Can we ever fully trust our senses, or are they too unreliable to perceive the world as it is? In this collection, we gather texts that explore the idea of appearance versus reality, from classics such as Aristotle's On the Soul to contemporary bestsellers like Jia Tolentino's Trick Mirror.
Publication year 2009
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Society: Economics, Society: Politics & Government, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Natural World: Climate, Natural World: Environment, Society: Globalization, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology
Tags Psychology, Sociology, Finance / Money / Wealth
Publication year 1985
Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Society: Education, Natural World: Appearance & Reality
Tags Science / Nature, Humor, Technology, History: World, Biography
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
Publication year 2023
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Relationships: Daughters & Sons
Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction
Publication year 2021
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Self Discovery, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Masculinity, Identity: Race, Identity: Sexuality, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Teams, Society: Community, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice
Tags Fantasy, Romance, Action / Adventure, Humor
Publication year 1997
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Relationships: Friendship, Values/Ideas: Literature
Tags Children's Literature, Mystery / Crime Fiction
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Natural World: Appearance & Reality
Tags Philosophy, Ancient Greece, Education, Education, Science / Nature, Philosophy, History: World, Classical Period, Classic Fiction
Theaetetus is a philosophical work written by Ancient Greek philosopher Plato (427-347 BCEE). Written in 369 BCEE, it is an account of a dialogue between the Greek philosopher Socrates (470-399 BCEE) and a young geometry student, Theaetetus, about the nature of knowledge. Socrates asks Theaetetus questions that lead them to discuss, and assess, several theories and definitions of knowledge. These are, first, that knowledge is perception, that knowledge is true judgment, and that knowledge is... Read Theaetetus Summary
Publication year 2024
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Nostalgia, Identity: Mental Health, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology
Tags Psychology, Sociology, Psychology, Philosophy, Philosophy, Mental Illness, Self Help
Publication year 2020
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Society: Community, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology
Tags Science / Nature, Technology, Arts / Culture, Diversity, Anthropology, Anthropology, History: World
Publication year 2007
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Relationships: Siblings, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Natural World: Appearance & Reality
Tags Fantasy, Historical Fiction, Mythology, Action / Adventure, Fairy Tale / Folklore, Children's Literature
Irish author Michael Scott’s The Alchemyst, published in 2007, is the first installment in his six-part series The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel. This guide refers to the 2007 Kindle edition. The following books are The Magician (2008), The Sorceress (2009), The Necromancer (2010), The Warlock (2011), and The Enchantress (2012). The Alchemyst was included in Time Magazine’s 100 Best Young Adult Books of All Time in 2015 and earned multiple awards internationally, including... Read The Alchemyst Summary
Publication year 1945
Genre Short Story, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Literature, Natural World: Space & The Universe, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Life/Time: Mortality & Death
Tags Fantasy, Magical Realism, Latin American Literature
Publication year 1994
Genre Play, Fiction
Themes Identity: Race, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Relationships: Fathers
Tags Play: Drama, Race / Racism, History: U.S., Post Modernism, American Literature, Drama / Tragedy, Education, Education, African American Literature
Publication year 2022
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Equality, Relationships: Friendship, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: The Future, Life/Time: The Past, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Values/Ideas: New Age, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil
Tags Fantasy, LGBTQ, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Relationships, Science / Nature, Social Justice, Education, Philosophy
Publication year 2020
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger
Tags Romance, Realistic Fiction, British Literature, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2015
Genre Graphic Novel/Book, Fiction
Themes Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Relationships: Teams, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil
Publication year 2017
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Identity: Femininity, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: The Past, Natural World: Animals, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger
Tags Fantasy, Historical Fiction, Fairy Tale / Folklore, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman
The Bear and the Nightingale (2017) is a historical fantasy novel by Katherine Arden. The story is set in medieval Russia and was heavily inspired by the country’s folklore and history. It follows Vasilisa “Vasya” Petrovna, a girl who lives in an isolated village at the edge of a forest and can communicate with household spirits and other supernatural beings that others cannot see. Her life is upended when her father marries a pious woman... Read The Bear and the Nightingale Summary
Publication year 1949
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Family, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Natural World: Nurture v. Nature
Tags Race / Racism, Gender / Feminism, Relationships
Publication year 1936
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Identity: Mental Health, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: The Past, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, History: World, Philosophy, Philosophy, Classic Fiction
Publication year 2014
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Identity: Gender, Identity: Indigenous, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: The Future, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Natural World: Climate, Society: Class, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed
Tags Fantasy, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Magical Realism
The Bone Clocks (2014) is a work of literary fantasy and the sixth novel by English author David Mitchell. It was longlisted for the 2014 Man Booker Prize, and also received the 2015 World Fantasy Award.Spanning nearly 60 years and featuring five different narrators, The Bone Clocks follows Holly Sykes, a young woman from Kent, England, who becomes embroiled in a secret war between two groups of immortal beings called the Horologists and the Anchorites... Read The Bone Clocks Summary
Publication year 2022
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed
Tags Fantasy, Romance