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.
Publication year 2025
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Life/Time: The Past, Natural World: Place, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt
Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction
Publication year 2007
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Life/Time: The Past, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality
Tags Philosophy, Religion / Spirituality, Politics / Government, Sociology, Arts / Culture, History: World, Philosophy
Publication year 2015
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: The Past, Relationships: Family
Tags Modern Classic Fiction, Historical Fiction
A Spool of Blue Thread was published in 2015 and is the twentieth novel by American author Anne Tyler. The novel falls under the subgenre of Women’s Fiction. A Spool of Blue Thread received mixed reviews by critics upon publication but fared far better with the general public. After its commercial success, it was shortlisted for the 2015 Man Booker Prize, as well as the Baileys Women’s Prize for Fiction. Other works by Tyler include... Read A Spool of Blue Thread Summary
Publication year 2005
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Life/Time: The Past, Society: Nation, Society: Politics & Government
Tags Humor, History: U.S., Travel Literature, Politics / Government, Historical Nonfiction
Publication year 2023
Genre Biography, Nonfiction
Themes Identity: Mental Health, Life/Time: The Past, Society: Class, Society: Community, Society: Economics, Society: Immigration, Society: Nation, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Fame, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed
Tags History: U.S., Politics / Government, Business / Economics
Publication year 2023
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Gender, Life/Time: The Past, Natural World: Environment, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Literature
Tags Fantasy, Romance, Gothic Literature, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Fairy Tale / Folklore
Publication year 2025
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Joy, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Gender, Identity: Sexuality, Life/Time: Midlife, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: The Future, Life/Time: The Past, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Natural World: Space & The Universe, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Marriage, Relationships: Siblings, Relationships: Teams, Self Discovery, Society: Community, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Historical Fiction
Publication year 1939
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Literature, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Fate, Life/Time: The Past, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict
Tags Irish Literature, Humor, Fantasy, Magical Realism, Fairy Tale / Folklore, Satire, Arts / Culture, Class, British Literature, History: World, Classic Fiction
Publication year 2001
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Life/Time: The Past
Tags Historical Fiction, WWII / World War II, Holocaust, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Military / War, History: World, Classic Fiction
Austerlitz is a historical novel by W. G. Sebald first published in 2001. Sebald was a German writer and academic who wrote mainly about the loss of memory and the Holocaust. Austerlitz, Sebald’s final novel, centers on an architectural historian, Jacques Austerlitz, who is tormented by his repressed past as a Jewish child evacuated from Czechoslovakia in 1939. The book was an international bestseller and won the 2001 National Book Critics Circle Award for Fiction... Read Austerlitz Summary
Publication year 2025
Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction
Themes Relationships: Marriage, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Joy, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Identity: Femininity, Life/Time: Midlife, Life/Time: The Future, Life/Time: The Past, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship, Self Discovery, Society: Colonialism, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Literature, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Music, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Memoir / Autobiography, Relationships
Publication year 2025
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Identity: Disability, Identity: Sexuality, Life/Time: The Past, Relationships: Family, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice
Tags Fantasy, Romance
Publication year 1999
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: The Past, Relationships: Family
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Drama / Tragedy
Back Roads is a 1999 novel by Tawni O’Dell. It follows the story of Harley Altmyer, a 19-year-old boy who takes custody of his three sisters after his mother murders his abusive father. As Harley struggles with day-to-day life, truths about the past are revealed, forcing him to face a reality he worked hard to suppress. Back Roads was an Oprah’s Book Club selection in March 2000. The novel was also adapted into a 2018... Read Back Roads Summary
Publication year 1998
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Life/Time: The Past, Natural World: Place, Values/Ideas: Literature, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Fantasy
Bag of Bones (1998) is a gothic horror novel by American author Stephen King. The novel follows Mike Noonan, a recently widowed author who has an overwhelming case of writer’s block. After experiencing several haunting dreams about his summer house, named Sara Laughs, Mike visits the house to attempt writing one last time. He soon gets embroiled in a legal battle between a local woman named Mattie Devore and her father-in-law, computer tycoon Max Devore... Read Bag of Bones Summary
Publication year 1841
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Family, Life/Time: The Past
Tags Classic Fiction, Historical Fiction, Victorian Period, British Literature, History: World, Victorian Literature / Period
Publication year 1995
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Identity: Mental Health, Identity: Race, Life/Time: Midlife, Life/Time: The Past, Natural World: Animals, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Grandparents, Relationships: Mothers, Society: Immigration, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Music
Tags Historical Fiction, Southern Literature, Depression / Suicide, Grief / Death, Modern Classic Fiction, Drama / Tragedy
Pat Conroy’s 1995 novel Beach Music is a work of historical fiction. Set primarily in South Carolina, the novel follows a community fractured by memories of the Holocaust and the social upheaval of the 1960s and 1970s. Beach Music explores the nature of generational trauma and the way our pasts shape our futures. The power of forgiveness and the differences between duty and loyalty are also prominent themes. The setting and culture of the American... Read Beach Music Summary
Publication year 2022
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: The Past, Relationships: Family, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Art
Tags New Adult, Romance
Publication year 2012
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Values/Ideas: Fame, Life/Time: The Past
Tags Romance, Historical Fiction, Italian Literature, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 1993
Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction
Themes Identity: Sexuality, Life/Time: The Past, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Literature
Tags Latin American Literature, LGBTQ, History: World, Biography
The autobiography of Cuban novelist and poet Reinaldo Arenas, Before Night Falls, details his life as a gay man under Fidel Castro’s regime and the consequences of his dissidence. It was published posthumously in 1993. Immediately named one of the best books of the year by The New York Times, it has since been adapted into a movie and, later, an opera. Before Night Falls tells the story of Arenas’s life growing up in a... Read Before Night Falls Summary
Publication year 2015
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Relationships: Marriage, Life/Time: The Past, Emotions/Behavior: Memory
Tags Modern Classic Fiction, Asian Literature, Magical Realism, Fantasy, Japanese Literature, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction
Publication year 2023
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: The Past, Relationships: Friendship, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction