In many ways, who we are is shaped by what we remember, yet our recollections aren't always a reliable account of the past. This collection gathers texts that explore the ideas, theories, and challenges conjured by memory.
Publication year 2012
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Aging, Relationships: Siblings, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Society: Class, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Society: Community, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Life/Time: The Future, Life/Time: The Past, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Relationships: Family, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict
Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Fantasy, Romance, Action / Adventure
Lissa Price’s Starters is a young adult science fiction novel set in the near future after the Spore Wars, during which biological weapons were used against the United States and wiped out much of the unvaccinated middle-aged population. As a result, many teens were left without families, and the elderly feared for their place in society. Starters without grandparents were barred from essentially every type of work. This led to teens being rounded up to... Read Starters Summary
Publication year 2014
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Memory
Tags Music, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Fantasy
Published in 2014, Station Eleven is the fourth novel by Emily St. John Mandel (The Glass Hotel, Sea of Tranquility). The book won the Arthur C. Clarke Award, the Toronto Book Award, and was shortlisted or nominated for several others. Set in a post-apocalyptic future where a flu outbreak decimates the world’s population, the book is sometimes categorized as science fiction, although it does not feature any fictional technology; its protagonists’ involvement in a traveling... Read Station Eleven Summary
Publication year 1993
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Friendship, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Equality, Emotions/Behavior: Apathy, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Identity: Mental Health, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Relationships: Family, Self Discovery, Society: Class, Society: Community, Society: Economics, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Action / Adventure
Publication year 1952
Genre Essay / Speech, Nonfiction
Themes Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Society: Education, Society: Class
Tags Edwardian Era
Publication year 2024
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Apathy, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Joy, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Identity: Sexuality, Life/Time: Midlife, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Marriage, Relationships: Mothers, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos
Tags Romance, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2024
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Natural World: Environment, Natural World: Place, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Relationships: Family, Society: Class, Society: Economics, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed
Tags Romance, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2021
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Fate, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Relationships: Marriage, Relationships: Friendship
Tags Historical Fiction, Southern Literature, Survival Fiction, American Civil War
Publication year 1982
Genre Short Story, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil
Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Psychological Fiction, Fantasy, Education, Education, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Action / Adventure
Publication year 1913
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Nostalgia
Tags Classic Fiction, French Literature, Modernism
Swann’s Way is a novel by French writer Marcel Proust. First published in 1913, it is the first volume in a series titled In Search of Lost Time. The series is famous for Proust’s exploration of memory and nostalgia and is widely considered among the greatest works of world literature. Swann’s Way has been adapted for film, television, and stage. This guide is based on an eBook version of the 1922 Henry Holt and Company... Read Swann's Way Summary
Publication year 2016
Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction
Themes Identity: Femininity, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Nostalgia, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: Midlife, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Art
Tags Humor
Publication year 1827
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Values/Ideas: Fame, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Regret
Tags Narrative / Epic Poem, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Classic Fiction
Publication year 2021
Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Fame, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Love
Tags Food, History: European, Arts / Culture
Publication year 2003
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Aging, Life/Time: The Past, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Win & Lose, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Nostalgia
Tags Narrative / Epic Poem
Publication year 1982
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Identity: Language
Tags Science / Nature, Philosophy, Philosophy, Religion / Spirituality
Teaching a Stone to Talk: Expeditions and Encounters is a collection of essays written by Annie Dillard and originally published in 1982. Dillard is an American writer whose 1974 narrative nonfiction work Pilgrim at Tinker Creek won the Pulitzer Prize for General Nonfiction. Throughout the 14 essays of Teaching a Stone to Talk, Dillard touches on themes of nature, God, time, and memory. Some of the essays have received literary awards and distinctions: “Life on... Read Teaching a Stone to Talk Summary
Publication year 2024
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Natural World: Place, Society: Community
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2023
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Relationships: Daughters & Sons
Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction
Publication year 2019
Genre Essay Collection, Nonfiction
Themes Society: Nation, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Equality, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Hope
Tags History: U.S., Race / Racism, Social Justice, Politics / Government, History: World
Publication year 2012
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Fantasy
Published in 2012, Karen Thompson Walker’s The Age of Miracles is a bildungsroman science fiction novel. Set in modern-day California, “the slowing” is the term used to describe the mysterious phenomenon of Earth’s rotation gradually decelerating. Humanity must face drastic environmental issues, such as increased days of sunlight, and this serves as the dystopian backdrop to the coming-of-age story of 11-year-old protagonist, Julia.The Age of Miracles opens just as “the slowing” begins and is told... Read The Age Of Miracles Summary
Publication year 1959
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Identity: Mental Health, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Literature
Tags Psychology, Philosophy, Science / Nature, Religion / Spirituality
Publication year 2018
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Memory
Tags Mental Illness, Modern Classic Fiction, Magical Realism, Romance, Fantasy
The Astonishing Color of After, published in 2018, is Emily X.R. Pan’s APALA Honor Award and Walter Honor Award-winning debut young adult fantasy novel. Pan was raised in Illinois by her Taiwanese and Chinese American parents, and closely collaborated with her extended family in Taiwan while researching and writing the novel. Although the novel is not explicitly autobiographical, certain details like Leigh being the only child of a professor and a piano teacher echo the... Read The Astonishing Color of After Summary