Leo Tolstoy famously begins the novel Anna Karenina with the sentence: "All happy families are alike; each unhappy family is unhappy in its own way." In this thematic collection, we have gathered noteworthy texts that navigate the joyous and sorrowful emotional terrain of the family unit.
Publication year 2007
Genre Short Story, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Identity: Gender, Identity: Race, Emotions/Behavior: Memory
Publication year 2021
Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Values/Ideas: Fame, Self Discovery, Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance
Tags Music, Arts / Culture, Creative Nonfiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Biography, Self Help
Publication year 1919
Genre Short Story Collection, Fiction
Themes Society: Community, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Natural World: Place, Relationships: Family, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality
Tags Classic Fiction, American Literature, Modernism, History: U.S., History: World
Originally published in 1919, Winesburg, Ohio: A Group of Tales of Ohio Small Town Life, is a short story cycle by American author Sherwood Anderson. Anderson drew inspiration from the Ohio town of Clyde, where he spent his childhood. By the late 20th century, many scholars considered Winesburg, Ohio a seminal text of American Modernist literature.Winesburg, Ohio focuses on the people who inhabit the eponymous town at the dawn of the Industrial Revolution. Among them... Read Winesburg, Ohio Summary
Publication year 2010
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Society: War, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Mothers, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Life/Time: The Past, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance
Tags Historical Fiction, Romance, WWII / World War II, Russian Literature, Modern Classic Fiction, History: World
Publication year 2009
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Mental Health, Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Mothers, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Natural World: Food, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Relationships: Fathers, Natural World: Appearance & Reality
Tags Realistic Fiction, Mental Illness, Grief / Death, Depression / Suicide, Modern Classic Fiction
Wintergirls is a young-adult novel by Laurie Halse Anderson published in 2009 by Penguin Books. Wintergirls is the winner of the 2010 Milwaukee County Teen Book Award and has received several other award nominations. Wintergirls follows the mental health journey of Lia Overbrook as she attempts recovery from anorexia, depression, and other mental health issues. Lia spends the weeks during Thanksgiving and Christmas struggling to gain closure over her former best friend Cassie’s death. Lia... Read Wintergirls Summary
Publication year 2016
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship, Society: Community, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Identity: Disability
Tags Realistic Fiction, Animals, Bullying, Children's Literature
Publication year 2000
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Relationships: Family
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, History: World, Drama / Tragedy, Historical Fiction
Wish You Well (October 2000) is a semi-autobiographical novel by crime writer David Baldacci. The book falls into the categories of Family Saga, Coming of Age Fiction, and Historical Mystery and is a departure from Baldacci’s thrillers, which he is primarily known for. Baldacci is the author of more than 40 novels, most of which became international bestsellers. Several have also been adapted for film. His first book, Absolute Power (1996), was adapted into a... Read Wish You Well Summary
Publication year 2024
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Marriage, Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Life/Time: The Past
Tags Irish Literature, Literary Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2017
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Identity: Mental Health, Identity: Sexuality, Relationships: Mothers
Tags Romance, Mental Illness, Modern Classic Fiction, Drama / Tragedy
Publication year 2019
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family
Tags Realistic Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Romance, Food
With the Fire on High is a 2019 young adult coming-of-age novel by Dominican American author Elizabeth Acevedo, who won a National Book Award for her 2018 young adult novel, The Poet X. It tells the story of Emoni Santiago, a teenage mother of Puerto Rican descent, and her senior year at a Philadelphia high school. The novel focuses on Emoni’s enrollment in a culinary arts class and her subsequent journey of self-discovery. With the... Read With the Fire on High Summary
Publication year 2022
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Race, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Relationships: Mothers, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger
Tags Historical Fiction, Western, Magical Realism, History: World
Publication year 2022
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Art, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Relationships: Family
Tags Historical Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, WWII / World War II, Modern Classic Fiction, History: World, Arts / Culture
Publication year 2012
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Disability, Relationships: Family
Tags Realistic Fiction, Bullying, Children's Literature, Disability, Education, Education, Modern Classic Fiction
Wonder is a middle-grade novel written by R.J. Palacio and published in 2012 by Alfred A. Knopf. The novel is a #1 New York Times Bestseller and also a major motion picture. Though multiple narrators tell the tale, the plot centers around August “Auggie” Pullman, a 10-year-old kid who has a genetic condition called mandibulofacial dysostosis that has left his face misshapen. People stare and judge him by his looks, but Auggie tries not to... Read Wonder Summary
Publication year 2016
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear
Tags Fantasy, Animals, Action / Adventure, Humor, Children's Literature
Publication year 2019
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Language, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Society: Education, Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance
Tags Historical Fiction, Action / Adventure, Children's Literature, Military / War, History: World
Publication year 2024
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Teams, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology
Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2023
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Relationships: Friendship, Values/Ideas: Music, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Self Discovery
Tags Romance, Holidays & Occasions
Publication year 2022
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family
Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Relationships
Publication year 1991
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Natural World: Space & The Universe, Relationships: Family
Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Fantasy, Politics / Government
Xenocide is the third book in Orson Scott Card’s Ender’s Game saga and is preceded by Ender’s Game and Speaker for the Dead. The series is best classified as dystopian science fiction; Ender’s Game, which has been adapted to film, is the most popular volume. Xenocide is set on two planets. The first, Lusitania, is inhabited by the Pequeninos and the descolada virus that is crucial to their life cycle but deadly to other species;... Read Xenocide Summary
Publication year 2017
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Identity: Race, Relationships: Mothers, Relationships: Siblings, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Self Discovery, Identity: Femininity, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality
Tags Historical Fiction, Romance, Realistic Fiction, Immigration / Refugee, Modern Classic Fiction, History: World, Indian Literature