This curated selection of titles examines the concept of power and its role in shaping society. The texts in the Power Collection draw upon a wide range of literary traditions and genres to explore concepts related to power and its pursuit, such as equality and injustice, colonialism, authority, and conflict.
Publication year 2024
Genre Graphic Novel/Book, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: The Past, Natural World: Space & The Universe, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed
Tags Fantasy, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction
Publication year 2024
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Nostalgia, Life/Time: The Past, Relationships: Grandparents, Values/Ideas: Literature, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed
Tags Fantasy, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Magical Realism, Romance
Publication year 2014
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict
Tags Historical Fiction, Auto/Biographical Fiction, Religion / Spirituality, Jewish Literature, History: World
Publication year 1891
Genre Short Story, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Life/Time: Mortality & Death
Tags Fantasy, Classic Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Gothic Literature, Education, Education, British Literature, History: World
Robert Louis Stevenson’s “The Bottle Imp” is a short and comedic story in the parable genre. The story features themes of Self-Sacrifice for Love, Money Can’t Buy Happiness, and The Reality of Evil. “The Bottle Imp” was first published as a serialized newspaper story in 1891 and was included in Stevenson’s collection, Island Nights’ Entertainment (1893). The story is a humorous take on the trope of “making a deal with the devil,” where the protagonist... Read The Bottle Imp Summary
Publication year 2022
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Friendship
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Crime / Legal, Historical Fiction
Publication year 2008
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Coming of Age, Society: War, Identity: Race, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance
Tags Historical Fiction, WWII / World War II, Holocaust, Children's Literature, Military / War, History: World
The Boy Who Dared is a young adult novel, written by award-winning children’s author Susan Campbell Bartoletti and published in 2008. The Boy Who Dared is a historical fiction novel based on the real life of Helmuth Hübener, a German boy who defied the Nazis during WWII. Alternating between his last day on death row and his memories, Helmuth’s story depicts the danger of silence, the value of the individual, and the power of the... Read The Boy Who Dared Summary
Publication year 2017
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Identity: Mental Health, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Psychological Fiction, Relationships, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction
The Breakdown (2017) is a psychological thriller and B. A. Paris’s follow-up to her internationally bestselling debut, Behind Closed Doors. The Breakdown was a Goodreads Choice Award Nominee for Best Mystery and Thriller in 2017. It has been adapted into a film titled Blackwater Lane, released in 2024 and starring Minka Kelly, Maggie Grace, and Dermot Mulroney. The novel portrays Cass Anderson’s battle with guilt and fear after a woman is murdered near her home... Read The Breakdown Summary
Publication year 2020
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Society: Nation, Society: Politics & Government, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt
Tags Fantasy, Romance, New Adult
Publication year 2024
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Coming of Age, Society: Nation, Values/Ideas: Literature, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality
Tags Fantasy, History: World
Publication year 1959
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Society: War, Society: Colonialism, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed
Tags History: World, Anthropology, Grief / Death, Military / War, Colonialism / Postcolonialism, Latin American Literature, Education, Education, Anthropology
Publication year 2009
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Society: Community, Emotions/Behavior: Fear
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction
Publication year 2002
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Identity: Masculinity, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Natural World: Place, Relationships: Fathers, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger
Tags Children's Literature, Education, Education, Realistic Fiction, Sports, Urban Development, Drama / Tragedy
Publication year 2020
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Nostalgia, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Natural World: Place, Self Discovery, Society: Class, Society: Colonialism, Society: Nation, Society: Politics & Government, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality
Tags Fantasy, History: World
Publication year 2022
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed
Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction
Publication year 2024
Genre Short Story Collection, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Identity: Mental Health, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Natural World: Environment, Natural World: Flora/plants, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger
Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction
Publication year 2016
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Aging, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Relationships: Friendship, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed
Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction
Publication year 1903
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Natural World: Animals, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed
Tags Action / Adventure, American Literature, Animals, Naturalism, Children's Literature, Education, Education, Historical Fiction, Classic Fiction
Originally serialized in 1903, Jack London’s The Call of the Wild is an adventure story about Buck, a dog from the Santa Clara Valley who finds himself living the life of a sled dog in the Arctic wilderness. Through Buck’s adventure, the novel addresses what it takes to survive in the natural world, contemplates the connection between life and death, and demonstrates the power of respect and love. The Call of the Wild was immediately... Read The Call of the Wild Summary
Publication year 2007
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Relationships: Friendship
Tags Fantasy, Action / Adventure, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Children's Literature
Publication year 2023
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Society: War, Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Disability, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Self Discovery, Society: Class, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Historical Fiction, Southern Literature, Southern Gothic, Korean War
Publication year 1836
Genre Short Story, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Apathy, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed
Tags Humor, Russian Literature, History: World, Classic Fiction