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 2024
Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Identity: Masculinity, Identity: Mental Health, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: The Past, Relationships: Friendship, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal
Tags Self Help, Biography, Psychology
Publication year 1982
Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction
Themes Life/Time: The Past
Tags History: U.S., Great Depression, Journalism, History: World, Humor, Classic Fiction, Biography
Russell Baker (b. August 14, 1925) is an American newspaper columnist, humorist, political satirist, and author. He earned a B.A. from Johns Hopkins in 1947 and began his career at the Baltimore Sun as a police reporter. He was a columnist at the New York Times from 1962 to 1998 and host of PBS’s Masterpiece Theatre from 1992 to 2004.His Pulitzer Prize-winning memoir, Growing Up (1982), recounts his childhood and adolescence during the Great Depression... Read Growing Up Summary
Publication year 2002
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Society: War, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Relationships: Family, Life/Time: The Past
Tags Holocaust, WWII / World War II, Jewish Literature, Children's Literature, Military / War, History: World, Biography
Originally published in 2002 by Second Story Press, Hana’s Suitcase is a historical text by Karen Levine that weaves together the story of two young children in the Holocaust with the narrative of a Japanese museum curator in the early 21st century. Levine, a radio journalist and producer, first heard about Hana Brady’s suitcase from a news article and subsequently produced a radio show about the story. This launched what would become Hana’s Suitcase and... Read Hana's Suitcase Summary
Publication year 1998
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: The Past, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Adoption, Relationships, Parenting
Publication year 2022
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Identity: Sexuality, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: The Past, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Relationships: Teams, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Fantasy, Romance, Historical Fiction, LGBTQ, Chinese Literature
Publication year -600
Genre Scripture, Nonfiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Life/Time: The Future, Life/Time: The Past, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Marriage, Society: Community, Society: Immigration, Society: Nation, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos
Tags Religion / Spirituality, Philosophy, Jewish Literature
The Hebrew Bible is the standard canon of Jewish sacred texts, composed in a period that falls across the second and first millennia BCE. It is also referred to as the Tanakh, an acrostic portmanteau of the three major sections of the Hebrew Bible: the Torah (“teaching”), the Nevi’im (“prophets”), and the Ketuvim (“writings”). The Hebrew Bible is a collection of 24 major texts, in which there are 39 books. These 39 books correspond to... Read Hebrew Bible Summary
Publication year 2023
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: The Future, Life/Time: The Past, Relationships: Family, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Music, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology
Tags Military / War, History: World, Literary Fiction, Historical Nonfiction
Publication year 2014
Genre Graphic Novel/Book, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Art, Natural World: Place, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Natural World: Environment, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Joy, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Indigenous, Life/Time: Aging, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: The Future, Life/Time: The Past, Natural World: Climate, Natural World: Objects, Natural World: Space & The Universe, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Mothers, Values/Ideas: Beauty
Tags Historical Fiction, Drama / Tragedy, History: World, Arts / Culture
Here by Richard McGuire is a graphic novel published on December 4, 2014, by Pantheon Books. The graphic novel focuses on the same corner of a room over billions of years. It depicts the area long before the house is built and long after it falls. By using different visual styles, overlapping panels, and non-chronological narration, McGuire creates a narrative that comments on the nature of time and life. Here is considered a transformative work... Read Here Summary
Publication year 1948
Genre Essay / Speech, Nonfiction
Themes Society: Community, Life/Time: The Past, Natural World: Place, Natural World: Environment
Tags Travel Literature, History: U.S., Urban Development, Creative Nonfiction, American Literature, History: World, Classic Fiction
Publication year 1984
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Natural World: Space & The Universe, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Life/Time: The Future, Life/Time: The Past
Tags Classic Fiction, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Fantasy
Publication year 2000
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Nostalgia, Identity: Race, Life/Time: The Past
Tags Lyric Poem, Race / Racism, Civil Rights / Jim Crow, History: U.S.
Publication year 1998
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Fate, Relationships: Friendship, Life/Time: The Past
Tags Action / Adventure, Realistic Fiction, Children's Literature, Education, Education, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Classic Fiction
Louis Sachar’s 1998 children’s mystery novel, Holes, tells the story of Stanley Yelnats, a 14-year-old boy accused of stealing a pair of shoes. A judge sentences him to 18 months in a camp, where a tyrannical warden has the boys digging five-foot by five-foot holes that appear random. However, their activity hints at the town’s complicated past and an outlaw’s lost treasure. The novel was awarded the 1998 National Book Award and the 1999 Newbery... Read Holes Summary
Publication year 2023
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Life/Time: The Past, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Grandparents, Relationships: Mothers, Values/Ideas: Literature, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Historical Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Holidays & Occasions
Publication year 2024
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: The Past, Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt
Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2025
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Life/Time: The Past, Natural World: Place, Relationships: Mothers, Society: War
Tags Historical Fiction, Asian Literature
Publication year 1986
Genre Essay / Speech, Nonfiction
Themes Society: War, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Life/Time: The Past
Tags Holocaust, Religion / Spirituality
Publication year 2022
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Art, Natural World: Animals, Life/Time: The Past
Tags Historical Fiction, Animals, Race / Racism, American Civil War, Sports, History: World, Arts / Culture
Publication year 1863
Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction
Themes Identity: Gender, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Race, Life/Time: The Past, Society: Community, Society: War
Tags Military / War, American Civil War, History: U.S.
Publication year 2023
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Gender, Identity: Masculinity, Identity: Sexuality, Life/Time: The Past, Natural World: Animals, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Natural World: Flora/plants, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Mothers, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Fantasy, Romance, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Fairy Tale / Folklore, Religion / Spirituality
Publication year 2022
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Society: Community, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Life/Time: The Future, Life/Time: The Past, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Nostalgia, Natural World: Climate, Natural World: Space & The Universe, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship
Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Fantasy, Grief / Death, Climate Change, Technology