Class

This thematic collection covers texts that investigate the particularly fraught dynamics and divisions of class, including Upton Sinclair's The Jungle and Ernesto Galarza's Barrio Boy.

Publication year 2021

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Society: Class, Emotions/Behavior: Love

Tags Historical Fiction, Romance, Grief / Death, History: World


Publication year 1984

Genre Short Story, Fiction

Themes Life/Time: Coming of Age, Society: Class, Relationships: Friendship

Tags Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Allegory / Fable / Parable

“The Secret Lion” first appeared in Alberto Álvaro Ríos’s first short story collection, The Iguana Killer, published in 1984. Ríos, an Arizona native and distinguished professor at Arizona State University for 35 years, is a poet and author whose works center on his experience growing up Latinx. His work is now largely considered classic Chicano literature. Ríos received the Latino Literary Hall of Fame award for his memoir, Capirotada, and was named Arizona’s inaugural poet... Read The Secret Lion Summary


Publication year 2007

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Art, Life/Time: The Past, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Society: Nation, Emotions/Behavior: Nostalgia

Tags Historical Fiction, History: World, Arts / Culture, Middle Eastern Literature, Realistic Fiction, Auto/Biographical Fiction, Incarceration, History: Middle Eastern, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Politics / Government, Jewish Literature

The Septembers of Shiraz (2007), a novel by Iranian writer Dalia Sofer, recounts the experiences of the Amins, an Iranian Jewish family, during the Iranian Revolution in the late 1970s. The book is closely based on Sofer’s family history: When Sofer was 10, her family fled Iran, crossing the border to Turkey with the help of smugglers. The Septembers of Shiraz depicts the changing atmosphere and events that characterize the treatment of the wealthy class... Read The Septembers Of Shiraz Summary


Publication year 1947

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Society: Class, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Identity: Femininity, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Society: Nation, Values/Ideas: Literature, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos

Tags Historical Fiction, Classic Fiction, Post-War Era, Japanese Literature


Publication year 2019

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Identity: Gender, Identity: Masculinity, Identity: Race, Society: Class, Society: Colonialism, Society: Nation, Society: War

Tags African American Literature, History: World, Historical Fiction, Military / War, History: African


Publication year 2020

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Society: Class, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed

Tags Fantasy, Romance


Publication year 2005

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Society: Education, Identity: Race, Society: Class, Society: Politics & Government

Tags Race / Racism, Politics / Government, Sociology, Social Justice, Poverty, Education, Education, History: World


Publication year 2007

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Society: Economics, Society: Class, Society: Globalization, Society: Politics & Government, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed

Tags Business / Economics, Politics / Government, History: World, Social Justice, Political Science, Philosophy

The Shock Doctrine (2007) is a critique of neoliberalism by Canadian writer and activist Naomi Klein. Klein analyzes the history of neoliberalism and its relationship with crises to argue that neoliberal economics—as promoted by Milton Friedman and his acolytes—exploit and create crises to impose neoliberal policies on unwilling populations through undemocratic means. In Klein’s view, this happens through the mechanism of “shock therapy,” through which nations take advantage of crisis moments to strategically introduce new... Read The Shock Doctrine Summary


Publication year 2014

Genre Biography, Nonfiction

Themes Society: Class, Identity: Race, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship, Society: Community, Society: Education

Tags Race / Racism, Crime / Legal, Sociology

The Short and Tragic Life of Robert Peace (2014) by Jeff Hobbs is a biography that chronicles the life of Rob Peace, a brilliant young Black man. Raised in East Orange, a crime-ridden suburb of Newark, New Jersey, Rob overcame numerous barriers to study biochemistry and molecular biophysics at Yale University. Despite academic success and a seemingly bright future, his life was tragically cut short when he was killed in a drug-related shooting at the... Read The Short and Tragic Life of Robert Peace Summary


Publication year 2017

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Identity: Gender, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Society: Class

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


Publication year 1959

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Relationships: Family

Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Classic Fiction, Humor, Fantasy, American Literature


Publication year 2014

Genre Graphic Novel/Book, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Gender, Life/Time: Aging, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Literature, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed

Tags Fantasy, Fairy Tale / Folklore

The Sleeper and the Spindle is a standalone short story written by English American author Neil Gaiman and illustrated by Chris Riddell. It first appeared unillustrated in the 2013 anthology Rag & Bones: New Twists on Timeless Tales. The story is a loose retelling of Sleeping Beauty, featuring two unnamed female characters who act as reimagined versions of the sleeping princess and of Snow White. It uses classic fairy tale tropes and motifs to upend... Read The Sleeper and the Spindle Summary


Publication year 2013

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Indigenous, Identity: Masculinity, Identity: Race, Life/Time: The Past, Natural World: Environment, Natural World: Place, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Grandparents, Society: Class, Society: Colonialism, Society: Community, Society: Nation, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Win & Lose

Tags Historical Fiction, Western, History: U.S., History: World


Publication year 2021

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Identity: Masculinity, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies

Tags Historical Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, History: World, Romance


Publication year 2024

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Natural World: Flora/plants, Society: Class

Tags Fantasy, Romance, Mystery / Crime Fiction


Publication year 2009

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Society: Class, Society: Community, Society: Economics, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed

Tags Science / Nature, Social Science, Business / Economics, Sociology, Psychology, Psychology, Philosophy, Philosophy, Social Justice, Politics / Government


Publication year 1963

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Society: War, Society: Nation, Society: Class

Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Classic Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Historical Fiction, Cold War

The Spy Who Came in from the Cold is a 1963 novel by John le Carré, the pen name of the English author David Cornwell (1931-2020). Le Carré worked for British Intelligence, including a brief period as a secret agent in Germany. He also began writing novels during this time, and chose a pseudonym to preserve his cover. The Spy Who Came in from the Cold, his third novel, achieved widespread popularity, allowing Le Carré... Read The Spy Who Came in from the Cold Summary


Publication year 1917

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Society: Class, Society: War, Society: Economics, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed

Tags Politics / Government, Philosophy, History: European, Russian Literature, Business / Economics, History: World, Philosophy, Classic Fiction


Publication year 1600

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Identity: Masculinity, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Society: Class

Tags Classic Fiction, Fantasy, Korean Literature, Action / Adventure


Publication year 1927

Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Society: Politics & Government, Society: Colonialism, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Society: Class, Society: Education, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice

Tags Indian Literature, Philosophy, Religion / Spirituality, Politics / Government, History: Asian, History: World, Health / Medicine, Poverty, Military / War, Race / Racism, Relationships, Social Justice

The Story of My Experiments with Truth is the autobiography of Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, more widely known as Mahatma Gandhi. A key political and spiritual leader of India and the Indian independence movement, Gandhi penned this work to narrate his quest for truth and the principles that underpinned his life’s journey. Originally published in 1927, this memoir provides a meticulous account of Gandhi’s spiritual, moral, and political evolution. The literary era in which this was... Read The Story of My Experiments with Truth Summary