Colonialism & Postcolonialism

With best-selling novels like Barbara Kingsolver's The Poisonwood Bible and influential academic texts such as Edward Said's Orientalism, this collection gathers books from across genres to explore the complex dynamics and lasting legacies of colonialism.

Publication year 1993

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Society: War, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Identity: Gender, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Friendship, Self Discovery, Society: Class, Society: Colonialism, Society: Community, Society: Nation, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice

Tags Historical Fiction, Children's Literature, American Revolution


Publication year 2023

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Gender, Identity: Indigenous, Identity: Masculinity, Identity: Sexuality, Life/Time: Birth, Natural World: Animals, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Mothers, Society: Class, Society: Colonialism, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies

Tags Historical Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Gender / Feminism


Publication year 2005

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Identity: Indigenous, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: The Future, Natural World: Animals, Self Discovery, Society: Colonialism

Tags Historical Fiction, American Literature, Children's Literature, History: World

The Game of Silence is work of middle-grade historical fiction by contemporary American author Louise Erdrich. Published in 2005, it is the second novel in Erdrich’s Birchbark House series. The first novel in this series, The Birchbark House (1999), is set in 1847 and introduces Omakayas and her family. The Birchbark House was a finalist for the prestigious National Book Award. With The Game of Silence, Erdrich continues the saga of Omakayas’s family, and this... Read The Game of Silence Summary


Publication year 1989

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Fate, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Society: Colonialism, Emotions/Behavior: Love

Tags Historical Fiction, Magical Realism, Politics / Government, Latin American Literature, History: World


Publication year 1941

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Society: Nation, Society: Politics & Government, Society: Colonialism, Life/Time: The Past, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Win & Lose

Tags History: U.S.


Publication year 1994

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Society: Colonialism, Relationships: Family, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality

Tags Historical Fiction, Magical Realism, Relationships, Education, Education, Modern Classic Fiction, History: World, Fantasy

The Grass Dancer (1994) is the debut novel by Susan Power, an enrolled member of the Standing Rock Sioux tribe. This young adult novel is part of the magical realism genre. Using a nonlinear structure and overlapping narratives, Power slowly pieces together a story that links generations of Sioux families together in a complex and powerful way. The following material was gathered using a first edition copy of the text.Plot SummaryThe Prologue begins with Harley... Read The Grass Dancer Summary


Publication year 2016

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Natural World: Environment, Natural World: Climate, Society: Globalization, Society: Immigration, Society: Colonialism, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Literature

Tags Climate Change, Science / Nature, Politics / Government, History: World


Publication year 2024

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Identity: Race, Society: Colonialism, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice

Tags Modern Classic Fiction, History: World, Historical Fiction


Publication year 1975

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Teams, Society: Class, Society: Colonialism, Society: Nation, Society: Politics & Government

Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Historical Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, History: World, Action / Adventure, Classic Fiction

The Great Train Robbery (1975) by Michael Crichton is a fictionalized account of the Great Gold Robbery of 1855. It details the actions of criminal mastermind Edward Pierce and his co-conspirators as they plan and execute the heist of £12,000 of gold from a train in London. This historical thriller analyzes Victorian beliefs about crime in the context of a rapidly changing society overwhelmed by industrialization. Historically, Pierce’s successful heist shocked a nation that believed... Read The Great Train Robbery Summary


Publication year 1957

Genre Short Story, Fiction

Themes Society: Colonialism, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Society: Politics & Government

Tags Classic Fiction, French Literature, Absurdism, Education, Education, Philosophy, Philosophy

“The Guest,” a short story by French author and philosopher Albert Camus, was first published in 1957 in his only short story collection, Exile and the Kingdom. Having also published The Stranger, The Plague, The Myth of Sisyphus, and The Fall, Camus, an existentialist writer who wrote extensively in support of the French Resistance, was awarded the Nobel prize in Literature in 1957. In crafting his works, Camus took inspiration from French Algeria, where he... Read The Guest Summary


Publication year 2022

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Society: Colonialism, Identity: Indigenous, Identity: Race, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality

Tags Historical Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Gothic Literature, Mystery / Crime Fiction, History: World, Fantasy


Publication year 2008

Genre Short Story, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Society: Education, Society: Colonialism

Tags Historical Fiction, Gender / Feminism, African Literature, Arts / Culture, Education, Education, African American Literature, Classic Fiction


Publication year 2019

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Society: Colonialism, Identity: Race, Society: Nation

Tags History: U.S., Gilded Age, Race / Racism, History: World, Social Justice, Politics / Government

Anthropologist David Treuer’s The Heartbeat of Wounded Knee: Native America from 1890 to the Present (2019) revives Indigenous history and centers Indigenous people as subjects, not as mere victims of American avarice. It was a finalist for the National Book Award in Nonfiction. Treuer is a member of the Ojibwe tribe from the Leech Lake Reservation in north-central Minnesota. He has a doctorate in anthropology, teaches at the University of Southern California, and is the... Read The Heartbeat of Wounded Knee Summary


Publication year 2020

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Society: Colonialism, Identity: Gender, Identity: Femininity

Tags Historical Fiction, History: World, Indian Literature, Arts / Culture

The Henna Artist (2020) is a novel by Indian American author Alka Joshi and the first book in The Jaipur Trilogy. The story takes place in 1950s India and follows 17-year-old Lakshmi as she escapes an abusive marriage and moves to Jaipur to become a henna artist. The protagonist is based on the author’s mother, who was not able to choose her own path in life but was determined that her children would have that... Read The Henna Artist Summary


Publication year 2008

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: The Future, Life/Time: The Past, Natural World: Food, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Mothers, Society: Colonialism, Society: Community, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies

Tags Historical Fiction, History: U.S.

The Heretic’s Daughter (2008) is the debut novel of author Kathleen Kent. Upon publication, it immediately made the New York Times bestseller list. Kent followed this title with two other best-selling historical fiction works: The Traitor’s Wife (2010) and The Outcasts (2013). She also wrote a crime fiction trilogy that was nominated for an Edgar Award. A resident of Texas, Kent was inducted into the Texas Institute of Letters in 2020 for her contribution to... Read The Heretic's Daughter Summary


Publication year 2024

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Identity: Indigenous, Natural World: Place, Society: Class, Society: Colonialism, Society: Economics, Society: Globalization, Society: Immigration, Society: Nation, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology


Publication year 1830

Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction

Themes Identity: Race, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Society: Colonialism, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice

Tags Race / Racism, History: European, Education, Education, History: World, Classic Fiction, Biography


Publication year 2003

Genre Reference/Text Book, Nonfiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Natural World: Climate, Natural World: Environment, Natural World: Food, Natural World: Place, Society: Colonialism, Society: Community, Society: Economics, Society: Globalization, Society: Nation, Society: Politics & Government, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology

Tags Education, Education, Anthropology, Anthropology, Science / Nature, Philosophy, Philosophy, Politics / Government, History: World, Sociology


Publication year 2005

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Identity: Indigenous, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Fathers, Society: Colonialism, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice

Tags Historical Fiction, Magical Realism, Latin American Literature

Written by Luis Alberto Urrea in 2005, The Hummingbird’s Daughter is a fictional account of the life of Teresa Urrea, a woman whose mystical powers and religious fervor earned her the reputation of a living saint in the late 1800s and early 1900s. Luis Alberto Urrea is a distant cousin of Teresa and grew up hearing about her. He eventually researched her life through his family connections and the communities that she helped. The novel... Read The Hummingbird's Daughter Summary


Publication year 2020

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Society: Colonialism, Society: Politics & Government, Society: War

Tags History: Asian, History: World, Politics / Government, Military / War, Religion / Spirituality, Social Justice