A Separate Peace is a book about Gene and his friend Finny, two young men who attend a prep school called Devon. The two friends are opposites in many regards and Gene becomes jealous of Finny. Preparing to jump from a tree into the water, Gene intentionally jostles the tree and causes Finny to fall and break his leg. Gene eventually tells Finny what he does and Finny forgives him. Later, Finny breaks the same leg again and dies, leaving Gene angry and ashamed.
Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation is a work of historical non-fiction about the founding fathers of the United States, their relationships and their political compromises. The book examines Washington, Adams, Jefferson, Hamilton and Madison, telling of their decision not to abolish slavery, their secret negotiations about the establishment of Washington DC, the duel between Hamilton and Burr, and the relationships between Abigail and John Adams and between John Adams and Jefferson.
Lysistrata, an ancient comic play, tells the story of Lysistrata as she schemes with other Greek women to end the Peloponnesian War, a conflict between Athens and a league of city-states led by Sparta. Lysistrata convinces women on both sides of the war to agree to withhold sex from their husbands until a peace treaty is signed, and a chorus of old women helps emphasize the influence that women have on the conflict. The women's plan is successful in this political comedy that touches on ideas of reason and resolution.