From the Trojan War to World War II to the Iraq War, history has been shaped by humanity's tragic capacity to wage war. In this thematic collection, we have gathered fiction and nonfiction texts that investigate both the lessons and the senselessness crystallized in the aftermath of military conflict.
Publication year 2020
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Society: Nation, Society: Politics & Government, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt
Tags Fantasy, Romance, New Adult
Publication year 1959
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Society: War, Society: Colonialism, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed
Tags History: World, Anthropology, Grief / Death, Military / War, Colonialism / Postcolonialism, Latin American Literature, Education, Education, Anthropology
Publication year 2009
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Grandparents, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Mothers, Relationships: Teams, Identity: Disability, Identity: Indigenous, Identity: Gender, Identity: Race, Society: Immigration, Society: Class, Society: Community, Society: Education, Society: War, Society: Nation, Self Discovery, Society: Politics & Government, Natural World: Place, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Win & Lose, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Life/Time: Aging, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: The Past, Life/Time: Midlife, Life/Time: Mortality & Death
Tags Historical Fiction, Children's Literature, Sports, Realistic Fiction, History: World
Publication year 2013
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Identity: Race, Relationships: Siblings, Self Discovery, Society: Immigration, Society: Politics & Government, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice
Tags American Literature
Elizabeth Strout’s novel The Burgess Boys, published in 2013, explores the relationships between adult siblings during a time of family crisis. It examines the ways that past events and traumas continue to shape one’s sense of self. Set amid a Somali refugee crisis in the state of Maine, it also explores the ways that identity forms community and the way that community can be affected by newcomers.The author of 10 novels, Strout is acclaimed for... Read The Burgess Boys Summary
Publication year 2020
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Nostalgia, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Natural World: Place, Self Discovery, Society: Class, Society: Colonialism, Society: Nation, Society: Politics & Government, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality
Tags Fantasy, History: World
Publication year 2016
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Natural World: Animals, Relationships: Friendship, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal
Tags Children's Literature, Education, Education, Animals, History: World, Historical Fiction, Action / Adventure
Publication year 1836
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Self Discovery, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Society: Class, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice
Tags Classic Fiction
The Captain’s Daughter (1836) is a work of historical fiction by Russian writer Alexander Pushkin. Written in the form of a memoir, it tells the story of 16-year-old nobleman Pyotr Grinyov, who is sent to serve as a military captain at a remote outpost on the Kirghiz steppe in 1773. While there, he falls for the daughter of the fort’s captain, Maria Ivanovna. He is separated from his beloved when the fort is attacked by... Read The Captain's Daughter Summary
Publication year 2023
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Society: War, Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Disability, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Self Discovery, Society: Class, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Historical Fiction, Southern Literature, Southern Gothic, Korean War
Publication year 1944
Genre Play, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Mothers, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice
Tags Play: Drama, Allegory / Fable / Parable, Modernism, German Literature, Education, Education, History: World, Drama / Tragedy, Classic Fiction
Bertolt Brecht’s celebrated play, The Caucasian Chalk Circle, was written in 1944. The story is structured as a play within a play and touches on themes of justice, motherhood, and moral choices in times of crisis. Brecht, a German playwright best known for his unique style of drama called “epic theater,” was based in the United States at the time, and the play was translated into English by his friend, Eric Bentley. It went on... Read The Caucasian Chalk Circle Summary
Publication year 1969
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Race, Society: War, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance
Tags Action / Adventure, Historical Fiction, Survival Fiction, Race / Racism, Children's Literature, Education, Education, Classic Fiction
The Cay is a 1969 middle grade novel by American author Theodore Taylor. The story follows an 11-year-old boy named Phillip who must survive on a small Caribbean island with an older Black man named Timothy. The novel is a survival story, but it is also about unlearning racism; Taylor dedicated the book to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. The Cay received several literary awards, including the Jane Addams Children’s Book Award in 1970, which... Read The Cay Summary
Publication year 1955
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Coming of Age, Society: Community, Society: War, Emotions/Behavior: Fear
Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Fantasy, Allegory / Fable / Parable, Cold War, Post-War Era, Education, Education, Classic Fiction
The Chrysalids is a young-adult science fiction novel, written by John Wyndham and first published in 1955. Wyndham was a renowned science fiction author of the post-World War II era, and many of his works are thus inspired by a potential nuclear apocalypse. The Chrysalids was well-received by critics and is considered one of Wyndham’s best novels. It was adapted into a BBC radio play in 1982 and a play in 1999.This guide utilizes the... Read The Chrysalids Summary
Publication year 1991
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Society: War, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship, Self Discovery, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Hope
Tags Historical Fiction, Immigration / Refugee, Children's Literature, Education, Education, Military / War, History: World
Publication year 1999
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Society: Politics & Government, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger
Tags History: World, Military / War, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Science / Nature, Technology, Technology
Publication year 1981
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Society: War, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed
Tags Prose poetry, Trauma / Abuse / Violence
Publication year 2003
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Nostalgia, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Identity: Disability, Identity: Gender, Identity: Race, Life/Time: The Past, Society: Class, Society: Colonialism, Society: Community, Society: Economics, Society: Globalization, Society: Politics & Government, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger
Tags History: World, Military / War, WWII / World War II, History: European, Politics / Government
Publication year 1990
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Society: Economics, Society: Colonialism, Society: Community, Relationships: Teams, Society: Class, Society: Immigration, Society: Globalization, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Society: Education, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Society: Nation, Life/Time: The Future, Society: War, Life/Time: The Past, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Equality, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Win & Lose
Tags Business / Economics, Finance / Money / Wealth, Leadership/Organization/Management, Social Science, History: World, Politics / Government
The Competitive Advantage of Nations is a 1990 work of economics by American author Michael E. Porter, a Harvard Business School professor and expert in corporate competitive strategy whose influential works are frequently cited in business and economics. In this book, Porter dismantles traditional economic theories about how well a nation fares in global competition (factor costs and macro-economic policy) and proposes a model that focuses on active and malleable factors of business rather than... Read The Competitive Advantage Of Nations Summary
Publication year 2021
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Marriage, Self Discovery, Society: Politics & Government, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil
Tags Romance, Fantasy, New Adult, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Religion / Spirituality
Publication year 1983
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Society: Politics & Government, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality
Tags Military / War, Medieval Literature / Middle Ages, History: World, Religion / Spirituality, Politics / Government
Publication year 2008
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Natural World: Space & The Universe, Values/Ideas: Win & Lose, Society: War
Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Fantasy, Chinese Literature
Publication year 1971
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Identity: Masculinity, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Relationships: Teams, Society: Colonialism, Society: Politics & Government, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Historical Fiction, Politics / Government
The Day of the Jackal is a 1971 thriller by Frederick Forsyth. The novel is centered around a professional assassin, known only as the Jackal, who is hired by a French paramilitary group to assassinate French President Charles de Gaulle. Forsyth’s realistic, research-based writing style builds suspense through a detailed account of the cat-and-mouse chase that spans across Europe, showcasing the complexities of security and espionage during a tumultuous political era. The novel has been... Read The Day of the Jackal Summary