The Future

Nobel Prize-winning poet Wislawa Szymborska writes, “When I pronounce the word Future, / the first syllable already belongs to the past." How does our vision of the future impact the way we live now? Do we have any control over what the future holds, or is the future inherently unknowable? In this thematic collection we've gathered texts that address these questions and others as they imagine the future.

Publication year 1971

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Life/Time: Aging, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Natural World: Place, Relationships: Friendship, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Relationships: Mothers, Natural World: Animals, Relationships: Family, Life/Time: The Past, Life/Time: The Future, Society: Education, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Hope

Tags Fantasy, Children's Literature, Classic Fiction, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Action / Adventure, Animals, Technology, Grief / Death, Agriculture, Parenting, Science / Nature, Philosophy, Sociology

Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH is a children’s science fiction novel written in 1971 by Robert C. O’Brien. It tells the story of a field mouse whose son becomes ill as moving day approaches, so she enlists the help of a group of highly intelligent experimental rats for help. Robert C. O’Brien was inspired to write the Rats of NIMH after a visit to the National Institute of Mental Health’s experimental rat compound... Read Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH Summary


Publication year 1807

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Life/Time: Aging, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: The Future, Life/Time: The Past, Natural World: Place, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Self Discovery, Emotions/Behavior: Joy

Tags Lyric Poem, Romanticism / Romantic Period, British Literature, Education, Education, Classic Fiction


Publication year 1998

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Art, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Identity: Gender, Life/Time: The Future, Life/Time: The Past, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Relationships: Teams, Society: Globalization, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality

Tags Historical Fiction, Middle Eastern Literature, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Asian Literature, History: World, Arts / Culture

My Name is Red (originally titled Benim Adim Kirmizi) is a 1998 historical novel by the Nobel Prize winning Turkish author Orhan Pamuk. Set in late-16th century Istanbul, the novel explores cultural tensions stemming from contemporary philosophical understandings of visual art. Told from the viewpoints of many different animate and inanimate characters—including Muslim and Jewish individuals, a corpse, the color red, and paintings of a horse, a devil, and a dog—the novel integrates elements of... Read My Name is Red Summary


Publication year 1890

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Life/Time: The Future, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Beauty

Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Classic Fiction, Politics / Government, Victorian Period, History: World, Philosophy, Philosophy, Victorian Literature / Period

News From Nowhere by William Morris (1834-1896) is a work of speculative science fiction and socialist utopian imagination. The narrator, William Guest, is mysteriously transported from 1890 to the 21st century. As he travels through a version of London that is both familiar and strange, he records his impressions of the socialist society that has come to replace the industrialized, capitalist one of his own time. Through conversations with a number of 21st-century Londoners, Guest... Read News from Nowhere Summary


Publication year 2023

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Natural World: Environment, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Values/Ideas: Fate, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: The Future, Life/Time: The Past, Natural World: Animals, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Natural World: Flora/plants, Natural World: Objects, Natural World: Place, Self Discovery, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger

Tags Historical Fiction, Science / Nature, History: World, Magical Realism


Publication year 1995

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Nostalgia, Life/Time: Aging, Life/Time: Midlife, Life/Time: The Future, Life/Time: The Past, Natural World: Environment, Natural World: Place, Self Discovery, Society: Economics, Society: Globalization, Society: Nation

Tags British Literature, History: World, Travel Literature, Humor, Biography


Publication year 1997

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Life/Time: The Future

Tags Lyric Poem, Post-War Era, Existentialism


Publication year 1768

Genre Poem, Fiction

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

Tags Lyric Poem, Grief / Death, British Literature


Publication year 401

Genre Play, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Life/Time: Aging, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: The Future, Life/Time: The Past, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality

Tags Classical Period, Play: Tragedy, Mythology, Ancient Greece

Oedipus at Colonus is an ancient Athenian tragedy composed by Sophocles in (it is widely believed) the last year of his life, approximately 406 BC. His grandson, who was named Sophocles after him, first produced the play in 401 BC at the Festival of Dionysus, also known as the Great Dionysia. Along with Oedipus Rex and Antigone, it is one of three surviving tragedies by Sophocles, known as the Theban plays, that retell episodes from... Read Oedipus at Colonus Summary


Publication year 2009

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Nostalgia, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: Midlife, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: The Future, Life/Time: The Past, Relationships: Marriage, Values/Ideas: Fate

Tags Romance, Play: Drama, British Literature, Modern Classic Fiction, Drama / Tragedy


Publication year 2021

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Life/Time: The Future, Life/Time: The Past, Identity: Sexuality, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Identity: Gender

Tags Romance, LGBTQ, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Humor, Magical Realism, Modern Classic Fiction


Publication year 2023

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Life/Time: The Future, Life/Time: The Past

Tags Romance, Southern Literature, Drama / Tragedy, Trauma / Abuse / Violence


Publication year 2013

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Identity: Language, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Life/Time: The Future, Life/Time: The Past, Society: Community, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Equality

Tags LGBTQ, Politics / Government, Immigration / Refugee


Publication year 49

Genre Essay / Speech, Nonfiction

Themes Life/Time: The Past, Life/Time: The Future, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Natural World: Nurture v. Nature

Tags Classical Period, Philosophy, Ancient Rome, History: World, Psychology, Psychology, Philosophy, Self Help, Classic Fiction, Religion / Spirituality


Publication year 2025

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Sexuality, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: The Future, Life/Time: The Past, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Siblings, Relationships: Teams, Self Discovery, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt

Tags Fantasy, Romance, New Adult


Publication year 2020

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Joy, Self Discovery, Life/Time: The Future, Relationships: Mothers

Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Fantasy, Magical Realism, Modern Classic Fiction


Publication year 2000

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Apathy, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Life/Time: The Future, Society: Politics & Government, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology

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

Origin, by mystery/thriller author Dan Brown, is the fifth novel in the Robert Langdon series. Published in 2017, the novel extends the style, content, and subject matter established in prior books in the series. Origin deals heavily with the conflict between science and religion, as well as conservatism and liberalism in modern Spain. The novel also explores the role of technology in the evolution of humanity and what technology lends to the future. Brown is... Read Origin Summary


Publication year 2012

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Marriage, Identity: Mental Health, Life/Time: The Future

Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Fantasy

Pines is the first book in Blake Crouch’s Wayward Pines trilogy. Published in 2012 by Thomas & Mercer, it was quickly followed by Wayward in 2013 and then the final book in the series, The Last Town, in 2014. The trilogy has attracted acclaim for its genre-bending combination of science fiction and action thriller, with the protagonist, Ethan Burke, using his Secret Service skills to solve the mystery of the strangely idyllic Wayward Pines. In... Read Pines Summary


Publication year 2004

Genre Biography, Nonfiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Identity: Race, Life/Time: The Future, Life/Time: The Past, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Teams, Self Discovery, Society: Colonialism, Society: Community, Society: Nation, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Fame, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Win & Lose

Tags Biography, African American Literature, Sports, History: U.S.


Publication year 2024

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: The Future, Relationships: Family, Self Discovery