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.

Autumn

by Ali Smith

Publication year 2016

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Art, Aging, Love, Friendship, Apathy, Perseverance, Fear, Hate & Anger, Hope, Memory, Femininity, Death, The Past, Environment, Place, Community, Immigration, Nation, Politics & Government, Justice, Order & Chaos, Power & Greed

Tags British Literature

Ali Smith’s 2016 novel Autumn is a work of literary fiction and the first installment in her celebrated Seasonal Quartet. It was shortlisted for the 2017 Man Booker Prize. The story centers on the tender, unconventional friendship between Elisabeth Demand, a young lecturer, and Daniel Gluck, her 101-year-old former neighbor, who lies near death in a care facility. As Elisabeth keeps vigil by his bedside, the narrative drifts between the fractured political landscape of the... Read Autumn Summary

Awake

by Jen Hatmaker

Publication year 2025

Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction

Themes Marriage, Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Perseverance, Grief, Hate & Anger, Hope, Joy, Loneliness, Love, Memory, Femininity, Midlife, Future, The Past, Daughters & Sons, Family, Friendship, Self Discovery, Colonialism, Community, Equality, Justice, Literature, Loyalty & Betrayal, Music, Order & Chaos, Religion & Spirituality, Trust & Doubt, Truth & Lies

Tags Memoir & Autobiography, Relationships

... Read Awake Summary

Back Roads

by Tawni O'Dell

Publication year 1999

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Coming of Age, The Past, Family

Tags Mystery & Crime Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Dramatic Literature

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

Bag of Bones

by Stephen King

Publication year 1998

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Grief, The Past, Place, Literature, Truth & Lies

Tags Horror & Suspense, 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

Battle Cry of Freedom

by James M. Mcpherson

Publication year 1988

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes War, Race, The Past, Nation, Politics & Government

Tags Military & War, US History, American Civil War, Politics & Government, History

Battle Cry of Freedom: The Civil War Era (1988) is a non-fiction narrative history written by the American historian James M. McPherson. Its scope covers the period from 1846, the start of the Mexican-American War, to 1865, the end of the US Civil War. While focusing on the Civil War, Battle Cry of Freedom also explores the political, social, economic, and cultural history of the era. Key themes include The Central Role of Enslavement in... Read Battle Cry of Freedom Summary

Beach Music

by Pat Conroy

Publication year 1995

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Forgiveness, Grief, Love, Memory, Mental Health, Race, Midlife, The Past, Animals, Family, Grandparents, Mothers, Immigration, War, Loyalty & Betrayal, Music

Tags Historical Fiction, Southern Literature, Depression & Suicide, Grief & Death, Modern Classic Fiction, Dramatic Literature

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

Before Night Falls

by Reinaldo Arenas

Publication year 1993

Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction

Themes Sexual Identity, The Past, Politics & Government, Loyalty & Betrayal, Literature

Tags Latin American Literature, LGBTQ+, World History, 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

Behind a Mask

by Louisa May Alcott

Publication year 1866

Genre Novella, Fiction

Themes Perseverance, Revenge, Femininity, The Past, Family, Social Class, Economics, Equality, Trust & Doubt, Truth & Lies, Wins & Losses

Tags Gender & Feminism, Gothic Literature, Classic Fiction, Horror & Suspense, Social Class, Victorian Era

Behind a Mask: or, a Woman’s Power is a sensation novella by American author Louisa May Alcott. It was originally published in 1866 in the magazine The Flag of Our Union under the pseudonym A. M. Barnard. The story is set in Victorian England and follows Jean Muir, a governess who presents herself as a meek, 19-year-old orphan to the wealthy Coventry family. Jean, who’s actually a 30-year-old divorced and disreputable actress, uses her cunning... Read Behind a Mask Summary

Belladonna

by Adalyn Grace

Publication year 2022

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Femininity, Coming of Age, Death, The Past, Self Discovery

Tags Fantasy, Romance, Mystery & Crime Fiction, Horror & Suspense, Gothic Literature, Religion & Spirituality

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Belonging

by Nora Krug

Publication year 2018

Genre Graphic Memoir , Nonfiction

Themes Family, Guilt, Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Perseverance, Fear, Forgiveness, Gratitude, Grief, Hate & Anger, Hope, Loneliness, Memory, Shame & Pride, Mental Health, Race, Death, The Past, Place, Self Discovery, Community, Politics & Government, War, Good & Evil, Justice, Loyalty & Betrayal, Order & Chaos, Power & Greed, Safety & Danger, Truth & Lies

Tags European History, Holocaust, World War II

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Beneath

by Ariel Sullivan

Publication year 2026

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Conflict, Grief, Guilt, Memory, Death, The Past, Teamwork, Social Class, Politics & Government, Truth & Lies

Tags Science Fiction, Romance

Ariel Sullivan’s Beneath (2026) is a dystopian romance and the second novel in her dueling trilogy that began with Conform (2025). Sullivan is a New York Times best-selling author who grew up in a military family, an experience that informs the novel’s focus on military-style social structures. The novel is set six years after a nuclear war has forced humanity into Haven, an underground bunker with a society that has been organized into a rigid... Read Beneath Summary