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 2015
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Natural World: Animals, Natural World: Flora/plants, Natural World: Food, Natural World: Objects, Natural World: Place, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship, Society: Colonialism
Tags Historical Fiction, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Children's Literature, Animals, Fantasy, Action / Adventure
Publication year 2001
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Identity: Mental Health, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: The Past, Natural World: Place, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Marriage, Relationships: Teams, Society: Class, Society: Colonialism, Society: Community, Society: Economics, Society: Globalization, Society: Politics & Government, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed
Tags History: World, American Revolution, Historical Fiction, Military / War, History: U.S.
Publication year 2022
Genre Biography, Nonfiction
Themes Society: Colonialism, Identity: Race, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Natural World: Place, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Values/Ideas: Fame, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal
Tags History: African , Action / Adventure, Travel Literature, Science / Nature, History: World, Biography
Publication year 2009
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Friendship, Society: Colonialism, Society: Politics & Government
Tags Historical Fiction, Romance, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Middle Eastern Literature, History: World, Arts / Culture
Rooftops of Tehran (2009) is a historical fiction novel written by Iranian-American writer Mahbod Seraji. It follows a 17-year-old boy, Pasha, and his friends as they come of age during an era of political oppression and turmoil in Iran. The novel was selected as one of the books in the Outstanding Debut Category by the American Booksellers Association, and it was one of the San Francisco Chronicle’s 50 Notable Books of the Bay Area. Rooftops... Read Rooftops of Tehran Summary
Publication year 1872
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Natural World: Environment, Society: Immigration, Society: Colonialism, Society: Politics & Government, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance
Tags Classic Fiction, Auto/Biographical Fiction, Travel Literature, Humor, American Literature, History: World, Historical Fiction, Western, Action / Adventure
Roughing It (1872) is the second major work by American humorist Mark Twain (Samuel Langhorne Clemens). It recounts his experiences during the Nevada silver rush of the 1860s. After his failed attempts to make a fortune as a miner, Twain would later achieve prominence as a lecturer and writer. He initially drew acclaim for his fanciful short story entitled “The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County” (1865). His best-known titles include The Innocents Abroad (1869)... Read Roughing It Summary
Publication year 1953
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Society: Colonialism, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice
Tags History: World, Race / Racism, Afro-Caribbean Literature, Colonialism / Postcolonialism
Publication year 1925
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Society: Colonialism, Society: Class, Relationships: Marriage, Identity: Gender
Tags Classic Fiction, Historical Fiction, Romance, British Literature, Colonialism / Postcolonialism, Regency Era, History: World
Publication year 2018
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Language, Identity: Race, Life/Time: The Future, Natural World: Climate, Relationships: Friendship, Society: Colonialism, Society: Immigration, Society: Nation
Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Japanese Literature, Modern Classic Fiction, Asian Literature
Publication year 2022
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Life/Time: The Future, Life/Time: The Past, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Natural World: Environment, Natural World: Space & The Universe, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Music, Values/Ideas: Art, Society: Colonialism
Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Historical Fiction, Fantasy
Publication year 1952
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Indigenous, Society: Community, Society: Colonialism
Tags Children's Literature, Classic Fiction, History: World
Publication year 1987
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Society: Colonialism, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict
Tags Poetry: Dramatic Poem, British Literature
Publication year 2003
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Society: Colonialism, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Identity: Indigenous, Life/Time: The Past
Tags History: European, History: The Americas, Colonialism / Postcolonialism, History: U.S., Latin American Literature, American Literature, History: World
Publication year 2003
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Society: Politics & Government, Society: Globalization, Society: War, Society: Colonialism
Tags History: African , Politics / Government, Military / War, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, History: World, Biography
Lt. General Roméo Dallaire is a Canadian officer who was assigned as the force commander in the United Nations Assistance Mission to Rwanda (UNAMIR), a UN peacekeeping mission to facilitate negotiations after the Rwandan Civil War. He wrote about his experiences witnessing the breakdown of the peace process and the Rwandan Genocide in Shake Hands With The Devil: The Failure of Humanity in Rwanda. Published in 2003, the book won the 2004 Governor General’s Award... Read Shake Hands with the Devil Summary
Publication year 2020
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Relationships: Siblings, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Society: Colonialism
Tags Magical Realism, Fairy Tale / Folklore, Relationships, Modern Classic Fiction, Fantasy
Publication year 2024
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Indigenous, Life/Time: The Past, Natural World: Environment, Relationships: Family, Society: Colonialism, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice
Tags Historical Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction
Publication year 1936
Genre Essay / Speech, Nonfiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Society: Colonialism, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed
Tags Education, Education, History: World, Classic Fiction, Politics / Government, Biography
“Shooting an Elephant,” is an essay by British author George Orwell, first published in the magazine New Writing in 1936. Orwell, born Eric Blair, is world-renowned for his sociopolitical commentary. He served as a British officer in Burma from 1922 to 1927, then worked as a journalist, novelist, short-story writer, and essayist for the remainder of his career, going on to produce celebrated works such as Animal Farm (1945) and 1984 (1949). Before penning this... Read Shooting an Elephant Summary
Publication year 2020
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Identity: Disability, Society: Colonialism, Society: Community, Identity: Language, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Self Discovery
Tags Children's Literature, History: World, Historical Fiction, Race / Racism, Disability
Publication year 1970
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Society: Community, Identity: Gender, Society: Colonialism
Tags Historical Fiction, Action / Adventure, History: U.S., Children's Literature, History: World, Classic Fiction
Scott O’Dell’s children’s novel Sing Down the Moon (1970) is a work of historical fiction focusing on a mid-19th-century Navajo teen girl who calls herself Bright Morning. She and her people live as shepherds and farmers in Canyon de Chelly in Arizona. Bright Morning faces a series of trials in the novel: First, she is taken captive and sold into slavery; after she escapes home, white soldiers force her people to leave their village and... Read Sing Down the Moon Summary
Publication year 1999
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Friendship, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Gender, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Mothers, Relationships: Siblings, Self Discovery, Society: Class, Society: Colonialism, Society: Immigration
Tags Historical Fiction, Indian Literature, Modern Classic Fiction, Asian Literature
In the novel Sister of My Heart, the Indian-born American author and poet Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni explores issues of family, womanhood, and diasporic experience, constantly affirming and exploring the redemptive power of storytelling. Divakaruni’s first collection of stories, Arranged Marriage, won an American Book Award, a PEN Josephine Miles Award, and a Bay Area Book Reviewers Award. Her novel The Mistress of Spices was released as a film of the same name in 2005. Sister of My Heart was made into a television series... Read Sister of My Heart Summary
Publication year 2017
Genre Novel/Book in Verse, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Apathy, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Gratitude, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Joy, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Mothers, Relationships: Siblings, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Music, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Fame, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Self Discovery, Society: Class, Society: Community, Society: Colonialism, Natural World: Appearance & Reality
Tags Realistic Fiction, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Prose poetry, Free verse, Addiction / Substance Abuse, Music, Modern Classic Fiction