Fear

Should we heed our fears, or work to overcome them? Suppress and ignore them, or face them head-on? Do we fight—or should we flight? These books unpack the universal human emotion of fear.

The Obstacle is the Way

by Ryan Holiday

Publication year 2014

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Perseverance, Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Courage

Tags Self-Improvement, Leadership, Business & Economics, World History, Psychology, Psychology, Philosophy, Philosophy

The Obstacle Is the Way: The Timeless Art of Turning Trials Into Triumph (2014) is a self-help book by American author Ryan Holiday. Holiday identifies three aspects of confronting obstacles: “Perception,” “Action,” and “Will.” Weaving Stoic philosophy with historical and contemporary anecdotes, Holiday argues that people can turn obstacles into opportunities by changing their perceptions of their problems. Holiday points to role models such as former American president and general Dwight D. Eisenhower, American aviator... Read The Obstacle is the Way Summary

The Once and Future Witches

by Alix E. Harrow

Publication year 2020

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Fate, Religion & Spirituality, Safety & Danger, Loyalty & Betrayal, Power & Greed, Good & Evil, Wins & Losses, Love, Fear, Perseverance, Conflict, Siblings

Tags Historical Fiction, Fantasy, Gender & Feminism, LGBTQ+, Fairy Tale & Folklore, Science Fiction, World History, Religion & Spirituality

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The One Hundred Years of Lenni and Margot

by Marianne Cronin

Publication year 2021

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Friendship, Community, Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Perseverance, Fear, Gratitude, Loneliness, Love, Memory, Hope, Joy, Death, Self Discovery, Art, Truth & Lies, Guilt

Tags LGBTQ+, Romance, Arts & Culture, Grief & Death, Health, Love & Sexuality, Mental Illness, Parenting, Relationships, Religion & Spirituality, Modern Classic Fiction

... Read The One Hundred Years of Lenni and Margot Summary

The Only Plane in the Sky

by Garrett M. Graff

Publication year 2019

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Perseverance, Fear, Grief, Race, Death, Family, Teamwork, Globalization, Nation, Politics & Government, Fate, Good & Evil, Order & Chaos, Religion & Spirituality, Safety & Danger

Tags US History, Crime & Law, 9/11, World History, Biography, Politics & Government

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The Oval Portrait

by Edgar Allan Poe

Publication year 1842

Genre Short Story, Fiction

Themes Art, Fear, Love, Death, Appearance & Reality, Beauty

Tags Horror & Suspense, Classic Fiction, Gothic Literature, Education, Education, Mystery & Crime Fiction, American Literature, World History, Fantasy

Edgar Allan Poe’s Gothic horror story “The Oval Portrait” is among his shortest narratives. As it recounts the story of the death of a painter’s young wife, it addresses the themes The Relationship Between Art and Life, The Dangers of Obsession, and The Nature of Romantic Relationships. “The Oval Portrait” is actually the 1845 revision of a longer story, “Life in Death,” which Poe wrote in 1842, shortly after his beloved young wife, Virginia, first... Read The Oval Portrait Summary

The Passengers

by John Marrs

Publication year 2019

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Conflict, Perseverance, Fear, Hate & Anger, Love, Memory, Revenge, Mental Health, Death, Future, Environment, Teamwork, Social Class, Colonialism, Community, Economics, Education, Globalization, Immigration, Nation, Politics & Government, Equality, Fame, Fate, Good & Evil, Justice, Loyalty & Betrayal, Order & Chaos, Power & Greed, Safety & Danger, Science & Technology, Trust & Doubt, Truth & Lies

... Read The Passengers Summary

The People Could Fly

by Virginia Hamilton

Publication year 1985

Genre Short Story Collection, Fiction

Themes Equality, Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Fear, Perseverance, Grief, Hate & Anger, Hope, Joy, Guilt, Revenge, Memory, Death, Animals, Environment, Appearance & Reality, Food, Good & Evil, Justice, Loyalty & Betrayal, Order & Chaos, Power & Greed, Religion & Spirituality, Safety & Danger, Truth & Lies, Trust & Doubt, Fate, Race, Language, Regret, Shame & Pride, Daughters & Sons, Mothers, Teamwork

Tags Fairy Tale & Folklore, Symbolic Narrative, US History, African American Literature, Race & Racism

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The Phantom of the Opera

by Gaston Leroux

Publication year 1910

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Religion & Spirituality, Death, Loyalty & Betrayal, Art, Safety & Danger, Hate & Anger, Music, Love, Fear, Beauty, Nature Versus Nurture, Justice, Perseverance, Conflict, Trust & Doubt, Truth & Lies, Marriage, Good & Evil, Appearance & Reality, Fathers, Gratitude

Tags Classic Fiction, Horror & Suspense, Romance, Gothic Literature, Mystery & Crime Fiction, French Literature, Historical Fiction, Fantasy

The Phantom of the Opera by Gaston Leroux is a Gothic mystery novel first published serially in 1910. The novel follows a “ghost” who haunts the Paris Opera and the mysterious incidents attributed to this figure. The characters and the narrator himself try to uncover the secret of this ghost, who is really a masked man infatuated opera singer, Christine Daaé. The novel has been adapted into several formats, most notably a 1925 silent film... Read The Phantom of the Opera Summary

The Pit and the Pendulum

by Edgar Allan Poe

Publication year 1842

Genre Short Story, Fiction

Themes Fear, Death, Safety & Danger

Tags Classic Fiction, Horror & Suspense, Symbolic Narrative, Fantasy, Incarceration, Grief & Death, Psychology, Gothic Literature, Romanticism, Education, Education, Mystery & Crime Fiction, World History

“The Pit and the Pendulum,” Edgar Allan Poe’s agonizing tale of terror and suspense, was first published in 1842. One of Poe’s many horror stories, “The Pit and the Pendulum” became famous for its depiction of pure dread. This guide refers to the 1992 Modern Library edition of Poe’s Collected Tales and Poems.The story begins with shocking suddenness: “I was sick—sick unto death with that long agony” (246). The narrator, we soon discover, is a... Read The Pit and the Pendulum Summary

The Postcard

by Anne Berest

Publication year 2023

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Family, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Fear, Forgiveness, Grief, Guilt, Hate & Anger, Memory, Regret, Mental Health, Race, Death, The Past, Mothers, Siblings, Community, Immigration, Good & Evil

Tags Historical Fiction, World War II, Holocaust, Jewish Literature, French Literature, Military & War, World History

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The Premature Burial

by Edgar Allan Poe

Publication year 1844

Genre Short Story, Fiction

Themes Fear, Death, Mental Health, Appearance & Reality

Tags Horror & Suspense, Gothic Literature, Mystery & Crime Fiction, American Literature, World History, Classic Fiction

“The Premature Burial” is a short horror story published in 1844 by American writer Edgar Allan Poe that explores the fear of being buried alive, otherwise known as taphephobia. This condition is considered rare in contemporary times but was a common fear during the 19th century because, due to a lack of sufficient medical techniques and technologies, people were sometimes mistakenly declared deceased and accidentally buried alive.Other short stories written by this author include The... Read The Premature Burial Summary

The Proving Ground

by Michael Connelly

Publication year 2025

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Conflict, Perseverance, Fear, Guilt, Regret, Disability, Gender Identity, Mental Health, Death, Daughters & Sons, Teamwork, Social Class, Community, Economics, Justice, Power & Greed, Science & Technology, Truth & Lies, Wins & Losses

Tags Science, Technology, Science/Technology, Gender & Feminism, Biography, US History

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The Queen Of Spades

by Alexander Pushkin

Publication year 1834

Genre Short Story, Fiction

Themes Fate, Trust & Doubt, Good & Evil, Fear

Tags Classic Fiction, Russian Literature, World History, Fantasy, Horror & Suspense

“The Queen of Spades” is a short story by Russian author Alexander Pushkin, first published in 1834. In the story, a young army officer becomes obsessed with learning a trick to win vast sums of money at cards. The story has been adapted into films, radio broadcasts, and operas. Many scholars consider Pushkin to be one of the greatest Russian writers and the founder of modern Russian literature. His most famous works include Eugene Onegin... Read The Queen Of Spades Summary

The Reckoning

by Caroline Peckham, Susanne Valenti

Publication year 2019

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Conflict, Fear, Hate & Anger, Love, Memory, Shame & Pride, Masculinity, Nature Versus Nurture, Family, Fathers, Friendship, Siblings, Self Discovery, Social Class, War, Power & Greed

Tags Fantasy, Romance

Published in 2019, The Reckoning is a dark-fantasy romance novel by Caroline Peckham and Susanne Valenti. It’s the third installment in their popular Zodiac Academy series, which belongs to the subgenres of dark academia and bully romance, and follows Ruthless Fae (2019). Peckham and Valenti are #1 Wall Street Journal and USA Today best-selling authors known for their interconnected fantasy worlds, with the Zodiac Academy series gaining significant popularity with reader communities on social-media platforms... Read The Reckoning Summary

The Recruit

by Robert Muchamore

Publication year 2004

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Perseverance, Fear, Coming of Age, Environment, Friendship, Siblings, Teamwork, Good & Evil, Justice, Power & Greed

Tags Mystery & Crime Fiction, Horror & Suspense, Action & Adventure

The Recruit by British author Robert Muchamore (Hodder Children’s Books, 2004) is the first book in the middle-grade spy adventure CHERUB series and follows a 12-year-old boy who is plucked from a difficult life to become a spy. The book offers a look at the opportunities presented by change while exploring themes of overcoming fear, seeing issues from both sides, and making difficult choices. The Recruit was nominated for eight awards and won seven of... Read The Recruit Summary