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 Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie

by Alan Bradley

Publication year 2009

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Grief, The Past, Loyalty & Betrayal

Tags Mystery & Crime Fiction, Horror & Suspense, British Literature, World History, Historical Fiction

The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie (2009) by Alan Bradley is a murder mystery novel. It is the author’s first book, published when he was 70 years old. The novel won the Dagger, Agatha, Barry, Dilys, Arthur Ellis, Macavity, and Spotted Owl Awards for Best First or Best Debut Novel. It is the first book of The Flavia de Luce Novels.Plot SummaryThe protagonist and narrator of The Sweetness at the Bottom of the... Read The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie Summary

The Talisman

by Stephen King, Peter Straub

Publication year 1984

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Perseverance, Fear, Grief, Hate & Anger, Hope, Love, Memory, Good & Evil, Loyalty & Betrayal, Order & Chaos, Safety & Danger, Power & Greed, Religion & Spirituality, Fate, Trust & Doubt, Truth & Lies, Childhood & Youth, Coming of Age, Friendship, Mothers, Death, The Past, Future, Appearance & Reality, Animals, Space, War, Family

Tags Horror & Suspense, Fantasy, Coming of Age, Action & Adventure

The Talisman is a 1984 novel co-written by Stephen King and Peter Straub. It is a fantasy novel with horror elements and has connections to the works in King’s Dark Tower series. The Talisman is a road trip book that tells the story of Jack Sawyer and his quest to save his mother. The Talisman examines themes of lost innocence, coming of age, friendship, the corrupting nature of power, and more.The Talisman has a sequel... Read The Talisman Summary

The Tennis Partner

by Abraham Verghese

Publication year 1998

Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction

Themes Friendship, Mental Health, Grief, Loneliness

Tags Health, Addiction & Substance Abuse, Sports, Mental Illness, Biography

The Tennis Partner: A Story of Friendship and Loss (1998) is a memoir by physician Abraham Verghese. It follows his friendship with David Smith, a medical student recovering from drug addiction, and the regular games of tennis that lie at the heart of their relationship. The book explores the themes The Disease of Addiction, The Power of Ritual, and Navigating Loneliness and Conflict in Relationships.Verghese is a physician, professor, and best-selling author. His first book... Read The Tennis Partner Summary

The Thing About Jellyfish

by Ali Benjamin

Publication year 2015

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Death, Grief

Tags Children`s Literature, Grief & Death, Realistic Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction

The Thing About Jellyfish is American author Ali Benjamin’s first novel. This title is a middle grade novel set in modern-day Massachusetts. Suzy Swanson, a seventh grader, is the protagonist and narrator of this contemporary, realistic story. The Thing About Jellyfish was a 2015 National Book Award for Young People’s Literature Finalist. This guide follows the first edition from 2015 (Little, Brown and Company).The coming-of-age novel demonstrates the challenges of growing up, especially around matters... Read The Thing About Jellyfish Summary

The Thirteenth Tale

by Diane Setterfield

Publication year 2006

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Truth & Lies, Order & Chaos, Literature, Siblings, Mothers, Appearance & Reality, Grief, Death, Memory

Tags Mystery & Crime Fiction, Gothic Literature, Historical Fiction, Horror & Suspense, World History, Fantasy

The Thirteenth Tale, written by Diane Setterfield, was published in 2006 by Emily Bestler Books/Washington Square Press. The book rose to #1 on The New York Times Best Seller list just one week after publication and won the Quill Award for debut author of the year. Before publishing this first book, Setterfield was an academic, specializing in 20th-century French literature. Since the publication of her first book, Setterfield has published two further books, Bellman &... Read The Thirteenth Tale Summary

The Truth About Forever

by Sarah Dessen

Publication year 2004

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Perseverance, Fear, Grief, Guilt, Loneliness, Love, Memory, Shame & Pride, Regret, Nostalgia, Appearance & Reality, Loyalty & Betrayal, Order & Chaos, Safety & Danger, Trust & Doubt, Truth & Lies, Death, Coming of Age, Daughters & Sons, Family, Mothers, Fathers, Self Discovery

Tags Modern Classic Fiction, Realistic Fiction, Romance, Grief & Death

The Truth About Forever (2004) is a young adult contemporary romance by Sarah Dessen. The novel follows Macy Queen, a teen girl struggling to heal from the tragic death of her father, only to find that the answers lie not in chasing perfection and control but embracing the unpredictable and chaotic joys of life. The Truth About Forever is Sarah Dessen’s sixth published novel and won the 2004 Romantic Times Reviewers’ Choice Award for Urban... Read The Truth About Forever Summary

The Truth as Told by Mason Buttle

by Leslie Connor

Publication year 2018

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Grief, Death, Family

Tags Mystery & Crime Fiction, Children`s Literature, Grief & Death, Realistic Fiction

The Truth as Told by Mason Buttle (2018) by Leslie Connor is a middle-grade novel following Mason Buttle, a 12-year-old boy with learning disabilities who is grieving the recent loss of his best friend, Benny. Mason found Benny dead in his family orchard, and the police suspect there is more to the story than Mason will reveal. Mason soon makes a new friend, Calvin Chumsky; when Calvin goes missing too, Mason wonders if his bad... Read The Truth as Told by Mason Buttle Summary

The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry

by Rachel Joyce

Publication year 2012

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Grief, Forgiveness, Family

Tags Symbolic Narrative, Magical Realism, British Literature, Modern Classic Fiction, Travel Literature

The international bestseller The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry (2012) is the first novel by author Rachel Joyce and the first in a trilogy, followed by The Love Song of Miss Queenie Hennessy (2014) and Maureen Fry and the Angel of the North (2022). The novel was shortlisted for the Commonwealth Prize and longlisted for the Man Booker Prize. Young also wrote the screenplay for the novel’s film adaptation, which stars Jim Broadbent as Harold... Read The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry Summary

The Unwedding

by Ally Condie

Publication year 2024

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Grief, Guilt, Loneliness, Place, Friendship, Marriage, Social Class, Art, Trust & Doubt

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

... Read The Unwedding Summary

The Unworthy

by Agustina Bazterrica, Transl. Sarah Moses

Publication year 2023

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Fear, Forgiveness, Grief, Guilt, Hate & Anger, Hope, Loneliness, Love, Memory, Regret, Revenge, Shame & Pride, Femininity, Gender Identity, Sexual Identity, Death, Future, Self Discovery, Community, Good & Evil, Power & Greed

Tags Science Fiction, Horror & Suspense, LGBTQ+

... Read The Unworthy Summary

The Vanderbeekers of 141st Street

by Karina Yan Glaser

Publication year 2017

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Conflict, Perseverance, Forgiveness, Gratitude, Guilt, Grief, Joy, Loneliness, Love, Nostalgia, Regret, Hope, Art, Music, Literature, Order & Chaos, Childhood & Youth, Coming of Age, Daughters & Sons, Family, Friendship, Fathers, Mothers, Siblings, Community, Environment, Animals, Food, Place

Tags Realistic Fiction, Children`s Literature, Coming of Age, Urban Development, Special Occasions, Modern Classic Fiction

... Read The Vanderbeekers of 141st Street Summary