Required Reading Lists

Our Required Reading Lists Collection features poems, fiction, short stories, and other texts frequently studied in academic contexts. With texts spanning from the ancients, such as Plato, through contemporary literary giants, this well-rounded Collection represents the breadth and enduring appeal of literature and its study.

War Brothers

by Sharon McKay

Publication year 2008

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Perseverance, Fear, Childhood & Youth, Coming of Age, Friendship, War, Loyalty & Betrayal

Tags Military & War, Historical Fiction, Survival Fiction, Trauma & Abuse, Realistic Fiction, World History

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We Are Displaced

by Malala Yousafzai

Publication year 2018

Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction

Themes Immigration, War, Community, Safety & Danger, Femininity, Politics & Government, Family, Education, Gender Identity, Fear, Grief, Memory, Perseverance, Conflict

Tags Politics & Government, Social Justice, World History, Immigration & Refugeeism, Gender & Feminism, Education, Biography

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We Wear the Mask

by Paul Laurence Dunbar

Publication year 1895

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Race, Justice, Power & Greed

Tags Lyric Poem, Race & Racism, African American Literature, Classic Fiction

“We Wear the Mask” is one of Paul Laurence Dunbar’s most influential works. Appearing in 1895 in his second poetry volume Majors and Minors, the poem reflects an unspecified collective, a “we” hiding behind a “mask,” which is used throughout the poem as an extended metaphor for survival tactics against oppression. “We Wear the Mask” stands as a poem about racism and oppression and the marginalized.Dunbar’s voice as a major American writer is varied and... Read We Wear the Mask Summary

What Hath God Wrought

by Daniel Walker Howe

Publication year 2007

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Economics, War, Justice

Tags American Literature, World History, US History, Politics & Government

What Hath God Wrought: The Transformation of America, 1815-1848 by American historian Daniel Walker Howe, explores the changes the United States underwent in the early 19th century. Awarded the Pulitzer Prize for History, the book was published in 2007 as part of The Oxford History of the United States. Howe’s work explores the political, military, social, economic, and cultural developments that shaped the nation. Howe does not shy away from the complexities and contradictions of... Read What Hath God Wrought Summary

What We Talk About When We Talk About Love

by Raymond Carver

Publication year 1981

Genre Short Story, Fiction

Themes Love, Marriage

Tags Relationships, American Literature, Love & Sexuality, US History, Modern Classic Fiction, World History, Romance, Classic Fiction

American author Raymond Carver is best known for his short stories and his simple, precise writing style. He was a nominee for the National Book Awards as well as a Pulitzer Prize in Fiction. In 1988, he was inducted into the American Academy of Arts and Letters. Carver is one of the chief figures in the “Dirty Realism” movement of American writing, which became popular in the 1980s and provided vignettes of the dark side... Read What We Talk About When We Talk About Love Summary

When the Sea Turned to Silver

by Grace Lin

Publication year 2016

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Fear, Hope, Memory, Coming of Age, The Past, Appearance & Reality, Grandparents, Community, Good & Evil, Power & Greed

Tags Fantasy, Action & Adventure, Fairy Tale & Folklore, Children`s Literature, Chinese Literature

When the Sea Turned Silver by Grace Lin takes readers on a journey through a richly imagined world full of imagery and Chinese folklore. The novel follows the adventures of Pinmei and Yishan as they navigate themes of Finding and Creating Identity, The Power of Stories, and how Perception Shapes Reality. Recognized for its storytelling and cultural depth, When the Sea Turned Silver was a 2016 National Book Award Finalist. Critics praise the novel for... Read When the Sea Turned to Silver Summary

White Bird

by R. J. Palacio

Publication year 2019

Genre Graphic Novel/Book, Fiction

Themes Disability, Death, Safety & Danger, Childhood & Youth, Coming of Age, Friendship, Memory, The Past, Fear, Family, War, Grief, Conflict, Fathers, Justice, Good & Evil, Power & Greed, Politics & Government, Trust & Doubt, Hope, Gratitude, Loneliness, Loyalty & Betrayal, Appearance & Reality, Nation

Tags Historical Fiction, Children`s Literature, Dramatic Literature, World War II, Holocaust, Military & War, World History

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