Cunningham, Michael: *1952

A Home at the End of the World, 1990 - Thematic Parallels: Search for Belonging

Cunningham, Michael: A Home at the End of the World, 1990
The novel revolves around love, friendship, and the search for belonging. The novel explores how unconventional relationships can form a kind of family, and it examines the emotional complexities of intimacy, identity, and loss..
The following books are thematically similar. They lend themselves well to being read in groups, compared with one another, or used to teach a similar topic over an extended period with a class:
- Cole, Teju: Every Day Is for the Thief, 2007, ~170pp
  The book is a blend of fiction, memoir, and travelogue that explores contemporary Nigerian society through themes of identity, belonging, and the complexities of returning to a changed homeland.
  Both works share nuanced parallels in how they explore belonging, identity, dislocation, and the quiet violence of memory. Both protagonists—whether returning home or trying to make one—face the emotional cost of navigating complex personal and cultural landscapes.
- Henríquez, Cristina: The Book of Unknown Americans, 2014, ~280pp
  The novel explores the challenges of immigration, including language barriers, racism, isolation, and the pursuit of the American Dream, while also highlighting the importance of community and belonging among immigrant families.
  Both novels are rooted in distinct cultural and political contexts—immigrant vs. queer American experience—they converge on themes of home, loss, identity, and the redemptive power of connection. They both suggest that “home” is less about geography and more about emotional anchoring, found through empathy, love, and community.
- Kay, Jackie: Trumpet, 1998, ~200pp
  The novel highlights the universal quest for belonging and understanding.
  While "Trumpet" is rooted in questions of gender and race in the UK, and "A Home at the End of the World" explores queerness and community in the U.S., they align in their celebration of nonconformity, emotional resilience, and the human need for connection. Both resist neat resolutions, honoring the complexity of identity and love..
- Steinbeck, John: Of Mice and Men, 1937, ~100pp
  The work deals with the themes of dreams, loneliness, companionship, the struggle between the weak and the strong, and the unpredictability of fate.
  Both novels use the motif of home—literal and metaphorical—as a symbol of safety, acceptance, and identity. "Of Mice and Men" focuses on the impossibility of achieving this dream in a world that is harsh and unforgiving, especially for those on the margins. "A Home at the End of the World" explores similar longings but within a more modern, personal context, where the definition of home and family is more fluid and self-determined. .
List of general discussion questions on Search for Belonging (pdf)
List of essay prompts on Search for Belonging (pdf)