Friendship

The solace and comfort of true friendship — and the pain of its loss — can rival any romantic or familial relationship. In this collection, we present texts that examine the unique qualities and costs of deep friendships.

Requiem for a Dream

by Hubert Selby Jr.

Publication year 1978

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Friendship, Loneliness, Social Class

Tags Horror & Suspense, Mystery & Crime Fiction, Dramatic Literature, Psychological Fiction, Addiction & Substance Abuse, American Literature, Modern Classic Fiction, Classic Fiction

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Restart

by Gordon Korman

Publication year 2017

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Friendship, Coming of Age, Trust & Doubt

Tags Realistic Fiction, Bullying, Children`s Literature, Education, Education, Modern Classic Fiction, Humor

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Rick

by Alex Gino

Publication year 2020

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Friendship, Gender Identity, Sexual Identity, Coming of Age

Tags Realistic Fiction, LGBTQ+, Children`s Literature, Modern Classic Fiction

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Riders of the Purple Sage

by Zane Grey

Publication year 1912

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Conflict, Gender Identity, Femininity, Masculinity, Justice, Safety & Danger, Loyalty & Betrayal, Good & Evil, Religion & Spirituality, Power & Greed, Trust & Doubt, Truth & Lies, Wins & Losses, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Perseverance, Fear, Grief, Hate & Anger, Loneliness, Revenge, Regret, Shame & Pride, Fathers, Friendship

Tags Classic Fiction, Western, Historical Fiction, Gender & Feminism, Religion & Spirituality, American Literature, World History, Romance, Action & Adventure

Riders of the Purple Sage is a novel by western writer Zane Grey. Set in 1871, the novel follows the story of Jane Withersteen, a Mormon woman being persecuted by her church leaders for refusing to become the third wife of church leader, Elder Tull, as well as her fondness for non-Mormons, or gentile, settlers in the area. The novel first appeared as a 19-part series in the magazine, Field and Stream, in January of... Read Riders of the Purple Sage Summary

Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption

by Stephen King

Publication year 1982

Genre Novella, Fiction

Themes Friendship, Justice, Guilt, Hope

Tags Horror & Suspense, Mystery & Crime Fiction, Incarceration, Historical Fiction, Trauma & Abuse, Classic Fiction

Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption (1982) is a novella by Stephen King. It originally appeared in King’s collection Different Seasons. The novella’s first-person narrator, Red, tells the story of fellow inmate, Andy Dufresne, who was wrongfully convicted, mistreated by the prison warden, and successfully escaped the prison. Through Andy’s steadfast optimism, Red transforms from a cynical ex-con to a man who believes in the power of hope and redemption. The novella was adapted into a... Read Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption Summary

Rock Paper Scissors

by Alice Feeney

Publication year 2021

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Revenge, Mothers, Fathers, Friendship, Love, Hate & Anger, Loyalty & Betrayal, Safety & Danger, Trust & Doubt, Good & Evil, Truth & Lies, Daughters & Sons, Fear, Loneliness, Apathy, Marriage

Tags Modern Classic Fiction, Horror & Suspense, Mystery & Crime Fiction

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Rodrick Rules

by Jeff Kinney

Publication year 2008

Genre Graphic Novel/Book, Fiction

Themes Friendship, Conflict, Apathy, Fear, Hate & Anger, Shame & Pride, Regret, Childhood & Youth, Power & Greed, Truth & Lies, Trust & Doubt, Masculinity, Appearance & Reality, Education, Family, Siblings, Mothers, Fathers, Daughters & Sons

Tags Humor, Realistic Fiction, Children`s Literature, Modern Classic Fiction

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Rogue Protocol

by Martha Wells

Publication year 2018

Genre Novella, Fiction

Themes Conflict, Appearance & Reality, Nature Versus Nurture, Friendship, Teamwork, Economics, Politics & Government, Power & Greed, Science & Technology

Tags Science Fiction, Action & Adventure

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Roller Girl

by Victoria Jamieson

Publication year 2015

Genre Graphic Novel/Book, Fiction

Themes Friendship, Coming of Age, Perseverance, Fear, Conflict, Hate & Anger, Childhood & Youth, Teamwork, Loyalty & Betrayal, Self Discovery, Truth & Lies

Tags Realistic Fiction, Sports, Coming of Age, Children`s Literature, Modern Classic Fiction

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Roman Fever

by Edith Wharton

Publication year 1934

Genre Short Story, Fiction

Themes Loyalty & Betrayal, The Past, Friendship

Tags Relationships, Classic Fiction, American Literature, Education, Education, US History, Italian Literature, World History

Edith Wharton wrote “Roman Fever” near the end of a career that spanned more than five decades. Like many of her works, this 1934 short story investigates the social norms of affluent people from the US, considering the forms of violence these norms tolerate and even encourage. Spare in setting and restricted in action, the story shifts between the present and the past as it depicts a love triangle’s long reverberations. As the Roman backdrop... Read Roman Fever Summary

Romiette and Julio

by Sharon M. Draper

Publication year 1999

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Safety & Danger, Justice, Fate, Self Discovery, Friendship, Race, Love, Hate & Anger, Hope

Tags Realistic Fiction, Romance, Race & Racism, Children`s Literature, Education, Education, Modern Classic Fiction

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Rooftops of Tehran

by Mahbod Seraji

Publication year 2009

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Friendship, Colonialism, Politics & Government

Tags Historical Fiction, Romance, Coming of Age, Middle Eastern Literature, World History, Arts & Culture

Rooftops of Tehran (2009) is a historical fiction novel written by Iranian-American writer Mahbod Seraji. It follows a 17-year-old boy, Pasha, and his friends as they come of age during an era of political oppression and turmoil in Iran. The novel was selected as one of the books in the Outstanding Debut Category by the American Booksellers Association, and it was one of the San Francisco Chronicle’s 50 Notable Books of the Bay Area. Rooftops... Read Rooftops of Tehran Summary

Ruin and Rising

by Leigh Bardugo

Publication year 2014

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Loyalty & Betrayal, Love, Friendship

Tags Fantasy, Action & Adventure, Science Fiction, Military & War, Love & Sexuality, Relationships, Science & Nature, Romance, Religion & Spirituality

Ruin and Rising is the third and final book in Leigh Bardugo’s Shadow and Bone trilogy of young adult fantasy adventure/romance novels. Ruin and Rising was originally published in 2014. Bardugo has written 12 novels as of 2021, many of which are set in the “GrishaVerse” world first portrayed in the novel Shadow and Bone. The Shadow and Bone trilogy, combined with Bardugo’s Six of Crows duology, has been adapted as a television miniseries. Before... Read Ruin and Rising Summary

Rules

by Cynthia Lord

Publication year 2006

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Family, Disability, Friendship, Siblings, Fathers, Mothers, Loneliness, Shame & Pride, Guilt, Conflict

Tags Realistic Fiction, Disability, Diversity, Children`s Literature, Education, Education, Modern Classic Fiction

Rules was the first novel published by Cynthia Lord. Rules is a book for middle-grade readers that has remained popular and in print from the time of its initial publication. The Scholastic paperback version summarized here first appeared in 2018. For a debut novel, Rules was immediately accepted by young readers and by the literary community. The book won a prestigious Newberry Honor Book award and received the Schneider Family Book Award. It was named... Read Rules Summary