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.

SPQR

by Mary Beard

Publication year 2015

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes The Past, Colonialism, Community, Wins & Losses

Tags World History, Classic Fiction

Mary Beard’s SPQR: A History of Ancient Rome (2015) is a work of nonfiction history that chronicles the rise of Rome from a small village into a sprawling empire. The narrative spans nearly 1000 years, from the city’s mythic origins to Emperor Caracalla’s 212 CE decree granting citizenship to all free inhabitants of the empire. A New York Times bestseller and a finalist for the National Book Critics Circle Award, SPQR challenges traditional historical perspectives... Read SPQR Summary

Starside

by Alex Aster

Publication year 2026

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Conflict, Fear, Grief, Guilt, Hate & Anger, Hope, Loneliness, Love, Regret, Revenge, Shame & Pride, Sexual Identity, Death, The Past, Appearance & Reality, Family, Friendship, Self Discovery, Politics & Government, Good & Evil, Loyalty & Betrayal

Tags Fantasy, Romance

Starside (2026) is a romantasy novel by Alex Aster, the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Lightlark saga. Aster is a notable figure in the BookTok literary phenomenon, where her viral social media pitch for Lightlark catapulted her from a rejected author to a bestselling sensation. As the first installment in a new series, Starside builds on the author’s established brand of high-stakes fantasy, fast-paced action, and romantic tension. The novel is set... Read Starside Summary

Starters

by Lissa Price

Publication year 2012

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Aging, Siblings, Death, Social Class, Childhood & Youth, Community, Memory, Science & Technology, Future, The Past, Guilt, Family, Appearance & Reality, Trust & Doubt, Fear, Politics & Government, Power & Greed, Beauty, Truth & Lies, Good & Evil, Conflict

Tags Science Fiction, Mystery & Crime Fiction, Fantasy, Romance, Action & Adventure

Lissa Price’s Starters is a young adult science fiction novel set in the near future after the Spore Wars, during which biological weapons were used against the United States and wiped out much of the unvaccinated middle-aged population. As a result, many teens were left without families, and the elderly feared for their place in society. Starters without grandparents were barred from essentially every type of work. This led to teens being rounded up to... Read Starters Summary

Steppenwolf

by Hermann Hesse

Publication year 1927

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Loneliness, Masculinity, Mental Health, The Past, Self Discovery, War, Art, Beauty, Literature, Music, Religion & Spirituality

Tags Life-Inspired Fiction, Philosophy, Existentialism, German Literature, World History, Psychology, Psychology, Philosophy, Classic Fiction

Steppenwolf, originally published in German in 1927, then translated into English in 1929, is the eighth novel published by Swiss German novelist Hermann Hesse. The novel was commercially successful upon publication, and it remains a popular novel to the present day. However, Hesse remarked that whereas his intention was to find humor in life and resist despair, Steppenwolf has often been misunderstood as a glorification of suffering. Much of Hesse’s body of work addresses spiritual... Read Steppenwolf Summary

Still Me

by Jojo Moyes

Publication year 2018

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Loyalty & Betrayal, Aging, Community, The Past, Perseverance, Social Class

Tags Romance, Relationships, Love & Sexuality, Finance, Social Class, Modern Classic Fiction

... Read Still Me Summary

Strange Buildings

by Uketsu, Transl. Jim Rion

Publication year 2026

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Fear, Forgiveness, Grief, Guilt, Hate & Anger, Regret, Shame & Pride, Disability, Death, The Past, Place, Family, Religion & Spirituality, Trust & Doubt, Truth & Lies

Tags Horror & Suspense

Published in Japan in 2023, Strange Buildings is a mystery horror novel by the pseudonymous author and YouTuber Uketsu. It’s the sequel to his best-selling novel Strange Houses, which was adapted into a major motion picture in Japan. The story follows a writer who, after the success of his previous book, receives submissions from readers about unsettling buildings with bizarre architectural features. He selects 11 unrelated cases to investigate with his friend Kurihara, an architectural... Read Strange Buildings Summary

Strange Pilgrims

by Gabriel García Márquez

Publication year 1992

Genre Short Story Collection, Fiction

Themes Nostalgia, The Past, Colonialism

Tags Magical Realism, Latin American Literature, Classic Fiction, Spanish Literature

Strange Pilgrims is a collection of 12 short stories written by acclaimed Colombian author Gabriel García Márquez. García Márquez, the winner of the 1972 Neustadt International Prize for Literature and the 1982 Nobel Prize in Literature, is the author of 11 novels and novellas, dozens of short stories, and various works of nonfiction and film. Strange Pilgrims was published in 1992, though most of its stories were initially written in the 1970s and 1980s. The... Read Strange Pilgrims Summary

Swordheart

by T. Kingfisher

Publication year 2018

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Love, Regret, Femininity, Gender Identity, Midlife, The Past, Family, Justice, Loyalty & Betrayal, Religion & Spirituality, Safety & Danger

Tags Fantasy, Romance, Humor, Action & Adventure

... Read Swordheart Summary

The 100

by Kass Morgan

Publication year 2013

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Space, Coming of Age, Future, The Past, Environment, Family, Teamwork, Self Discovery, Social Class, Justice

Tags Science Fiction, Romance, Fantasy, Action & Adventure

... Read The 100 Summary