Literary theme analysis, by a book like {foo}
Books about Artistry
Gourmet Rhapsody
by Muriel Barbery
A renowned food critic searches for the taste of a forgotten childhood dish before his death.
A French food critic faces his mortality in an “entertaining [and] witty” novel by the New York Times–bestselling author of, The Elegance of the Hedgehog, (,Newsday,). In the heart of Paris, in the ... (Barnes & Noble)
Selected Poems
by Emily Dickinson
Collection of poems exploring various themes of life, death, and the nature of reality.
Although Emily Dickinson wrote nearly 2,000 poems, only a handful were ever published in her lifetime, and those anonymously. Today, she is recognized as one of the most important American poets of ... (Barnes & Noble)
The Garden of Evening Mists
by Tan Twan Eng
A story of a woman's journey through grief, as she finds solace in the serenity of a Japanese garden.
Malaya, 1949. After studying law at Cambrige and time spent helping to prosecute Japanese war criminals, Yun Ling Teoh seeks solace among the jungle fringed plantations of Northern Malaya where she ... (Goodreads)
Selected Poems
by William Carlos Williams
Exploration of beauty and truth through the medium of language and poetry.
Opening with Professor Tomlinson's superbly clear and helpful introduction this selection reflects the most up-to-date Williams scholarship. In addition to including many more pieces, Tomlinson has ... (Goodreads)
The Pale King
by David Foster Wallace
A group of IRS workers battle tedium and boredom in a quest for meaning and purpose in life.
The agents at the IRS Regional Examination Center in Peoria, Illinois, appear ordinary enough to newly arrived trainee David Foster Wallace. But as he immerses himself in a routine so tedious and ... (Goodreads)
The Complete Poems 1927-1979
by Elizabeth Bishop
A lyrical exploration of life's moments, relationships, and nature.
This study guide consists of approx. 36 pages of chapter summaries, quotes, character analysis, themes, and more – everything you need to sharpen your knowledge of The Complete Poems, 1927-1979. This ... (Barnes & Noble)
Chronicles: Volume One
by Bob Dylan
A memoir tracking Bob Dylan's musical journey from humble beginnings to iconic status.
WINNER OF THE NOBEL PRIZE IN LITERATURE The celebrated first memoir from arguably the most influential singer-songwriter in the country, Bob Dylan. “I’d come from a long ways off and had started a ... (Barnes & Noble)
The Swimming-Pool Library
by Alan Hollinghurst
A young aristocrat's life is changed when he meets an older gay man at a swimming pool. A sensual exploration of gay life in 1980s London.
William Beckwith is a highly privileged, cultivated and promiscuous young gay man. He is the grandson and heir of Viscount Beckwith, an elder statesman and a recent peer. To avoid death duties, that ... (Wikipedia)
Shakespeare's Sonnets
by William Shakespeare
A collection of poems exploring love, life, mortality, and beauty.
The Arden Shakespeare has long been acclaimed as the established scholarly edition of Shakespeare's work. Now being totally reedited for the third time, Arden editions offer the very best in ... (Goodreads)
The Moon and Sixpence
by W. Somerset Maugham
A man's pursuit of a life of art, challenging societal conventions and expectations.
The novel is written largely from the point of view of the narrator, a young, aspiring writer and playwright in London. Certain chapters entirely comprise accounts of events by other characters, ... (Wikipedia)
Short Nights of the Shadow Catcher: The Epic Life and Immortal Photographs of Edward Curtis
by Timothy Egan
The biography of Edward Curtis, a photographer who captured the vanishing world of Native Americans in the early 20th century.
“A vivid exploration of one man's lifelong obsession with an idea . . . Egan’s spirited biography might just bring [Curtis] the recognition that eluded him in life.” — Washington Post Edward Curtis ... (Barnes & Noble)
Angle of Repose
by Wallace Stegner
A man's search for his ancestors and their stories, leading to a journey of self-discovery.
Lyman Ward narrates a century after the fact. Lyman interprets the story at times and leaves gaps that he points out at other times. Some of the disappointments of his life, including his divorce, ... (Wikipedia)
Mastering the Art of French Cooking
by Julia Child
Step-by-step guide to creating French cuisine, with accessible instructions and helpful tips.
For over fifty years, New York Times bestseller Mastering the Art of French Cooking has been the definitive book on the subject for American readers. Featuring 524 delicious recipes, in its pages ... (Goodreads)
Amulet
by Roberto Bolaño
A Chilean poet's search for a mysterious amulet leads him on a journey through the seedy underbelly of Mexico City.
Amulet embodies in one woman's voice the melancholy and violent history of Latin America. It begins: "This is going to be a horror story. A story of murder, detection and horror. But it won't appear ... (Wikipedia)
Zen in the Art of Writing
by Ray Bradbury
A passionate collection of essays on creativity, forging a path to artistic enlightenment.
"Every morning I jump out of bed and step on a land mine. The land mine is me. After the explosion, I spend the rest of the day putting the pieces back together. Now, it's your turn. Jump!" Zest. ... (Goodreads)
The Doors of Perception
by Aldous Huxley
An exploration of altered states of consciousness and their implications for understanding reality.
The Doors of Perception is a philosophical essay, released as a book, by Aldous Huxley. First published in 1954, it details his experiences when taking mescaline. The book takes the form of Huxley's ... (Goodreads)
Turning Pro
by Steven Pressfield
An exploration of the psychological and spiritual journey of transitioning from amateur to professional.
The follow-up to his bestseller The War of Art, Turning Pro navigates the passage from the amateur life to a professional practice. "You don't need to take a course or buy a product. All you have to ... (Barnes & Noble)
Clothes, Clothes, Clothes. Music, Music, Music. Boys, Boys, Boys
by Viv Albertine
A memoir of a young woman's journey to self-expression and liberation in the punk rock music scene.
The guitarist for seminal female punk group The Slits recounts playing with Sid Vicious, touring with the Clash, dating Mick Jones, inspiring “Train in Vain,” and releasing her solo debut in 2012 Viv ... (Goodreads)
Slash
by Slash
The life story of iconic rock guitarist Slash, from his childhood to his days in Guns N' Roses.
From one of the greatest rock guitarists of our era comes a memoir that redefines sex, drugs, and rock 'n' roll He was born in England but reared in L.A., surrounded by the leading artists of the day ... (Goodreads)
Ada, or Ardor: A Family Chronicle
by Vladimir Nabokov
An epic novel of forbidden love between a brother and sister, set against a backdrop of family secrets.
Ada tells the life story of a man named Van Veen, and his lifelong love affair with his sister Ada. They meet when she is eleven (soon to be twelve) and he is fourteen, believing that they are ... (Wikipedia)
Between the Acts
by Virginia Woolf
A play within a novel, set in a country house in England, explores the interplay between art and life, past and present, and the human condition.
The story takes place in a country house somewhere in England, just before the Second World War. It is the day when the annual pageant is to be performed in the grounds of the house. The pageant is ... (Wikipedia)
Z: A Novel of Zelda Fitzgerald
by Therese Anne Fowler
A reimagining of the life of the iconic Jazz Age socialite and her tempestuous marriage with F. Scott Fitzgerald.
A dazzling novel that captures all of the romance, glamour, and tragedy of the first flapper, Zelda Fitzgerald. When beautiful, reckless Southern belle Zelda Sayre meets F. Scott Fitzgerald at a ... (Goodreads)
Raise High the Roof Beam, Carpenters & Seymour: An Introduction
by J.D. Salinger
Examination of family relationships, growing pains, and human connections.
The author writes: The two long pieces in this book originally came out in The New Yorker ? RAISE HIGH THE ROOF BEAM, CARPENTERS in 1955, SEYMOUR ? An Introduction in 1959. Whatever their differences ... (Goodreads)
How Music Works
by David Byrne
A comprehensive look at the history and science of music, exploring its impact on culture.
Best known as a founding member and principal songwriter of the iconic band Talking Heads, David Byrne has received Grammy, Oscar, and Golden Globe awards and has been inducted into the Rock and Roll ... (Goodreads)
Heavier Than Heaven: A Biography of Kurt Cobain
by Charles R. Cross
An in-depth look at the life of the Nirvana frontman, exploring his legendary career and tumultuous life.
The art of Nirvana's Kurt Cobain was all about his private life, but written in a code as obscure as T.S. Eliot's. Now Charles Cross has cracked the code in the definitive biography Heavier Than ... (Goodreads)
The Absolute Sandman, Volume Three
by Neil Gaiman
The third volume of the epic graphic novel series, following Dream through his fantastical and dark adventures.
The third volume collecting Neil Gaiman's seminal, award-winning series starring the Dream King in deluxe format. ABSOLUTE SANDMAN VOL. 3 presents several key SANDMAN tales in a slipcased hardcover ... (Barnes & Noble)
J.R.R. Tolkien: Artist and Illustrator
by Wayne G. Hammond
A comprehensive collection of Tolkien's artwork, from sketches to finished paintings, with commentary and analysis.
J.R.R. Tolkien (1892-1973) renowned author of THE HOBBIT, THE LORD OF THE RINGS and THE SILMARILLION, was an artist in pictures as well as in words. Though he often remarked that he had no talent for ... (Goodreads)
The Watchmaker of Filigree Street
by Natasha Pulley
A man searches for clues to his past, unlocking secrets of the supernatural.
1883. Thaniel Steepleton returns home to his tiny London apartment to find a gold pocket watch on his pillow. Six months later, the mysterious timepiece saves his life, drawing him away from a blast ... (Goodreads)
The Fall of the House of Usher and Other Tales
by Edgar Allan Poe
Gothic horror stories exploring the dark side of the human psyche.
The eerie tales of Edgar Allan Poe, from the 1830s and 40s, remain among the most brilliant and influential works in American literature. Some of the celebrated tales contained in this unique volume ... (Goodreads)
Selected Poems
by Marina Tsvetaeva
A collection of poems by Marina Tsvetaeva, exploring themes of love, loss, and the human experience through vivid and emotional language.
An admired contemporary of Rilke, Akhmatova, and Mandelstam, Russian poet Marina Tsvetayeva bore witness to the turmoil and devastation of the Revolution, and chronicled her difficult life in exile, ... (Goodreads)
Heat: An Amateur's Adventures as Kitchen Slave, Line Cook, Pasta-Maker, and Apprentice to a Dante-Quoting Butcher in Tuscany
by Bill Buford
A culinary journey of personal & professional growth, from apprentice to master.
The book that helped define a genre: Heat is a beloved culinary classic, an adventure in the kitchen and into Italian cuisine, by Bill Buford, author of Dirt . Bill Buford was a highly acclaimed ... (Barnes & Noble)
Tales of the Jazz Age
by F. Scott Fitzgerald
A collection of short stories that capture the spirit of the roaring twenties, exploring themes of love, wealth, and the American Dream.
"The Jelly-Bean" "The Camel's Back" "May Day" "Porcelain and Pink" "The Diamond as Big as the Ritz "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" "Tarquin of Cheapside" "Oh Russet Witch!" "The Lees of ... (Goodreads)
Jim Henson: The Biography
by Brian Jay Jones
Biography of the creative genius behind the beloved Muppets, exploring his life, legacy and influence.
NEW YORK TIMES, BESTSELLER • For the first time ever—a comprehensive biography of one of the twentieth century’s most innovative creative artists: the incomparable, irreplaceable Jim Henson He was a ... (Barnes & Noble)
The Master Quilter
by Jennifer Chiaverini
The Elm Creek Quilters face new challenges as they prepare for a wedding and create a master quilt.
This ninth Elm Creek Quilts novel continues the series with a tribute to matriarch Sylvia Compson, who surprised her fellow quilters by marrying her longtime sweetheart on a recent holiday. Eager to ... (Goodreads)
Ragnarok
by A.S. Byatt
A retelling of the Norse myth of the end of the world, Ragnarok. The story explores themes of destruction, rebirth, and the power of storytelling.
Recently evacuated to the British countryside and with World War Two raging around her, one young girl is struggling to make sense of her life. Then she is given a book of ancient Norse legends and ... (Goodreads)
Write to Kill
by Daniel Pennac
Transformé en objet d'adoration universelle par la reine Zabo, éditeur de génie, Benjamin Malaussène va payer au prix fort toutes les passions déchaînées par la parution d'un best-seller dont il est ... (Goodreads)
The Anatomy of Story: 22 Steps to Becoming a Master Storyteller
by John Truby
A comprehensive guide to crafting compelling stories, covering everything from character development to plot structure.
John Truby is one of the most respected and sought-after story consultants in the film industry, and his students have gone on to pen some of Hollywood's most successful films, including Sleepless in ... (Goodreads)
The Muse
by Jessie Burton
A young woman's exploration of identity and artistry, set in the 1960s England and Spain.
From the #1 internationally bestselling author of, The Miniaturist, comes a captivating and brilliantly realized story of two young women—a Caribbean immigrant in 1960s London, and a bohemian woman ... (Barnes & Noble)
No One Here Gets Out Alive
by Danny Sugerman
Biography of Jim Morrison, exploring the life and legacy of the legendary singer-songwriter.
Here is Jim Morrison in all his complexity - singer, philosopher, poet, delinquent-the brilliant, charismatic, and obsessed seeker who rejected authority in any form, the explorer who probed "the ... (Goodreads)
The Sense and Sensibility Screenplay and Diaries: Bringing Jane Austen's Novel to Film
by Emma Thompson
Behind-the-scenes look at the making of the 1995 film adaptation of Jane Austen's classic novel.
This engaging and beautiful book includes the complete Academy Award-winning script and Thompson's own diaries detailing the production of the film, reviewed by Stanley Kauffmann in The New Republic ... (Goodreads)
Yes, Chef
by Marcus Samuelsson
Autobiographical account of a chef's success, from childhood in Ethiopia to the pinnacle of the culinary world.
It begins with a simple ritual: Every Saturday afternoon, a boy who loves to cook walks to his grandmother’s house and helps her prepare a roast chicken for dinner. The grandmother is Swedish, a ... (Goodreads)
Berlin, Vol. 1: City of Stones
by Jason Lutes
A graphic novel set in 1928 Berlin, following the lives of a diverse group of characters as the city teeters on the brink of political upheaval.
Berlin: City of Stones presents the first part of Jason Lutes' captivating trilogy, set in the twilight years of Germany's Weimar Republic. Kurt Severing, a journalist, and Marthe Muller, an art ... (Goodreads)
My Salinger Year
by Joanna Rakoff
A memoir of a young woman's experience working for J.D. Salinger's literary agency in the 1990s.
In 1995, Joanna, an aspiring writer and poet, leaves Berkeley, California and her boyfriend Karl and moves to New York City where she takes a job at one of New York's oldest literary agencies run by ... (Wikipedia)
Miles: The Autobiography
by Miles Davis
An autobiographical account of the life of jazz music legend and innovator Miles Davis.
For more than forty years Miles Davis has been in the front rank of American music. Universally acclaimed as a musical genius, Miles is one of the most important and influential musicians in the ... (Goodreads)
Life, on the Line: A Chef's Story of Chasing Greatness, Facing Death, and Redefining the Way We Eat
by Grant Achatz
A memoir of a chef's journey to culinary greatness, overcoming cancer, and revolutionizing the dining experience with molecular gastronomy.
"One of America's great chefs" (,Vogue,), Grant Achatz, shares how his drive to cook immaculate food fueled his miraculous triumph over tongue cancer. By 2007 chef Grant Achatz had been named one of ... (Barnes & Noble)
The Book of Air and Shadows
by Michael Gruber
A literary thriller about a lost Shakespeare manuscript and the dangerous secrets it holds.
Set concurrently in the 17th century and the current century, the novel is an intriguing and complex thriller based around the mystery of William Shakespeare . Jake Mishkin, a lonely and troubled ... (Wikipedia)
If you enjoyed this, try uploading your goodreads reviews and seeing what recommendations we can come up with for you.