"Nature abhors the old," said Ralph Waldo Emerson, and yet poet John Donne wrote, "No Spring nor Summer Beauty hath such grace / As I have seen in one Autumnal face." So, is aging a gift—or a curse? In this thematic collection, we present texts that reflect on this question.
Publication year 2023
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Aging, Relationships: Friendship, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Humor, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2023
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Identity: Gender, Identity: Sexuality, Life/Time: Aging, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: The Past, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship, Self Discovery, Society: Community, Emotions/Behavior: Love
Tags Romance
Publication year 1968
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Life/Time: Aging, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Fame
Tags Fantasy, Classic Fiction, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Action / Adventure
Publication year 2023
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Literature, Relationships: Friendship, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Life/Time: Aging, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Self Discovery, Society: Community
Tags Historical Fiction, Humor, Modern Classic Fiction, History: World
Publication year 2024
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Life/Time: Aging, Natural World: Environment, Self Discovery
Tags Modern Classic Fiction, Fantasy, History: World
Publication year 1791
Genre Biography, Nonfiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Literature, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Life/Time: Aging, Relationships: Friendship, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags British Literature, History: European, Auto/Biographical Fiction, Arts / Culture, Class, Depression / Suicide, Religion / Spirituality, Philosophy, History: World, Philosophy, Classic Fiction, Biography
James Boswell’s The Life of Samuel Johnson (1791) is often considered to be one of the finest pieces of biographical writing in the English language. Samuel Johnson was an English poet, essayist, and lexicographer who produced a pioneering and influential Dictionary of the English Language. However, he is less well-known today for his writings than as the biographical subject for Boswell, a lawyer from Scotland who first met Johnson in 1763. During their 21-year friendship... Read The Life of Samuel Johnson Summary
Publication year 2024
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: Aging, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Joy, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Life/Time: The Past, Self Discovery
Tags Historical Fiction, Romance, Magical Realism
Publication year 2004
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Sexuality, Values/Ideas: Literature, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Mental Health, Life/Time: Aging, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Art
Tags Historical Fiction, Auto/Biographical Fiction, Irish Literature
Publication year 1956
Genre Short Story, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Life/Time: Aging
Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Fantasy, Classic Fiction
“The Minority Report,” a short story by science fiction author Philip K. Dick, follows the story of Precrime Commissioner John A. Anderton as he decides whether or not he will commit the murder of a stranger, Leopold Kaplan, of which he has been accused approximately one week in advance of the event. Through this political and psychological dilemma, Dick explores the themes of predestination versus free will, the importance of personal values versus the greater... Read The Minority Report Summary
Publication year 1998
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Natural World: Food, Emotions/Behavior: Joy, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Identity: Gender, Identity: Indigenous, Identity: Race, Life/Time: Aging, Natural World: Flora/plants, Relationships: Family, Self Discovery, Society: Immigration
Tags Modern Classic Fiction, Asian Literature, Magical Realism, Fantasy, Romance, Indian Literature, Food, Asian Literature
Publication year 1982
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Fate, Identity: Gender, Life/Time: Aging
Tags Fantasy, Action / Adventure, Mythology, History: World, Historical Fiction, Romance, Classic Fiction
Publication year 2023
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Friendship, Identity: Gender, Life/Time: Aging
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Humor, Modern Classic Fiction, Romance, Action / Adventure
Publication year 2024
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Mental Health, Life/Time: Aging, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: The Past, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt
Tags Romance, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Holidays & Occasions
Publication year 1952
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Aging, Values/Ideas: Fate, Self Discovery
Publication year 2024
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Self Discovery, Identity: Gender, Life/Time: Aging, Society: Education, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology
Tags Health / Medicine, Women's Studies (Nonfiction), Science / Nature
Publication year 2025
Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Identity: Gender, Identity: Mental Health, Life/Time: Aging, Relationships: Marriage, Self Discovery
Tags Self Help
Publication year 1908
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Siblings, Society: Community, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Mothers, Relationships: Marriage, Life/Time: Aging, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: Midlife, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Memory
Tags Historical Fiction, British Literature
Publication year 2016
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship, Emotions/Behavior: Gratitude, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Life/Time: Aging, Life/Time: Mortality & Death
Tags Realistic Fiction, Literary Fiction
Publication year 2023
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Friendship, Society: Community, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Gratitude, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Identity: Mental Health, Identity: Race, Life/Time: Aging, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: The Past, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Fathers, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality
Tags Literary Fiction, Christian literature, Contemporary Literature
Publication year 2011
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Aging, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: The Future, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Relationships: Marriage, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict
Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Fantasy
The Postmortal by Drew Magary is a science fiction thriller that follows a man named John Farrell in the decades following the “postmortal cure,” a type of genetic engineering that stops aging. The novel grapples with the human experience amid technological advantages, religious zeal, and increasingly human-driven crises. Magary, whose legal name is Andrew Schuyler Magary, is a journalist, humor writer, and novelist. He has written for magazines such as GQ and is the co-founder... Read The Postmortal Summary