Leo Tolstoy famously begins the novel Anna Karenina with the sentence: "All happy families are alike; each unhappy family is unhappy in its own way." In this thematic collection, we have gathered noteworthy texts that navigate the joyous and sorrowful emotional terrain of the family unit.
Publication year 1986
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Literature, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Identity: Femininity
Tags Gender / Feminism, Historical Fiction, Education, Education, History: World, Classic Fiction
Foe is a 1986 novel by J. M. Coetzee. Foe is a parallel novel, reimagining the story of Daniel Defoe’s 1719 novel Robinson Crusoe from the perspective of a shipwrecked woman named Susan Barton, who then tries to convince a fictionalized version of Defoe to write her story. This guide refers to the 2015 Penguin edition. Content Warning: The source material uses outdated, offensive terms for Black people throughout, which is replicated in this guide... Read Foe Summary
Publication year 2017
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Identity: Mental Health, Natural World: Environment, Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction
Force of Nature (2017) is a thriller by Australian author Jane Harper. Following The Dry (2016) and preceding Exiles (2022), it is the second in a three-book series of novels featuring federal investigator Aaron Falk. In this installment, Falk joins the state police in their investigation of a missing woman who has been a key point of contact for his investigation into possible embezzlement and fraud at a prominent accounting firm. While the woman’s fate... Read Force of Nature Summary
Publication year 2013
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship, Society: Community
Tags Modern Classic Fiction, Romance, Drama / Tragedy
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Music, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Mothers, Relationships: Family
Tags Modern Classic Fiction, Drama / Tragedy, Inspirational, Fantasy, Self Help
For One More Day, by Mitch Albom, tells the story of Charles “Chick” Benetto, a retired baseball player fallen on hard times. The story is framed by a prologue and epilogue where a narrator explains that they are telling the story from Chick’s perspective, “because I’m not sure you would believe this story if you didn’t hear it in his voice” (7). The book is comprised of short chapters told in the first person, and... Read For One More Day Summary
Publication year 2013
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Fathers
Tags Fantasy, Humor, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Action / Adventure, Children's Literature
Publication year 2010
Genre Novella, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth
Tags Modern Classic Fiction, Historical Fiction, Irish Literature
Publication year 2022
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Society: Nation, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Relationships: Family
Tags Historical Fiction, Romance, Fantasy, History: Asian, Mystery / Crime Fiction, History: World
Publication year 2023
Genre Graphic Memoir , Nonfiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Gratitude, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship, Self Discovery, Society: Class, Society: Community, Society: Education, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Bullying
Publication year 1996
Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Gratitude, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Race, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: The Past, Society: Politics & Government, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger
Tags WWII / World War II, Holocaust
Four Perfect Pebbles is a Holocaust memoir written by Marion Blumenthal Lazan and co-authored by Lila Perl. It was originally published in 1996, 51 years after Marion and her family were liberated from the death train by Russian troops in Nazi Germany. Marion was five years old when she and her family moved to a refugee camp in Holland, which was later converted into a transit camp for Auschwitz. The Blumenthals also lived at the... Read Four Perfect Pebbles Summary
Publication year 1992
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Relationships: Friendship, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Family, Self Discovery
Tags Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Children's Literature, Education, Education, Realistic Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Humor
Publication year 2023
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Relationships: Family
Tags Fantasy, Romance
Publication year 2016
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Teams, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger
Tags Children's Literature, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Realistic Fiction, Action / Adventure, Humor
Publication year 2019
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Race, Society: Immigration, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Life/Time: Coming of Age
Tags Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Romance, Asian Literature, Realistic Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction
Frankly in Love is a coming-of-age novel written by David Yoon and published in 2019 by Penguin Young Readers, Putnam. The story revolves around Frank Li, a Korean American teenager torn between his American identity and the traditional expectations of his Korean parents. With its engaging storyline and exploration of cultural identity, Frankly in Love tackles themes of love, family expectations, and self-discovery. David Yoon’s writing skillfully portrays the complexities of Frank’s experiences as he... Read Frankly in Love Summary
Publication year 2010
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Relationships: Friendship
Tags Realistic Fiction, Grief / Death, Love / Sexuality, Parenting, History: U.S., American Literature, Modern Classic Fiction
IntroductionFreedom is a 2010 novel by American author Jonathan Franzen. The story focuses on the Berglunds, a dysfunctional family living in Minnesota. The novel examines themes of family, freedom, depression, addiction, marriage, and more. Freedom was a selection for Oprah’s book club and won great critical acclaim.Content warning: This guide contains references to alcohol addiction and rape, which are discussed in the source text. Plot Summary The book unfolds across four parts. Part 1, “Good... Read Freedom Summary
Publication year 1980
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship, Emotions/Behavior: Courage
Tags History: U.S., Children's Literature, Military / War, Realistic Fiction, History: World, Historical Fiction, Action / Adventure
Publication year 1954
Genre Biography, Nonfiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Identity: Disability, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Race, Natural World: Environment, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Teams, Society: Colonialism, Society: Politics & Government, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger
Tags History: World, Biography, Children's Literature, History: U.S., Historical Nonfiction, American Civil War
Publication year 2019
Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Relationships: Mothers, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Gratitude, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger
Tags Realistic Fiction, Poverty, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Children's Literature, Biography
Publication year 2022
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Race, Society: Community, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance
Tags Historical Fiction, Action / Adventure, African American Literature, Race / Racism, Children's Literature, History: World
Publication year 2022
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Relationships: Daughters & Sons
Tags Historical Fiction, Realistic Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, History: World
Publication year 1990
Genre Short Story, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Relationships: Mothers, Relationships: Family
Tags Allegory / Fable / Parable, Grief / Death, Gender / Feminism, Women's Studies (Nonfiction), Modern Classic Fiction, Canadian Literature, Classic Fiction
“Friend of My Youth” is the title short story from the collection of the same name by Alice Munro, published in 1990. The collection won the 1990 Trillium Book Award, which recognizes writers from Ontario, Canada.Narrated in the first person, the story is told from the perspective of an unnamed female writer in mourning for her mother, who died some years earlier of Parkinson’s disease. The narrator describes a recurrent dream that she used to... Read Friend of My Youth Summary