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.

The Naked And The Dead

by Norman Mailer

Publication year 1948

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes War, Masculinity, Order & Chaos, Power & Greed

Tags Historical Fiction, Military & War, World War II, American Literature, Classic Fiction

The Naked and the Dead (1948) is the first novel published by American author Norman Mailer, drawing on Mailer’s experiences as a soldier fighting for the Allies in the Pacific theater in World War II. The novel follows an American reconnaissance platoon during a campaign to seize the Japanese-held fictional Pacific island of Anopopei. Mailer pairs a large-cast platoon narrative with embedded “Time Machine” life histories and dialogue-heavy interludes to examine how authority, fear, and... Read The Naked And The Dead Summary

The Nightingale and the Rose

by Oscar Wilde

Publication year 1888

Genre Short Story, Fiction

Themes Love, Art, Power & Greed

Tags Symbolic Narrative, Fantasy, Romance, Irish Literature, Children`s Literature, World History, Fairy Tale & Folklore, Classic Fiction

“The Nightingale and the Rose” is a children’s story by Irish writer Oscar Wilde, included in his 1888 fairy tale collection, The Happy Prince and Other Tales. Like many of the other stories in the collection, “The Nightingale and the Rose” is a fable examining the nature of love and self-sacrifice. “The Nightingale and the Rose” conforms to the simplistic story structure of traditional fairy tales while subverting many of the genre’s norms.This guide refers... Read The Nightingale and the Rose Summary

The Night Thoreau Spent In Jail

by Jerome Lawrence, Robert E. Lee

Publication year 1970

Genre Play, Fiction

Themes Nation, Justice, Power & Greed

Tags Drama, Historical Fiction, Incarceration, Philosophy, Education, Education, Dramatic Literature, Philosophy, Classic Fiction

The Night Thoreau Spent in Jail is a two-act play by Jerome Lawrence and Robert E. Lee. First performed in 1970, it dramatizes a historical event: The night in 1846 that Henry David Thoreau—American writer, transcendentalist, and naturalist—spent in jail for refusing to pay his poll tax. Since the American government sought to fund the war in Mexico in a bid to extend the territory of enslavement, Thoreau protested by refusing to pay the tax... Read The Night Thoreau Spent In Jail Summary

The Octopus

by Frank Norris

Publication year 1901

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Good & Evil, Fate, Literature, Power & Greed, Justice, Science & Technology, Economics, The Past, Future, Conflict

Tags Historical Fiction, Social Justice, Naturalism, Technology, Business & Economics, American Literature, World History, Classic Fiction, Politics & Government

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The Once and Future Witches

by Alix E. Harrow

Publication year 2020

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Fate, Religion & Spirituality, Safety & Danger, Loyalty & Betrayal, Power & Greed, Good & Evil, Wins & Losses, Love, Fear, Perseverance, Conflict, Siblings

Tags Historical Fiction, Fantasy, Gender & Feminism, LGBTQ+, Fairy Tale & Folklore, Science Fiction, World History, Religion & Spirituality

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The Only One Left

by Riley Sager

Publication year 2023

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Truth & Lies, Trust & Doubt, Power & Greed, Loyalty & Betrayal, Social Class, Siblings, Community, Fathers, Place, The Past, Guilt, Revenge, Disability, Femininity

Tags Horror & Suspense, Mystery & Crime Fiction, Gothic Literature, Realistic Fiction, Trauma & Abuse, Addiction & Substance Abuse, Depression & Suicide, Disability, Grief & Death, Social Class

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The Organ Thieves

by Chip Jones

Publication year 2020

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Race, Death, Social Class, Community, Education, Nation, Politics & Government, Equality, Justice, Power & Greed, Safety & Danger, Science & Technology, Truth & Lies

Tags World History, US History, Science & Nature, Health, Race & Racism, Crime & Law

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The Origins of Totalitarianism

by Hannah Arendt

Publication year 1951

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Power & Greed, Social Class

Tags Politics & Government, Philosophy, World History, Sociology, Psychology, Psychology, Philosophy, Classic Fiction

Hannah Arendt’s 1951 The Origins of Totalitarianism is an examination of the origins and ideologies of Nazism and Stalinism in the first half of the 20th century through an examination of antisemitism, imperialism, and totalitarianism. Arendt charts the emergence of the Nazi and Bolshevik totalitarian regimes and how those regimes operated as governments. Arendt asserts that imperialism, not nationalism, created the framework for the success of totalitarian movements, and she claims that totalitarian movements capitalized... Read The Origins of Totalitarianism Summary

The Passengers

by John Marrs

Publication year 2019

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Conflict, Perseverance, Fear, Hate & Anger, Love, Memory, Revenge, Mental Health, Death, Future, Environment, Teamwork, Social Class, Colonialism, Community, Economics, Education, Globalization, Immigration, Nation, Politics & Government, Equality, Fame, Fate, Good & Evil, Justice, Loyalty & Betrayal, Order & Chaos, Power & Greed, Safety & Danger, Science & Technology, Trust & Doubt, Truth & Lies

... Read The Passengers Summary