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.

Publication year 1879

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Society: War

Tags Lyric Poem, Victorian Period


Publication year 1994

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Society: War, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Relationships: Family

Tags Free verse


Publication year -1

Genre Essay / Speech, Nonfiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Equality

Tags Philosophy, History: European, Ancient Greece, Military / War, Education, Education, Philosophy, History: World, Classical Period, Classic Fiction, Politics / Government


Publication year 100

Genre Biography, Nonfiction

Themes Society: Community, Society: Nation, Society: Politics & Government, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Fame, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed

Tags History: European, Ancient Greece, Ancient Rome, Classical Period


Publication year 2023

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Society: Class, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Win & Lose

Tags Fantasy, Romance, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction


Publication year 2004

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Society: War, Society: Politics & Government

Tags Philosophy, Politics / Government, Gender / Feminism, LGBTQ, Education, Education, Philosophy, Arts / Culture


Publication year 2014

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Gender, Identity: Mental Health, Identity: Race, Society: Immigration, Society: Politics & Government, Society: War

Tags History: U.S., Military / War, American Literature, Modern Classic Fiction

Atticus Lish’s novel Preparation for the Next Life tells the stories of Skinner, an Iraq war veteran with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and Zou Lei, an undocumented immigrant from Central Asia, and how their unlikely love changes them both forever. Preparation for the Next Life explores the challenges that undocumented immigrants and war veterans face in the United States as well as the complexities of cross-cultural relationships. The novel has been highly praised by critics... Read Preparation For The Next Life Summary


Publication year 2023

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Society: War, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Relationships: Mothers, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed

Tags Irish Literature, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Military / War, Modern Classic Fiction


Publication year 2013

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Identity: Gender, Identity: Race, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Friendship, Society: Politics & Government, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Self Discovery

Tags Historical Fiction, Realistic Fiction, Race / Racism, Children's Literature, History: World


Publication year 1813

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Natural World: Place, Natural World: Environment, Life/Time: The Future, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Society: War

Tags Narrative / Epic Poem, Christian literature, Poetry: Dramatic Poem, Mythology, Fantasy, Philosophy, Politics / Government, Military / War, History: World, Science / Nature, Religion / Spirituality, Grief / Death, Romanticism / Romantic Period, British Literature, Health / Medicine, Philosophy, Food, Classic Fiction


Publication year 2015

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Race, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Natural World: Nurture v. Nature, Natural World: Place, Relationships: Teams, Self Discovery, Society: Colonialism, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed

Tags Fantasy, Romance, Action / Adventure, Fairy Tale / Folklore


Publication year 2023

Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Relationships: Family, Society: Politics & Government, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Art

Tags History: World


Publication year 2024

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Mental Health, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Natural World: Climate, Natural World: Objects, Natural World: Place, Relationships: Marriage, Society: Politics & Government, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Win & Lose

Tags Fantasy, Romance, Trauma / Abuse / Violence


Publication year 1942

Genre Essay / Speech, Nonfiction

Themes Society: War, Society: Colonialism, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice

Tags Philosophy, Politics / Government, History: Asian, WWII / World War II


Publication year 2003

Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Literature, Society: War, Self Discovery, Society: Politics & Government

Tags Gender / Feminism, History: Middle Eastern, Politics / Government, Women's Studies (Nonfiction), History: World, Biography

Reading Lolita in Tehran: A Memoir in Books is a memoir by Iranian American author Azar Nafisi, first released to widespread critical and popular acclaim in 2003. The memoir recalls Nafisi’s experiences living and teaching in Iran after the 1979 revolution that created the Islamic Republic of Iran, until her eventual exile in the United States in 1997. At the center of the memoir is Nafisi’s account of a secret book club she hosted during... Read Reading Lolita in Tehran Summary


Publication year 2021

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Relationships: Fathers, Society: Politics & Government, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal

Tags Fantasy, Action / Adventure


Publication year 2025

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Marriage, Relationships: Teams, Self Discovery, Society: Community, Society: Politics & Government, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Win & Lose

Tags Fantasy, Romance


Publication year 1992

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Natural World: Space & The Universe, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Nostalgia, Life/Time: The Future, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Natural World: Environment, Natural World: Food, Natural World: Place, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Teams, Self Discovery, Society: Colonialism, Society: Community, Society: Economics, Society: Immigration, Society: Politics & Government, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies

Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Fantasy

Red Mars, a 1992 science fiction novel by Kim Stanley Robinson, is the first book in the Mars trilogy about settling and terraforming the planet Mars. Red Mars follows the first 100 people who land on Mars and begin the complex process of terraforming the planet. In 1993, Red Mars won the Nebula Award and the British Science Fiction Association Award. This guide uses the 2009 HarperVoyager edition.Content Warning: The source material and guide feature depictions... Read Red Mars Summary


Publication year 2001

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Life/Time: Coming of Age, Society: War, Relationships: Family

Tags Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Children's Literature, Immigration / Refugee, Education, Education, Military / War, Modern Classic Fiction, Historical Fiction


Publication year 2021

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Relationships: Fathers, Self Discovery, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt

Tags Historical Fiction, Action / Adventure, Military / War, WWII / World War II, Children's Literature, History: World, French Literature