Literary theme analysis, by a book like {foo}
Books about Embarrassment
Pride and Prejudice
by Jane Austen
A story of courtship, romance and social class in which a young woman discovers her own identity.
The novel is set in rural England in the early 19th century. Mrs. Bennet attempts to persuade Mr. Bennet to visit Mr. Bingley, a rich bachelor recently arrived in the neighbourhood. After some verbal ... (Wikipedia)
Scott Pilgrim's Precious Little Life
by Bryan Lee O'Malley
A young man's misadventures in love, learning lessons of responsibility and maturity.
Scott Pilgrim's life is totally sweet. He's 23 years old, he's in a rock band, he's "between jobs," and he's dating a cute high school girl. Nothing could possibly go wrong, unless a seriously ... (Barnes & Noble)
Hyperbole and a Half: Unfortunate Situations, Flawed Coping Mechanisms, Mayhem, and Other Things That Happened
by Allie Brosh
A humorous and candid account of the author's life, exploring the highs and lows of everyday life.
#1, New York Times, Bestseller “Funny and smart as hell” (Bill Gates), Allie Brosh’s, Hyperbole and a Half, showcases her unique voice, leaping wit, and her ability to capture complex emotions with ... (Barnes & Noble)
The Nest
by Cynthia D'Aprix Sweeney
A dysfunctional family navigates the consequences of their recklessness, brought together by their inheritance.
An instant Globe and Mail bestseller. On a wintry afternoon in New York City, Melody, Beatrice and Jack Plumb gather to confront their charismatic and reckless older brother, Leo, who has just been ... (Goodreads)
Me Talk Pretty One Day
by David Sedaris
A humorous, autobiographical account of a man's experiences learning French and growing up.
David Sedaris' move to Paris from New York inspired these hilarious pieces, including the title essay, about his attempts to learn French from a sadistic teacher who declares that every day spent ... (Goodreads)
Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason
by Helen Fielding
A humorous journey of self-discovery for a thirty-something single woman.
Lurching from the cappuccino bars of Notting Hill to the blissed-out shores of Thailand, Bridget Jones searches for The Truth in spite of pathetically unevolved men, insane dating theories, and Smug ... (Goodreads)
Bridget Jones's Diary
by Helen Fielding
A woman's comedic journey of self-discovery, navigating the pitfalls of modern dating.
The plot is focused on Bridget's love life. She worries on a regular basis about dying without someone and going on to be eaten by dogs when her singleness causes her death not to be discovered ... (Wikipedia)
Lucky Jim
by Kingsley Amis
A story of a young lecturer struggling to make it in academia, while learning the importance of self-discovery.
Jim Dixon is a lecturer in medieval history at a red brick university in the English Midlands . He has made an unsure start and, towards the end of the academic year, is concerned about losing his ... (Wikipedia)
Northanger Abbey
by Jane Austen
A young woman's journey of self-discovery, navigating the complexities of high society.
Seventeen-year-old Catherine Morland is one of ten children of a country clergyman. Although a tomboy in her childhood, by the age of 17 she is "in training for a heroine" and is excessively fond of ... (Wikipedia)
Evelina
by Frances Burney
A young woman's journey of self-discovery, navigating the world of high society.
The novel opens with a distressed letter from Lady Howard to her longtime acquaintance, the Reverend Arthur Villars, in which she reports that Mme (Madame) Duval, the grandmother of Villars' ward , ... (Wikipedia)
Black Swan Green
by David Mitchell
A young boy confronts personal and social challenges as he navigates adolescence.
Jason Taylor is a 13-year-old with a stammer in the small village of Black Swan Green in Worcestershire . The first chapter starts with a rule Jason's father has: "Do not set foot in my office" and ... (Wikipedia)
Tomboy: A Graphic Memoir
by Liz Prince
A young woman's exploration of gender identity, and the challenges she faces growing up.
Growing up, Liz Prince wasn't a girly girl, dressing in pink tutus or playing pretty princess like the other girls in her neighborhood. But she wasn't exactly one of the guys, either. She was ... (Goodreads)
The Emperor's New Clothes
by Hans Christian Andersen
A ruler's vanity leads to his own downfall and the truth being revealed.
Two swindlers arrive at the capital city of an emperor who spends lavishly on clothing at the expense of state matters. Posing as weavers, they offer to supply him with magnificent clothes that are ... (Wikipedia)
The Rosie Project
by Graeme Simsion
An awkward professor's journey to find love, discovering the true meaning of connection.
An international sensation, this hilarious, feel-good novel is narrated by an oddly charming and socially challenged genetics professor on an unusual quest: to find out if he is capable of true love. ... (Goodreads)
Diary of a Wimpy Kid
by Jeff Kinney
A humorous account of a middle schooler's daily life, full of ups and downs.
Greg Heffley finds himself thrust into a new year and a new school where undersize weaklings share the corridors with kids who are taller, meaner and already shaving. Desperate to prove his new found ... (Goodreads)
Double Down
by Jeff Kinney
A humorous adventure of middle schooler Greg Heffley, as he deals with bullies, hormones and friendship.
Greg Heffley talks about how he thinks his life is a reality TV show and that everyone in his life is an actor. Later, when his mother, Susan, gives him money for the school book fair, she is ... (Wikipedia)
Old School
by Jeff Kinney
A middle school student's misadventures as he navigates the tricky social and academic world of school.
Life was better in the old days. Or was it? That’s the question Greg Heffley is asking as his town voluntarily unplugs and goes electronics-free. But modern life has its conveniences, and Greg isn’t ... (Goodreads)
The Last Straw
by Jeff Kinney
A young boy's misadventures as he navigates school, family, and friendship.
The book begins on January 1, with Greg talking about his family's New Year's resolutions. Greg’s resolution is to stop other people from breaking their resolution. He starts three strikes and out. ... (Wikipedia)
Angus, Thongs and Full-Frontal Snogging
by Louise Rennison
A comedic coming-of-age story of a teenage girl, navigating the ups and downs of teenage life.
Georgia, a teenager, lives with her mother, father, 3-year-old sister Libby, and her wild cat, Angus, whom the family found on a holiday to Scotland. Georgia bumps into the popular and attractive ... (Wikipedia)
Sloppy Firsts
by Megan McCafferty
A teenage girl's struggles with growing up, family life, and relationships.
“My parents suck ass. Banning me from the phone and restricting my computer privileges are the most tyrannical parental gestures I can think of. Don’t they realize that Hope’s the only one who keeps ... (Goodreads)
I've Got Your Number
by Sophie Kinsella
A young woman's chaotic life is turned upside-down when she finds a stranger's lost phone.
Poppy Wyatt loses her engagement ring, which has been in her fiancé's family for three generations, on the day that his parents arrive from the US and in the following panic, she also ends up losing ... (Wikipedia)
Ramona the Pest
by Beverly Cleary
School problems arise as a young girl learns to cope with a new baby brother.
Ramona Quimby is excited because she is starting kindergarten. She is a year older than in, Beezus and Ramona, and trouble still seems to follow her. Although Ramona does not mean to be a pest, she ... (Wikipedia)
The Worst Witch
by Jill Murphy
A young witch's misadventures at a magical boarding school, learning to harness her powers.
Mildred Hubble is a trainee witch at Miss Cackle's Academy, and she's making an awful mess of it. She's always getting her spells wrong and she can't even ride a broomstick without crashing it. Will ... (Goodreads)
Everyone Poops
by Taro Gomi
A children's book that teaches that everyone, no matter who they are, poops.
Since we all eat, we all must poop. All of us! Everyone! This wonderful, modern-day toddler classic presents information that children both want and need in a refreshingly honest, informative, and ... (Goodreads)
Ramona Quimby, Age 8
by Beverly Cleary
A young girl's adventures and misadventures as she navigates school and family life.
The schools in Ramona Quimby's neighborhood have been reorganized, and now she gets to ride the bus to Cedarhurst Primary, where she and her fellow third graders will be the biggest kids in the ... (Wikipedia)
Heartbreaker
by Linda Howard
A woman falls in love with a man who may be a dangerous criminal. She must decide whether to trust him or turn him in.
Available digitally for the first time ever,, Heartbreaker, is a classic novel of romantic suspense from, New York Times, and, USA Today, bestselling author Linda Howard, Michelle Cabot reluctantly ... (Barnes & Noble)
The Growing Pains of Adrian Mole
by Sue Townsend
A humorous coming-of-age story of a teenage boy navigating the difficulties of adolescence.
Adrian Mole is an outsider who feels the reason he can't quite fit in with "regular" society is that he is an intellectual. Evidence from his diary entries include a precocious interest in ... (Wikipedia)
My Horizontal Life: A Collection of One-Night Stands
by Chelsea Handler
A humorous collection of stories about one woman's many misadventures with dating.
You've either done it or know someone who has: the one-night stand, the familiar outcome of a night spent at a bar, sometimes the sole payoff for your friend's irritating wedding, or the only relief ... (Goodreads)
Hooway for Wodney Wat
by Helen Lester
A rodent named Rodney with a speech impediment becomes a hero when he outsmarts the class bully.
In this lighthearted moral tale, an unlikely hero defeats a school bully and is finally celebrated by his classmates for his secret super power: his speech impediment. Poor Rodney Rat can't pronounce ... (Barnes & Noble)
On the Bright Side, I'm Now the Girlfriend of a Sex God
by Louise Rennison
A teenage girl's humorous journey of growing up, navigating her newfound relationship with a Sex God.
In the previous novel, Georgia has finally landed the "Sex God", her longtime crush Robbie Jennings, for a boyfriend. Georgia's dad has gone to New Zealand for a few months. While he is gone, her ... (Wikipedia)
Is It Just Me?
by Miranda Hart
An exploration of the joys, challenges and complexities of everyday life.
10th Anniversary of hit TV show. A Sunday Times Number One Bestseller, Miranda Hart will carry you along with the sheer force of her charm, bumbling cheer and charisma. -, Sunday Express, Well hello ... (Barnes & Noble)
I Love Everybody
by Laurie Notaro
Humorous memoir of one woman's search for self-acceptance, with an irreverent twist.
Here are more scathingly funny tales from the wild side! Laurie Notaro survived the debauched ride of her twenties and the bumpy road to matrimony. Now she’s ready to take on the thirtysomething ... (Goodreads)
To All the Boys I've Loved Before
by Jenny Han
A coming of age story about a teenage girl's unconventional approach to love and relationships.
Lara Jean Song Covey is a sixteen-year-old half- Korean , half- white girl living in Virginia . She is extremely close to her older sister Margot and younger sister Kitty. Lara Jean keeps love ... (Wikipedia)
All-American Girl
by Meg Cabot
A teenage girl's journey of self-discovery as she navigates the complexities of high school life.
Samantha Madison lives in Washington, D.C and is a sophomore at John Adams Preparatory School . An outcast, she has only one friend, Catherine. Sam is a huge fan of Gwen Stefani and often laments ... (Wikipedia)
The Third Wheel
by Jeff Kinney
A middle schooler's misadventures as he navigates the ups and downs of growing up.
Greg recalls several anecdotes from the time of his conception to his preschool years, notable ones include how his mother read to him before bed, how his parents’ excessive kissing supposedly led to ... (Wikipedia)
I Suck at Girls
by Justin Halpern
A humorous and honest account of a young man's awkward and often hilarious attempts to navigate the world of dating and relationships.
"Growing up, every time I saw a men's magazine cover that had a headline about '73 Ways to Please Your Girlfriend', all I could think was 'I'm good with one; just tell me one way to please her. Also, ... (Goodreads)
All's Faire in Middle School
by Victoria Jamieson
A young girl navigates the social struggles of middle school while embracing her love of renaissance fairs.
The author of, Roller Girl, is back with a graphic novel about starting middle school, surviving your embarrassing family, and the Renaissance Faire., Eleven-year-old Imogene (Impy) has grown up with ... (Goodreads)
Freckle Juice
by Judy Blume
A young boy's attempt to purchase a magically concocted potion to give him freckles.
Nicky has freckles: they cover his face, his ears, and the whole back of his neck. Sitting behind him in class, Andrew once counted eighty-six of them, and that was just a start! If Andrew had ... (Goodreads)
Losing It
by Cora Carmack
A young woman learns to embrace life and take chances as she embarks on a journey of self-discovery.
Sick of being the only virgin among her friends, Bliss Edwards decides the best way to deal with the problem is to lose it as quickly and simply as possible - a one-night stand. But her plan turns ... (Goodreads)
Size 12 Is Not Fat
by Meg Cabot
A young woman's comedic journey of self-acceptance in a society obsessed with weight.
Heather Wells Rocks! Or, at least, she, did,. That was before she left the pop-idol life behind after she gained a dress size or two — and lost a boyfriend, a recording contract, and her life savings ... (Barnes & Noble)
The Diary of a Nobody
by George Grossmith
A humorous look at the everyday struggles of an ordinary family living in 19th century London.
Mr Pooter is a man of modest ambitions, content with his ordinary life. Yet he always seems to be troubled by disagreeable tradesmen, impertinent young office clerks and wayward friends, not to ... (Goodreads)
Mini Shopaholic
by Sophie Kinsella
A young woman confronts her shopping addiction and learns to manage her finances.
Sophie Kinsella has dazzled readers with her irresistible Shopaholic novels–sensational international bestsellers that have garnered millions of devoted fans and catapulted her into the first rank of ... (Goodreads)
Eighth Grade Bites
by Heather Brewer
A teenage vampire navigates the confusing and awkward transition to high school.
Junior high really sucks for thirteen-year-old Vladimir Tod. Bullies harass him, the principal is dogging him, and the girl he likes prefers his best friend. Oh, and Vlad has a secret: his mother was ... (Goodreads)
You're Not Doing It Right: Tales of Marriage, Sex, Death, and Other Humiliations
by Michael Ian Black
A collection of humorous and self-deprecating essays about the author's personal experiences with marriage, parenthood, and mortality.
Darkly humorous and told with raw honesty, You're Not Doing it Right is Michael's debut memoir. In it, he takes on his childhood, his marriage, his children, and his career with unexpected candor and ... (Goodreads)
Knocked Out by My Nunga-Nungas
by Louise Rennison
A teenage girl's humorous journey of self-discovery, finding her place in the world.
As I was going out of my bedroom door I remembered my nungas. Perhaps I should take some precautions to keep them under strict control. Maybe bits of Sellotape on the ends of them to keep them from ... (Barnes & Noble)
The Clique
by Lisi Harrison
A new girl tries to fit in with the popular clique at school, but learns the cost of popularity.
Mean Girls, meets, Middle School, in, The Clique,... The only thing harder than getting in, is staying in. Enter Claire Lyons, the new girl from Florida in Keds and two-year-old Gap overalls, who is ... (Goodreads)
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