The Past

In George Orwell's 1984 a character says, "Who controls the past controls the future. Who controls the present controls the past." The past may be behind us, but its events—and how we remember them—have a profound effect on the present. In this collection explore texts that examine the complications and complexities of the past.

Sabbath's Theater

by Philip Roth

Publication year 1995

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Sexual Identity, Aging, Death, The Past

Sabbath’s Theater by Philip Roth, published in 1995, is a work of literary fiction that follows the titular character Mickey Sabbath, an aging yet lustful man, as he navigates life after the passing of his long-time mistress, Drenka. As Sabbath runs from his loss and his unhappy marriage, he finds himself in New York City, confronting the pain of his first wife’s disappearance and the death of his older brother, Morty, during World War II... Read Sabbath's Theater Summary

Saltwater

by Katy Hays

Publication year 2025

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Apathy, Conflict, Perseverance, Fear, Grief, Guilt, Hate & Anger, Hope, Loneliness, Regret, Memory, Revenge, Shame & Pride, Femininity, Gender Identity, Masculinity, Sexual Identity, Aging, Childhood & Youth, Coming of Age, Death, Future, The Past, Appearance & Reality, Environment, Plants, Nature Versus Nurture, Place, Daughters & Sons, Family, Fathers, Friendship, Marriage, Mothers, Siblings, Self Discovery, Social Class, Economics, Globalization, Politics & Government, Art, Beauty, Fame, Good & Evil, Justice, Literature, Loyalty & Betrayal, Power & Greed, Safety & Danger, Trust & Doubt, Truth & Lies, Wins & Losses

Tags Mystery & Crime Fiction, Horror & Suspense

Published in 2025, Saltwater is a literary thriller by Katy Hays, author of the New York Times bestselling novel The Cloisters (2022). Like her debut, which is in development as a television series, Saltwater blends suspense with a richly detailed, atmospheric setting. The novel follows the wealthy Lingate family on their annual trip to Capri, an island that holds the dark secret of playwright Sarah Lingate’s mysterious death 30 years prior. Sarah’s husband, Richard Lingate... Read Saltwater Summary

Sanctuary

by William Faulkner

Publication year 1931

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Good & Evil, Social Class, The Past

Tags Classic Fiction, Mystery & Crime Fiction, Southern Gothic, Trauma & Abuse, Southern Literature, American Literature, Gothic Literature, World History

... Read Sanctuary Summary

Seveneves

by Neal Stephenson

Publication year 2015

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Space, Order & Chaos, Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Perseverance, Memory, Death, Future, The Past, Teamwork, Community, Politics & Government, Fate, Power & Greed, Safety & Danger, Science & Technology, Truth & Lies

Tags Science Fiction, Survival Fiction

Neal Stephenson’s Seveneves (2015) is a work of speculative fiction that blends hard science fiction with political and social commentary. Known for his meticulous research and technical expertise, Stephenson crafts a narrative that begins with the sudden destruction of the moon and follows humanity’s desperate attempts to survive the ensuing Hard Rain: a millennia-long bombardment of debris that renders Earth’s surface uninhabitable. Divided into three parts spanning thousands of years, Seveneves traces both the immediate... Read Seveneves Summary

Severance

by Ling Ma

Publication year 2018

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Religion & Spirituality, Immigration, Place, Language, Family, Safety & Danger, Mothers, Death, Memory, Childhood & Youth, Daughters & Sons, The Past, Guilt, Shame & Pride, Grief, Fathers, Nostalgia, Apathy, Loneliness, Self Discovery

Tags Satirical Literature, Science Fiction, Survival Fiction, Chinese Literature, Immigration & Refugeeism, Modern Classic Fiction

... Read Severance Summary

Sexing the Cherry

by Jeanette Winterson

Publication year 1989

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Perseverance, Forgiveness, Grief, Hate & Anger, Hope, Loneliness, Love, Memory, Nostalgia, Revenge, Disability, Femininity, Gender Identity, Indigenous Identity, Language, Masculinity, Sexual Identity, Aging, Birth, Childhood & Youth, Coming of Age, Death, The Past, Animals, Appearance & Reality, Climate, Environment, Plants, Nature Versus Nurture, Objects & Materials, Place, Space, Daughters & Sons, Family, Fathers, Marriage, Mothers, Self Discovery, Social Class, Community, Globalization, Immigration, Nation, Politics & Government, War, Art, Beauty, Equality, Fate, Good & Evil, Justice, Literature, Order & Chaos, Religion & Spirituality, Safety & Danger, Science & Technology, Trust & Doubt, Truth & Lies

Tags Historical Fiction, Magical Realism, LGBTQ+, Postmodernism

Jeanette Winterson’s Sexing the Cherry (1989) is a work of historiographic metafiction that blends fantasy elements with the historical backdrop of 17th-century England. The novel is primarily told through the alternating perspectives of the Dog-Woman, a powerful giantess, and her adopted son, Jordan. Rescued from the Thames as an infant, Jordan grows up to become an explorer, embarking on both literal sea voyages and fantastical journeys of the mind in search of an elusive dancer... Read Sexing the Cherry Summary

Shadow of Night

by Deborah Harkness

Publication year 2012

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Conflict, Forgiveness, Grief, Guilt, Love, Regret, Revenge, Femininity, Gender Identity, Birth, Death, The Past, Fathers, Self Discovery, Community, Loyalty & Betrayal

Tags Fantasy, Science Fiction, Religion & Spirituality, Historical Fiction, Romance

Shadow of Night (2012) is a historical fantasy romance novel by Deborah Harkness, and the second book in the All Souls Trilogy, preceded by A Discovery of Witches (2011) and followed by The Book of Life (2014). A prequel novel, Time’s Convert (2019), follows the origin story of Matthew’s son Marcus, who is a minor character in Shadow of Night.Harkness holds a PhD from the University of California, Davis and teaches early modern European history... Read Shadow of Night Summary

Shadow Ticket

by Thomas Pynchon

Publication year 2025

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Hope, Regret, Language, Masculinity, Future, The Past, Self Discovery, Nation, Politics & Government, War

Tags Mystery & Crime Fiction, Historical Fiction, Literary Fiction

... Read Shadow Ticket Summary

Shelterwood

by Lisa Wingate

Publication year 2024

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Perseverance, Femininity, Indigenous Identity, The Past, Environment, Family, Colonialism, Politics & Government, Justice

Tags Historical Fiction, Mystery & Crime Fiction

... Read Shelterwood Summary

She Who Remains

by Rene Karabash, Transl. Izidora Angel

Publication year 2026

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Guilt, Hope, Loneliness, Love, Nostalgia, Regret, Revenge, Femininity, Gender Identity, Sexual Identity, Coming of Age, Death, The Past, Appearance & Reality, Nature Versus Nurture, Place, Daughters & Sons, Community, Equality, Justice

Tags Literary Fiction, LGBTQ+

Rene Karabash’s debut novel, She Who Remains, was originally published in Bulgaria in 2018 and released in English translation in 2024. The novel is a work of literary fiction that draws on the real-world tradition of sworn virgins in the Balkan region. Set in a remote Albanian village, the story centers on a young woman named Bekija, who lives under the strictures of an ancient patriarchal legal code known as the Kanun. To escape a... Read She Who Remains Summary