Our Valentine's Day Reads: The Theme of Love Collection features titles centered on love and all of its complexities. This Collection represents authors who have grappled with romantic, familial, and other forms of love through writing. With titles ranging from contemporary romance picks to works by Shakespeare, this Collection has something to offer any reader who has ever lost or found love.
Publication year 2016
Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction
Themes Identity: Femininity, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Nostalgia, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: Midlife, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Art
Tags Humor
Publication year 2023
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Friendship, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Mental Health, Relationships: Family
Tags Romance
Publication year 1827
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Values/Ideas: Fame, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Regret
Tags Narrative / Epic Poem, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Classic Fiction
Publication year 1981
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Gender, Identity: Race, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Marriage, Society: Class, Society: Colonialism, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal
Tags Race / Racism, Class, African American Literature, American Literature, Modern Classic Fiction, Classic Fiction
Publication year 1912
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Natural World: Nurture v. Nature, Natural World: Animals, Identity: Race, Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Society: Colonialism, Society: Education
Tags Action / Adventure, Classic Fiction, Historical Fiction, Race / Racism, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Fantasy
Tarzan of the Apes is an adventure fiction book written by Edgar Rice Burroughs in 1912 and initially published serially in the pulp magazine The All-Story before being printed as a novel in 1914. Burroughs was an American from Chicago who had a variety of careers before building a name for himself as a writer of pulp fiction. His first story, entitled Under the Moons of Mars (1911), became the first book in the science... Read Tarzan of the Apes Summary
Publication year 2021
Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Fame, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Love
Tags Food, History: European, Arts / Culture
Publication year 1994
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Marriage, Emotions/Behavior: Love
Tags Lyric Poem
Publication year 2024
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Natural World: Place, Society: Community
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2018
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Gender, Identity: Mental Health, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Mothers, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Romance, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman
Publication year 1934
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Relationships: Marriage, Emotions/Behavior: Love
Tags Classic Fiction, Romance, Drama / Tragedy, American Literature, Mental Illness, French Literature, History: World
In 1934, F. Scott Fitzgerald published his fourth and final (completed) novel, Tender Is the Night. Considered by the author to be his masterpiece, the book captures the same Jazz Age-prose style and Lost Generation philosophy as his previous novels, with the added depth of being arguably his most personal novel. Unlike The Great Gatsby, which was published in the middle of the 1920s, Tender Is the Night reflects upon the Roaring Twenties after they... Read Tender Is the Night Summary
Publication year 2022
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Relationships: Marriage, Society: Class
Tags Modern Classic Fiction, Romance, New Adult
Publication year 2021
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Self Discovery, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Masculinity, Identity: Race, Identity: Sexuality, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Teams, Society: Community, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice
Tags Fantasy, Romance, Action / Adventure, Humor
Publication year 1990
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Relationships: Marriage, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict
Tags Religion / Spirituality, Self Help, Relationships, Psychology, Christian literature, Love / Sexuality
Publication year 1985
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Relationships: Marriage, Relationships: Family
Tags Romance, American Literature, Modern Classic Fiction, Classic Fiction
Anne Tyler’s The Accidental Tourist is a literary fiction novel that follows the character-driven story of Macon Leary, who must navigate life following the death of his son and the dissolution of his marriage. The Accidental Tourist was originally published in 1985 and was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize. The Accidental Tourist is Anne Tyler’s 10th novel and one of her most recognized works. This study guide follows the paperback Berkley edition released in... Read The Accidental Tourist Summary
Publication year 1920
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Society: Class, Society: Community, Relationships: Family, Life/Time: The Past, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Gender, Life/Time: Midlife
Tags Classic Fiction, Historical Fiction, Class, Love / Sexuality, Gilded Age, American Literature, Gender / Feminism, History: World, Romance
American writer Edith Wharton’s Pulitzer-Prize winning novel The Age Of Innocence (1920) was a post-armistice reflection on the 1870s New York society of her youth. Wharton, an American who lived abroad in Paris, was already the successful author of other novels, including The House of Mirth (1905) and Ethan Frome (1911).In a The New York Times article, Elif Batuman reflects that “eventually, each classic tells two stories: its own, and the story of all the... Read The Age of Innocence Summary
Publication year 1954
Genre Play, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Identity: Race, Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Regret
Tags Play: Drama, African American Literature, Race / Racism, History: World, Drama / Tragedy, Classic Fiction, Religion / Spirituality
The Amen Corner (1954) is the first play by American author, orator, and civil rights activist James Baldwin. The play critiques Christian religion as a means of reinforcing oppression and poverty, specifically in Black communities. It also covers the rift between men and women in religious settings by examining the fall of its protagonist, a Black preacher named Margaret. Hollywood actress Juanita Moore, who was friends with Marlon Brando, asked Brando to loan $75 for... Read The Amen Corner Summary
Publication year 2022
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Literature, Self Discovery, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Identity: Mental Health
Tags Romance, Humor, New Adult, Love / Sexuality, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2023
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Society: War, Identity: Gender, Identity: Sexuality, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: The Future, Life/Time: The Past, Relationships: Family, Self Discovery, Society: Class, Society: Economics, Society: Nation, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology
Tags Historical Fiction, British Literature, Industrial Revolution
Publication year 1994
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Friendship, Identity: Mental Health, Values/Ideas: Fame, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Life/Time: Mortality & Death
Tags Lyric Poem, Relationships
Publication year 2011
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Coming of Age, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Identity: Masculinity, Identity: Mental Health, Identity: Sexuality, Life/Time: Midlife, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Natural World: Place, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Teams, Self Discovery, Society: Community, Society: Education, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger
Tags Sports, Relationships, Psychological Fiction
Published in 2011, The Art of Fielding by Chad Harbach is a work of literary fiction depicting the interwoven journeys of characters at Westish, a fictional small liberal arts college in Wisconsin. Henry Skrimshander is a talented baseball shortstop whose future is jeopardized by an errant throw. His development intersects with that of his teammate Schwartz; his roommate, Owen; college president Guert; and Pella, Guert’s daughter and a newly enrolled student of Westish. The novel... Read The Art of Fielding Summary