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Haunted by the ghosts of her ancestors and left with little information on what really happened surrounding slave revolts, historian Rebecca Hall made it her mission to uncover and share this hidden history. This graphic memoir follows Rebecca Hall as she works to uncover the voices and stories of those in which history failed to preserve. Furthermore, those who demonstrated an extraordinary ability to resist dehumanization and unfair treatment by any means necessary. “Wake” beautifully gives life to those whose voices and stories have not been preserved throughout history and demonstrates resistance and resilience through both Hall’s powerful words and Hugo Martinez’s layered illustrations.

Discover the past, present, and future through the lens of one specific spot. The narrative of Here is mostly composed of visual means but is still able to convey confusing feelings of existentialism unlike any other. This work reminds the reader of their place in the ever-moving cycle of time in a way that is both heavily reflective and comforting. While we may only have a certain number of years in our life, our presence will always be felt just like the plants, animals, and human beings that have come before us. What has been here, what is here, and what will be here are all more tightly knit than you may think. 

I have never read something that moved me in such a profound way. I think Una’s memoir is a piece of literature and art that all women and allies to women need to read. It follows two storylines intertwined as one: the sexual assault of a 12-year-old Una and the serial murders of the Yorkshire Ripper both taking place in 1977 northern England. Una narrates the storylines out of chronological order using her own perspective as a young girl and an adult looking back on it all. The memoir covers issues surrounding the geography of misogyny and violence against women through Una’s own experiences and what she has witnessed around her. It is a testament to the strength of women and brings light to the fears and dangers that surround them from the moment they enter into the patriarchal world.  (TW: SA)

Often combined into one body of work, Art Spiegelman’s Maus covers the events of the Holocaust through his father’s stories and the transgenerational transmission of trauma that has come from it in a way that has never been done before. The written narrative is complemented with artistic mediums that add in a whole other story of its own. His use of anthropomorphism especially reflects an understanding of the world that words alone cannot convey. It’s a beautifully graphic set of work about a horrific topic that only Spiegelman could make.

What It Is by Lynda Barry is more than a graphic memoir but is truly a work filled with unique writings and illustrations that can fit into numerous categories. It is a graphic memoir, a visual memoir, a how to, a self-help book, and above all, a resource for inspiration and rediscovery. In this book she strives to get across the message that being creative and having an artistic outlet is beneficial as a human being no matter your age. She does this through following her own journey of growing up, dealing with mental struggles, her relationship with her mother, and discovering and rediscovering her passion for art and expression.

After the bombing of Pearl Harbor, Japanese American boy George Takei and his family were forced into internment camps and received heavy mistreatment from their own country for simply being of Japanese descent. This memoir is George’s account of this traumatic experience and how his life changed because of it. It also documents the loss, racism, and abundance of injustice that occurred to himself and others plus how the United States dealt with the whole ordeal after the fact. They Called Us Enemy is an inspirational story of resilience and may even be the history lesson that you were never taught in school.  

Follows Bui’s own life and the life of her family being in Vietnam during the Vietnam War plus their tough journey and migration to the United States as refugees. Throughout this story, Bui covers all elements of their family and how what has happened to them both individually and collectively has shaped their relationships with each other. Thi Bui was just a young child when she was introduced to death, war, and prejudice so to say that she has had an abundance of trauma and thus a need for healing is an understatement. She is also in search of this missing piece of herself and her Vietnamese identity that she never truly felt connected to because of the war and being a refugee. This memoir was to help her find that piece of herself and come to a place of healing.

This memoir was published in 2006 and as the title implies, its contents are presented in a manner that is both tragic and comedic. It covers Bechdel’s relationship with her father and their respective sexualities through both her words and her images. Their relationship with each other and with themselves plays into their family dynamic and ultimately how Bechdel works through her father’s demise. It is when he dies, that she is faced with having to reflect on their lives both together and separate in order to work through her own trauma and hardships.

Emma Woodhouse, my beloved. Emma is my personal favorite Jane Austen book and not just because I share a name with the titular character. As a matter of fact, Jane Austen described her main character, Emma Woodhouse, as someone whom no one else besides herself would even like. Disregarding the arguments and discussions over Emma Woodhouse as a likable character, one thing is for certain: Emma explores femininity, romantic and platonic relationships, classism, 18th century living, and the capacity for a person to work on themselves and change.

A trailblazer in gothic fiction and the creation of vampire lore, Dracula has shaped what it means to write about monsters and the supernatural. It’s an epistolary novel which takes the reader through a winding journey of letters, diary entries, and newspaper clippings which eventually unfold into the classic story that we know. From a mysterious castle to a scientist and his patient to an unsuspecting fiancé and her friend, there is a reason why this novel has stood the test of time. 

This coming-of-age novel follows the lives of four sisters– Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy– as they transition from childhood to adulthood. It details their relationships with themselves, their family, and others, while learning what it means to be a woman. They encounter many highs and many lows but all of which come with the deal of living. 

Influenced by the up-and-coming fixation of Gothic literature, Austen taps into what can unfold when a young and naive girl with an overactive imagination and a love for mystery ultimately gets invited to stay at a grand abbey. The story follows the main protagonist, Catherine, and her moments of adventure, romance, mystery, and schemes… is she really just like the characters she reads about in her books or is Catherine simply too much for even herself to handle? 

A crossover between psychological fiction and gothic horror, this classic is set in late 19th-century London where everything seemed to have a dark side. The novel mostly follows a man named Dorian Gray and the man tasked with painting his portrait, Basil Howard. When Dorian turns to the darkest of ways to guarantee his beauty, his life soon becomes filled with immoral decisions. His hedonistic beliefs get heightened and Basil gets wrapped up in his own moral quandaries and desires surrounding it all. 

Jane Austen’s first novel follows sisters Marianne and Elinor Dashwood as they navigate life, romance, and their relationships with themselves and others. A timeless coming-of-age story layered with 18th century living and values. (Do not let the confusing first chapter deter you, Jane Austen loves to lay out a family tree and give you names that you do not really need to worry about… sorry Jane, I love you but it’s true).

Through the relationship between two sisters named Lizzie and Laura and a market run by goblin men, Goblin Market serves as a story about temptation and salvation. It is also a demonstration of love, the power of sisterhood, and the strength of women regardless of what has happened to them. ​​They can make mistakes, become victims of men (or goblins), and other pressures of the world, but above all they can rise and heal again.

Munro focuses on gender as a social construction in Boys and Girls which can apply to the lives of many. This short story also demonstrates how one’s sex and gender are met with expectations and forced conformities. The whole unnatural concept of placing each person into a category based on their biological makeup has served as a baseline for the damaging ideals of the patriarchy. Boys and Girls addresses how this categorization and stereotyping influences a sense of forced identity, particularly in women. All these elements materialize through Munro’s young female protagonist. The young girl deals with the realization that she is a girl and how her sex has shaped not only her own identity but how she is perceived by others.

Angela Carter takes inspiration from the classic fairy tale Bluebeard by Charles Perrault and rewrites it in an attempt to deconstruct the patriarchal notions of its origin. The politics of fairy tales can heavily affect gender roles which left Carter determined to uproot and expose their sexism. This tale follows a young bride who quickly learns of her husband’s dark secrets and the true stories of his wives before her. It’s a mystery turned thriller that is not afraid to make a statement. 

A great example of magical realism, this short story alludes to heroes in many different cultures and historical periods such as Quetzalcoatl, Odysseus, Jesus, and Moses. When the body of a man washes up on the beach of a small coastal town, the residents soon latch onto the mystery of the man and his identity. In many ways it is a story of human connection, fantasy, and transformation. 

The pressures of toxic masculinity and racism in the rural south are often regarded as the main themes in this Wright story. It brings about a discussion of the compatibility between power/influence and being black. Furthermore, how it has historically been viewed. Richard Wright draws from his own experiences of facing racism to create this story about oppression, exploitation, and the pressures of the patriarchy. 

Follow the narrator in their descent into madness in this short story from 1892. After being prescribed a “rest cure” by her doctor husband which makes her bound to a single room, the female narrator starts to succumb to her mental deterioration. This deterioration begins to make her obsessed with the room's yellow wallpaper and what she sees lurking within it. It’s a story that comments on men as oppressors, female resistance, and why freedom of self is so important.

Young Goodman Brown is a depiction of mankind’s somewhat complex internal struggle between good and evil. It is neither purely realistic nor exclusively allegorical but mixes realism and allegory to create a complex protagonist and narrative that is tied to the devil and the supernatural. The story is covered in religious symbolism even down to the names (or lack thereof) of the characters themselves. It’s the perfect “spooky” story that has very real meanings. 

The Metamorphosis is one of the most bizarre but heartbreaking stories of the modern man’s alienation from his humanity. It’s a short story that plays into the psychological aspect while also showing very real and obvious symbolism of dehumanization. More specifically, this story serves as an example of the harmful effects that capitalism has on the working class and the self-alienation that can come from it.

In this gothic short story, an escaped convict called the Misfit meets a traveling family of six and decides to make them his next target. Author Flannery O’Connor dramatizes beliefs surrounding grace and redemption and how it can seemingly be applied to anyone. Although somewhat noble in theory, there can be a lot of questionable aspects as well. These aspects can be seen in the character of the Grandmother and what ultimately happens with the Misfit. The ending of this story and what it all means will leave you angry and reflective.

Xiomara is fifteen years old and feels out of place. She feels different, unappreciated, and like no one believes in her. When she finds poetry, she finds an outlet that allows her to deal with all the growing pressures in her life. Written entirely in prose, The Poet X discusses feelings and emotions surrounding sexuality, religion, body image, culture, and familial relationships. 

Predating that of Dracula, Carmilla is one of the earliest works of vampire fiction. It follows a young female protagonist named Laura who encounters a beautiful and mysterious guest named Carmilla. As the narrative progresses, more is known about Carmilla and the events leading up to her arrival. Besides tackling vampire tropes as we now know them, the book also deals with identity, sexuality, desire, and the supernatural. In modern times, it is often regarded as a fundamental piece of queer fiction. 

Inspired by current events and real-life accounts, this novel follows three teens who are forced to flee from their homes and for their lives in Guatemala. It is a powerful story about the journeys that many make to and across the U.S.–Mexico border. It is about escape, promise, survival, family, strength, and loss. If this story does not open your eyes to what happens at the border and the sheer amount of courage and desperation that it takes to flee to the United States, then I do not know what will.  

There is a reason why this book created the Young Adult genre as we know it today and why you probably had to read it in school at least once in your life– it’s incredible. Its contents surround found family, classism, toxic masculinity, mental health, and more. I am constantly saying that you need to read The Outsiders when you are a preteen and then again when you are an adult because you understand its contents in such different ways. 

Many have found this science fiction novel to be horrifying, disturbing, and some have even protested that it is blasphemous. The novel is often tied to themes and discussions surrounding evolution, religion, humanity, and nature itself. After a man named Edward gets shipwrecked on an unknown island, he soon realizes that the island is run by the infamous Dr. Moreau. From there, he discovers what twisted actions are taking place in this isolated location and has to find a way to make it out of it all before he is killed, or worse. (Yes, there is a worse.)