The 20th century was full of horrors. Two world wars, genocides in multiple parts of Europe, and rapid technological growth that was both destructive and frightening. A direct result of this terror and uncertainty are some of the most profound and unsettling visions of dystopia, exploring oppressive regimes, crumbling societies, and bleak futures. These novels…
Chances are, if you found this blog post or are a devoted user of eNotes.com, it's the fault of an Englishman. While we can give Quixote a lot of credit for kicking off the age of the novel, English Literature written by a Briton is responsible for the single largest cohort of novels, short stories,…
You may or may not have been eager to read Shakespeare as a teenager, but it’s likely that the classics you encountered in high school left a lasting mark on you. The books we read in our formative years stay with us long after, often becoming lifetime favorites. The universality of our favorite required reading…
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A reader may find that who she was a day, week, or year ago is different from who she is now. Her identity—what represents her and her heritage—may morph and change. Below are four novels that explore stories of women who have lost their understanding of self through displacement or jarring life changes. Each offers…
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Speculative fiction, an umbrella genre encompassing works with supernatural or futuristic elements, is all about exploration and experimentation. It allows writers—and readers—to imagine new worlds and explore concepts beyond the limitations of our current reality. Black authors, artists, and performers have historically used the genre to create unique, subversive explorations of how personal identity interacts…
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This past January, a record number of American women were sworn in as governors, state senators, and congresswomen. Soon after, many of these women, their supporters, and other advocates for women's rights took the streets to march in the third-annual Women's March. We wanted to keep the good femm-tastic vibes going with a list of…
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Curious to know what students in your state are reading? Us too! As literature experts, it’s part of our job to know all things literary—like what books are trending among our fellow bibliophiles and high school students. We looked at what books and study guides our users are searching for the most when they visit…
Herman Melville’s classic novel about the grand whaling voyage of the Pequod first landed on bookstore shelves exactly 167 years ago. Moby-Dick was widely panned in both England and the United States—Melville’s experimental style flew over the heads of most critics. But today the book is widely read, loved, and discussed. To celebrate the novel’s…
