"It is not a lack of love, but a lack of friendship that makes unhappy marriages," said philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche. The texts in this collection depict happy and unhappy marriages—and those that fall somewhere in between.
Publication year 2014
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Relationships: Marriage
Tags Politics / Government, Education, Education, History: U.S., History: World, Philosophy, Philosophy
Our Declaration: A Reading of the Declaration of Independence in Defense of Equality is a close reading of the Declaration of Independence published in 2014. Its author, Danielle Allen, is a classicist and political philosopher. Earlier in her career she received a prestigious “genius grant” from the MacArthur Foundation. As of 2024, she was a professor at Princeton University’s Institute for Advanced Study. In this work, Allen combines personal narrative, academic training, historical context, and rigorous... Read Our Declaration Summary
Publication year 2024
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Joy, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Identity: Masculinity, Identity: Race, Identity: Sexuality, Life/Time: The Past, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Marriage, Relationships: Mothers, Self Discovery, Society: Class, Society: Colonialism, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Fame, Values/Ideas: Literature
Publication year 2022
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Marriage, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Natural World: Appearance & Reality
Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, LGBTQ, Modern Classic Fiction, Gothic Literature
Publication year 1991
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Relationships: Marriage, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict
Tags Historical Fiction, Romance, Fantasy, Relationships, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Love / Sexuality, History: European, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, History: World
Outlander, published by Random House in 1991, is the first in a highly successful romantic novel series written by Diana Gabaldon, a #1 New York Times bestselling author. The series was adapted into a historical drama television series in 2014.Other works by this author include Go Tell the Bees That I Am Gone, Dragonfly in Amber, and An Echo in the Bone.Plot SummaryTold from the perspective of 27-year-old Englishwoman Claire Beauchamp, Outlander begins in 1945... Read Outlander Summary
Publication year 2025
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Marriage, Self Discovery
Tags Romance, Relationships
Publication year 2021
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Relationships: Marriage
Tags Romance, Grief / Death, Modern Classic Fiction, Drama / Tragedy
Publication year 1956
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Identity: Femininity, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Marriage, Society: Colonialism, Society: Nation, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed
Tags Historical Fiction, African Literature, WWI / World War I
Palace Walk is a 1956 novel by Egyptian writer Naguib Mahfouz. The story takes place in Cairo during World War I and in its immediate aftermath, touching on the political climate of the time as Egypt transitioned from British occupation to nationalism. The novel presents this change through the day-to-day life of the Muslim al-Jawad family. This guide refers to the 1994 Black Swan edition of the novel, which was translated by William Maynard Hutchins... Read Palace Walk Summary
Publication year 1740
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Marriage, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Gender, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed
Tags Classic Fiction, British Literature, Class, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Realistic Fiction, Finance / Money / Wealth, Gender / Feminism, Love / Sexuality, Relationships, Age of Enlightenment, Education, Education, History: World, Historical Fiction, Romance
IntroductionPamela is an epistolary novel (told through letters), written by Samuel Richardson and first published in 1740. It is considered one of the first novels written in English, and significantly contributed to the development of this genre. Richardson, a 51-year-old printer when the novel was published, began the project to provide moral instruction to young women who might find themselves vulnerable to seduction while employed by wealthy men. The novel advocates for the importance of... Read Pamela Summary
Publication year 2014
Genre Short Story Collection, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Masculinity, Relationships: Marriage, Society: Class, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed
Tags Mythology, Fantasy, Humor, Action / Adventure
Publication year 1836
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Friendship, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Society: Politics & Government, Society: Community, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Literature, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Marriage
Tags Classic Fiction, Victorian Period, Action / Adventure, Humor, Travel Literature, Class, History: European, Politics / Government, Social Justice, Sports, British Literature, History: World, Historical Fiction, Victorian Literature / Period
The debut novel of British author Charles Dickens, The Posthumous Papers of the Pickwick Club (commonly known as The Pickwick Papers) was first published as a series by Chapman and Hall between 1836 and 1837. The Pickwick Papers chronicles the adventures of the members of the Pickwick Club, a group of travelers who journey around England and share their experiences. Because of the original serial format of the novel, the chapters contain individual but interconnected... Read Pickwick Papers Summary
Publication year 2024
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Mental Health, Relationships: Marriage, Society: Class
Tags Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2023
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Relationships: Marriage, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt
Tags Historical Fiction, Class, Finance / Money / Wealth, Gender / Feminism, Modern Classic Fiction, Romance
Publication year 2012
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Marriage, Identity: Mental Health, Life/Time: The Future
Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Fantasy
Pines is the first book in Blake Crouch’s Wayward Pines trilogy. Published in 2012 by Thomas & Mercer, it was quickly followed by Wayward in 2013 and then the final book in the series, The Last Town, in 2014. The trilogy has attracted acclaim for its genre-bending combination of science fiction and action thriller, with the protagonist, Ethan Burke, using his Secret Service skills to solve the mystery of the strangely idyllic Wayward Pines. In... Read Pines Summary
Publication year 2024
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Marriage, Self Discovery
Tags Romance, Modern Classic Fiction, Sports, Relationships, New Adult
Publication year 2024
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Natural World: Environment, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Identity: Masculinity, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Marriage, Relationships: Siblings, Relationships: Teams, Self Discovery, Society: Community, Society: Education, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Literature, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Values/Ideas: Win & Lose
Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 1511
Genre Essay / Speech, Nonfiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Relationships: Marriage, Society: Politics & Government
Tags Religion / Spirituality, Satire, Philosophy, Politics / Government, Relationships, Renaissance
Desiderius Erasmus of Rotterdam (c. 1466-1536) was one of the most influential Renaissance humanists, and his 1509 satire Praise of Folly has become his best-known and most popular work. Originally written in Latin, the book is presented as a long speech or “declamation” delivered by a personified Folly. Erasmus uses the character of Folly as a mouthpiece to criticize and to poke fun at the foibles of human nature in general as well as many... Read Praise Of Folly Summary
Publication year 1987
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Identity: Masculinity, Identity: Sexuality, Life/Time: Midlife, Life/Time: The Past, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Marriage, Relationships: Mothers, Society: Politics & Government
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Crime / Legal
Presumed Innocent (1987) is Scott Turow’s first novel, originally published by Farrar Straus & Giroux. The hit novel stayed on the New York Times bestseller list for 44 weeks and is often credited as an early example of the modern legal thriller, helping to shape the genre’s conventions. Turow went on to publish 12 additional novels and three nonfiction works. He also continued to practice law, specializing in criminal defense, contrasting with Presumed Innocent’s protagonist... Read Presumed Innocent Summary
Publication year 1813
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Relationships: Marriage
Tags Classic Fiction, Romanticism / Romantic Period, Romance, British Literature, Education, Education, History: World, Historical Fiction
Published anonymously in 1813, Pride and Prejudice is Jane Austen’s most well-known book. A “novel of manners,” which presents a realistic picture of society through the customs and manners of everyday life, Pride and Prejudice offers a glimpse into 19th-century English social hierarchies, as well as women’s roles and the importance of marriage. While Austen’s books were popular during her lifetime, she died before she was acknowledged as their author; when Persuasion was published posthumously, her... Read Pride and Prejudice Summary
Publication year 2024
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Marriage, Relationships: Teams, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt
Tags Romance, Sports
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