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 2021
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Identity: Gender, Identity: Race, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Self Discovery, Society: Nation, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed
Tags WWII / World War II, Military / War, Historical Fiction, History: European
Publication year 1981
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Society: Education, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger
Tags Historical Fiction, Psychology, Education, Education, Modern Classic Fiction, History: World, Psychology, Classic Fiction
The Wave is a 1981 young adult novel by Todd Strasser (originally written under the pseudonym Morton Rhue). A novelization of a teleplay by Johnny Dawkins for the 1981 made-for-TV movie of the same name, the story is a fictionalized account of a 1967 social experiment called “The Third Wave,” which took place at a high school in Palo Alto, California. In the novel, the experiment unfolds at the fictional Gordon High School. The story... Read The Wave Summary
Publication year 1700
Genre Play, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed
Tags Classic Fiction, Play: Comedy / Satire, Restoration, British Literature, Education, Education, History: World, Drama / Tragedy, Humor
The Way of the World is a play by William Congreve, first performed in 1700 at Lincoln’s Inn Fields. The Way of the World is a Restoration comedy, meaning it is a comedy written and performed in the boom of theater following the restoration of the Stuart Dynasty after the Interregnum period in England. As with many Restoration comedies, Congreve focuses his satire on the upper classes, but The Way of the World is notable... Read The Way of the World Summary
Publication year 2016
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Femininity, Relationships: Teams, Relationships: Siblings, Relationships: Friendship, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Social Justice, Crime / Legal, Politics / Government
The 2016 novel The Whistler by American author John Grisham is a legal thriller that centers on an investigation of corrupt business operations involving Native American gaming. The novel is based on the real-life corruption of US casinos in which entities outside the Native American community illegally offer financial incentives in exchange for long-term profit.This is the 29th of Grisham’s adult novels, which are primarily legal thrillers but also include contemporary and humorous fiction. In... Read The Whistler Summary
Publication year 1612
Genre Play, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Identity: Femininity, Society: Class, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality
Tags Play: Tragedy, Jacobean Era
First performed onstage in 1612, The White Devil is a revenge tragedy that is loosely based on the murder of Vittoria Accoramboni in Italy in 1585. The full title of the play is The White Divel; or, The Tragedy of Paulo Giordano Ursini, Duke of Bracciano. With The Life and Death of Vittoria Corombona the famous Venetian Curtizan). The play has been performed many times but has not been adapted for film. This guide refers... Read The White Devil Summary
Publication year 2008
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Society: Globalization, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Society: Politics & Government, Society: Class, Relationships: Family, Self Discovery
Tags Indian Literature, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Asian Literature, Poverty, Class, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman
Aravind Adiga’s The White Tiger was published in 2008. Adiga’s first novel, The White Tiger won the Man Booker Prize and was adapted into a movie in 2021. Born in Chennai, India, Adiga has lived in India and Australia, and attended Columbia University in New York and Oxford University in England. A coming-of-age story told through a first-person narrator and letters addressed to Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao, The White Tiger examines the conflict between tradition... Read The White Tiger Summary
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 2025
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Life/Time: Midlife, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Teams, Society: Class, Society: Community, Society: Economics, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction
Publication year 2023
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed
Tags Fantasy, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction
Competitor... Read The Will of the Many Summary
Publication year 1901
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed
Tags Philosophy, Psychology
Publication year 2023
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Apathy, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Society: Politics & Government, Society: Immigration
Tags Modern Classic Fiction, Historical Fiction, WWII / World War II, Holocaust, Class, History: World, History: The Americas, History: U.S., Immigration / Refugee, Military / War, Politics / Government, Social Justice, Music, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Race / Racism
Publication year 1994
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Fate
Tags Magical Realism, Fantasy, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Japanese Literature, Love / Sexuality
Publication year 1902
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed
Tags Historical Fiction, Romance, Classic Fiction
The Wings of the Dove (1902) by Henry James tells the story of Milly Theale, a young, wealthy, orphaned New York heiress who has been diagnosed with a terminal illness. Seeking to live life to the fullest before she dies, she travels to London with her middle-aged companion, Susan Stringham, where she meets the ambitious and scheming Maud Lowder and her niece, Kate Croy. Kate is secretly engaged to the charming yet penniless Merton Densher... Read The Wings of the Dove Summary
Publication year 2011
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Identity: Gender, Society: Education, Society: Class, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship
Tags Fantasy, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Action / Adventure, Finance / Money / Wealth, Poverty, Narrative / Epic Poem
Publication year 2021
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Identity: Disability, Identity: Language, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: The Future, Life/Time: The Past, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Natural World: Place, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Teams, Self Discovery, Society: Community, Society: Politics & Government, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Fantasy
Publication year 2019
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Sexuality, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Gender, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Relationships: Marriage
Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Psychological Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2023
Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Fame, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Relationships: Mothers, Relationships: Fathers, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed
Tags Music, Arts / Culture, Biography, Mental Illness
Publication year 2025
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Identity: Mental Health, Life/Time: Midlife, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: The Future, Life/Time: The Past, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship, Self Discovery, Society: Class, Society: Community, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Literature, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Psychological Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction
Publication year 2015
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Self Discovery, Society: Economics, Society: Globalization, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology
Tags Education, Education, Science / Nature, Sociology, Psychology, Psychology, Philosophy, Philosophy, Self Help, Arts / Culture
Publication year 1937
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Relationships: Teams, Society: Economics, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality
Tags Self Help, Finance / Money / Wealth, Business / Economics, Psychology, Psychology, Philosophy, Philosophy
Originally published in 1937, Napoleon Hill’s Think and Grow Rich is widely acknowledged as a foundational text in the field of self-help literature. The book mainly revolves around the themes of The Mystical Power of Positive Thinking, Setting Goals and Persistence, and Desire and Motivation in Personal and Financial Growth. Through anecdotes and practical strategies that Hill claims came from his intimate knowledge of business luminaries such as Andrew Carnegie, Hill promises to catalyze personal... Read Think and Grow Rich Summary