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.
Publication year 2019
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Society: Politics & Government, Relationships: Friendship
Tags Humor, Magical Realism, Parenting, Modern Classic Fiction, Fantasy
Nothing to See Here is a 2019 novel by New York Times best-selling author and short story writer Kevin Wilson. The novel, which is set in Tennessee, includes a dedication to fellow Tennessean writer Ann Patchett. This is not Wilson’s first work about unusual characters and their families. He achieved success with his first novel, The Family Fang, and another called Perfect Little World. In these works, Wilson developed the prototype for the unique brand... Read Nothing to See Here Summary
Publication year 2022
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Natural World: Food, Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed
Tags Love / Sexuality, Modern Classic Fiction, Romance
Publication year 2013
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed
Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Psychological Fiction, Climate Change, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2022
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Society: Politics & Government, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Mothers, Identity: Sexuality, Identity: Race, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Society: Colonialism, Society: Economics
Tags Realistic Fiction, LGBTQ, Class, Finance / Money / Wealth, History: U.S., Natural Disaster, Parenting, Modern Classic Fiction, Romance
Publication year 1989
Genre Short Story, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Society: Colonialism, Identity: Race, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed
Tags Fantasy, Race / Racism, Education, Education, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Historical Fiction, Classic Fiction
South African author Nadine Gordimer (1923-2014) published the short story “Once Upon a Time” in 1989 while South Africa was still under apartheid, an institutionalized system of racism that from 1948 until 1994 discriminated against all people who were not white. Gordimer was the daughter of Jewish immigrants. Though not an Afrikaner (a South African descended from 17th-century Dutch colonizers), Gordimer was white and therefore part of South Africa’s ruling minority. Gordimer wrote about characters... Read Once Upon a Time Summary
Publication year 2022
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Emotions/Behavior: Fear
Tags Fantasy, Romance, Gothic Literature, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction
Publication year 1964
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Society: Economics, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Society: Community
Tags Philosophy, Politics / Government, Psychology, Education, Education, Business / Economics, Sociology, History: World, Psychology, Philosophy
Publication year 1962
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Mental Health, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed
Tags American Literature, Classic Fiction, Psychological Fiction, Mental Illness, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Health / Medicine, Relationships, Education, Education, Psychology, Psychology
One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest is a historical fiction novel by Ken Kesey, published in 1962. Kesey drew on his experiences working in a veterans’ hospital to develop a critique of then-current psychiatric practices. The novel’s central conflict between a domineering nurse and an unruly patient can also be read as an allegory for the emerging culture wars of the 1960s. The novel was adapted into a Broadway play one year after its publication... Read One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest Summary
Publication year 2021
Genre Essay Collection, Nonfiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Nostalgia, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict
Tags History: U.S., Race / Racism, Social Justice, Black Lives Matter, Civil Rights / Jim Crow, Education, Politics / Government, History: World
Publication year 1977
Genre Essay Collection, Nonfiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Art, Society: Colonialism, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Society: Economics, Society: Nation, Society: Politics & Government
Tags Arts / Culture, Philosophy, History: World, Business / Economics, Class, Finance / Money / Wealth, Sociology, Literary Criticism, Philosophy, Classic Fiction
On Photography is a 1977 collection of seven essays by American scholar, activist, and philosopher Susan Sontag. The essays were published in the New York Review of Books from 1973 to 1977 before publication in a single volume. Sontag explores the history of photography and its relationship to reality, the fine arts, and sociopolitical power structures. Individual essays explore these various relationships between photography and the world through a different lens before the culminating exploration... Read On Photography Summary
Publication year 1991
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Coming of Age, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Literature
Tags Realistic Fiction, Sports, American Literature, Children's Literature, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Fantasy
On the Devil’s Court is a novel aimed at teenage boys that follows 17-year-old Joe Faust through the basketball season of his senior year. Written by Carl Deuker, the book was originally published in 1988 and has remained a popular print title for more than 30 years. On the Devil’s Court was the first of three young adult sports novels by Deuker to be included among the Authors League of America Best Books for Young... Read On the Devil's Court Summary
Publication year 1887
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Society: Class
Tags Philosophy, German Literature, Education, Education, History: World, Psychology, Psychology, Philosophy, Classic Fiction, Politics / Government
Friedrich Nietzsche’s On the Genealogy of Morals: A Polemic (1887) is an analysis of the development of morality in human history. The renowned 19th-century philosopher wrote On the Genealogy of Morals to entice readers to his larger works. In it, he challenges traditional ideals about Christian morality and the origin of virtue and ethics. Nietzsche argues that moral values are products of social power. Qualities which society has deemed virtues—such as honesty, meekness, patience, and... Read On the Genealogy of Morals Summary
Publication year 2001
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Natural World: Animals, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Western
Genre Play, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Fate, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed
Tags Classic Fiction, Play: Tragedy, Mythology, Ancient Greece, Drama / Tragedy, Fantasy
Written in 458 BC by Greek playwright Aeschylus, The Oresteia is a trilogy of plays that includes Agamemnon, The Libation Bearers, The Eumenides, as well as the lost satyr play, Proteus. The plays of The Oresteia are classic tragedies, a dramatic genre focused on the piteous and cathartic downfall of great heroes. The plays were written to be performed at the City Dionysia festival which celebrated Dionysus, god of wine and theater. The festival was... Read Oresteia Summary
Publication year 1532
Genre Novel/Book in Verse, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Identity: Gender, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Win & Lose, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality
Tags Narrative / Epic Poem, Gender / Feminism, History: European, Love / Sexuality, Military / War, Italian Literature, Renaissance, Mental Illness, Medieval Literature / Middle Ages, History: World, Fantasy, Classic Fiction
Publication year 2019
Genre Novel/Book in Verse, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Identity: Race, Relationships: Family
Tags Realistic Fiction, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Immigration / Refugee, Diversity, Race / Racism, American Literature, Children's Literature, Modern Classic Fiction, Arts / Culture
Publication year 1888
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Relationships: Family, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality
Tags Classic Fiction, Children's Literature, Historical Fiction, Action / Adventure, Medieval Literature / Middle Ages
Publication year 2019
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Win & Lose, Society: Community, Society: Politics & Government, Society: Nation, Society: War, Identity: Race, Society: Colonialism, Natural World: Environment
Tags History: U.S., Politics / Government, Social Justice, Race / Racism, History: World
Publication year 1865
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed
Tags Classic Fiction, Victorian Period, Satire, British Literature, History: World, Historical Fiction, Victorian Literature / Period
Our Mutual Friend is a Victorian Realist novel by Charles Dickens, published in serial form from 1864 to 1865. The novel is notable among Dickens’s work for its scathing satire of social conditions in London during the era. Our Mutual Friend has been adapted for film, television, and radio and explores themes of The Tension Between Poverty and Dignity, The Relationship Between Names and Identity, and The Rigidity of Social Class.This guide uses the 2008... Read Our Mutual Friend Summary
Publication year 2021
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Language, Society: Colonialism, Values/Ideas: Fate, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed
Tags Fantasy, Historical Fiction, Romance, LGBTQ, History: World