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.

The Skin of Our Teeth

by Thornton Wilder

Publication year 1942

Genre Play, Fiction

Themes Hope, Perseverance, War, Family, Future, The Past, Sexual Identity, Hate & Anger, Good & Evil, Religion & Spirituality

Tags Drama, Symbolic Narrative, World War II, Education, Education, American Literature, Dramatic Literature, Fantasy, Classic Fiction

Thornton Wilder’s dramatic masterpiece, The Skin of Our Teeth, opened on Broadway in November of 1942, less than a year after the United States entered World War II. On the heels of the Great Depression (1929-1939), the war meant more sacrifice and hardship for the average American family, and another era of fear, loss, and anxiety about the future of humanity. The play is a satirical allegory for the human race’s seemingly indomitable will to... Read The Skin of Our Teeth Summary

The Slave Ship

by Marcus Rediker

Publication year 2007

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Race, The Past, Colonialism, Globalization, Politics & Government, Equality, Justice

Tags Race & Racism, US History, Politics & Government, History: African , Age of Enlightenment

The Slave Ship: A Human History is a 2007 book by Marcus Rediker that describes what happened aboard the ships carrying enslaved people from Africa to the Americas across the Atlantic Ocean. Rediker focuses his history on the slave ship itself as well as those onboard. The book won numerous awards, including the 2008 George Washington Book Prize and the 2008 Merle Curti Award. Critics praise it for shedding light on a little-explored facet of... Read The Slave Ship Summary

The Son

by Philipp Meyer

Publication year 2013

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Family, Conflict, Perseverance, Guilt, Loneliness, Regret, Femininity, Indigenous Identity, Masculinity, Race, The Past, Environment, Place, Daughters & Sons, Fathers, Grandparents, Social Class, Colonialism, Community, Nation, War, Fate, Power & Greed, Wins & Losses

Tags Historical Fiction, Western, US History, World History

... Read The Son Summary

The Song of Hiawatha

by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Publication year 1855

Genre Novel/Book in Verse, Fiction

Themes Love, Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Memory, Language, Race, Future, The Past, Environment, Place, Family, Colonialism, Community, Religion & Spirituality

Tags Narrative Poem, Fairy Tale & Folklore, American Literature, Romanticism, Agriculture, US History, Science & Nature

... Read The Song of Hiawatha Summary

The Soul of America

by Jon Meacham

Publication year 2018

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes The Past, Guilt

Tags Politics & Government, US History, American Literature, World History, Biography

The Soul of America: The Battle for Our Better Angels is a nonfiction book published in 2018 by American journalist, historian, and presidential biographer Jon Meacham. The book explores periods of US history during which the politics of fear battled against the politics of hope. The author largely threads his narrative around issues of racial justice and anti-immigrant nativism, from the Reconstruction era in the postbellum South, to the civil rights era of the mid-20th... Read The Soul of America Summary

The Spell of the Sensuous

by David Abram

Publication year 1996

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Indigenous Identity, Future, The Past, Animals, Appearance & Reality, Climate, Environment, Plants, Objects & Materials, Place, Space, Community, Globalization, Order & Chaos, Religion & Spirituality, Science & Technology, Language

Tags Philosophy, Science & Nature, Psychology, Religion & Spirituality, Anthropology, Anthropology, Psychology, Philosophy

... Read The Spell of the Sensuous Summary

The Stationery Shop

by Marjan Kamali

Publication year 2019

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Conflict, Forgiveness, Grief, Hope, Joy, Love, Memory, Nostalgia, Regret, Race, Childhood & Youth, Coming of Age, Midlife, Death, Future, The Past, Family, Marriage, Self Discovery, Social Class, Community, Economics, Immigration, Politics & Government, War, Loyalty & Betrayal, Order & Chaos, Safety & Danger, Trust & Doubt, Truth & Lies

Tags Historical Fiction, Middle Eastern Literature, Romance

... Read The Stationery Shop Summary

The Surgeon

by Leslie Wolfe

Publication year 2023

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Conflict, Grief, Memory, Revenge, Mental Health, Childhood & Youth, Death, The Past, Family, Siblings, Self Discovery, Social Class, Education, Politics & Government, Good & Evil, Justice, Loyalty & Betrayal, Power & Greed, Safety & Danger, Science & Technology, Trust & Doubt, Truth & Lies

Tags Mystery & Crime Fiction, Horror & Suspense, Health

... Read The Surgeon Summary

The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie

by Alan Bradley

Publication year 2009

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Grief, The Past, Loyalty & Betrayal

Tags Mystery & Crime Fiction, Horror & Suspense, British Literature, World History, Historical Fiction

The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie (2009) by Alan Bradley is a murder mystery novel. It is the author’s first book, published when he was 70 years old. The novel won the Dagger, Agatha, Barry, Dilys, Arthur Ellis, Macavity, and Spotted Owl Awards for Best First or Best Debut Novel. It is the first book of The Flavia de Luce Novels.Plot SummaryThe protagonist and narrator of The Sweetness at the Bottom of the... Read The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie Summary