Safety & Danger

This collection, spanning books like Nadine Gordimer's Jump and Other Stories and Lois Lowry's Number the Stars, gathers fiction and nonfiction examining how our human craving for safety is compromised, questioned, and challenged by an unpredictable and sometimes dangerous world.

Prisoner of Tehran

by Marina Nemat

Publication year 2007

Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Globalization, Nation, Safety & Danger

Tags Middle Eastern History, Incarceration, Trauma & Abuse, World History, Religion & Spirituality, Politics & Government, Biography

Prisoner of Tehran is a memoir by Marina Nemat that recounts her harrowing experiences in an Iranian prison post-1979 revolution, highlighting The Impact of Political and Ideological Repression. Through her narrative, Nemat explores The Challenges Faced by Women Under Authoritarian Regimes, illustrating the severe constraints and injustices they endured. Despite these adversities, her story is a testament to The Resilience of the Human Spirit, which showcases her journey of survival and defiance against oppressive forces.This... Read Prisoner of Tehran Summary

Prodigy

by Marie Lu

Publication year 2013

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Politics & Government, Love, Friendship, Safety & Danger, Trust & Doubt, Perseverance

Tags Science Fiction, Romance, Fantasy, Action & Adventure

Prodigy (2013) is the second installment in the Legend trilogy by Marie Lu. In this young adult series set in a dystopian future, the United States is divided into two warring nations, the Republic and the Colonies. Prodigy follows the first-person perspectives of two teen protagonists first introduced in Legend (2011), June and Day, as they join a rebel group called the Patriots in hopes of overthrowing the corrupt government. As they work to take... Read Prodigy Summary

Purity and Danger

by Mary Douglas

Publication year 1966

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Community, Safety & Danger

Tags Anthropology, Education, Education, Anthropology, Social Science, Sociology, World History, Psychology, Psychology, Philosophy, Philosophy, Religion & Spirituality

Originally published in 1966, Purity and Danger, by Mary Douglas, is a treatise on the concepts of purity and uncleanness in various societies and cultures. It is widely considered a classic in the field of cultural anthropology. Douglas (1921-2007), a British anthropologist with an interest in comparative religion, pursues the idea that dirt is abhorrent to us because it is “matter out of place.” She examines dietary rules, religious rituals, and social and sexual taboos... Read Purity and Danger Summary

Quitters Inc.

by Stephen King

Publication year 1978

Genre Short Story, Fiction

Themes Love, Family, Safety & Danger, Apathy

Tags Addiction & Substance Abuse, Science Fiction, Horror & Suspense, American Literature, World History, Fantasy

... Read Quitters Inc. Summary

Race

by Elizabeth Alexander

Publication year 2001

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Equality, Race, Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Perseverance, Fear, Hate & Anger, Love, Shame & Pride, Nation, Justice, Loyalty & Betrayal, Truth & Lies, Safety & Danger

Tags Narrative Poem, Race & Racism

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Rain, Rain, Go Away

by Isaac Asimov

Publication year 1959

Genre Short Story, Fiction

Themes Fear, Social Class, Community, Economics, Education, Immigration, Nation, Good & Evil, Order & Chaos, Safety & Danger, Trust & Doubt

Tags Fantasy, Science Fiction, Horror & Suspense, Education, Education

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Rape Fantasies

by Margaret Atwood

Publication year 1977

Genre Short Story, Fiction

Themes Fear, Hate & Anger, Hope, Loneliness, Shame & Pride, Femininity, Gender Identity, Sexual Identity, Appearance & Reality, Friendship, Self Discovery, Politics & Government, Equality, Justice, Safety & Danger

Tags Gender & Feminism, Trauma & Abuse, Humor

Margaret Atwood’s “Rape Fantasies” (1977) is a short story written from the first-person point of view of the protagonist Estelle. The short story revolves around Estelle’s attempts to understand why recent magazine articles feature frequent discussions of rape. After she and her office coworkers share their rape fantasies, Estelle delves into her own sexual imaginings. Rooted in the cultural context of the 1970s Women’s Movement, “Rape Fantasies” explores themes including the Conflation of Fantasy and... Read Rape Fantasies Summary

Rappaccini's Daughter

by Nathaniel Hawthorne

Publication year 1844

Genre Short Story, Fiction

Themes Fate, Safety & Danger, Loneliness, Love

Tags Historical Fiction, Gothic Literature, Love & Sexuality, Science Fiction, Horror & Suspense, World History, Fantasy, Romance, Classic Fiction

“Rappaccini’s Daughter” (1844) is a Gothic short story by Nathaniel Hawthorne (1804-1864) first published in The United States Magazines and Democratic Review. In 1846, it was republished in a collection of stories and sketches, Mosses from an Old Manse. Hawthorne was a leader of the Dark Romantic or Gothic movement in American literature. His close friends included fellow Massachusetts writers Henry Wadsworth Longfellow and Ralph Waldo Emerson.The work is prefaced by Hawthorne, who claims to... Read Rappaccini's Daughter Summary

Rebecca

by Daphne du Maurier

Publication year 1938

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Love, Death, Social Class, Coming of Age, Loyalty & Betrayal, The Past, Hate & Anger, Marriage, Fear, Safety & Danger, Trust & Doubt, Beauty, Appearance & Reality, Power & Greed, Grief, Conflict, Memory, Truth & Lies, Loneliness

Tags British Literature, Romance, Classic Fiction, Mystery & Crime Fiction, Coming of Age, Dramatic Literature, Gothic Literature, Modernism, Horror & Suspense, Historical Fiction

Rebecca, a bestselling novel by famed English writer Daphne du Maurier, was published in 1938, and has never gone out of print. The winner of the National Book Award for favorite novel of 1938, Rebecca has been adapted numerous times, including Alfred Hitchcock’s 1940 film version, which won the Academy Award for Best Picture, and a 1997 television miniseries. It was most recently adapted for a Netflix film in 2020 by the same name. Rebecca... Read Rebecca Summary

Rebel Witch

by Kristen Ciccarelli

Publication year 2025

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Perseverance, Fear, Guilt, Hate & Anger, Love, Memory, Family, Friendship, Marriage, Teamwork, Self Discovery, Community, Politics & Government, War, Equality, Fate, Good & Evil, Justice, Loyalty & Betrayal, Order & Chaos, Power & Greed, Safety & Danger, Trust & Doubt, Truth & Lies, Wins & Losses

Tags Fantasy, Romance

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Reckless

by Lauren Roberts

Publication year 2024

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Conflict, Perseverance, Love, Coming of Age, Death, Family, Fathers, Friendship, Siblings, Self Discovery, Community, Politics & Government, Fate, Justice, Loyalty & Betrayal, Order & Chaos, Power & Greed, Safety & Danger, Truth & Lies

Tags Children`s Literature, Fairy Tale & Folklore, Action & Adventure, Fantasy, Romance, Science Fiction

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Red Mars

by Kim Stanley Robinson

Publication year 1992

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Space, Conflict, Perseverance, Loneliness, Nostalgia, Future, Appearance & Reality, Environment, Food, Place, Family, Friendship, Teamwork, Self Discovery, Colonialism, Community, Economics, Immigration, Politics & Government, War, Beauty, Equality, Fate, Justice, Loyalty & Betrayal, Order & Chaos, Power & Greed, Religion & Spirituality, Safety & Danger, Science & Technology, Truth & Lies

Tags Science Fiction, Fantasy

Red Mars, a 1992 science fiction novel by Kim Stanley Robinson, is the first book in the Mars trilogy about settling and terraforming the planet Mars. Red Mars follows the first 100 people who land on Mars and begin the complex process of terraforming the planet. In 1993, Red Mars won the Nebula Award and the British Science Fiction Association Award. This guide uses the 2009 HarperVoyager edition.Content Warning: The source material and guide feature depictions... Read Red Mars Summary

Releasing 10

by Chloe Walsh

Publication year 2025

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Conflict, Fear, Forgiveness, Loneliness, Love, Shame & Pride, Mental Health, Childhood & Youth, Family, Fathers, Friendship, Mothers, Self Discovery, Good & Evil, Loyalty & Betrayal, Safety & Danger

Tags Romance, New Adult

... Read Releasing 10 Summary

Rendezvous with Rama

by Arthur C. Clarke

Publication year 1973

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Space, Conflict, Fear, Hope, Memory, Masculinity, Future, The Past, Appearance & Reality, Objects & Materials, Place, Teamwork, Self Discovery, Colonialism, Politics & Government, Beauty, Fate, Good & Evil, Justice, Loyalty & Betrayal, Order & Chaos, Power & Greed, Religion & Spirituality, Safety & Danger, Science & Technology, Trust & Doubt, Truth & Lies

Tags Science Fiction, Fantasy

Published in 1973, Rendezvous With Rama is a science fiction adventure novel by British author Arthur C. Clarke. In his time, Clarke was known as one of the “Big Three” writers of science fiction alongside American authors Isaac Asimov and Robert A. Heinlein. Clarke’s expertise in space flight prompted him to develop the novel and screenplay for his best-known work, 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968). Rendezvous With Rama won major speculative fiction awards, including the... Read Rendezvous with Rama Summary

Rescue

by Jennifer A. Nielsen

Publication year 2021

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Perseverance, Appearance & Reality, Fathers, Self Discovery, War, Good & Evil, Safety & Danger, Trust & Doubt

Tags Historical Fiction, Action & Adventure, Military & War, World War II, Children`s Literature, World History, French Literature

... Read Rescue Summary

Resist

by Alan Gratz

Publication year 2019

Genre Novella, Fiction

Themes War, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Perseverance, Hope, Childhood & Youth, Death, Animals, Place, Daughters & Sons, Mothers, Teamwork, Self Discovery, Colonialism, Nation, Politics & Government, Good & Evil, Justice, Loyalty & Betrayal, Order & Chaos, Power & Greed, Safety & Danger, Trust & Doubt, Wins & Losses

Tags Historical Fiction, World War II, Children`s Literature

... Read Resist Summary

Revival

by Stephen King

Publication year 2014

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes The Past, Religion & Spirituality, Safety & Danger

Tags Science Fiction, Horror & Suspense, Mystery & Crime Fiction, Fantasy, Religion & Spirituality

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Riders of the Purple Sage

by Zane Grey

Publication year 1912

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Conflict, Gender Identity, Femininity, Masculinity, Justice, Safety & Danger, Loyalty & Betrayal, Good & Evil, Religion & Spirituality, Power & Greed, Trust & Doubt, Truth & Lies, Wins & Losses, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Perseverance, Fear, Grief, Hate & Anger, Loneliness, Revenge, Regret, Shame & Pride, Fathers, Friendship

Tags Classic Fiction, Western, Historical Fiction, Gender & Feminism, Religion & Spirituality, American Literature, World History, Romance, Action & Adventure

Riders of the Purple Sage is a novel by western writer Zane Grey. Set in 1871, the novel follows the story of Jane Withersteen, a Mormon woman being persecuted by her church leaders for refusing to become the third wife of church leader, Elder Tull, as well as her fondness for non-Mormons, or gentile, settlers in the area. The novel first appeared as a 19-part series in the magazine, Field and Stream, in January of... Read Riders of the Purple Sage Summary