Literary theme analysis, by a book like {foo}
Books about Choice
At the Existentialist Café: Freedom, Being, and Apricot Cocktails
by Sarah Bakewell
An exploration of the key ideas of existentialism and its impact on today's society.
Paris, near the turn of 1933. Three young friends meet over apricot cocktails at the Bec-de-Gaz bar on the rue Montparnasse. They are Jean-Paul Sartre, Simone de Beauvoir and their friend Raymond ... (Goodreads)
The Stranger
by Albert Camus
A man's journey of existentialism, questioning the meaning of life and death.
Meursault learns of the death of his mother, who has been living in a retirement home. At her funeral, he expresses none of the expected emotions of grief. When asked if he wishes to view the body, ... (Wikipedia)
Divergent
by Veronica Roth
A thrilling adventure of survival and self-discovery set in a dystopian society.
In post-apocalyptic Chicago , survivors are divided into five factions : Abnegation , the selfless; Amity , the peaceful; Candor , the honest; Dauntless , the brave; and Erudite , the intelligent. ... (Wikipedia)
Eclipse
by Stephenie Meyer
A young girl must choose between two supernatural suitors as a battle between good and evil ensues.
The story begins with Seattle, Washington being plagued by a string of unsolved murders, which Edward Cullen suspects is caused by a new-born vampire with an uncontrollable thirst for human blood. As ... (Wikipedia)
Free Four: Tobias Tells the Divergent Knife-Throwing Scene
by Veronica Roth
A young man's struggle to face his fears and take a stand for what is right.
#1, New York Times, bestselling author Veronica Roth retells a pivotal, Divergent, scene (chapter 13) from Tobias's point of view. , This thirteen-page scene reveals unknown facts and fascinating ... (Barnes & Noble)
The Late Mattia Pascal
by Luigi Pirandello
A man's journey to reclaim his identity and freedom from a life of dullness and unhappiness.
The protagonist, Mattia Pascal, finds that his promising youth has, through misfortune or misdeed, dissolved into a dreary dead-end job and a miserable marriage. His inheritance and the woman he ... (Wikipedia)
Spirit Bound
by Richelle Mead
A teenage vampire's journey to save her loved ones and her own existence.
After a long and heartbreaking journey to Dimitri's birthplace in Siberia, Rose Hathaway has finally returned to St. Vladimir's - and to her best friend, Lissa. It is at long last graduation, and the ... (Barnes & Noble)
The Selection
by Kiera Cass
A young girl competes in a televised competition to become a prince's bride.
In a futuristic world where society is divided into castes, with Ones as the most prosperous, consisting of royals and elites, and Eights who are mostly orphans, drug users, handicapped, and ... (Wikipedia)
The Road Not Taken and Other Poems
by Robert Frost
Collection of poems exploring the power of choice, the passage of time, and the beauty of nature.
"Two roads diverged in a wood, and I– I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference." These deceptively simple lines from the title poem of this collection suggest Robert ... (Goodreads)
The Giver
by Lois Lowry
A dystopian society where memories and emotions are suppressed, and a boy's journey to unlock its secrets.
Jonas, a 12-year-old boy, lives in a Community isolated from all except a few similar towns, where everyone from small infants to the Chief Elder has an assigned role. With the annual Ceremony of ... (Wikipedia)
The Courage to Be Disliked: How to Free Yourself, Change your Life and Achieve Real Happiness
by Ichiro Kishimi
Exploring the philosophical roots of happiness through the power of self-determination.
The Japanese phenomenon that teaches us the simple yet profound lessons required to liberate our real selves and find lasting happiness. The Courage to be Disliked shows you how to unlock the power ... (Goodreads)
Unwind
by Neal Shusterman
A dystopian future world where teenagers are subjected to a “harvesting” process that splits them apart.
Connor, Risa, and Lev are running for their lives. The Second Civil War was fought over reproductive rights. The chilling resolution: Life is inviolable from the moment of conception until age ... (Goodreads)
Huis clos: suivi de Les Mouches
by Jean-Paul Sartre
An exploration of the moral implications of choice, the ultimate freedom of human beings.
Three damned souls, Joseph Garcin, Inèz Serrano, and Estelle Rigault, are brought to the same room in Hell and locked inside by a mysterious valet. They had all expected torture devices to punish ... (Wikipedia)
Tuck Everlasting
by Natalie Babbitt
A young girl discovers the secret of a family that has found the key to eternal life.
12-year-old Winifred "Winnie" Foster is frustrated with her family because they keep her cooped up in the house, and considers running away from her home in rural Treegap. One day, while in a wooded ... (Wikipedia)
If I Stay
by Gayle Forman
Young girl must decide between life and death after a devastating car accident.
On a snowy day in Portland, Oregon , Mia, her mother, her father, and her little brother, Teddy, decide to go for a morning drive. The snow causes their car to swerve into another lane where a car ... (Wikipedia)
Little Fires Everywhere
by Celeste Ng
Unexpected tensions arise between two families in a small American town.
The #1, New York Times, bestseller! “Witty, wise, and tender. It's a marvel.” —Paula Hawkins, author of, The Girl on the Train, and, A Slow Fire Burning,“To say I love this book is an understatement. ... (Barnes & Noble)
Pandemonium
by Lauren Oliver
A teenage girl's fight for freedom and for a chance to make her own choices.
The book follows up the events of Delirium . Lena is now in the Wilds alone, and the sequel begins by switching the chapters from the present "now" and the past "then" point of view of Lena until ... (Wikipedia)
Justice: What's the Right Thing to Do?
by Michael J. Sandel
Exploration of moral and ethical dilemmas, seeking answers to fundamental questions of justice.
"For Michael Sandel, justice is not a spectator sport," The Nation 's reviewer of Justice remarked. In his acclaimed book—based on his legendary Harvard course—Sandel offers a rare education in ... (Barnes & Noble)
Anthem
by Ayn Rand
An individual's quest for freedom amidst a dystopian society determined to control thought and behavior.
Equality 7-2521, a 21-year-old man writing by candlelight in a tunnel under the earth, tells the story of his life up to that point. He exclusively uses plural pronouns ("we", "our", "they") to refer ... (Wikipedia)
Wicked Lovely
by Melissa Marr
A teenager's struggle to survive in a world of faeries, where she must choose between love or duty.
Rule #3: Don't stare at invisible faeries. Aislinn has always seen faeries. Powerful and dangerous, they walk hidden in the mortal world. Aislinn fears their cruelty - especially if they learn of her ... (Goodreads)
The Drunkard's Walk: How Randomness Rules Our Lives
by Leonard Mlodinow
Examines how the role of chance and randomness shapes our lives, from our successes and failures to our everyday decisions.
With the born storyteller's command of narrative and imaginative approach, Leonard Mlodinow vividly demonstrates how our lives are profoundly informed by chance and randomness and how everything from ... (Goodreads)
Four: A Divergent Story Collection
by Veronica Roth
Four tales of the Divergent trilogy, exploring the brave and dangerous new world.
Celebrate the 10th anniversary of, Divergent, with a special edition of, Four, a collection in the #1, New York Times, bestselling series that captured the hearts of millions of readers and inspired ... (Goodreads)
The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August
by Claire North
A man born again and again, living the same life with different outcomes.
Some stories cannot be told in just one lifetime. Harry August is on his deathbed. Again. No matter what he does or the decisions he makes, when death comes, Harry always returns to where he began, a ... (Goodreads)
The Razor's Edge
by W. Somerset Maugham
A spiritual journey in search of personal fulfillment, as an individual in a rapidly changing world.
Maugham begins by characterizing his story as not really a novel but a thinly veiled true account. He includes himself as a minor character, a writer who drifts in and out of the lives of the major ... (Wikipedia)
The Myth of Sisyphus
by Albert Camus
An essay on understanding the absurdity of life, and realizing there is meaning in even the most mundane tasks.
Throughout history, some books have changed the world. They have transformed the way we see ourselves—and each other. They have inspired debate, dissent, war and revolution. They have enlightened, ... (Goodreads)
A Happy Death
by Albert Camus
A young man seeks to escape the monotony of his life and find meaning in death.
Is it possible to die a happy death? This is the central question of Camus's astonishing early novel, published posthumously and greeted as a major literary event. It tells the story of a young ... (Goodreads)
The Crown
by Kiera Cass
A young woman must compete in a royal selection contest to become queen of a powerful kingdom.
The spectacular happily ever after of the #1 New York Times bestselling Selection series Kiera Cass’s #1, New York Times, bestselling Selection series has captured the hearts of readers from its very ... (Barnes & Noble)
Timequake
by Kurt Vonnegut Jr.
A man is forced to relive the life he lived before, discovering the beauty of second chances.
Vonnegut uses the premise of a timequake (or repetition of actions) in which there is no free will . The idea of determinism is explored—as it is in many of his previous works—to assert that people ... (Wikipedia)
At First Sight
by Nicholas Sparks
A young couple's struggle to balance their love with the realities of life.
At First Sight begins after Jeremy's proposal. In New York City Lexie and Jeremy are preparing to move Jeremy to their future home, Boone Creek. Lexie is making Jeremy keep the baby a secret from his ... (Wikipedia)
Existentialism is a Humanism
by Jean-Paul Sartre
A philosophical exploration of the human condition, and the implications of freedom and responsibility.
It was to correct common misconceptions about his thought that Jean-Paul Sartre, the most dominent European intellectual of the post-World War II decades, accepted an invitation to speak on October ... (Goodreads)
Caraval
by Stephanie Garber
Sisters journey through a mysterious, magical world to save each other from an arranged marriage.
The acclaimed, New York Times, bestseller! Welcome, welcome to, Caraval, — Stephanie Garber’s sweeping tale of the unbreakable bond between two sisters. It’s the closest you'll ever find to magic in ... (Barnes & Noble)
A Darker Shade of Magic
by V.E. Schwab
A thrilling adventure through multiple parallel universes with a mysterious magical force.
Kell is one of the last Antari—magicians with a rare, coveted ability to travel between parallel Londons; Red, Grey, White, and, once upon a time, Black. Kell was raised in Arnes—Red London—and ... (Goodreads)
All Our Wrong Todays
by Elan Mastai
A man is accidentally sent back in time to an alternate reality, where he must confront his choices and find a way back home.
You know the future that people in the 1950s imagined we'd have? Well, it happened. In Tom Barren's 2016, humanity thrives in a techno-utopian paradise of flying cars, moving sidewalks, and moon ... (Goodreads)
P.S. I Still Love You
by Jenny Han
A young woman's struggle to choose between two lovers, and find her own path in life.
After the fight between Lara Jean, Josh and Peter at the Coveys' Christmas party, Lara Jean realizes that she has fallen for Peter. Hoping to reconcile, Lara Jean heads over to Peter's house with a ... (Wikipedia)
Heart of Obsidian
by Nalini Singh
A dangerous, passionate love affair between a Psy-Changeling and a powerful human.
Step into New York Times bestseller Nalini Singh’s explosive and shockingly passionate Psy-Changeling world . . . , A dangerous, volatile rebel, hands stained blood-red. A woman whose very existence ... (Goodreads)
Wayward
by Blake Crouch
A man's desperate mission to rescue his family from a parallel dimension.
Welcome to Wayward Pines, population 461. Nestled amidst picture-perfect mountains, the idyllic town is a modern-day Eden...except for the electrified fence and razor wire, snipers scoping everything ... (Goodreads)
The End of Mr. Y
by Scarlett Thomas
An adventure through alternate universes to unlock the mysteries of a mysterious book.
A cursed book. A missing professor. Some nefarious men in gray suits. And a dreamworld called the Troposphere? Ariel Manto has a fascination with nineteenth-century scientists–especially Thomas Lumas ... (Goodreads)
Something Blue
by Emily Giffin
A woman navigates the intricacies of marriage, friendships, and career choices.
Darcy Rhone has always been able to rely on a few things: her beauty and charm. Her fiancé Dex. Her lifelong best friend Rachel. She never needed anything else. Or so she thinks until Dex calls of ... (Barnes & Noble)
Identity
by Milan Kundera
A novel about discovering one's true identity by examining the complexities and contradictions of life.
There are situations in which we fail for a moment to recognize the person we are with, in which the identity of the other is erased while we simultaneously doubt our own. This also happens with ... (Goodreads)
The One
by Kiera Cass
A journey of romance and self-discovery as a young woman competes in a deadly competition to win the heart of a prince.
The captivating third book in Kiera Cass’s #1 New York Times bestselling Selection series America Singer searches for her happily ever after in this swoon-worthy YA dystopian romance, perfect for ... (Barnes & Noble)
Divergent Series Complete Box Set
by Veronica Roth
Tris' journey of courage and self-discovery, as she navigates a post-apocalyptic world divided by factions.
Don’t miss the series everyone’s talking about! Get this 3-book collection of all 3 books in Veronica Roth’s thrilling Divergent series – featuring Divergent, Insurgent, and the latest in the ... (Barnes & Noble)
A Symphony of Echoes
by Jodi Taylor
A thrilling time-travel adventure to save the future from destruction.
Book Two in the madcap time-travel series based at the St Mary's Institute of Historical Research that seems to be everyone's cup of tea. In the second book in the Chronicles of St Mary's series, Max ... (Goodreads)
Farewell Waltz
by Milan Kundera
A man reflects on love, life and loss, as he slowly moves away from his youth.
The book is split up into five sections, each corresponding to a day. On the first day, Klíma the trumpeter receives a phone call from Růžena who claims that she is pregnant from the time Klíma and ... (Wikipedia)
An Enchantment of Ravens
by Margaret Rogerson
A forbidden romance between a mage and a faerie, tested by dark secrets and magical forces.
An instant, New York Times, bestseller! An Indie Next Top 10 Pick A Parents’ Choice Silver Honor Winner “A funny, action-packed, and sweet romance.” —,School Library Journal ,(starred review) “A ... (Barnes & Noble)
The Mistake
by Elle Kennedy
A college student navigates a complicated relationship as she discovers her true identity.
He’s a player in more ways than one… College junior John Logan can get any girl he wants. For this hockey star, life is a parade of parties and hook-ups, but behind his killer grins and easygoing ... (Goodreads)
The Post-Birthday World
by Lionel Shriver
A woman's choice between two men, and its consequences, explored in two parallel universes.
In this eagerly awaited new novel, Lionel Shriver, the Orange Prize-winning author of the international bestseller We Need to Talk About Kevin, delivers an imaginative and entertaining look at the ... (Goodreads)
We Are the Ants
by Shaun David Hutchinson
A coming-of-age story of a young gay man who must make a life-altering decision.
From the “author to watch” ( Kirkus Reviews ) of The Five Stages of Andrew Brawley comes a brand-new novel about a teenage boy who must decide whether or not the world is worth saving. Henry Denton ... (Barnes & Noble)
Slammerkin
by Emma Donoghue
The turbulent life of a young woman in 18th century England, exploring the consequences of poverty and gender inequality.
Mary Saunders is a highly intelligent girl living in poverty in 1760 London. She is repelled when her mother Susan encourages her to become a seamstress, wanting nothing to do with the "wretched ... (Wikipedia)
Being and Nothingness
by Jean-Paul Sartre
Philosophical exploration of the nature of being and consciousness.
Being & Nothingness is without doubt one of the most significant philosophical books of the 20th century. The central work by one of the century's most influential thinkers, it altered the course of ... (Goodreads)
Unravel Me
by Tahereh Mafi
A paranormal romance featuring a dangerous and forbidden love between a mortal and immortal.
The thrilling second installment in New York Times bestselling author Tahereh Mafi’s Shatter Me series. It should have taken Juliette a single touch to kill Warner. But his mysterious immunity to her ... (Barnes & Noble)
A Fraction of the Whole
by Steve Toltz
A quirky, whimsical exploration of family dynamics, life's absurdities, and the human condition.
A Fraction of the Whole uses a multi-perspective narrative, often going back in time to show Martin's perspective on events before returning to Jasper's story in the present. The framing narrative of ... (Wikipedia)
Through the Ever Night
by Veronica Rossi
A thrilling journey of survival and self-discovery, where an unlikely hero must choose between a world of adventure or a life of safety.
A world-defying love is put to the ultimate test in the New York Times and USA Today bestselling sequel to Veronica Rossi's "masterpiece," Under the Never Sky (Examiner.com ). In this second book in ... (Barnes & Noble)
Reached
by Ally Condie
A dystopian adventure of a young girl's search for freedom and her love for a forbidden boy.
Told in the alternating perspectives of Xander, Cassia, and Ky, the novel begins with Xander attending the welcoming ceremony of a new baby born into the Society. Xander is now working as an official ... (Wikipedia)
Genesis
by Bernard Beckett
A young woman's quest to understand the power of free will, told through a captivating game of philosophy.
The entirety of the novel consists of Anaximander, a new candidate for The Academy, participating in a gruelling auditory entrance exam. The Academy consists of the most elite class in society and ... (Wikipedia)
The Death and Life of the Great American School System: How Testing and Choice Are Undermining Education
by Diane Ravitch
Ravitch critiques the American education system's reliance on testing and privatization, arguing for a return to public education and teacher autonomy.
A passionate plea to preserve and renew public education, The Death and Life of the Great American School System is a radical change of heart from one of America’s best-known education experts. Diane ... (Goodreads)
Hotel du Lac
by Anita Brookner
A woman's journey of self-discovery, confronting her past and discovering her identity.
Edith reaches Hotel du Lac in a state of bewildered confusion at the turn of events in her life. After a secret and often lonely affair with a married man and an aborted marriage, she is banished by ... (Wikipedia)
Krabat
by Otfried Preußler
A young man's struggle to break free of a powerful sorcerer's control and gain his freedom.
Set in the beginning of the 18th century during the Great Northern War, the story follows the life of Krabat, a 14-year-old Wendish beggar boy living in the eastern part of Saxony . For three ... (Wikipedia)
Forever Princess
by Meg Cabot
A modern fairy tale of princess who must choose between adventure and duty.
Two years after the ninth book , Mia finds herself preparing for her 18th birthday party, her prom , and her high school graduation within the space of a week. She is in a stable relationship with ... (Wikipedia)
The World of Divergent: The Path to Allegiant
by Veronica Roth
A guide to the world of Divergent, including exclusive scenes, character profiles, and insider information on the making of the series.
A future dystopian Chicago has a society that defines its citizens by strict conformity to their social and personality-related affiliations with five different factions . That removes the threat of ... (Wikipedia)
Marrying Winterborne
by Lisa Kleypas
A young woman determined to make her own way in life, finds love in a society where her choices are limited.
A ruthless tycoon., Savage ambition has brought common-born Rhys Winterborne vast wealth and success. In business and beyond, Rhys gets exactly what he wants. And from the moment he meets the shy, ... (Goodreads)
2BR02B
by Kurt Vonnegut Jr.
A dystopian future where population control is mandatory and life is viewed as a commodity.
The setting is a society in which aging has been cured, individuals have indefinite lifespans , and population control is used to limit the population of the United States to forty million, which is ... (Wikipedia)
The Paradox of Choice: Why More Is Less
by Barry Schwartz
An exploration of how the abundance of choice in modern life can lead to unhappiness and paralysis.
In the spirit of Alvin Tofflers' Future Shock , a social critique of our obsession with choice, and how it contributes to anxiety, dissatisfaction and regret. Whether we're buying a pair of jeans, ... (Goodreads)
Unearthly
by Cynthia Hand
A young woman discovers she is a half-angel and must choose between the mortal and angelic worlds.
In the beginning, there's a boy standing in the trees... Clara Gardner has recently learned that she's part angel. Having angel blood run through her veins not only makes her smarter, stronger, and ... (Goodreads)
The Art of Choosing
by Sheena Iyengar
A thought-provoking exploration of the complex nature of decision-making and the factors that influence our choices.
Every day we make choices. Coke or Pepsi? Save or spend? Stay or go? Whether mundane or life-altering, these choices define us and shape our lives. Sheena Iyengar asks the difficult questions about ... (Goodreads)
Carve the Mark
by Veronica Roth
A story of two teens struggling to survive in a harsh, oppressive world.
Globally bestselling Divergent author Veronica Roth delivers a breathtaking fantasy featuring an unusual friendship, an epic love story, and a galaxy-sweeping adventure. #1, New York Times, ... (Barnes & Noble)
Cocktails for Three
by Madeleine Wickham
Three women, each with a secret, meet monthly for cocktails. As their lives unravel, they must confront their secrets and support each other.
Madeleine Wickham, who writes the internationally bestselling Shopaholic series as Sophie Kinsella, has penned an irresistibly dishy and entertaining novel about three savvy young women and the ... (Goodreads)
If you enjoyed this, try uploading your goodreads reviews and seeing what recommendations we can come up with for you.