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.

Dead Mountain

by Donnie Eichar

Publication year 2013

Genre Biography, Nonfiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Perseverance, Grief, Memory, Language, Death, The Past, Climate, Environment, Place, Teamwork, Nation, Safety & Danger, Truth & Lies

Tags Russian Literature, Mystery & Crime Fiction, World History, Biography, European History, Crime & Law, Action & Adventure, Travel Literature

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Death in Her Hands

by Ottessa Moshfegh

Publication year 2020

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Conflict, Grief, Guilt, Loneliness, Memory, Shame & Pride, Gender Identity, Mental Health, Aging, Death, The Past, Animals, Marriage, Safety & Danger, Truth & Lies

Tags Mystery & Crime Fiction, Horror & Suspense, Psychological Fiction, Literary Fiction

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Declaration

by Tracy K. Smith

Publication year 2018

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Conflict, Perseverance, Politics & Government, Loyalty & Betrayal, Safety & Danger, Memory, Grief, Justice

Tags Race & Racism, Social Justice, Trauma & Abuse

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Devolution

by Max Brooks

Publication year 2020

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Apathy, Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Perseverance, Fear, Forgiveness, Gratitude, Grief, Guilt, Hate & Anger, Hope, Revenge, Mental Health, Midlife, Death, Animals, Appearance & Reality, Environment, Food, Nature Versus Nurture, Objects & Materials, Place, Family, Friendship, Marriage, Teamwork, Self Discovery, Social Class, Community, Economics, Fate, Good & Evil, Loyalty & Betrayal, Order & Chaos, Power & Greed, Safety & Danger, Science & Technology, Trust & Doubt, Truth & Lies

Tags Horror & Suspense, Science Fiction

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Dire bound

by Sable Sorensen

Publication year 2025

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Perseverance, Fear, Grief, Hope, Love, Memory, Femininity, Masculinity, Mental Health, Sexual Identity, Coming of Age, Death, Future, The Past, Animals, Appearance & Reality, Family, Friendship, Mothers, Siblings, Teamwork, Self Discovery, Social Class, Community, Politics & Government, War, Beauty, Fate, Good & Evil, Justice, Loyalty & Betrayal, Order & Chaos, Power & Greed, Safety & Danger, Trust & Doubt, Truth & Lies

Tags Romance, Love & Sexuality, Fantasy

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Dirt Music

by Tim Winton

Publication year 2001

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Grief, Family, Environment, Loneliness, Love, Midlife, Music

Tags Romance, Dramatic Literature, Modern Classic Fiction, World History

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Disclaimer

by Renée Knight

Publication year 2015

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Conflict, Fear, Grief, Guilt, Hate & Anger, Loneliness, Revenge, Femininity, Mental Health, Death, The Past, Daughters & Sons, Marriage, Mothers, Justice, Truth & Lies

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

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Doctor Sleep

by Stephen King

Publication year 2013

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Conflict, Apathy, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Fear, Forgiveness, Grief, Guilt, Hate & Anger, Loneliness, Love, Memory, Regret, Revenge, Shame & Pride, Death, Family, Fathers, Teamwork, Good & Evil, Justice, Religion & Spirituality, Truth & Lies, Trust & Doubt, Safety & Danger, Order & Chaos, Community, Power & Greed, Self Discovery, The Past, Appearance & Reality, Mental Health

Tags Horror & Suspense, Fantasy, Addiction & Substance Abuse, Mystery & Crime Fiction, Religion & Spirituality

Doctor Sleep is a 2013 horror novel by Stephen King. It is a sequel to the events that occurred in King’s popular novel The Shining and features the return of Danny Torrance. Decades after the horrors at the Overlook Hotel, Dan Torrance must now reckon with the renewed threat of the spirits. When the novel begins, the dead woman from the Overlook’s Room 217 has returned and threatens Danny in his bathroom. King uses this... Read Doctor Sleep Summary

Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night

by Dylan Thomas

Publication year 1951

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Grief, Perseverance

Tags Classic Fiction, Education, Education, British Literature, World History

“Do not go gentle into that good night” is an iconic poem by 20th-century Welsh poet Dylan Thomas, who occupied a special place in the public imagination for his magnetic readings and the revival of Romantic themes in his poetry. This poem, which appeared in his 1952 collection In Country Sleep, remains a favorite in anthologies and popular culture for its universal content and unforgettable dual refrain. “Do not go gentle into that good night” is... Read Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night Summary

Dragonfly in Amber

by Diana Gabaldon

Publication year 1992

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Fear, Forgiveness, Grief, Guilt, Hate & Anger, Love, Perseverance, Shame & Pride, Revenge, Nostalgia, Memory, Hope, Masculinity, Gender Identity, Femininity, Sexual Identity, Death, The Past, Future, Place, Marriage, Nation, Politics & Government, War, Fate, Justice, Social Class, Loyalty & Betrayal, Order & Chaos, Safety & Danger, Trust & Doubt, Truth & Lies, Wins & Losses, Religion & Spirituality

Tags Historical Fiction, Romance, Fantasy, Science Fiction, Action & Adventure, European History, Health, World History

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Dragonslayer

by Tui T. Sutherland

Publication year 2020

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Grief, Hate & Anger, Revenge, Gender Identity, Language, Coming of Age, Appearance & Reality, Friendship, Siblings, Politics & Government, War, Justice, Power & Greed, Truth & Lies

Tags Fantasy, Action & Adventure, Animals

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Dreams

by Linda Pastan

Publication year 1979

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Aging, Memory, Love, Grief, Perseverance, Nostalgia, Animals, Place, Appearance & Reality

Tags Lyric Poem, Grief & Death

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Dream State

by Eric Puchner

Publication year 2025

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Forgiveness, Grief, Guilt, Loneliness, Love, Memory, Nostalgia, Gender Identity, Mental Health, Aging, Coming of Age, Death, Environment, Loyalty & Betrayal

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Drowning

by T. J. Newman

Publication year 2023

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Perseverance, Grief, Family

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

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