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.

Between a Rock and a Hard Place

by Aron Ralston

Publication year 2004

Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction

Themes Fate, Safety & Danger, Self Discovery, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Perseverance, Hope, Death

Tags Inspirational, Action & Adventure, Travel Literature, Animals, Arts & Culture, Philosophy, Relationships, Religion & Spirituality, Science & Nature, Music, Sports, Biography

Between a Rock and a Hard Place is a 2004 adventure and survival memoir by American mountain climber Aron Ralston. The narrative focuses on Ralston’s near-death experience when his arm became stuck under a boulder in a canyon in Utah, where he remained trapped for five days until he amputated his arm. Dealing with profound existential themes, the book garnered critical acclaim and became a New York Times bestseller. A 2010 film adaptation titled 127... Read Between a Rock and a Hard Place Summary

Biased

by Jennifer L. Eberhardt, PhD

Publication year 2019

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Safety & Danger, Justice, Equality, Fear, Conflict, Community

Tags Psychology, Race & Racism, Sociology, Social Justice, Science & Nature, Psychology, Politics & Government

... Read Biased Summary

Bird Box

by Josh Malerman

Publication year 2014

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Death, Teamwork, Loyalty & Betrayal, Place, Community, Safety & Danger, Memory, Birth, Environment, Daughters & Sons, Mental Health, Fear, Mothers, Grief, Order & Chaos, Appearance & Reality, Trust & Doubt, Perseverance, Nostalgia, Hope, Loneliness, Apathy

Tags Horror & Suspense, Science Fiction, Mystery & Crime Fiction

Bird Box is a 2014 post-apocalyptic, dystopian horror novel by Josh Malerman. The story follows a woman’s struggle to protect two children in a world where people are driven to violence by unseen monsters, touching on such themes as paranoia, raising children to deal with an uncertain future, and the dangers of exceptionalism. Bird Box won a Michigan Notable Book Award and was also nominated for the James Herbert Award as well as the Bram... Read Bird Box Summary

Birth Vibes

by Jen Hamilton

Publication year 2026

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Birth, Safety & Danger, Trust & Doubt

Tags Health, Humor, Self-Improvement

In Birth Vibes: Stories and Strategies for an Empowered Birth (2026), labor and delivery nurse Jen Hamilton offers a practical guide to navigating pregnancy and childbirth within the hospital system. This book combines childbirth education, patient advocacy, and personal narrative with a focus on informed decision-making, communication, and emotional preparation for birth. Hamilton argues that a positive birth experience is defined not by adhering to a rigid plan but by feeling heard, respected, and in... Read Birth Vibes Summary

Blood Meridian

by Cormac McCarthy

Publication year 1985

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Religion & Spirituality, Loyalty & Betrayal, Fate, Safety & Danger, Justice, Order & Chaos, Good & Evil, Power & Greed, Wins & Losses, Revenge, Hate & Anger, Fear, Conflict

Tags Western, Historical Fiction, American Literature, Horror & Suspense, World History, Classic Fiction

Blood Meridian, a 1985 historical fiction novel by Cormac McCarthy, is one of the most celebrated works of modern American literature. The novel was inspired by people and events of the mid-19th century in the borderlands of the United States and Mexico. McCarthy’s works have won many honors including the National Book Award and Pulitzer Prize. Blood Meridian is often considered his greatest novel. This guide uses an eBook version of the 1992 First Vintage... Read Blood Meridian Summary

Blood Moon

by Sandra Brown

Publication year 2025

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Fear, Forgiveness, Grief, Guilt, Love, Regret, Revenge, Shame & Pride, Death, Appearance & Reality, Fathers, Teamwork, Self Discovery, Politics & Government, Good & Evil, Justice, Safety & Danger

Tags Horror & Suspense, Romance

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Bloom

by Kenneth Oppel

Publication year 2020

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Safety & Danger, Friendship, Plants

Tags Science Fiction, Horror & Suspense, Action & Adventure, Fantasy, Children`s Literature

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Bluebird, Bluebird

by Attica Locke

Publication year 2017

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Community, Safety & Danger, Family, Hate & Anger, Music, Race, Mothers, Food, Trust & Doubt, Justice, Equality, Marriage, Grief, Fear, Perseverance, Conflict

Tags Mystery & Crime Fiction, Horror & Suspense, Race & Racism, African American Literature, Modern Classic Fiction

Bluebird, Bluebird (2017) by Texas native Attica Locke, published by Little, Brown and Company, is a 2018 Edgar and Anthony award-winning mystery novel. It was also selected as a New York Times Book Review Editor’s Choice Finalist for the Los Angeles Times Book Prize, and Kirkus Best Mysteries and Thrillers of 2017. The first in the Highway 59 series follows Texas Ranger Darren Mathews through the backroads of Texas in search of justice and reform... Read Bluebird, Bluebird Summary

Bob

by Wendy Mass, Rebecca Stead

Publication year 2018

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Friendship, Conflict, Perseverance, Loneliness, Fear, Guilt, Hope, Joy, Love, Memory, Gratitude, Childhood & Youth, The Past, Appearance & Reality, Climate, Environment, Food, Family, Grandparents, Mothers, Literature, Safety & Danger

Tags Fantasy, Magical Realism, Children`s Literature, Mystery & Crime Fiction

... Read Bob Summary

Bound For Oregon

by Jean Van Leeuwen

Publication year 1994

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Perseverance, Hope, Indigenous Identity, Childhood & Youth, Coming of Age, Environment, Family, Fathers, Self Discovery, Colonialism, Nation, Safety & Danger, Trust & Doubt

Tags Children`s Literature, Education, Education, US History, World History, Historical Fiction

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Boy Overboard

by Morris Gleitzman

Publication year 2002

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes War, Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Perseverance, Fear, Hope, Gender Identity, Coming of Age, Death, Family, Siblings, Teamwork, Immigration, Politics & Government, Justice, Safety & Danger

Tags Children`s Literature, Action & Adventure, Contemporary Literature

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Brain Damage

by Freida McFadden

Publication year 2016

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Perseverance, Memory, Shame & Pride, Disability, Femininity, Masculinity, Mental Health, Midlife, Appearance & Reality, Objects & Materials, Friendship, Marriage, Self Discovery, Community, Good & Evil, Justice, Loyalty & Betrayal, Order & Chaos, Power & Greed, Safety & Danger, Trust & Doubt, Truth & Lies

Tags Horror & Suspense, Psychological Fiction

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Break

by Dorianne Laux

Publication year 1990

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Social Class, Memory, Love, Hope, Fate, Safety & Danger, Family

Tags Lyric Poem, Arts & Culture, Climate Change

... Read Break Summary