"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 1953
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Natural World: Space & The Universe, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Life/Time: The Future
Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Fantasy, Cold War, Post-War Era
Childhood’s End is Arthur C. Clarke’s first successful novel. Set in the future, the novel spans over 130 years from the arrival of the alien race known as Overlords to the completed absorption of the world’s children to the entity known as the Overmind. Clarke was a celebrated science fiction writer, commonly considered one of the “big three” science fiction authors, along with Isaac Asimov and Robert Heinlein. In addition to his writing, Clarke was... Read Childhood's End Summary
Publication year 2019
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Life/Time: The Past, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Mothers, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Fantasy, Romance, Mythology, Trauma / Abuse / Violence
Publication year 2020
Genre Novel/Book in Verse, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Coming of Age, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Relationships: Family
Tags Realistic Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, LGBTQ
Publication year 2020
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Identity: Race, Life/Time: Aging, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Relationships: Grandparents, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: The Past, Relationships: Fathers, Values/Ideas: Equality, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger
Tags African American Literature, Children's Literature, Realistic Fiction, Action / Adventure, Civil Rights / Jim Crow, History: U.S., Black Lives Matter, Grief / Death, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2020
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Nostalgia, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: The Past, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Relationships: Fathers, Self Discovery, Society: Community, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger
Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, LGBTQ
Publication year 2021
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Nostalgia, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Natural World: Space & The Universe
Tags Historical Fiction, Realistic Fiction
Publication year 2005
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Identity: Femininity, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: Midlife, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: The Future, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Natural World: Environment, Relationships: Mothers, Relationships: Siblings, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality
Tags Romance, Holidays & Occasions
Publication year 1998
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Life/Time: The Past, Emotions/Behavior: Grief
Tags Sociology, Action / Adventure, History: U.S., American Civil War, Military / War, History: World, Travel Literature, Humor, Politics / Government
Confederates in the Attic is a non-fiction book written by Pulitzer-Prize-winning journalist Tony Horwitz. The book is a mixture of ethnography—the study of a specific group of people in a specific place—and travel writing, where Horwitz attempts to dive deeply into his childhood fascination for the American Civil War by traveling through the deep South, visiting Confederate battlefields, museums, and monuments, and interviewing the locals that he comes into contact with about their relationship to... Read Confederates In The Attic Summary
Publication year 2016
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice
Tags Race / Racism, Relationships, African American Literature, Education, Education, Social Justice, Politics / Government
Publication year 2024
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Relationships: Family
Publication year 1853
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Nostalgia, Identity: Gender, Life/Time: The Future
Tags Classic Fiction, Historical Fiction, Victorian Period, Gender / Feminism, British Literature, History: World, Victorian Literature / Period
Publication year 2020
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger
Tags Fantasy, Romance, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Religion / Spirituality
Publication year 2024
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Nostalgia, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Natural World: Place, Relationships: Family, Self Discovery, Society: Class, Society: Economics
Tags Romance, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman
Publication year 2023
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Identity: Gender, Identity: Indigenous, Identity: Race, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Marriage, Self Discovery, Society: Colonialism, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice
Tags History: World
Publication year 1897
Genre Play, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Literature
Tags Classic Fiction, Play: Drama, Play: Comedy / Satire, Romance, Auto/Biographical Fiction, French Literature, Arts / Culture, Love / Sexuality, Grief / Death, Finance / Money / Wealth, Education, Education, Drama / Tragedy, Historical Fiction
Cyrano de Bergerac: An Heroic Comedy in Five Acts by Edmond Rostand was originally published in 1898. Rostand was a popular poet and playwright in France during his lifetime. Cyrano de Bergerac is a five-act verse drama—a tragic romance, set in France in the mid-1600s. It was far more popular than all of Rostand’s other works and has been performed and adapted countless times since its initial successful run.Cyrano de Bergerac explores themes of Unrequited... Read Cyrano de Bergerac Summary
Publication year 2022
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Life/Time: Mortality & Death
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2023
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Masculinity, Identity: Mental Health, Identity: Sexuality, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Relationships: Marriage, Relationships: Mothers, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger
Tags LGBTQ, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman
... Read Day Summary
Publication year 2007
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Realistic Fiction, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Sports, Grief / Death, Modern Classic Fiction, Romance
Chris Crutcher’s novel Deadline is a work of young adult literary fiction. Set in the small town of Trout, Idaho, the novel is written from the protagonist Ben Wolf’s first-person point of view and traces his experiences throughout his senior year of high school. An energetic and determined character, Ben is ready to live his life to its fullest before leaving home for college. However, just after his 18th birthday, Ben’s circumstances change forever when... Read Deadline Summary
Publication year 2013
Genre Biography, Nonfiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Identity: Language, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: The Past, Natural World: Climate, Natural World: Environment, Natural World: Place, Relationships: Teams, Society: Nation, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Russian Literature, Mystery / Crime Fiction, History: World, Biography, History: European, Crime / Legal, Action / Adventure, Travel Literature
Publication year 2004
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Values/Ideas: Fate, Life/Time: Mortality & Death
Tags Realistic Fiction, Grief / Death, Modern Classic Fiction