In George Orwell's 1984 a character says, "Who controls the past controls the future. Who controls the present controls the past." The past may be behind us, but its events—and how we remember them—have a profound effect on the present. In this collection explore texts that examine the complications and complexities of the past.
Publication year 2017
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Life/Time: The Past, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Publication year 1992
Genre Short Story Collection, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Apathy, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Identity: Masculinity, Identity: Mental Health, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: The Future, Life/Time: The Past, Relationships: Friendship, Self Discovery, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger
Tags Addiction / Substance Abuse, American Literature, Modern Classic Fiction, History: World, Classic Fiction
Jesus’ Son (1992) is a collection of short fiction by American writer Denis Johnson, published by Farrar, Strauss, & Giroux. It explores themes of The Slipperiness of Time, Substance Use Disorder, and Violence as Inevitability. In the form of a short story cycle, each of the 11 stories of Jesus’ Son is narrated by the same protagonist, who has a substance use disorder and is referred to in the narrative as “Fuckhead”. The book takes... Read Jesus' Son Summary
Publication year 2025
Genre Biography, Nonfiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Joy, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Identity: Mental Health, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: The Future, Life/Time: The Past, Natural World: Place, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Mothers, Relationships: Teams, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Fame, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Music, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos
Publication year 2023
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Life/Time: The Future, Identity: Gender, Life/Time: The Past, Self Discovery, Society: Economics, Society: Politics & Government
Tags Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2019
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Identity: Mental Health, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: The Past, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Marriage, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction
Publication year 2023
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Identity: Gender, Identity: Indigenous, Identity: Mental Health, Identity: Race, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: The Past, Society: Colonialism, Society: Community, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger
Tags History: U.S.
Publication year 1979
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Race, Life/Time: The Past, Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Fate
Tags Historical Fiction, African American Literature, Afrofuturism, American Literature, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Race / Racism, History: World, Fantasy, Classic Fiction
The 1979 novel Kindred was written by Octavia E. Butler, a Black author from California who wrote science fiction that challenged white hegemony. The novel tells the story of Edana “Dana” Franklin, a young Black woman in 1976 whose connection to a young white boy named Rufus Weylin allows her to time travel to 1800s Maryland. As she jumps between 1976 and the 1800s, she learns how she and Rufus are connected, and she must survive... Read Kindred Summary
Publication year 2021
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Values/Ideas: Fate, Society: War, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Life/Time: The Past, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Marriage, Self Discovery, Society: Nation, Society: Politics & Government
Tags Fantasy, Romance
Publication year 2024
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Life/Time: The Past, Relationships: Family, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt
Tags Romance, Modern Classic Fiction, Fantasy
Publication year 2021
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: The Past
Tags Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Historical Fiction, Race / Racism, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, History: U.S., Diversity, African American Literature, Gender / Feminism, History: World
Publication year 2024
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Life/Time: The Past, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Relationships: Marriage, Relationships: Mothers, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Psychological Fiction, Drama / Tragedy
Publication year 1997
Genre Biography, Nonfiction
Themes Identity: Gender, Identity: Masculinity, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Identity: Femininity, Life/Time: The Past, Self Discovery, Society: Colonialism, Society: Immigration
Tags Memoir / Autobiography, Historical Nonfiction, History, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Education, Education, History: World, LGBTQ, Classic Fiction, Biography
Publication year 1900
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Values/Ideas: Equality, Emotions/Behavior: Joy, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Society: Nation, Life/Time: The Past, Life/Time: The Future, Identity: Race, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance
Tags Lyric Poem, Inspirational, African American Literature, American Literature, Race / Racism, Religion / Spirituality, Civil Rights / Jim Crow, History: U.S.
Publication year 2024
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Gender, Identity: Mental Health, Life/Time: The Past, Relationships: Mothers, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal
Publication year 1942
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: The Past, Life/Time: The Future, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality
Tags Lyric Poem, Religion / Spirituality
Publication year 1989
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Society: Education, Life/Time: The Past, Identity: Language
Tags Education, Education, Social Justice
Lives on the Boundary is a nonfiction book by Mike Rose, Professor of Social Research Methodology in the UCLA Graduate School of Education and Information Studies. The book tackles the problem of how low-performing students get left behind by the American education system. Originally published in 1989, Rose combines memoir, academic analysis, and social treatise to expose the failings of the current educational system and challenge the stereotypes that label remedial learners as incapable, unintelligent... Read Lives On The Boundary Summary
Publication year 1738
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Natural World: Place, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Society: Nation, Life/Time: The Past, Emotions/Behavior: Nostalgia, Emotions/Behavior: Grief
Tags Satire, Poetry: Dramatic Poem, Age of Enlightenment, Neoclassical, British Literature, Finance / Money / Wealth, History: European, Politics / Government
Publication year 2021
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Race, Life/Time: The Past, Relationships: Family
Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Fantasy, Magical Realism, Race / Racism, Historical Fiction
Publication year 2013
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: The Past, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Regret
Tags Romance, Drama / Tragedy, Sociology, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2022
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Identity: Mental Health, Life/Time: The Future, Life/Time: The Past, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Marriage, Relationships: Mothers, Relationships: Siblings, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Romance, Modern Classic Fiction, Contemporary Literature