The Past

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.

The Pivot Year

by Brianna Wiest

Publication year 2023

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Life/Time: The Future, Life/Time: The Past, Self Discovery

Tags Business / Economics, Inspirational, Psychology, Philosophy, Philosophy, Religion / Spirituality, Self Help, Psychology

... Read The Pivot Year Summary

The Postcard

by Anne Berest

Publication year 2023

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Identity: Mental Health, Identity: Race, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: The Past, Relationships: Mothers, Relationships: Siblings, Society: Community, Society: Immigration, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil

Tags Historical Fiction, WWII / World War II, Holocaust, Jewish Literature, French Literature, Military / War, History: World

... Read The Postcard Summary

The Prince of Los Cocuyos

by Richard Blanco

Publication year 2014

Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction

Themes Life/Time: The Past, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth

Tags LGBTQ, Education, Education, Biography

The Prince of Los Cocuyos: A Miami Childhood is a memoir published in 2014 by Richard Blanco, President Barack Obama’s inaugural poet, whose works include “América” (1998), “The Island Within” (2012), and “One Today” (2013). Blanco describes his childhood living in Miami with parents and grandparents who’d immigrated to America from Cuba. It offers a picture of his family’s nostalgia for Cuba and his simultaneous struggle to relate to a world he’s never seen. His... Read The Prince of Los Cocuyos Summary

The Princess of Las Vegas

by Chris Bohjalian

Publication year 2024

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Mental Health, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: The Past, Relationships: Mothers, Relationships: Siblings, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger

Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction

... Read The Princess of Las Vegas Summary

The Puritan Dilemma: The Story of John Winthrop

by Edmund S. Morgan

Publication year 1958

Genre Biography, Nonfiction

Themes Life/Time: The Past, Society: Community, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality

Tags History: U.S., Religion / Spirituality, Colonial America

The Puritan Dilemma: The Story of John Winthrop (1958) is a work of history by Edmund S. Morgan. The Puritan Dilemma is a biographical study of the first governor of colonial Massachusetts, John Winthrop. Morgan examines Winthrop’s work and life, presenting him as a man of high ideals who understood how to lead as a model of moderation and practical flexibility. Though many Puritans chose to withdraw from the world into little cells of self-righteousness... Read The Puritan Dilemma: The Story of John Winthrop Summary

The Rainbow Comes and Goes

by Anderson Cooper, Gloria Vanderbilt

Publication year 2016

Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction

Themes Relationships: Mothers, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Identity: Sexuality, Life/Time: The Past

Tags Inspirational, History: World, Biography

... Read The Rainbow Comes and Goes Summary

There Are Rivers in the Sky

by Elif Shafak

Publication year 2024

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Identity: Gender, Identity: Language, Identity: Race, Life/Time: The Past, Natural World: Environment, Natural World: Place, Relationships: Family, Self Discovery, Society: Class, Society: Colonialism, Society: Community, Society: Immigration

Tags History: World, Modern Classic Fiction, Literary Fiction

... Read There Are Rivers in the Sky Summary

The Reckoning

by John Grisham

Publication year 2018

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Society: War, Society: Class, Society: Colonialism, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Identity: Race, Identity: Gender, Identity: Mental Health, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Masculinity, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Marriage, Relationships: Mothers, Relationships: Siblings, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: The Past, Society: Nation

Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Historical Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Crime / Legal, Race / Racism, Military / War, History: World

... Read The Reckoning Summary

The Red Wheelbarrow

by William Carlos Williams

Publication year 1923

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Life/Time: The Past, Emotions/Behavior: Memory

Tags Lyric Poem, Science / Nature, American Literature

... Read The Red Wheelbarrow Summary

The Reformatory

by Tananarive Due

Publication year 2023

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Identity: Race, Life/Time: The Past, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice

Tags Historical Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Race / Racism, African American Literature, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, History: World, Religion / Spirituality

... Read The Reformatory Summary

The Remains of the Day

by Kazuo Ishiguro

Publication year 1989

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Society: Class, Self Discovery, Life/Time: Aging, Life/Time: The Past, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Emotions/Behavior: Grief

Tags Historical Fiction, British Literature, History: World, Classic Fiction

The Remains of the Day is a novel by British writer Kazuo Ishiguro. Released in 1989, the novel tells the story of Stevens, who once worked as a butler at a stately home in England. In his old age, he returns to the house and reminisces about his experiences in the 1920-1930s. Most of the novel is told in flashback. The novel was adapted into a critically-acclaimed film of the same name, released in 1993... Read The Remains of the Day Summary

The Rent Collector

by Camron Wright

Publication year 2012

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Life/Time: The Past, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil

Tags Realistic Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, History: World, Historical Fiction

Camron Wright’s The Rent Collector, originally published in 1990, tells the story of Sang Ly, a 29-year-old Cambodian woman who lives at the edge of Cambodia’s infamous dump, Stung Meanchey, with her husband, Ki Lim, and her 16-month-old son, Nisay. The fiction novel addresses such themes as the power of story, the influence of the past, the importance of education, and the balance of good and evil.Sang and Ki work as pickers in the dump... Read The Rent Collector Summary

The Rise of the Roman Empire

by Polybius

Publication year 171

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Life/Time: The Past, Society: Colonialism, Society: Nation, Society: Politics & Government, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Win & Lose

Tags History: European, Politics / Government, Philosophy, Military / War, Ancient Rome, Classical Period

... Read The Rise of the Roman Empire Summary

The Ruins of Gorlan

by John Flanagan

Publication year 2004

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Relationships: Friendship, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Values/Ideas: Fame, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: The Past, Society: Education, Natural World: Animals, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Society: War, Relationships: Fathers, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Values/Ideas: Win & Lose, Society: Nation, Self Discovery

Tags Fantasy, Children's Literature, Action / Adventure, Class

In The Ruins of Gorlan, a Medieval adventure-fantasy novel for middle-grade readers, young Will learns the arts of the secretive Ranger tracker-warriors and defends his kingdom against an evil baron. Released in 2004 by author John Flanagan, The Ruins of Gorlan won multiple awards, spawned the bestselling Ranger Apprentice book series, and has been published in 18 countries. A television adaptation is in the works.Following a long career in advertising, author Flanagan shifted to book... Read The Ruins of Gorlan Summary

The Scarlet Letter

by Nathaniel Hawthorne

Publication year 1850

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Life/Time: The Past

Tags Classic Fiction, Romanticism / Romantic Period, Allegory / Fable / Parable, American Literature, Colonial America, Education, Education, History: World, Historical Fiction

The Scarlet Letter is an 1850 novel by writer Nathaniel Hawthorne. The work, Hawthorne’s first full-length novel, is a classic of the American Romantic era. More specifically, its treatment of topics like sin, insanity, and the occult make it a work of Dark Romanticism—a movement related to the Gothic genre that includes works by Edgar Allan Poe and Herman Melville. The Scarlet Letter is also a piece of historical fiction; it is set in the... Read The Scarlet Letter Summary

The Sentence

by Louise Erdrich

Publication year 2021

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Identity: Race, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: The Future, Life/Time: The Past, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Society: Community, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship

Tags Magical Realism, Fantasy, Social Justice, Historical Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction

... Read The Sentence Summary

The Septembers Of Shiraz

by Dalia Sofer

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

The Sequel

by Jean Hanff Korelitz

Publication year 2024

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: The Past, Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies

Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction

... Read The Sequel Summary