War

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.

A Woman of No Importance

by Sonia Purnell

Publication year 2019

Genre Biography, Nonfiction

Themes Justice, War, Gender Identity

Tags World History, US History, World War II, Holocaust, Women`s Studies, Horror & Suspense, Military & War, Biography

A Woman of No Importance: The Untold Story of Virginia Hall, WWII’s Most Dangerous Spy is a 2019 biography by Sonia Purnell. It tells the story of Virginia Hall, a US spy whose efforts were critical to France’s success in World War II. Despite its larger-than-life nature and importance to the Allies’ success, Hall’s story has remained largely unknown until now. In recounting Virginia Hall’s life, Purnell examines themes like the importance of Serving a... Read A Woman of No Importance Summary

A Year of Marvelous Ways

by Sarah Winman

Publication year 2015

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Grief, Mental Health, War

Tags Historical Fiction

Set in late 1947 in the fictional Cornish hamlet of St. Ophere, the novel interweaves the lives of Marvelous Ways, a nearly 90-year-old woman with an extraordinary past, and Drake, a traumatized World War II veteran, as they converge at a tidal creek where Marvelous has lived most of her life.Marvelous stands by the roadside of the hamlet, now desolate. Its granite cottages are boarded up, the population having dwindled after the First World War... Read A Year of Marvelous Ways Summary

Babette's Feast

by Karen Blixen

Publication year 1958

Genre Short Story, Fiction

Themes Food, War, Religion & Spirituality, Art

Tags Historical Fiction, Relationships, Scandinavian Literature, Food, World History, Classic Fiction

“Babette’s Feast” (1958) is one of the best-known short stories by Danish author Karen Blixen. It was included in her 1958 anthology of short stories, Anecdotes of Destiny, which was published under her pseudonym, Isak Dinesen. Blixen is best known for her literary explorations of spiritual themes and the contradictions of human nature. Both “Babette’s Feast” and Blixen’s memoir Out of Africa (1937) were adapted into Academy Award–winning films.“Babette’s Feast” focuses on themes of physical... Read Babette's Feast Summary

Babylon's Ashes

by James S. A. Corey

Publication year 2016

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Space, Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Perseverance, Hate & Anger, Hope, Revenge, Death, Future, Appearance & Reality, Environment, Objects & Materials, Place, Family, Friendship, Teamwork, Self Discovery, Social Class, Colonialism, Community, Economics, Globalization, Nation, Politics & Government, War, Fate, Good & Evil, Justice, Literature, Loyalty & Betrayal, Order & Chaos, Power & Greed, Religion & Spirituality, Safety & Danger, Science & Technology, Trust & Doubt, Truth & Lies, Wins & Losses

Tags Science Fiction, Fantasy, Action & Adventure

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Band of Brothers

by Stephen E. Ambrose

Publication year 1992

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes War

Tags Military & War, World War II, US History, World History, Biography

Band of Brothers is a nonfiction history of one World War II company of paratroopers, Easy Company of the 506th Regiment, 101st Airborne. Through a combination of narrative, interviews, maps, and excerpts from letters, Stephen E. Ambrose follows the lives of this group of soldiers from their training in 1942, their deployments in Europe, and their lives after the war. By focusing on the lives of members of one particular company, Ambrose reveals the reality... Read Band of Brothers 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

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

... Read Belonging Summary

Between The Acts

by Virginia Woolf

Publication year 1941

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Love, Gender Identity, War, Order & Chaos, Self Discovery

Tags British Literature, World History, Classic Fiction

Between the Acts (1941) is Virginia Woolf’s final novel. It was published posthumously, four months after the writer’s death. It is a modernist novel that takes place on one June day in 1939, on the eve of World War II. Set in the English countryside, the novel focuses on the residents of a village who are preparing for their annual pageant at a time of looming international tension and domestic unease. Since much of the... Read Between The Acts Summary

Beware of the Dog

by Roald Dahl

Publication year 1946

Genre Short Story, Fiction

Themes War, Fear, Truth & Lies, Loyalty & Betrayal

Tags Classic Fiction, Military & War, Historical Fiction, World War II, Action & Adventure, Children`s Literature, Education, Education, Fantasy

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Billy Budd, Sailor

by Herman Melville

Publication year 1924

Genre Novella, Fiction

Themes Teamwork, Community, War, Good & Evil, Justice

Tags American Literature, Classic Fiction, Historical Fiction, Action & Adventure, Education, Education, World History

Billy Budd, Sailor is a 1924 novella by Herman Melville. The narrative is equal parts philosophical examination and Christian allegory. The story concerns the brief time and tragic death of the eponymous Billy on the British warship Bellipotent. In the story, Billy, happy and naïve, is framed for mutiny and hanged for treason despite his innocence. Melville uses Billy’s story to examine The Struggle Between Morality and Lawfulness, The Vulnerability of Innocence and Naivety, and... Read Billy Budd, Sailor Summary

Black Hawk Down

by Mark Bowden

Publication year 1999

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes War, Loyalty & Betrayal

Tags World History, US History, Military & War, Politics & Government

Black Hawk Down: A Story of Modern War is a 1999 book by journalist Mark Bowden. It is a non-fiction account of the Battle of Mogadishu in Somalia, which resulted from US forces’ attempt to capture the two lieutenants of Mohamed Farrah Aidid, a warlord who oppressed the Somali people and stole their humanitarian aid. Bowden originally published a 29-part investigation of the failed mission in The Philadelphia Inquirer, later expanding it into Black Hawk... Read Black Hawk Down Summary