"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 2018
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Identity: Gender, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Mothers, Self Discovery, Society: Class, Society: Nation, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Historical Fiction, WWII / World War II, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Post-War Era
Warlight (2018) is a historical fiction novel by Sri Lankan-born Canadian writer Michael Ondaatje. Ondaatje is best known for his Booker Prize winning novel, The English Patient (1992). Part spy thriller and coming-of-age story, Warlight follows 14-year-old Nathaniel Williams and his older sister, Rachel, in post-World War II London. When their parents depart for a year-long work assignment in Singapore, the siblings are left in the care of an enigmatic guardian named The Moth. Nathaniel... Read Warlight Summary
Publication year 2022
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Friendship, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Relationships: Family
Tags Realistic Fiction, Grief / Death, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2018
Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction
Themes Society: Immigration, Society: War, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Identity: Femininity, Society: Politics & Government, Relationships: Family, Society: Education, Identity: Gender, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict
Tags Politics / Government, Social Justice, History: World, Immigration / Refugee, Gender / Feminism, Education, Biography
Publication year 2017
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Grief
Tags Realistic Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Romance, Mental Illness, LGBTQ
We Are Okay is the story of an 18-year-old girl, Marin’s, experience with grief, loss, and sadness. Marin’s mother dies in a surfing accident when she’s almost 3; she is raised near that same beach in San Francisco by her grandfather, Gramps. The narrative is divided between Marin’s present in New York and her past in California. The present-day events occur in December during the winter break of Marin’s first year in college; the past... Read We Are Okay Summary
Publication year 2025
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Friendship, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Self Discovery, Society: Nation
Tags Literary Fiction, History: Asian
Publication year 1935
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Hope
Tags Free verse, American Literature
Publication year 2023
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Identity: Race, Society: War
Tags Historical Fiction, WWII / World War II, Holocaust, Jewish Literature, Military / War, History: World
Publication year 2023
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Identity: Masculinity, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: The Past, Natural World: Animals, Relationships: Fathers
Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction
Publication year 2021
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: Midlife, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: The Future, Life/Time: The Past, Natural World: Animals, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Natural World: Nurture v. Nature, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Mothers, Self Discovery, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Psychological Fiction
Publication year 2024
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Identity: Mental Health, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Society: Class, Society: Community, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger
Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Fantasy, Gothic Literature
Publication year 1991
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Identity: Disability, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Relationships: Siblings
Tags Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Drama / Tragedy, Modern Classic Fiction, Classic Fiction
What’s Eating Gilbert Grape is the debut novel by Academy Award-nominated writer Peter Hedges. Set in 1989, the novel is a coming-of-age story about a young man whose life is overshadowed by the tragedy and family drama that surround him. The novel was a critical success upon its release in 1991 and was adapted into a movie starring Johnny Depp and Leonardo DiCaprio in 1993, for which Hedges also wrote the screenplay. This study guide... Read What's Eating Gilbert Grape Summary
Publication year 2021
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Identity: Race, Emotions/Behavior: Grief
Tags Modern Classic Fiction, History: World, Historical Fiction, Race / Racism, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman
Publication year 1998
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Nostalgia, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance
Tags Lyric Poem, Grief / Death, American Literature, Education, Education, Gender / Feminism, Modern Classic Fiction, LGBTQ
Publication year 2023
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Society: Colonialism, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt
Tags Fantasy, Historical Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Action / Adventure, History: World, Romance
Publication year 2017
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Mental Health, Relationships: Friendship, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Identity: Disability, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Self Discovery, Society: Community
Tags Romance, Realistic Fiction, Diversity, Bullying, Modern Classic Fiction, Mental Illness
Publication year 2019
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Life/Time: Aging, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: The Past, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Relationships: Marriage, Relationships: Siblings, Relationships: Family
Tags Irish Literature, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2022
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Identity: Gender, Identity: Race, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Self Discovery, Society: Immigration, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality
Tags Fantasy, LGBTQ, Jewish Literature, History: World, Historical Fiction, Religion / Spirituality
Publication year 2024
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Masculinity, Identity: Race, Life/Time: The Past, Natural World: Environment, Natural World: Flora/plants, Relationships: Family, Self Discovery, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice
Tags Historical Fiction
Publication year 2024
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Self Discovery
Tags Fantasy, Romance, Animals
Publication year 2025
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Natural World: Nurture v. Nature, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Fathers, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Grief
Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction