A community can come together for the common good or be torn apart by disagreement and strife. This collection explores what makes a community and how individuals struggle or succeed in finding their place within it.
Publication year 2023
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Identity: Gender, Identity: Mental Health, Life/Time: Midlife, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Natural World: Climate, Natural World: Environment, Relationships: Mothers, Self Discovery, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality
Tags Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2025
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Self Discovery, Emotions/Behavior: Joy, Society: Community
Tags Romance, Humor
Publication year 2016
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Natural World: Climate, Natural World: Environment, Natural World: Place, Society: Class, Society: Community, Society: Economics, Society: Nation, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Equality
Tags Sociology, Politics / Government, History: U.S., American Literature, Social Science, Business / Economics, History: World, Social Justice
Strangers in Their Own Land: Anger and Mourning on the American Right (2016) is an in-depth exploration of the rise of the Tea Party movement in Louisiana by sociologist Arlie Russell Hochschild. In an effort to understand the Tea Party and bolster her empathy for political opinions oppositional to her own, Hochschild spent five years getting to know residents and conducting interviews in and around Lake Charles, Louisiana. Hochschild argues that by understanding one another’s... Read Strangers in Their Own Land Summary
Publication year 1973
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Friendship, Identity: Gender, Society: Community
Tags Modern Classic Fiction, Race / Racism, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Relationships, African American Literature, Education, Education, History: World, Historical Fiction, Classic Fiction
Sula, written by Nobel Prize-winning author Toni Morrison, was first published in 1973. It was her second novel, following her 1970 debut The Bluest Eye. Morrison published both novels while still working as an editor at Random House, where she edited books by Angela Davis, Muhammad Ali, and Gayl Jones. Morrison would go on to win the National Book Critics Circle Award for Song of Solomon (1977) and the 1988 Pulitzer Prize for Beloved (1987)... Read Sula Summary
Publication year 2015
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Relationships: Grandparents, Relationships: Siblings, Society: Community
Tags Realistic Fiction, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman
Publication year 2024
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Identity: Language, Relationships: Teams, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Win & Lose
Tags Self Help, Science / Nature, Business / Economics, Relationships, Psychology, Psychology
Publication year 2007
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: The Future, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality
Tags Christian literature, Religion / Spirituality
Publication year 2014
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Identity: Language, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Relationships: Teams, Society: Community
Tags Sociology, Psychology, Psychology, Self Help, Business / Economics, Leadership/Organization/Management
Publication year 2020
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Natural World: Nurture v. Nature, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger
Tags Anthropology, Anthropology, Animals, Science / Nature, Sociology, History: World, Psychology, Psychology
Publication year 2002
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Grandparents, Relationships: Mothers, Relationships: Siblings, Self Discovery, Society: Community, Society: Education, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos
Tags Realistic Fiction, Humor, Children's Literature, Education, Education, Modern Classic Fiction
Surviving the Applewhites is a children’s novel written by American author Stephanie S. Tolan and was first published in 2002.The narrative follows Jake Semple, a troubled teenager forced to move in with the unconventional and eccentric Applewhite family following an incident at school. Jake struggles to fit in at first but gradually sheds his past transgressions and undergoes a transformative journey toward self-discovery and redemption. The novel touches on Personal Growth and Transformation, Individuality Versus... Read Surviving the Applewhites Summary
Publication year 1979
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Society: Class, Society: Community
Tags Auto/Biographical Fiction, Humor, Southern Gothic, American Literature, Southern Literature, Modern Classic Fiction, Classic Fiction
Suttree by Cormac McCarthy is a piece of Southern Gothic fiction published in 1979. Considered a modern classic of American literature, it exemplifies McCarthy’s characteristic use of imagery, existentialist exploration, and societal criticism.McCarthy is the author of 12 novels, including bestsellers Blood Meridian (1985), All the Pretty Horses (1992), and the Pulitzer-prize-winning novel The Road (2006). The Road and his novel No Country for Old Men (2005) were adapted into celebrated films. McCarthy was born... Read Suttree Summary
Publication year 2024
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Marriage, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Natural World: Place, Society: Class, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Win & Lose
Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Fantasy
Publication year 1926
Genre Short Story, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Marriage, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance
Tags Harlem Renaissance, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Gender / Feminism, Education, Education, African American Literature, American Literature, History: World, Classic Fiction
The short story “Sweat” by American author Zora Neale Hurston was first published in 1926 in Fire!!, a single-issue magazine published during the Harlem Renaissance. Hurston was an anthropologist and writer whose works included many essays on anthropology and folklore focused on African American communities in the American South and the Caribbean, as well as novels and short stories. Her interest in anthropology is reflected in her creative work. For example, she often wrote dialog... Read Sweat Summary
Publication year 2013
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Identity: Race, Relationships: Family, Society: Community, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Crime / Legal, Race / Racism
Sycamore Row (2013) by John Grisham is the sequel to his debut novel and best-selling legal thriller, A Time to Kill (1989). Grisham, a practicing lawyer prior to his career as a novelist, popularized the legal thriller with his prolific work in the genre, frequently highlighting social justice and legal ethics issues. Though marketed as a legal thriller, Grisham himself makes a clear distinction between his legal thrillers and his Ford County novels—aka the Jake... Read Sycamore Row Summary
Publication year 2011
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Society: Education, Identity: Race, Relationships: Friendship, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Mothers, Relationships: Siblings, Society: Class, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice
Tags Historical Fiction, Social Justice, WWII / World War II, Children's Literature, Military / War, History: World, Arts / Culture
Publication year 2021
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Society: Community, Relationships: Friendship, Identity: Race, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Relationships: Family
Tags Realistic Fiction, Social Justice, Children's Literature, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2007
Genre Collection of Letters, Nonfiction
Themes Identity: Race, Identity: Femininity, Self Discovery, Society: Education, Values/Ideas: Equality, Society: Community, Society: Politics & Government, Society: Colonialism
Tags Race / Racism, Education, Gender / Feminism, Politics / Government, Leadership/Organization/Management, Education, Philosophy, Philosophy, Social Justice
Publication year 2017
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Identity: Race, Society: Community, Society: Class
Tags Race / Racism, Social Justice, Politics / Government, Relationships, Sociology, History: World
Publication year 2024
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Natural World: Place, Society: Community
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 1938
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Identity: Race, Society: Community, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Anthropology, History: African , Religion / Spirituality, Travel Literature, Fairy Tale / Folklore, Anthropology, History: World, Classic Fiction