Teams & Gangs

Anyone who has played a team sport knows the rush that comes from feeling like an integral piece of a well-oiled machine. Yet exhilaration and cooperation are only one aspect of team dynamics. This collection explores all facets of the team relationship, both positive and negative.

Chain-Gang All-Stars

by Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah

Publication year 2023

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Wins & Losses, Power & Greed, Justice, Fame, Community, Teamwork, Death, Future, Race, Gender Identity, Mental Health

Tags Science Fiction, Horror & Suspense, Satirical Literature, LGBTQ+, Black Lives Matter, Business & Economics, Grief & Death, US History, Incarceration, Race & Racism, Trauma & Abuse, Social Justice, Fantasy

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Cheaper By The Dozen

by Frank B. Gilbreth Jr, Ernestine Gilbreth Carey

Publication year 1948

Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction

Themes Family, Joy, Love, Memory, Nostalgia, Femininity, Language, Mental Health, Sexual Identity, Coming of Age, The Past, Daughters & Sons, Fathers, Teamwork, Community, Education, Fame, Order & Chaos, Science & Technology

Tags Humor

Published in 1948, Cheaper by the Dozen is a humorous memoir by siblings Frank B. Gilbreth Jr. and Ernestine Gilbreth Carey. The book chronicles their unconventional childhood in Montclair, New Jersey, as two of 12 children raised by parents who were pioneering efficiency experts. The authors’ father, Frank B. Gilbreth, treats the family home as a laboratory, applying the principles of scientific management and motion study to every aspect of domestic life, from bathing to... Read Cheaper By The Dozen Summary

Children of Ruin

by Adrian Tchaikovsky

Publication year 2019

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Conflict, Memory, Language, Race, Death, Future, Animals, Nature Versus Nurture, Space, Teamwork, Colonialism, Community, Safety & Danger, Science & Technology

Tags Science Fiction

Children of Ruin (2019) is a space opera novel by British author Adrian Tchaikovsky. It is the second installment in the acclaimed Children of Time series, which began with the Arthur C. Clarke Award-winning novel Children of Time (2015). The story follows the starship Voyager, crewed by a fragile alliance of humans and their intelligent spider allies, the Portiids, as they follow a faint, ancient radio signal to the Tess 834 system. Expecting to find... Read Children of Ruin Summary

Chip War

by Chris Miller

Publication year 2022

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Perseverance, Future, Teamwork, Economics, Globalization, Politics & Government, War, Science & Technology

Tags World History, Politics & Government, Business & Economics, Science & Nature

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Churchill's Secret Messenger

by Alan Hlad

Publication year 2021

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Perseverance, Fear, Grief, Guilt, Hope, Loneliness, Love, Shame & Pride, Disability, Femininity, Mental Health, Death, Family, Teamwork, Self Discovery, Politics & Government, War, Good & Evil, Safety & Danger

Tags British Literature, Historical Fiction, Horror & Suspense, Military & War, Espionage

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City Spies

by James Ponti

Publication year 2020

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Perseverance, Fear, Gratitude, Joy, Loneliness, Revenge, Shame & Pride, Childhood & Youth, Coming of Age, Death, Justice, Art, Good & Evil, Literature, Loyalty & Betrayal, Truth & Lies, Trust & Doubt, Science & Technology, Power & Greed, Safety & Danger, Teamwork, Family, Climate, Appearance & Reality, Environment, Self Discovery, Community, Wins & Losses, Friendship, Place, Order & Chaos

Tags Horror & Suspense, Mystery & Crime Fiction, Action & Adventure, Children`s Literature, Realistic Fiction

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Clown Town

by Mick Herron

Publication year 2025

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Regret, Revenge, Teamwork, Politics & Government, Justice, Loyalty & Betrayal, Power & Greed, Truth & Lies

Tags Mystery & Crime Fiction, Horror & Suspense, Humor

Mick Herron’s 2025 novel Clown Town is the ninth installment in his acclaimed Slough House series of satirical spy thrillers. The story revisits the “slow horses,” a team of disgraced MI5 agents relegated to a dilapidated London office building, as they become entangled in a high-stakes conflict rooted in the intelligence service’s dark past. When a secret audio recording from a legendary spymaster’s library resurfaces, it triggers a dangerous chain of events, forcing the ruthless... Read Clown Town Summary

Confessions of a Shopaholic

by Sophie Kinsella

Publication year 2000

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Conflict, Fear, Guilt, Hope, Love, Regret, Shame & Pride, Mental Health, Midlife, Family, Friendship, Teamwork, Self Discovery, Social Class, Community, Economics, Education, Politics & Government, Beauty, Literature, Loyalty & Betrayal, Power & Greed, Truth & Lies

Tags Romance, Humor

Published in 2000, Confessions of a Shopaholic was the breakout success of British novelist Sophie Kinsella (the pen name of Madeleine Wickham), a former financial journalist from London. Before adopting the Kinsella pseudonym, Wickham published several traditional novels, but she gained international recognition through the Shopaholic series, along with later stand-alone works such as Can You Keep a Secret? and The Undomestic Goddess.The novel follows Rebecca Bloomwood, a journalist whose compulsive spending habits clash comically... Read Confessions of a Shopaholic Summary

Cracker

by Cynthia Kadohata

Publication year 2005

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Loyalty & Betrayal, Teamwork, Animals, War, Perseverance

Tags Military & War, Historical Fiction, Animals, Action & Adventure

Cynthia Kadohata’s Cracker!: The Best Dog in Vietnam is a work of historical fiction that centers around a dog, Cracker, and her handler, Rick Hanski, during their deployment in Vietnam. It is aimed at an audience of middle-grade readers but is also an enjoyable and educational read for adults. Told from the perspective of both the canine and human main characters, Kadohata reveals the vitally important work conducted by military dogs and their handlers during... Read Cracker Summary

Crash

by Jerry Spinelli

Publication year 1996

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Friendship, Teamwork, Siblings, Daughters & Sons, Family, Shame & Pride, Power & Greed, Equality, Appearance & Reality, Truth & Lies, Fathers, Death, Wins & Losses, Perseverance, Conflict, Guilt, Gratitude, Grandparents, Self Discovery

Tags Realistic Fiction, Children`s Literature, Sports, Bullying, Education, Education, Modern Classic Fiction

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Creativity, Inc.

by Edwin Catmull, Amy Wallace

Publication year 2014

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Economics, Teamwork, Self Discovery, Community, Art, Equality, Science & Technology

Tags Self-Improvement, Arts & Culture, Biography

Creativity, Inc.: Overcoming the Unseen Forces That Stand in the Way of True Inspiration (2014) is a business memoir by Edwin E. Catmull, a co-founder of Pixar Animation Studios. Using his career as a framework, Catmull outlines his philosophy on how to build a sustainable creative culture. The book traces his path from a computer science student with a dream of making the first computer-animated feature film to his leadership roles at Pixar and, later... Read Creativity, Inc. Summary

Cross Down

by James Patterson

Publication year 2023

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Conflict, Fear, Family, Teamwork, Politics & Government, War, Good & Evil, Justice, Loyalty & Betrayal

Tags Horror & Suspense, Mystery & Crime Fiction, Psychological Fiction, Military & War, Action & Adventure

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Crucial Conversations

by Kerry Patterson, Joseph Grenny, Ron McMillan, Al Switzler

Publication year 2002

Genre Reference/Text Book, Nonfiction

Themes Language, Conflict, Teamwork

Tags Self-Improvement, Business & Economics, Leadership, Relationships, Psychology, Psychology

Crucial Conversations: Tools for Talking When the Stakes Are High (2002) was written by Kerry Patterson, Joseph Grenny, Al Switzler, and Ron McMillan. It has become a cornerstone of the field of interpersonal communication and self-improvement, offering insights into the dynamics that govern our most vital conversations. Both Kerry Patterson and Joseph Grenny are leading authorities on organizational change and have advised some of the world’s largest organizations. Al Switzler is a renowned speaker and... Read Crucial Conversations Summary

Cursed Fates

by Caroline Peckham, Susanne Valenti

Publication year 2020

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Conflict, Hate & Anger, Shame & Pride, Nature Versus Nurture, Fathers, Siblings, Teamwork, Social Class, Good & Evil, Power & Greed

Tags Fantasy, Romance

Cursed Fates (2020) is a dark fantasy romance novel by British writing duo Caroline Peckham and Susanne Valenti. It is the fifth book in the internationally bestselling Zodiac Academy series, which is part of the larger United States of Solaria interconnected universe. The series gained significant popularity through social media platforms, particularly TikTok, and has appeared on bestseller lists from outlets including the Wall Street Journal and USA Today. The novel continues the story of... Read Cursed Fates Summary