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 1955
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Friendship, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil
Tags Fantasy, Classic Fiction, Action / Adventure
In 1954, writer and scholar of English literature J. R. R. Tolkien published The Fellowship of the Ring, the first of three volumes in his novel The Lord of the Rings. Considered a founding text of high fantasy, The Lord of the Rings is widely regarded as a modern classic. The saga’s roots in epic poetry, philology, and mythology have influenced both academia and popular culture, inspiring scholarship, Tolkien societies, and film adaptations, including Ralph... Read The Fellowship of the Ring Summary
Publication year 1991
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Relationships: Siblings, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Relationships: Mothers, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Relationships: Marriage, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Society: Politics & Government, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Crime / Legal
OverviewBook DetailsThe Firm is the second legal thriller written by attorney John Grisham. It followed his 1988 debut novel A Time to Kill. The Firm was the top-selling novel of 1991 on the New York Times bestseller list, bringing its author international fame. It focuses on new Harvard Law School graduate Mitch McDeere, who accepts a financially lucrative position with a Memphis law firm that he discovers is embroiled in unethical and illegal activities.Author HighlightsGrisham... Read The Firm Summary
Publication year 2014
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Life/Time: The Future, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed
Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Fantasy, Historical Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction
The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August (2014) is a science fiction thriller by British author Claire North, a pseudonym for Catherine Webb. The novel centers on Harry August, a man who is reborn in the same time and place each time he dies, retaining all his memories. When he learns that the end of the world is accelerating with each life cycle, he must use his unique position in time to uncover the cause... Read The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August Summary
Publication year 2024
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Natural World: Objects, Relationships: Marriage, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt
Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Romance
Publication year 1643
Genre Poem, Nonfiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Win & Lose
Publication year 2003
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Society: War
Tags Narrative / Epic Poem, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, WWII / World War II
Publication year 2023
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed
Tags Historical Fiction, Fantasy, LGBTQ
Publication year 2019
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Society: Education, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed
Tags Realistic Fiction, Children's Literature, Education, Education, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2023
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Gender, Identity: Indigenous, Identity: Masculinity, Identity: Sexuality, Life/Time: Birth, Natural World: Animals, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Mothers, Society: Class, Society: Colonialism, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Historical Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Gender / Feminism
Publication year 2023
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: The Future, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology
Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Fantasy, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, LGBTQ
Publication year 1866
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Values/Ideas: Win & Lose, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed
Tags Classic Fiction, Psychological Fiction, Russian Literature, Existentialism, History: World, Romance, Philosophy, Philosophy
Publication year 2024
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Sexuality, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Relationships: Teams, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed
Tags Fantasy, Romance
Publication year 1794
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Nostalgia, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Apathy, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Win & Lose, Natural World: Appearance & Reality
Tags Lyric Poem, Religion / Spirituality, History: World, British Literature
Publication year 1923
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride
Tags Anthropology, Sociology, Philosophy, Business / Economics, Education, Education, Anthropology, French Literature, History: World, Philosophy, Classic Fiction
Publication year 1941
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Society: Nation, Society: Politics & Government, Society: Colonialism, Life/Time: The Past, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Win & Lose
Tags History: U.S.
Publication year 1873
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Society: Class, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Society: Economics, Society: Politics & Government
Tags American Literature, History: World, Humor, Classic Fiction, Satire, Historical Fiction, Gilded Age, Politics / Government
Publication year 2016
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Sexuality, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed
Tags Historical Fiction, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Psychological Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, History: World
Publication year 2020
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Society: Economics, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Psychological Fiction, Business / Economics, Arts / Culture, Class, Gender / Feminism, American Literature, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 1904
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Marriage, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Life/Time: Midlife, Life/Time: The Future, Life/Time: The Past, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Relationships: Fathers, Self Discovery, Society: Class, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Historical Fiction, Classic Fiction, American Literature, History: U.S., History: World
The Golden Bowl is a 1904 novel by Henry James. The novel explores the intricacies of marriage and affairs in the early 19th century through the affair of Amerigo and Charlotte, who were once in love but too poor to marry. Amerigo instead marries Maggie, and Charlotte marries Maggie’s father, a wealthy American museum curator. While Amerigo is at first happy with his new wife, the time she spends with her father creates an opportunity... Read The Golden Bowl Summary
Publication year 2023
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Race, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Society: Immigration, Values/Ideas: Equality, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Mental Health, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Society: Class
Tags Historical Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Race / Racism, Love / Sexuality, Class