Grief

"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.

The Invalid's Story

by Mark Twain

Publication year 1874

Genre Short Story, Fiction

Themes Fear, Death, Grief, Friendship, Religion & Spirituality

Tags Classic Fiction, Humor

Mark Twain’s short story “The Invalid’s Story,” published in his 1882 collection The Stolen White Elephant, Etc., is a tall tale involving a mix-up between a coffin and a box full of guns. Traveling on a train with what he believes to be the coffin, the first-person narrator mistakes the odor of pungent cheese for that of the decaying corpse. Disparaged by critics for its crudeness at its time of publication, the story deals with... Read The Invalid's Story Summary

The Island of Missing Trees

by Elif Shafak

Publication year 2021

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Grief, Love, Memory, Race, Nation, The Past, Animals, Family, Plants, Safety & Danger

Tags Historical Fiction, Magical Realism, Fantasy, Romance, Addiction & Substance Abuse, Food, Trauma & Abuse, European History, World History, Immigration & Refugeeism, LGBTQ+, Love & Sexuality, Military & War, Politics & Government, Science & Nature, Race & Racism, Relationships, Religion & Spirituality, Grief & Death, Modern Classic Fiction

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The Jilting of Granny Weatherall

by Katherine Anne Porter

Publication year 1929

Genre Short Story, Fiction

Themes Memory, Death, Grief, Truth & Lies

Tags Education, Education, American Literature, Classic Fiction

“The Jilting of Granny Weatherall” is a short story written by American author Katherine Anne Porter and first published in 1930 as part of Porter’s short story collection Flowering Judas, and Other Stories. Set in the final moments of the title character’s life, the narrative explores her emotions and memories, as well as her struggle to cope with mortality. Written during the Modernist movement, which sought to break away from traditional literary forms and explore... Read The Jilting of Granny Weatherall Summary

The Johnstown Flood

by David McCullough

Publication year 1968

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Power & Greed, Social Class, Grief

Tags US History, Natural Disaster, Industrial Revolution, American Literature, World History

American author and historian David McCullough’s debut book, The Johnstown Flood (1968), is a work of social history that chronicles the Johnstown Flood of 1889, a deluge of water and debris that tore through a steel community in Central Pennsylvania, killing more than 2,000 people and causing millions of dollars in damage. The flood resulted from a dam bursting in the mountains above Johnstown. The dam had been somewhat hurriedly built to create a lake... Read The Johnstown Flood Summary

The Last Song

by Nicholas Sparks

Publication year 2009

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Love, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Forgiveness, Grief, Guilt, Hope, Regret, Coming of Age, Death, Appearance & Reality, Family, Fathers, Self Discovery, Social Class, Music, Truth & Lies

Tags Romance, Dramatic Literature, Coming of Age

The Last Song (2009) is a contemporary coming-of-age romance novel by American author Nicholas Sparks, a celebrated writer of best-selling works such as The Notebook and A Walk to Remember that are often set in coastal North Carolina. Sparks developed the novel’s story alongside the screenplay for its 2010 film adaptation. The plot centers on a rebellious teenage girl forced to spend the summer with her estranged father, leading her to reconnect with her passion... Read The Last Song Summary

The Last Word

by Taylor Adams

Publication year 2023

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Literature, Grief, Hate & Anger, Loneliness, Mental Health, Death, Safety & Danger

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

... Read The Last Word Summary