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