The titles in this Collection examine the concept of social equality through a broad array of literary genres and forms. These curated selections represent a diversity of voices and perspectives that examine social disparities through the lenses of gender, race, socioeconomics, and other factors.
Publication year 1994
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Race, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Equality
Tags Historical Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Race / Racism, History: World, Romance, Classic Fiction
David Guterson’s Snow Falling on Cedars (1994) explores the murder trial of Kabuo Miyamoto, a fictional Japanese American man accused of killing his white neighbor over a land dispute. The novel is set in the decade following World War II, and post-war racial tensions linger. Racism and discrimination toward Japanese Americans feature prominently, as the novel’s central community has a large Japanese American population. The novel delves into the complex relationships between the defendant, his... Read Snow Falling on Cedars Summary
Publication year 2024
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Joy, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Gender, Natural World: Place, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Marriage, Self Discovery, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger
Tags Fantasy, LGBTQ, Romance, Magical Realism
Publication year 2021
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Fame, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Values/Ideas: Equality, Relationships: Family
Tags Sports, Historical Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Poverty, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 1986
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Natural World: Space & The Universe, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Life/Time: The Future, Natural World: Environment, Relationships: Family, Society: Colonialism, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice
Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Fantasy, Action / Adventure
Speaker for the Dead (1986) is the second book in the Ender sextet written by Orson Scott Card. Card is a renowned American science fiction author and has won numerous awards for his writing, including four for Speaker of the Dead—the Hugo Award for Best Novel, the Nebula Award for Best Novel, the Science Fiction Chronicle Reader Award for Best Novel, and the Locus Award for Best Science Fiction Novel.Speaker for the Dead is set... Read Speaker for the Dead Summary
Publication year 2022
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Femininity, Relationships: Family, Identity: Masculinity, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Relationships: Mothers, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Equality, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride
Tags Mythology, Fantasy, Historical Fiction, Gender / Feminism, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, History: World
Publication year 1993
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Friendship, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Equality, Emotions/Behavior: Apathy, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Identity: Mental Health, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Relationships: Family, Self Discovery, Society: Class, Society: Community, Society: Economics, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Action / Adventure
Publication year 2019
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Identity: Race, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice
Tags History: U.S., Race / Racism, Politics / Government, Social Justice, History: World
Publication year 1989
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Identity: Language, Identity: Race, Society: Immigration, Society: Nation, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice
Tags History: U.S., History: Asian, Race / Racism, Immigration / Refugee, Education, Education, Asian Literature, Sociology, History: World, Chinese Literature
Strangers from a Different Shore: A History of Asian Americans is a 1989 book by American historian Ronald Takaki. Takaki analyzes the long and diverse history of Asians in America, explaining the personal and economic circumstances that prompted their immigration, and recounting their myriad experiences in their new country. Takaki argues that, traditionally, historians’ Eurocentric histories have neglected to analyze and explain Asian Americans’ role in American history. This has led to a distorted perception... Read Strangers from a Different Shore Summary
Publication year 2016
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Natural World: Climate, Natural World: Environment, Natural World: Place, Society: Class, Society: Community, Society: Economics, Society: Nation, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Equality
Tags Sociology, Politics / Government, History: U.S., American Literature, Social Science, Business / Economics, History: World, Social Justice
Strangers in Their Own Land: Anger and Mourning on the American Right (2016) is an in-depth exploration of the rise of the Tea Party movement in Louisiana by sociologist Arlie Russell Hochschild. In an effort to understand the Tea Party and bolster her empathy for political opinions oppositional to her own, Hochschild spent five years getting to know residents and conducting interviews in and around Lake Charles, Louisiana. Hochschild argues that by understanding one another’s... Read Strangers in Their Own Land Summary
Publication year 2013
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Equality, Identity: Race
Tags Historical Fiction, Realistic Fiction, Diversity, Race / Racism, History: U.S., Reconstruction Era, Children's Literature, History: World, Arts / Culture
Publication year 2025
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Identity: Gender, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Mothers, Self Discovery, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt
Tags Romance
Publication year 2011
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Society: Education, Identity: Race, Relationships: Friendship, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Mothers, Relationships: Siblings, Society: Class, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice
Tags Historical Fiction, Social Justice, WWII / World War II, Children's Literature, Military / War, History: World, Arts / Culture
Publication year 2023
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Race, Values/Ideas: Music, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, History: World, Historical Fiction, Music
Publication year 2021
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Society: Community, Relationships: Friendship, Identity: Race, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Relationships: Family
Tags Realistic Fiction, Social Justice, Children's Literature, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 1995
Genre Essay / Speech, Nonfiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Literature, Values/Ideas: Equality, Society: Nation
Tags Arts / Culture, American Literature, Social Justice
Publication year 2007
Genre Collection of Letters, Nonfiction
Themes Identity: Race, Identity: Femininity, Self Discovery, Society: Education, Values/Ideas: Equality, Society: Community, Society: Politics & Government, Society: Colonialism
Tags Race / Racism, Education, Gender / Feminism, Politics / Government, Leadership/Organization/Management, Education, Philosophy, Philosophy, Social Justice
Publication year 2021
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Identity: Race, Values/Ideas: Equality, Identity: Language
Tags Race / Racism, Social Justice, Politics / Government
Publication year 2011
Genre Biography, Nonfiction
Themes Identity: Disability, Natural World: Animals, Values/Ideas: Equality
Tags Disability, Animals, Inspirational, Agriculture, Children's Literature, Science / Nature, Biography
Author and naturalist Sy Montgomery’s Temple Grandin: How the Girl Who Loved Cows Embraced Autism and Changed the World (2012) is a biography of the animal behaviorist, animal rights advocate, and autism activism Temple Grandin. The biography is intended for young adult readers and discusses Grandin’s life from early childhood to the present day. It explores the challenges she faced with autism, the development of her creativity and her passion for animals, and the persistence... Read Temple Grandin Summary
Publication year 2017
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Equality, Society: Class, Natural World: Animals, Natural World: Food, Natural World: Appearance & Reality
Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Gender / Feminism
Socialism: Utopian and Scientific
by Friedrich Engels
Publication year 1880
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Society: Economics, Values/Ideas: Equality
Tags Politics / Government, Philosophy, History: European, Business / Economics, Sociology, History: World, Philosophy, Classic Fiction
... Read Socialism: Utopian and Scientific Summary