Texts in this collection explore topics like climate change, energy, and humanity's place in the environment through a variety of genres, whether the science fiction of Margaret Atwood's Oryx and Crake or the scientific journalism of Dan Egan's The Death and Life of the Great Lakes.
Publication year 2014
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Life/Time: Childhood & Youth
Tags Psychology, Science / Nature, Psychology, Mental Illness, Self Help, Health / Medicine
The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma is a 2014 nonfiction work by Bessel van der Kolk, M.D. This guide refers to the 2015 edition published by Penguin Books. Van der Kolk, a psychiatrist specializing in various forms of trauma, has worked in trauma therapy for his entire professional career, publishing numerous scientific research studies of his own and contributing to many more. In addition to being a... Read The Body Keeps the Score Summary
Publication year 2021
Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Natural World: Environment, Natural World: Animals, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Life/Time: The Future, Natural World: Climate, Society: Community
Tags Science / Nature, Philosophy, Self Help, Animals, Philosophy, Biography
Publication year 2001
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Natural World: Environment
Tags Food, Science / Nature, History: World, Arts / Culture
Michael Pollan’s 2001 nonfiction book, The Botany of Desire: A Plant’s-Eye View of the World, asks the reader to stop considering only the human point of view of nature and to take the perspective of the plants themselves. He writes about how humans have affected the evolution of plants and in turn plants have affected our evolution as well. To Pollan, humans are much like the bumblebee in that we rely on plants as much... Read The Botany Of Desire Summary
Publication year 2009
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Relationships: Friendship
Tags Science / Nature, Education, Education, Biography
The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind by William Kamkwamba is a memoir about the author’s struggle to build a windmill in his village in Malawi. Beyond that, it’s a story about hope and determination. The book opens with a prologue that shows William turning his windmill on for the first time. With this success in mind, the reader is then thrust into a world of superstition and government corruption that creates obstacles to such innovation... Read The Boy Who Harnessed The Wind Summary
Publication year 2007
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Life/Time: Aging, Identity: Mental Health, Identity: Disability
Tags Psychology, Science / Nature, Health / Medicine, Self Help
Publication year 1841
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Society: Nation, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos
Tags Russian Literature, Classic Fiction, Narrative / Epic Poem, Historical Fiction, History: European, Politics / Government, Science / Nature, Romanticism / Romantic Period, Realism
The Bronze Horseman: A Saint Petersburg Story is a narrative poem by 19th-century Russian poet, dramatist, and novelist Alexander Pushkin, who is considered Russia’s greatest poet. It was written in 1833, but was not published until 1841, after Pushkin’s death due to censorship of Pushkin’s works by the Russian government.Regarded as one of Pushkin’s most accomplished works, The Bronze Horseman has had a marked influence on Russian literature. The poem tells of the founding of Saint... Read The Bronze Horseman Summary
Publication year 1996
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Natural World: Animals
Tags Science / Nature
Publication year 2020
Genre Novel/Book in Verse, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Identity: Mental Health, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Self Discovery
Tags Survival Fiction, Realistic Fiction, Action / Adventure, Animals, Grief / Death, Mental Illness, Parenting, Natural Disaster, Science / Nature, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Children's Literature
Publication year 2007
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Natural World: Nurture v. Nature, Relationships: Family, Society: Class, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology
Tags Education, Education, Science / Nature, Social Science, Philosophy, Philosophy, Politics / Government
Publication year 2009
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Relationships: Teams, Identity: Language
Tags Business / Economics, Self Help, Health / Medicine, Psychology, Science / Nature, Leadership/Organization/Management, Psychology
Publication year 2013
Genre Novel, Fiction
Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Science / Nature, Modern Classic Fiction
Published in 2013, The Circle by Dave Eggers is a dystopian novel set in the near future. It is told from the perspective of protagonist Mae Holland, who has landed a job at The Circle, a monopolistic tech company led by the Three Wise Men: Eamon Bailey, Ty Gospodinov, and Tom Stenton. The Circle has cultivated a positive image through its ostensible missions of improving human rights and democracy and by making it easier for... Read The Circle Summary
Publication year 2022
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Natural World: Environment, Natural World: Climate, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed
Tags Science / Nature, Climate Change, Politics / Government, History: World
Publication year 1999
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Society: Politics & Government, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger
Tags History: World, Military / War, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Science / Nature, Technology, Technology
Publication year 2021
Genre Biography, Nonfiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Identity: Gender, Relationships: Teams
Tags Science / Nature, Gender / Feminism, Health / Medicine, Technology, Women's Studies (Nonfiction), History: World, Biography
Publication year 2014
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: The Future, Natural World: Climate, Society: Economics, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Natural World: Environment
Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Climate Change, Science / Nature, Business / Economics, History: World, Politics / Government
Publication year 2019
Genre Essay Collection, Nonfiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Identity: Mental Health
Tags Psychology, Mental Illness, Disability, Science / Nature, Health / Medicine, Psychology, Biography
Publication year 1972
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Natural World: Environment, Society: Globalization, Society: Colonialism, Natural World: Flora/plants, Society: Economics, Identity: Indigenous
Tags History: World, Science / Nature, Anthropology, History: U.S., Anthropology, Business / Economics
Publication year 2021
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Identity: Mental Health, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger
Tags Self Help, Health / Medicine, Psychology, Science / Nature, Sports, Psychology, Philosophy, Philosophy, Mental Illness
Publication year 1994
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Society: Globalization, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Life/Time: Mortality & Death
Tags Health / Medicine, Science / Nature, History: World, Social Justice, LGBTQ, Politics / Government
Publication year 2023
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Society: Globalization, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Life/Time: The Future, Society: Politics & Government, Society: Community
Tags Technology, Science / Nature, Business / Economics, Politics / Government, Technology, Sociology, Philosophy, Philosophy