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 1918
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Society: Immigration
Tags American Literature, Classic Fiction, Historical Fiction
IntroductionMy Ántonia, first published in 1918, is the third novel in what reviewers sometimes refer to as “The Prairie Trilogy” or “The Great Plains Trilogy” by celebrated American author Willa Cather (1873-1947). The other two books, O Pioneers! (1913) and The Song of the Lark (1915) also feature strong female characters from immigrant families in a Great Plains setting but are otherwise unrelated. My Ántonia is considered one of Cather’s most outstanding novels for its... Read My Antonia Summary
Publication year 2020
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Literature
Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Psychological Fiction, Love / Sexuality, Modern Classic Fiction, Mental Illness, Trauma / Abuse / Violence
Publication year 2004
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Fathers, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Daughters & Sons
Tags Narrative / Epic Poem, Relationships
Publication year 1807
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Aging, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: The Future, Life/Time: The Past, Natural World: Place, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Self Discovery, Emotions/Behavior: Joy
Tags Lyric Poem, Romanticism / Romantic Period, British Literature, Education, Education, Classic Fiction
Publication year 2016
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Relationships: Mothers, Relationships: Fathers, Emotions/Behavior: Love
Tags Trauma / Abuse / Violence, American Literature, Modern Classic Fiction
Elizabeth Strout’s New York Times bestselling novel My Name is Lucy Barton follows the titular character on a journey of healing. Published in 2016, My Name is Lucy Barton explores the impact of trauma as Lucy navigates her reunion with her estranged mother. Longlisted for the 2016 Man Booker Prize, My Name is Lucy Barton was adapted for the stage as a one-woman show featuring acclaimed actress Laura Linney in 2018 and 2020. Strout’s novel... Read My Name is Lucy Barton Summary
Publication year 2022
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Natural World: Environment, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: The Past, Natural World: Place, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Teams, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Children's Literature, Action / Adventure, Historical Fiction
Publication year 2007
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Memory
Tags Lyric Poem
Publication year 2018
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Mental Health, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Apathy
Tags Addiction / Substance Abuse, Grief / Death, Class, Women's Studies (Nonfiction), Modern Classic Fiction, Mental Illness
Publication year 1898
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Life/Time: The Past, Natural World: Place, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal
Tags Lyric Poem, Relationships, Victorian Literature
Publication year 2023
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Friendship, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Self Discovery, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance
Tags Romance, New Adult, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Love / Sexuality
Publication year 1958
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Grief
Tags Free verse, Holocaust
Publication year 2016
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Memory
Tags Western, Historical Fiction, History: World, Action / Adventure
Paulette Jiles’s novel, News of the World, tells the tale of 72-year-old Captain Jefferson Kyle Kidd and 10-year-old Johanna Leonberger's journey from Wichita, Texas to Castroville, Texas in 1870, and how that journey would forever and drastically change the course of each of their lives.The story begins in Wichita, Texas, in the early spring of 1870, with Captain Kidd hanging posters advertising his reading of the news. He travels the state reading newspapers to people... Read News of the World Summary
Publication year 2023
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Publication year 2022
Genre Short Story Collection, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship
Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Fantasy, Race / Racism, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 1990
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Race
Tags Narrative / Epic Poem, Love / Sexuality, Vietnam War
Publication year 2024
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Siblings, Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Life/Time: The Past
Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2014
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Relationships: Family, Society: Class, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Music
Tags Historical Fiction, Irish Literature, Domestic Fiction, Literary Fiction, Depression / Suicide
Written by Colm Tóibín, Nora Webster (2014) is a historical novel that follows the titular character, a young woman who is struggling to raise her four young children, process her grief, and reinvent her life after her husband passes away. In 2015, the novel won the Hawthornden Prize, and it has also received numerous other prestigious award nominations. Throughout his career, Colm Tóibín has alternated between fiction and non-fiction, producing works such as Brooklyn (2009), which... Read Nora Webster Summary
Publication year 2023
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Natural World: Environment, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Values/Ideas: Fate, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: The Future, Life/Time: The Past, Natural World: Animals, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Natural World: Flora/plants, Natural World: Objects, Natural World: Place, Self Discovery, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger
Tags Historical Fiction, Science / Nature, History: World, Magical Realism
Publication year 1916
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Beauty
Tags Mythology
Publication year 1864
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Society: Community
Tags Classic Fiction, Philosophy, Psychological Fiction, Russian Literature, History: World, Psychology, Psychology, Philosophy
Notes from Underground (sometimes translated as Notes from the Underground) is an 1864 novella by Russian writer Fyodor Dostoevsky. Dostoevsky was a novelist, journalist, and short story author. His novels are deeply rooted in philosophy and politics and explore the experiences and repercussions of his 19th-century Russian sociopolitical context. Dostoevsky is also the author of Crime and Punishment, The Idiot, Demons, and The Brothers Karamazov. His writing influenced many other writers and philosophers, including existentialists... Read Notes from Underground Summary