Family

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 2009

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Society: Immigration, Emotions/Behavior: Nostalgia, Relationships: Family

Tags Romance, Historical Fiction, Irish Literature, American Literature, History: World

Brooklyn is a 2009 historical fiction novel written by Colm Tóibín. The book follows Eilis Lacey as she emigrates from Ireland to Brooklyn in the 1950s, finding a job in a department store and falling in love with a young Italian man named Tony. Despite her new life in Brooklyn, Eilis makes a return to Enniscorthy, the same town Colm Tóibín was born and raised in, when her older sister Rose dies. While there, she... Read Brooklyn Summary


Publication year 2015

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice


Publication year 2017

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Relationships: Siblings, Identity: Race

Tags Race / Racism, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Modern Classic Fiction, Canadian Literature


Publication year 2007

Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction

Themes Society: Immigration, Relationships: Family

Tags Immigration / Refugee, Afro-Caribbean Literature, Education, Education, History: World, Biography

Brother I’m Dying is a family memoir by Haitian-American writer Edwidge Danticat, originally published in the United States in 2007. Alternating between the author’s past in Haiti and present in the US, this memoir combines personal histories with sociopolitical contextualization to pay homage to Danticat’s father and uncle as well as give voice to Haitian people in their struggle for a peaceful life. The book won the National Book Critics Circle Award, was a finalist... Read Brother, I'm Dying Summary


Publication year 2023

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Nostalgia, Relationships: Family, Society: Community, Society: Nation, Society: Politics & Government, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Literature

Tags History: World, Military / War, Historical Fiction


Publication year 2014

Genre Novel/Book in Verse, Nonfiction

Themes Identity: Race, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Relationships: Family

Tags Race / Racism, Narrative / Epic Poem, Auto/Biographical Fiction, Children's Literature, Biography

Brown Girl Dreaming (2014) is a memoir in verse by Jacqueline Woodson, a children’s and young adult fiction writer. Published by Nancy Paulsen Books, a division of the Penguin Group, the memoir won the National Book Award, the Newberry Honor Book Award, and the Coretta Scott King Award.Plot SummaryBrown Girl Dreaming covers Woodson’s childhood, detailing her family history and her beginnings as a writer. Woodson was born in Columbus, Ohio, on February 12, 1963, the... Read Brown Girl Dreaming Summary


Publication year 2010

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Family, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Marriage, Relationships: Siblings, Self Discovery

Tags Fantasy, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Realistic Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Romance, Religion / Spirituality

Bruiser by Neal Shusterman, first published in 2010, is a young adult novel. It explores the life of Brewster “Bruiser” Rawlins, a high school student who has the ability to take pain away from those he cares about. Through his supernatural ability, the novel explores themes of Finding Emotional Balance, The Complications of Empathy, and The Dangers of Excessive Dependence on Others. Shusterman is the author of dozens of young adult novels, short stories, and works... Read Bruiser Summary


Publication year 1901

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Identity: Masculinity, Identity: Mental Health, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Relationships: Marriage, Society: Economics, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed

Tags Classic Fiction, Historical Fiction, German Literature, History: World, Classical Period

Thomas Mann’s novel Buddenbrooks: The Decline of a Family was first published in 1901 and came to be recognized as a monumental work in the canon of modern literature. Thomas Mann (1875­–1955) was a German novelist and recipient of the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1929 for his novels, Buddenbrooks and The Magic Mountain. Mann draws on his own family history to craft Buddenbrooks’ narrative, demonstrating profound understanding of societal and familial dynamics in the... Read Buddenbrooks Summary


Publication year 2013

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies

Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, History: World, Historical Fiction

Burial Rites is a 2013 novel by Australian author Hannah Kent. Based on the true story of the last woman to be publicly executed in Iceland, Burial Rites tells the story of Agnes Magnusdottir, a servant who is sentenced to death for the murder of two men, one of whom was her employer and lover. Two teenagers, Fridrik Sigurdsson and Sigridir Gudmundsdottir, are accused of aiding in the murders. While awaiting execution, she is placed... Read Burial Rites Summary


Publication year 2006

Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction

Themes Identity: Sexuality, Relationships: Family, Society: Immigration

Tags LGBTQ, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Immigration / Refugee, Biography


Publication year 2019

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family

Tags Historical Fiction, Immigration / Refugee, Vietnam War, Asian Literature, Military / War, Realistic Fiction, Asian Literature, History: World


Publication year 2009

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Friendship, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Relationships: Fathers, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Relationships: Family

Tags Bullying, Realistic Fiction, Children's Literature, Education, Education, Modern Classic Fiction

Bystander (2011) is a teen/young adult novel by James Preller that explores middle school bullying and the factors that enable it. Griffin Connelly, a two-faced bully, uses his charisma and good looks to keep members of his school clique in line as he perpetrates acts of cruelty against weaker classmates. No one stands up to Griffin until Eric Hayes, a newcomer, disrupts the status quo—questioning Griffin’s bullying and the silent complicity of the other students.The... Read Bystander Summary


Publication year 1963

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Self Discovery, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Society: Class

Tags Historical Fiction, Action / Adventure, Humor


Publication year 1939

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Relationships: Mothers, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Siblings, Emotions/Behavior: Gratitude

Tags Classic Fiction, Children's Literature, Historical Fiction, Auto/Biographical Fiction, History: World


Publication year 2011

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: The Past, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship, Society: Community

Tags Humor, Children's Literature, Realistic Fiction


Publication year 2022

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family

Tags Race / Racism, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman


Publication year 2004

Genre Novel/Book in Verse, Fiction

Themes Society: Immigration, Relationships: Family, Identity: Language

Tags Realistic Fiction, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Children's Literature, Latin American Literature, Arts / Culture


Publication year 2018

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Society: Community, Relationships: Mothers, Identity: Race, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies

Tags Historical Fiction, Southern Literature, Great Depression, Race / Racism, Poverty, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, History: World


Publication year 2024

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Identity: Race, Life/Time: The Past, Natural World: Environment, Natural World: Place, Relationships: Family, Society: Community, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies

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


Publication year 2014

Genre Graphic Memoir , Nonfiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Life/Time: Aging, Emotions/Behavior: Apathy, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Gratitude, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Identity: Mental Health, Life/Time: Mortality & Death

Tags Humor, Grief / Death, Biography