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 2024
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Identity: Language, Identity: Mental Health, Identity: Race, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: Midlife, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Relationships: Family, Society: Class, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2018
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Relationships: Family
Tags Realistic Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Historical Fiction
The House of Broken Angels (2018) is work of contemporary literary fiction by Luis Alberto Urrea. The book was a finalist for the National Book Critics Circle Award. Urrea has received a number of awards for his novels and non-fiction, including a Lannan Literary Award, an Edgar Award, and a Pulitzer Prize for his book The Devil’s Highway. Plot SummaryThe House of Broken Angels takes place in San Diego over the course of two days... Read The House of Broken Angels Summary
Publication year 2023
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Society: Education, Relationships: Mothers, Relationships: Marriage, Society: Class, Identity: Sexuality, Identity: Race, Identity: Femininity, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Emotions/Behavior: Love
Tags Historical Fiction, Romance, Race / Racism, History: World
Publication year 2025
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Identity: Mental Health, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Fame, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Publication year 1851
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed
Tags Classic Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, American Literature, History: World, Historical Fiction, Gothic Literature, Trauma / Abuse / Violence
The House of the Seven Gables (1851) is a novel by American author Nathaniel Hawthorne. With the eponymous New England mansion serving as the novel’s centerpiece, the story charts the fortunes and misfortunes of the Pyncheon family as they navigate the haunting legacy of their family’s violent past. The novel explores the themes The Influence of the Past on the Present, The Complications of Home, and The Legacy of Violence. Like Hawthorne’s earlier novel, The... Read The House of the Seven Gables Summary
Publication year 1982
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Literature, Society: Politics & Government, Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos
Tags Magical Realism, Latin American Literature, Historical Fiction, Auto/Biographical Fiction, History: World, Fantasy
The House of the Spirits (1982) is Chilean writer Isabel Allende’s debut novel. The family saga follows the journey of the Trueba family across three generations. Set in an unnamed Latin American country (widely believed to be Chile), the family’s journey is interwoven with the sociopolitical history of their nation and the events that unfold over the span of half a century.Isabel Allende is one of the world’s most widely read Spanish-language authors. First published... Read The House of the Spirits Summary
Publication year 2023
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Sports
Publication year 2013
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Modern Classic Fiction, Drama / Tragedy
Publication year 2005
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Identity: Indigenous, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Fathers, Society: Colonialism, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice
Tags Historical Fiction, Magical Realism, Latin American Literature
Written by Luis Alberto Urrea in 2005, The Hummingbird’s Daughter is a fictional account of the life of Teresa Urrea, a woman whose mystical powers and religious fervor earned her the reputation of a living saint in the late 1800s and early 1900s. Luis Alberto Urrea is a distant cousin of Teresa and grew up hearing about her. He eventually researched her life through his family connections and the communities that she helped. The novel... Read The Hummingbird's Daughter Summary
Publication year 1831
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Gratitude, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Identity: Disability, Identity: Language, Identity: Sexuality, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship, Society: Class, Society: Community, Society: Education, Society: Nation, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt
Tags Classic Fiction, Historical Fiction, Romance, Gothic Literature, French Literature, History: World
The Hunchback of Notre-Dame is an 1831 gothic novel by French author Victor Hugo, originally published under the title Notre-Dame de Paris. Set in 15th-century France, the novel concerns the intertwined stories of Quasimodo, Esmeralda, and Archdeacon Claude Frollo. The story has been adapted many times for theater, television, and film, including an animated film by Disney released in 1996.This guide refers to the 2009 Oxford Classics edition of the novel, translated from French to... Read The Hunchback of Notre-Dame Summary
Publication year 2019
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Music
Tags Historical Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, WWII / World War II, Military / War, History: World
The Huntress is a historical fiction novel published in 2019 by the American author Kate Quinn. Set in the years before, during, and after World War II, the novel weaves together the stories of three central characters: a Russian pilot in the Soviet Red Army’s all-female bomber unit; an American photographer whose father falls in love with a mysterious Austrian woman; and an English war correspondent committed to exposing Nazi war criminals. According to Washington... Read The Huntress Summary
Publication year 1951
Genre Short Story Collection, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family
Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Fantasy, Classic Fiction
First published in 1951, The Illustrated Man is a collection of 18 short stories of speculative fiction by one of the preeminent American writers of the 20th and 21st centuries: Ray Bradbury. It includes some of his most famous short stories, including “The Veldt” and “Marionettes, Inc.” While the volume received mixed reviews on release, it was nominated for the International Fantasy Award in 1952 and is now widely considered to be a highlight of... Read The Illustrated Man Summary
Publication year 1673
Genre Play, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Fathers
Tags Play: Comedy / Satire, Classic Fiction, French Literature
Le Malade Imaginaire, typically translated as The Imaginary Invalid, opened in Paris in 1673 and was the final play written by the famous French satirist Molière. Molière wrote frequently about doctors, and six of his comedies deal significantly with medical practitioners. The trope of the doctor who is as greedy and as pompous as he is inept—often speaking a jumble of Latin and Greek to prove his intelligence—is a stock character of commedia dell’arte, the... Read The Imaginary Invalid Summary
Publication year 2014
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Identity: Mental Health, Society: War, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Life/Time: The Past
Tags Realistic Fiction, Mental Illness, Military / War, Modern Classic Fiction, Romance
Publication year 2009
Genre Biography, Nonfiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Natural World: Environment, Society: Nation
Tags History: U.S., Crime / Legal, Action / Adventure, Drama / Tragedy, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, History: World, Biography
Publication year 2018
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Gender, Identity: Race, Relationships: Family, Society: Class, Society: Colonialism, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice
Tags History: U.S., Southern Literature, History: World, Historical Fiction, Romance
Publication year 2020
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Win & Lose, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Relationships: Siblings, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Relationships: Family
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Romance, Poverty, Grief / Death, Finance / Money / Wealth, Information Age, Class, Modern Classic Fiction, Fantasy
Publication year 2019
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Friendship, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Relationships: Family, Life/Time: The Future, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance
Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Fantasy, Religion / Spirituality
Critically acclaimed, The Institute (2019) is the 60th entry in Stephen King’s body of more than 100 works. While best known as a horror writer (and one of the most popular writers since the 1970s in general), King dabbles in many genres, including fantasy, mystery, and science fiction—often blurring the boundaries between them. The Institute is more sci-fi thriller than horror, sharing story beats and themes with King’s earlier novels Firestarter and It: It follows... Read The Institute Summary
Publication year 1919
Genre Short Story, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Relationships: Family
Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Education, Education, British Literature, Classic Fiction
“The Interlopers” is one of the best-known short stories by British author Hector Hugh Munro (H. H. Munro), who wrote under the pseudonym Saki. As is typical of the author’s style, the story uses nature to question the morals and manners of humanity, especially of the more elite classes. Saki is also known for his twist endings, of which this story is a prime example. Other works by Saki include “The Open Window” and “The... Read The Interlopers Summary
Publication year 1899
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Relationships: Family, Identity: Mental Health, Life/Time: Coming of Age
Tags Psychology, Science / Nature, Philosophy, History: World, Psychology, Philosophy, Self Help, Classic Fiction
Sigmund Freud's The Interpretation of Dreams is a landmark work in the field of psychoanalysis. First published in 1899, it is one of Freud's most famous and influential books. At its core, the book explores the significance of dreams in revealing the unconscious desires, fears, and conflicts of the individual. Freud argues that dreams are not just random collections of images and sensations, as was commonly held in his day. Neither are they inspirations from... Read The Interpretation of Dreams Summary