How much of our identity is shaped by our environments? How much is intrinsic to who we are and beyond the control of external forces? These are ancient questions with complex answers. In this collection we've gathered texts that explore the issue of nature versus nurture from a variety of angles.
Publication year 1891
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Natural World: Nurture v. Nature, Society: Economics, Natural World: Environment, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Nostalgia, Life/Time: Mortality & Death
Tags Lyric Poem, Grief / Death, Business / Economics
Publication year 1971
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Natural World: Environment, Natural World: Animals, Natural World: Nurture v. Nature, Natural World: Place, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness
Tags Science / Nature, Animals, Anthropology, Anthropology, Classic Fiction, Biography
Published in 1971, In the Shadow of Man is the third and most famous book by British primatologist Dr. Jane Goodall. The work details Goodall’s groundbreaking study of chimpanzees in Tanzania’s Gombe Stream National Park and her unlikely journey from being a secretary in the UK to heading a major chimpanzee study in East Africa and becoming one of the world’s foremost primatology experts. Functioning as both a memoir and a scientific exploration of chimp... Read In the Shadow of Man Summary
Publication year 1984
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Identity: Masculinity, Natural World: Nurture v. Nature, Relationships: Fathers
Tags Gender / Feminism, Philosophy, Philosophy, Sociology, Psychology, Psychology, Fantasy, Self Help, Religion / Spirituality
Publication year 1902
Genre Short Story Collection, Fiction
Themes Natural World: Animals, Natural World: Nurture v. Nature, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos
Tags Classic Fiction, Children's Literature, Fantasy, British Literature
Publication year 1886
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Mothers, Society: Class, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Relationships: Family, Natural World: Nurture v. Nature
Tags Classic Fiction, Children's Literature, Victorian Period, British Literature, History: World, Historical Fiction
Publication year 2015
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Natural World: Nurture v. Nature, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Action / Adventure, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Science / Nature, Education, Technology, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Children's Literature
Publication year 2006
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Aging, Natural World: Nurture v. Nature
Tags Lyric Poem
Publication year 2020
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Natural World: Environment, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Natural World: Nurture v. Nature
Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Science / Nature, Animals, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 1817
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Natural World: Nurture v. Nature, Natural World: Objects, Natural World: Place, Natural World: Environment
Tags Philosophy, Science / Nature, Romanticism / Romantic Period, Education, Education, British Literature, Classic Fiction
Publication year 1946
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Natural World: Nurture v. Nature
Tags Christian literature, Animals, American Literature
Publication year 2007
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Music, Natural World: Nurture v. Nature, Identity: Mental Health, Emotions/Behavior: Memory
Tags Music, Science / Nature, Psychology, Health / Medicine, Psychology
Publication year 2012
Genre Graphic Novel/Book, Nonfiction
Themes Identity: Mental Health, Society: Economics, Natural World: Nurture v. Nature
Tags Crime / Legal, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Biography
My Friend Dahmer is a graphic novel/memoir by American cartoonist and writer Derf Backderf, known for utilizing darkness and shading in his comic strips and graphic novels. Evolving from a 24-page cartoon created in 2002, My Friend Dahmer (2012) depicts the author’s memories of his high school friend, notorious serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer, in novelistic form—exploring the ways Dahmer himself could have been helped and his 17 murders prevented. The graphic novel was adapted into... Read My Friend Dahmer Summary
Publication year 2018
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Natural World: Nurture v. Nature, Values/Ideas: Beauty
Tags Satire, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction
My Sister, the Serial Killer, is a novel by Nigerian-born British writer Oyinkan Braithwaite, originally published in the UK in 2019. Set in Nigeria’s largest city, Lagos, this darkly satirical, structurally experimental crime story about the extremes of family bonds bears an unusually revealing and literal title, and it has been longlisted for the prestigious Booker Prize. The novel was also shortlisted for the Women’s Prize for Fiction and the 2019 Amazon Publishing Readers’ Awards... Read My Sister, the Serial Killer Summary
Publication year 1878
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Natural World: Nurture v. Nature
Publication year 2022
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Disability, Life/Time: The Past, Natural World: Nurture v. Nature, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Mothers, Relationships: Siblings, Relationships: Teams
Tags Romance, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 1789
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Natural World: Nurture v. Nature, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Natural World: Animals
Tags Romanticism / Romantic Period, Religion / Spirituality, History: World, Arts / Culture
Publication year 2022
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Apathy, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Natural World: Nurture v. Nature
Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 1988
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Society: Economics, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Natural World: Nurture v. Nature
Tags Finance / Money / Wealth, Business / Economics, Self Help
Publication year 1978
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Natural World: Nurture v. Nature
Tags Science / Nature, Sociology, Psychology, Philosophy, Anthropology, Anthropology, History: World, Psychology, Philosophy
Publication year 1910
Genre Essay Collection, Nonfiction
Themes Natural World: Nurture v. Nature, Emotions/Behavior: Fear
Tags Philosophy, Italian Literature, Ancient Rome
On the Nature of Things is a philosophical work by the Roman author Titus Lucretius Carus (whom we call “Lucretius”). It was written in the early 50s BC, in Latin. Though this is a work of science and philosophy, it is also a poem. This work provides a detailed description of Epicurean philosophy, which encompasses theories of atoms, cosmology, theology, and a wide variety of natural phenomena. It also addresses the nature of the mind... Read On The Nature Of Things Summary