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 1982
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Literature, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Society: Education, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Relationships: Family
Tags Realistic Fiction, Race / Racism, Children's Literature, Education, Education, History: World, Historical Fiction, Psychology, Psychology
Originally published in 1982, The Day They Came to Arrest the Book is Nat Hentoff’s only novel for youth. Hentoff was a multi-talented scholar and entertainer, known for his years as a columnist at the legendary Village Voice, an alternative newspaper in New York City. He was also a music critic and professor. Hentoff was regarded as an eloquent, tireless advocate for freedom of speech; he made his arguments in essay form for adults in... Read The Day They Came to Arrest the Book Summary
Publication year 2015
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Fathers, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Music, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt
Tags Romance, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2019
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Relationships: Marriage, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality
Tags Historical Fiction, Religion / Spirituality, Modern Classic Fiction, History: World
Publication year 1886
Genre Novella, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality
Tags Classic Fiction, Christian literature, Psychological Fiction, Realistic Fiction, Philosophy, Grief / Death, Religion / Spirituality, Russian Literature
The Death of Ivan Ilyich (1886) is a fictional novella by the Russian author Leo Tolstoy (1828-1910). The story raises questions about what is important in life through Tolstoy’s observation of social interaction and individual priorities.Tolstoy was born into aristocracy and was popular at a time when Russia was under the autocratic rule of Tsar Nicholas II, the last Russian emperor of the Romanov Dynasty. Tolstoy, whose best-known works are War and Peace (1867) and... Read The Death of Ivan Ilyich Summary
Publication year 2020
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Identity: Gender, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Identity: Masculinity, Identity: Sexuality
Tags LGBTQ, African Literature, Love / Sexuality, Grief / Death, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2018
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Society: Class, Society: Community, Identity: Mental Health, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Life/Time: The Past, Identity: Disability, Life/Time: The Future, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Natural World: Nurture v. Nature, Society: Education, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth
Tags Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Mental Illness, Science / Nature, Health / Medicine, Education, Education, Parenting, Psychology, Psychology, Self Help
Publication year 2024
Genre Biography, Nonfiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Relationships: Family, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags History: World, Biography
Publication year 1871
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Society: Class, Society: Politics & Government, Relationships: Family
Tags Satire, Allegory / Fable / Parable, Psychological Fiction, Politics / Government, Philosophy, Russian Literature, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, History: World, Philosophy, Classic Fiction
Publication year 1947
Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction
Themes Life/Time: Coming of Age, Society: War, Relationships: Family
Tags History: European, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, History: World, WWII / World War II, Holocaust, Education, Education, Military / War, Classic Fiction, Biography
Written between 1942 and 1944, The Diary of Anne Frank, aka The Diary of a Young Girl, is a collection of journal entries by Anne Frank, a thirteen-year-old Jewish girl, while in hiding with her family for two years in Nazi-occupied Amsterdam. When Anne died of typhus in the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp in 1945, her diary was given to her father, Otto Frank, the only known survivor of the family. The diary was first published... Read The Diary of a Young Girl Summary
Publication year 2009
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction
The Dinner (2009) is a novel by Dutch author Herman Koch. In 2012, Sam Garrett translated it into English. The novel has been adapted into a film multiple times. It tells the story of a dinner at a restaurant, where the guests discuss a serious matter involving their children. Paul Lohman narrates the story, though his version of events may not be reliable. Plot Summary Paul Lohman, a former history teacher and the narrator of the... Read The Dinner Summary
Publication year 2012
Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Relationships: Family
Tags Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Biography
The Distance Between Us is a 2012 memoir by Reyna Grande, who is also the author of the novels Across a Hundred Mountains and Dancing With Butterflies. A finalist for the National Books Critics Circle Award and required reading in schools and colleges across the country, The Distance Between Us is followed by A Dream Called Home, which continues the story of Grande’s life. In addition to writing, Grande also teaches and works as a... Read The Distance Between Us Summary
Publication year 2016
Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Society: Immigration
Tags Immigration / Refugee, Latin American Literature
Publication year 2000
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship
Tags Fantasy, Children's Literature, Action / Adventure, Mystery / Crime Fiction
Publication year 1949
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance
Tags Historical Fiction, Classic Fiction, Medieval Literature / Middle Ages, Children's Literature, Fantasy, Disability, Education, Education, History: World
Publication year 2022
Genre Novel/Book in Verse, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Natural World: Place, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Siblings, Relationships: Grandparents, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Mothers, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Literature, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Win & Lose, Identity: Language, Identity: Masculinity, Identity: Race, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Society: Colonialism, Society: Community, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Society: Nation, Society: Education, Self Discovery, Relationships: Fathers
Tags Historical Fiction, Children's Literature, Free verse, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Race / Racism, History: African , African American Literature, History: World
Publication year 2022
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos
Tags Love / Sexuality, Modern Classic Fiction, Business / Economics, Drama / Tragedy, Romance, Fantasy, Humor
Publication year 2019
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Race, Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Self Discovery
Tags Historical Fiction, Realistic Fiction, Race / Racism, Asian Literature, History: World, Romance
Publication year 2012
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Natural World: Animals, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Relationships: Friendship, Values/Ideas: Fate, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Family, Society: War, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance
Tags Fantasy, Action / Adventure, Children's Literature, Animals
Publication year 2020
Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction
Themes Identity: Gender, Relationships: Family, Society: Immigration
Tags Immigration / Refugee, Relationships, History: African , Gender / Feminism, Women's Studies (Nonfiction), Race / Racism, African American Literature, Military / War, History: World, Biography
Publication year 2008
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Literature, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Self Discovery, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Relationships: Family
Tags Realistic Fiction, Historical Fiction, Magical Realism, Children's Literature, History: World