"The art of losing isn't hard to master," wrote poet Elizabeth Bishop. Perhaps she meant that we will all face loss at some point in our lives. In this collection, we have brought together texts that take up the universal experience of grief.
Publication year 2019
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Friendship
Tags Realistic Fiction, Action / Adventure, Philosophy, Children's Literature, Grief / Death, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2002
Genre Short Story, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Natural World: Space & The Universe, Emotions/Behavior: Grief
Tags Magical Realism
“The Rememberer,” by American author Aimee Bender, is a short story that uses conventions of magical realism to explore the themes of Thought Versus Feeling, Love and Obligation, and The Sublime Quality of Loss. First published in the September 1, 1997, issue of The Missouri Review, the piece later appeared in Bender’s award-winning short story collection, The Girl in the Flammable Skirt (1998). Bender uses first-person point-of-view to tell the story of Annie, a woman... Read The Rememberer Summary
Publication year 2024
Genre Memoir in Verse, Nonfiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Identity: Race, Life/Time: The Past, Self Discovery, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Fame, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice
Tags Sports, Race / Racism
Publication year 2025
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Relationships: Fathers, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Art
Tags Literary Fiction, Domestic Fiction, Contemporary Literature
Publication year 2025
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Identity: Mental Health, Life/Time: Aging, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Natural World: Animals, Relationships: Family, Self Discovery
Tags Humor
Publication year 2018
Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Natural World: Environment, Society: Class
Tags Travel Literature, Science / Nature, British Literature, Biography
Publication year 2001
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Relationships: Mothers, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Relationships: Fathers, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth
Tags Education, Education, Modern Classic Fiction, Children's Literature, Realistic Fiction, Grief / Death
Andrew Clements’s The School Story is a 2001 middle grade fiction novel about two sixth-grade girls who set out to get a book published. The School Story is Andrew Clements’s fourth full-length novel. Prior to writing novels, Clements worked extensively on picture books, and his familiarity with the publishing industry allowed him to create a realistic yet fantastical story about two children trying to navigate it. The School Story explores themes of loss, honesty, and... Read The School Story Summary
Publication year 2005
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: Aging, Emotions/Behavior: Memory
Tags Modern Classic Fiction, History: World, Irish Literature, Classic Fiction
Publication year 2021
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Society: Class, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Society: Community
Tags Historical Fiction, Health / Medicine, Roaring Twenties, History: World, Drama / Tragedy, Romance
Publication year 2012
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Relationships: Family, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Mothers
Tags British Literature, History: World, Historical Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Romance, WWI / World War I
Publication year 2001
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Relationships: Mothers, Identity: Race
Tags Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Historical Fiction, Race / Racism, Modern Classic Fiction, History: World, Classic Fiction
Publication year 2022
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Relationships: Siblings
Tags Historical Fiction, Arts / Culture, Romance, History: World, Drama / Tragedy
Publication year 1998
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Relationships: Marriage
Tags History: World, Historical Fiction, Romance, Western, Action / Adventure
Publication year 2025
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: The Past, Natural World: Place, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Mothers, Relationships: Siblings, Self Discovery, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Fame, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Romance
Publication year 2007
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Grief
Tags Christian literature, Inspirational, Fantasy, Religion / Spirituality
The Shack is a novel by Canadian author William P. Young and his first published work. Young is the son of Christian missionaries who worked in the highlands of Papua New Guinea, and he grew up alternately amid the Dani ethnic group and in missionary boarding schools before the family moved back to Canada. Having settled in the United States as an adult, Young began writing stories for his children and friends. The earliest version... Read The Shack Summary
Publication year 2021
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Relationships: Family
Tags Race / Racism, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Depression / Suicide, Realistic Fiction, Christian literature, Grief / Death, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Children's Literature, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 1988
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Win & Lose
Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Psychological Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Action / Adventure, Drama / Tragedy, Classic Fiction
The Silence of the Lambs by Thomas Harris is a psychological thriller and crime novel published in 1988. The novel follows FBI agent-in-training Clarice Starling as she becomes increasingly involved in the investigation of serial killer Buffalo Bill. The book is the sequel to Harris’s 1981 novel Red Dragon and includes several continuing characters, like the serial killer Dr. Hannibal Lecter. The novel won the 1988 Bram Stoker Award and 1989 Anthony Award for Best... Read The Silence Of The Lambs Summary
Publication year 2014
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Identity: Disability, Identity: Gender, Identity: Masculinity, Identity: Mental Health, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Relationships: Marriage, Relationships: Teams, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction
J.K. Rowling has published seven novels in the Cormoran Strike mystery series under the pseudonym Robert Galbraith, beginning in 2013 with The Cuckoo’s Calling. The Silkworm was released in 2014 as the second installment of the series. The novel received praise for its intricate plotting and satirical take on the publishing industry, though it also drew criticism for its controversial portrayals of gender and graphic imagery. Set in the London literary world, The Silkworm satirizes... Read The Silkworm Summary
Publication year 1998
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Race, Self Discovery, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Relationships: Family, Life/Time: Coming of Age
Tags Realistic Fiction, Bullying, Race / Racism, Children's Literature, Education, Education, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2016
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Nostalgia, Identity: Indigenous, Identity: Mental Health, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Natural World: Environment, Relationships: Family, Society: Colonialism, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger
Tags Realistic Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, History: World, Historical Fiction