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 1994
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Identity: Indigenous, Identity: Language, Identity: Race, Society: Colonialism, Society: Globalization, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed
Publication year 2009
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Society: Colonialism, Life/Time: The Past, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Natural World: Place
Tags History: World, Action / Adventure, Travel Literature, Mystery / Crime Fiction, History: The Americas, Race / Racism, WWI / World War I, Anthropology, Anthropology, Science / Nature, Biography
David Grann’s The Lost City of Z: A Tale of Deadly Obsession in the Amazon (2009) tells the story of Percy Harrison Fawcett’s ill-fated expedition into the Brazilian jungle. After nearly two decades spent exploring the region and gathering evidence, Fawcett concluded that a sophisticated ancient civilization, a city he called Z, lay hidden deep in the Amazonian wilderness. In 1925, while searching for Z, Fawcett disappeared along with his son Jack and Jack’s friend... Read The Lost City of Z Summary
Publication year 1953
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Self Discovery, Identity: Gender, Identity: Indigenous, Identity: Masculinity, Identity: Race, Life/Time: The Past, Relationships: Marriage, Society: Colonialism, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Literature, Values/Ideas: Music, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality
Tags Magical Realism, Allegory / Fable / Parable, Latin American Literature, History: World, Classic Fiction
The Lost Steps, first published in 1953 by Cuban novelist Alejo Carpentier, is a parody of the lost world novels that were popular in the 19th and early 20th centuries, including Jules Verne’s Journey to the Center of the Earth (1864) and Arthur Conan Doyle’s The Lost World (1912). The novel follows an unnamed New York City composer on a quest for Indigenous musical instruments in South America. Carpentier, known for his roles as a... Read The Lost Steps Summary
Publication year 1912
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Natural World: Animals, Society: Colonialism, Identity: Race
Tags Classic Fiction, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Action / Adventure, Fantasy, Colonialism / Postcolonialism, Animals, Mystery / Crime Fiction
Publication year 2015
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Identity: Race, Society: Immigration, Society: Community, Society: Colonialism, Society: Globalization
Tags Asian Literature, History: World, History: U.S., Race / Racism, Social Justice, Politics / Government, Immigration / Refugee
Publication year 1902
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Society: Class, Society: War, Society: Colonialism
Tags Poetry: Dramatic Poem, Victorian Period, Military / War, Class, History: African , History: European, Psychology, Grief / Death, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Classic Fiction, British Literature
Publication year 1991
Genre Biography, Nonfiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Society: Colonialism
Tags Science / Nature, History: World, Depression / Suicide, Education, Religion / Spirituality, Indian Literature, Biography
The Man Who Knew Infinity is a 1991 biography of famed Indian mathematician Srinivāsa Ramanujan, written by Robert Kanigel. The text closely follows Ramanujan’s rise from humble origins to become one of the most influential mathematicians of the 20th century. Joining forces with another notable mathematician in his own right, G. H. Hardy of Cambridge University, Ramanujan produced some of the most insightful, imaginative, and original work in mathematics that is still studied today. From Ramanujan’s... Read The Man Who Knew Infinity Summary
Publication year 1950
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Natural World: Space & The Universe, Society: Colonialism, Emotions/Behavior: Nostalgia, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict
Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Classic Fiction, Fantasy, American Literature
First published in 1950, The Martian Chronicles is a collection of 15 science fiction short stories and 11 vignettes by Ray Bradbury. Upon publication, the book garnered praise from critics and readers for its poeticism and philosophy, and it continues to rank among the most highly respected works in Bradbury’s long career. Each of the stories were previously published in periodicals before Bradbury was given the suggestion to work them into a novel by an... Read The Martian Chronicles Summary
Publication year 2024
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Teams, Society: Class, Society: Colonialism, Society: Politics & Government, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt
Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Fantasy
Publication year 2024
Genre Essay Collection, Nonfiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Identity: Race, Society: Colonialism, Society: Nation, Society: Politics & Government, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Literature, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags History: U.S., Race / Racism, African American Literature, Biography
Publication year 1991
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Natural World: Place, Society: Colonialism, Society: Nation, Identity: Indigenous
Tags History: U.S., Politics / Government, Anthropology, American Literature, History: World
Publication year 2024
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Identity: Indigenous, Identity: Masculinity, Identity: Sexuality, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Natural World: Climate, Natural World: Environment, Natural World: Flora/plants, Relationships: Marriage, Relationships: Mothers, Society: Colonialism, Society: Community, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice
Tags Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 1966
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Natural World: Space & The Universe, Society: Politics & Government, Society: War, Life/Time: The Future, Society: Colonialism, Society: Economics, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology
Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Fantasy
The Moon is a Harsh Mistress (1966) by Robert Heinlein is a classic science fiction novel. It is set in a future in which the Earth has established a penal colony on the Moon. The story follows a revolutionary movement as the Lunar residents rebel against Earth to fight for their economic independence and self-governance. A shorter version of this novel was serialized in The Worlds of If magazine in 1965 and 1966. Robert Heinlein is... Read The Moon is a Harsh Mistress Summary
Publication year 1868
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Society: Class, Society: Colonialism, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Victorian Period, Classic Fiction, Historical Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, British Literature, History: World, Victorian Literature / Period
The Moonstone is a Victorian mystery novel by the English writer Wilkie Collins. It was originally published in serial installments between January and August 1868. The Moonstone is sometimes considered one of the first detective novels in English, with its suspenseful and dramatic plot building on the success Collins had achieved with an earlier mystery novel, The Woman in White (1860). Throughout The Moonstone, Collins explores the themes of Public Reputation Versus Inner Nature, The... Read The Moonstone Summary
Publication year 1981
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Coming of Age, Society: Colonialism, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Action / Adventure, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Modern Classic Fiction, History: World, Travel Literature, Classic Fiction
The Mosquito Coast, published in 1981 by Paul Theroux, is an adventure story narrated by 13-year-old Charlie Fox, the son of a brilliant inventor who uproots his family to establish a self-sustaining settlement in the jungles of Honduras. Writing in the tradition of novels like The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Robinson Crusoe, The Swiss Family Robinson, and Lord of the Flies, Theroux cited the Jonestown Massacre and the Mormon prophet Joseph Smith as influences in... Read The Mosquito Coast Summary
Publication year 2022
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Natural World: Animals, Emotions/Behavior: Apathy, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Gratitude, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Life/Time: The Future, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Natural World: Climate, Natural World: Environment, Natural World: Place, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Teams, Self Discovery, Society: Class, Society: Colonialism, Society: Community, Society: Globalization, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt
Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Fantasy, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Science / Nature, Animals
Publication year 1838
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Society: Colonialism, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Identity: Masculinity
Tags Action / Adventure, Classic Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Gothic Literature, American Literature, History: World, Fantasy
The Narrative of Arthur Gordon Pym of Nantucket (1838) is Edgar Allan Poe’s only complete novel. The first two installments were published in 1837 in the Southern Literary Messenger magazine, where Poe was an editor. After leaving the Messenger, he continued working on the novel intermittently until it was published as a complete text in 1838. It brings together various literary genres—including the adventure story, coming-of-age narrative, and scientific guidebook— and infuses them with an... Read The Narrative of Arthur Gordon Pym of Nantucket Summary
Publication year 2019
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Sexuality, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Society: Colonialism
Tags Asian Literature, Historical Fiction, Chinese Literature, Mystery / Crime Fiction, History: World, Magical Realism, Romance, Fantasy
The Night Tiger by Yangsze Choo was published in 2020. Like Choo's debut novel, The Ghost Bride (2013), The Night Tiger is a mixture of genres, including mythology and historical fiction, and it is a New York Times bestseller. The Night Tiger chronicles the period between May and July of 1931. The setting is colonial-era Malaysia, or “Malaya.”Plot SummaryChinese house servant Ren, is a 10-year-old orphan who’s mourning the death of his master, Dr. MacFarlane... Read The Night Tiger Summary
Publication year 2007
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Identity: Indigenous, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Natural World: Place, Society: Colonialism
Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Fantasy, Gothic Literature, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Religion / Spirituality
Publication year 2002
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Natural World: Environment, Society: Class, Society: Colonialism, Society: Community, Society: Economics, Society: Globalization, Society: Immigration, Society: Nation, Society: Politics & Government, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice
Tags Education, Education, Science / Nature, Social Science, History: World, History: European, Politics / Government