Here’s some trivia for your next late-night conversation: The concept of the classical elements—earth, wind, fire, and water—originates in the ancient world, and seems to have been developed pretty much simultaneously by the best thinkers in multiple cultures. References to the idea can be found in artifacts from ancient Greece, Egypt, and India.
 
We’re all about classification here at Goodreads, and so we’ve transposed this idea to the world of books. Listed below are 36 books with a classical element in the title—nine for each element. Reading thematically can be fun, and you may spot some familiar names. Where else are you going to get Jules Verne, Madeleine L’Engle, and Ta-Nehisi Coates in the same lineup?
 
Scroll over the book covers to learn more about each title, and add the ones that pique your interest to your Want to Read shelf. Feel free to add any additional suggestions, variations, or riffs in the comments section.
 

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