism

Theo Baker’s 2026 nonfiction book, How to Rule the World: An Education in Power at Stanford University, is a work of investigative journalism and a coming-of-age memoir. The book chronicles Baker’s freshman year at Stanford University, where his initial ambition to become a coder in Silicon Valley is sidetracked when he joins the student newspaper. A series of investigations pulls him deeper into a campus culture defined by ethical decay, culminating in his reporting on... Read How to Rule the World Summary

How to Stand Up to a Dictator

by Maria Ressa

Publication year 2022

Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Perseverance, Hope, Sexual Identity, Teamwork, Colonialism, Community, Economics, Education, Globalization, Nation, Politics & Government, Justice, Literature, Power & Greed, Science & Technology, Trust & Doubt, Truth & Lies

Tags Politics & Government, Asian History, Journalism, Social Justice, World History, Biography

... Read How to Stand Up to a Dictator Summary

How to Win Friends and Influence People

by Dale Carnegie

Publication year 1998

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Friendship, Teamwork, Power & Greed, Language

Tags Business & Economics, Relationships, Psychology, Psychology, Self-Improvement, Classic Fiction

First published in 1936, Dale Carnegie’s book How to Win Friends and Influence People launched the American self-help industry, sold over 30 million copies, and became a template for the thousands of self-improvement books that followed. It asserts that success with others depends on listening, showing appreciation, and empathizing with them. The book was revised in 1981; the 2020 eBook re-issue of that edition is the basis for this study guide.The book is divided into... Read How to Win Friends and Influence People Summary

Hum If You Don't Know the Words

by Bianca Marais

Publication year 2017

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Grief, Family, Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Perseverance, Fear, Hate & Anger, Hope, Love, Revenge, Race, Coming of Age, Death, Future, The Past, Friendship, Self Discovery, Colonialism, Community, Nation, Politics & Government, Justice, Loyalty & Betrayal, Order & Chaos, Power & Greed, Trust & Doubt, Truth & Lies

Tags World History, Arts & Culture, Historical Fiction, Race & Racism

... Read Hum If You Don't Know the Words Summary