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 2019
Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction
Themes Life/Time: Coming of Age, Identity: Race, Society: Colonialism, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice
Tags Children's Literature, Education, Education, History: World, Biography, Humor, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, History: African , Social Justice
Publication year 1978
Genre Biography, Nonfiction
Themes Identity: Race, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Society: Politics & Government, Society: Community, Society: Colonialism
Tags Race / Racism, History: African , Politics / Government, Social Justice, Philosophy, Philosophy, History: World, Biography
Publication year 2020
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Nostalgia, Identity: Masculinity, Identity: Race, Identity: Sexuality, Relationships: Family, Society: Class, Society: Colonialism, Society: Community, Society: Nation, Society: Politics & Government, Society: War, 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: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Win & Lose
Publication year 1932
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Apathy, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Mental Health, Identity: Race, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Society: Class, Society: Colonialism, Society: War
Tags French Literature, Philosophy, Auto/Biographical Fiction, WWI / World War I, Modernism, The Lost Generation
Journey to the End of the Night is a modernist novel by Louis-Ferdinand Céline, first published in the French language in 1932 by Parisian publishing house Éditions Denoël et Steele. It is a semi-autobiographical work centered on the life and travels of cynical antihero Ferdinand Bardamu, set over several decades of Bardamu’s life, beginning at the outbreak of World War I. The novel became influential in the development of post–WWI literary modernism, but like many... Read Journey to the End of the Night Summary
Publication year 1981
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Equality, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Identity: Race, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Marriage, Society: Class, Society: Colonialism, Society: Community, Society: Nation, Society: Politics & Government, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Historical Fiction, Race / Racism, Military / War, African Literature
July’s People, a 1981 dystopian novel by South African author Nadine Gordimer, imagines the aftermath of a bloody uprising that topples South Africa’s notorious, white-ruled apartheid regime. Her novel, which follows a white family’s desperate flight from Johannesburg, traces the complex interdependencies of white and Black South Africans, revealing the insidiousness of the regime’s racial disparities and mindsets, even among liberal, well-meaning white people. Through the lens of this hypothetical future, Gordimer’s novel explores racial... Read July's People Summary
Publication year 1994
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Indigenous, Natural World: Environment, Society: Colonialism
Tags Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Education, Education, Modern Classic Fiction, Historical Fiction, Philosophy, Philosophy
Publication year 2021
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Identity: Indigenous, Relationships: Family, Society: Colonialism, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, History: World
Publication year 2013
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Society: Colonialism, Society: Nation, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal
Tags Religion / Spirituality, Biography, History: World, Christian literature
Publication year 1995
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Identity: Gender, Identity: Race, Society: Class, Society: Colonialism, Society: Politics & Government
Tags Race / Racism, Social Justice, Politics / Government, Gender / Feminism, Sociology, History: World, Philosophy, Philosophy
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 1901
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Society: Colonialism, Identity: Race, Society: Community, Relationships: Friendship
Tags Historical Fiction, Classic Fiction, Action / Adventure, British Literature, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, History: World, Indian Literature
Kim is a novel by the prolific author and poet Rudyard Kipling (1865-1936), who was the first English-language recipient of the Nobel Prize for Literature. The novel was originally released in a serialized version in 1900-1901, after which it was published in book form. It offers a wide-ranging view of the cultural and religious diversity of British India in the late-19th century, as perceived through the experience of an Indian-enculturated Irish boy named Kim. Along... Read Kim Summary
Publication year 2005
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Society: Community, Society: Immigration, Society: Nation, Society: Politics & Government, Society: War, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Society: Colonialism
Tags Creative Nonfiction, American Revolution, Children's Literature, Education, Education, History: U.S., Military / War, History: World
Publication year 1998
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Society: Colonialism
Tags Colonialism / Postcolonialism, History: European, History: World, Race / Racism, Politics / Government, Biography
Adam Hochschild’s King Leopold’s Ghost offers a substantial overview of the period from 1895 until 1908 when King Leopold II of Belgium ruled the Congo—or at least the very large territory around the Congo River basin that he claimed as his own. The book also addresses the years leading up to Leopold’s acquisition of the Congo and those following the colony’s transfer to the control of the Belgian government. Though much of the book is devoted... Read King Leopold's Ghost Summary
Publication year 1998
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Relationships: Family, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Society: Colonialism
Tags Realistic Fiction, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Animals, Love / Sexuality, LGBTQ, History: World, Historical Fiction, Canadian Literature
Publication year 2000
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Natural World: Environment, Natural World: Climate, Society: Colonialism, Society: Economics
Tags History: World, Politics / Government, Business / Economics, Science / Nature, Sociology, Indian Literature, Chinese Literature
Publication year 2021
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Identity: Mental Health, Emotions/Behavior: Apathy, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Society: Colonialism, Society: Economics, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Leadership/Organization/Management, Psychology, Philosophy, Mental Illness, Psychology, Self Help, Philosophy, Sociology, Health / Medicine, Health
Publication year 2011
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Society: Nation, Society: Politics & Government, Society: Colonialism
Tags History: U.S., American Revolution, Politics / Government, Military / War, American Literature, History: World
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 1833
Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction
Themes Identity: Indigenous, Society: War, Society: Colonialism
Tags History: U.S., Military / War, History: World, Classic Fiction, Biography
Publication year 1865
Genre Essay / Speech, Nonfiction
Themes Society: Nation, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Identity: Race, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Society: Colonialism, Society: Politics & Government, Society: War
Tags History: U.S., Politics / Government, Military / War, American Civil War, American Literature, History: World, Classic Fiction