Guilt

In Dostoyevsky's Crime and Punishment, a character remarks, "If he has a conscience he will suffer for his mistake; that will be punishment—as well as the prison." In other words, guilt is its own form of imprisonment, from which someone may never be released. In this collection explore titles that probe the questions and implications raised by the idea of guilt.

Letters to Malcolm

by C. S. Lewis

Publication year 1964

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Conflict, Fear, Guilt, Joy, Love, Memory, Language, Death, Future, The Past, Appearance & Reality, Nature Versus Nurture, Objects & Materials, Place, Family, Friendship, Self Discovery, Fate, Good & Evil, Loyalty & Betrayal, Order & Chaos, Religion & Spirituality, Trust & Doubt

Tags Christian, Theology

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Let the Great World Spin

by Colum McCann

Publication year 2009

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Grief, Guilt, Appearance & Reality

Tags Modern Classic Fiction, World History, Historical Fiction

The book begins with a prologue that describes a tightrope walker crossing between the twin towers of the World Trade Center. It is set in 1974, long before the towers were destroyed on 9/11.  In the first chapter, the scene shifts to Dublin, Ireland. There, two brothers, John Andrew Corrigan, called Corrigan, and Ciaran, live with their mother. Their father abandoned the family years ago. After their mother’s death, Corrigan begins studying for the priesthood. He eventually drops... Read Let the Great World Spin Summary

Lincoln in the Bardo

by George Saunders

Publication year 2017

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Grief, Death, Community, Forgiveness, Memory, Guilt, War, Fathers, Appearance & Reality

Tags Historical Fiction, Fantasy, Magical Realism, Grief & Death, American Civil War, Religion & Spirituality, US History, Race & Racism, American Literature, World History

The novel Lincoln in the Bardo by George Saunders, published by Random House in 2017, offers a portrait of an American legend in mourning, surrounded by a poignant but funny cast of 166 characters. It is Saunders’s debut novel, though he has been a notable author of short story collections for decades. The novel won the prestigious Man Booker Prize and was a New York Times best seller.Set in 1862, Lincoln in the Bardo is... Read Lincoln in the Bardo Summary

Little Princes

by Conor Grennan

Publication year 2011

Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction

Themes War, Guilt, Family, Friendship, Teamwork

Tags Travel Literature, Inspirational, Trauma & Abuse, Military & War, Love & Sexuality, Social Justice, Biography

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Little Rot

by Akwaeke Emezi

Publication year 2024

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Guilt, Regret, Gender Identity, Sexual Identity, Marriage, Self Discovery, Social Class, Good & Evil, Justice, Power & Greed, Religion & Spirituality, Safety & Danger

Tags Horror & Suspense, LGBTQ+, Modern Classic Fiction, Literary Fiction

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Lone Women

by Victor Lavalle

Publication year 2023

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Guilt, Femininity, Gender Identity, Race, Environment, Family, Community

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

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Look Me In The Eye

by John Elder Robison

Publication year 2007

Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction

Themes Forgiveness, Guilt

Tags Disability

Look Me in the Eye: My Life with Asperger’s by John Elder Robison is a personal memoir published in 2007. Like Temple Grandin’s Thinking in Pictures: My Life with Autism and Daniel Tammet’s Born on a Blue Day, Robison’s memoir is a personal account of living with autism spectrum disorder. A New York Times best-seller, the book has subsequently been translated into French, Italian, Portuguese, and German.Look Me in the Eye details Robison’s life growing... Read Look Me In The Eye Summary

Lost in the Sun

by Lisa Graff

Publication year 2015

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Family, Friendship, Forgiveness, Guilt, Community

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

Lost in the Sun by middle grade author Lisa Graff follows the story of Trent Zimmerman, who feels responsible for the accidental death of a hockey teammate. Trent grapples with issues of self-loathing, guilt, and rage as he begins his journey of healing through friendship. This 2015 middle grade novel is Graff’s eighth full-length children’s book and was chosen for Amazon’s 2015 Best Book list. Other works by Graff include A Tangle of Knots, Absolutely... Read Lost in the Sun Summary

Love Medicine

by Louise Erdrich

Publication year 1984

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Family, Race, Forgiveness, Guilt, Memory, Love, Hate & Anger, Loyalty & Betrayal, Safety & Danger, Wins & Losses, Conflict

Tags Historical Fiction, Race & Racism, Trauma & Abuse, Modern Classic Fiction, Classic Fiction

American author Louise Erdrich’s debut novel, Love Medicine, was first published in 1984 to critical acclaim. A bestseller and winner of the 1984 National Book Critics Circle Award for Fiction, the novel follows three generations of members from five Ojibwe families in Minnesota and North Dakota. Lyrical, metaphorical, and a complex exploration of oppression, joy, and family, the novel is both a record of history and an analysis of love. Blending the genres of historical... Read Love Medicine Summary

Maisie Dobbs

by Jacqueline Winspear

Publication year 2003

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Grief, Guilt, War, Memory, Social Class

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

Maisie Dobbs is the first installment in Jacqueline Winspear’s historical mysteries featuring the eponymous private detective. Winspear was born and grew up in England with a grandfather who was a World War I veteran. His experiences inform some of the background of Maisie Dobbs. Several installments of the series have been New York Times bestsellers or finalists for Agatha or Macavity Awards, which signal achievements in the mystery genre. This guide refers to the Kindle... Read Maisie Dobbs Summary

Malice

by John Gwynne

Publication year 2012

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Truth & Lies, Grief, Guilt, Coming of Age, Good & Evil, Loyalty & Betrayal, Politics & Government

Tags Fantasy

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Manfred

by Lord George Gordon Byron (Lord Byron)

Publication year 1817

Genre Play, Fiction

Themes Memory, Guilt, Love

Tags Poetry: Dramatic Poem, Romanticism, British Literature, Gothic Literature, World History, Dramatic Literature, Fantasy, Classic Fiction

Written in 1816-1817 by the British poet Lord George Gordon Byron, Manfred is a closet drama, meaning that Byron never intended it to be produced onstage despite writing it in the style of a play in verse, with dialogue parts for various characters. The work centers on the guilt of the eponymous Manfred over his tragically flawed romantic relationship with a woman named Astarte. Many critics believe that Manfred and Astarte’s relationship is implied to... Read Manfred Summary

Marigolds

by Eugenia Collier

Publication year 1969

Genre Short Story, Fiction

Themes Coming of Age, Guilt, Hate & Anger, Community, Economics, Beauty

Tags African American Literature, Realistic Fiction, Poverty, Great Depression, Education, Education, World History, Classic Fiction

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Masters of Death

by Olivie Blake

Publication year 2023

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Forgiveness, Guilt, Hate & Anger, Loneliness, Love, Memory, Regret, Shame & Pride, Death, Future, Teamwork, Good & Evil, Power & Greed, Trust & Doubt

Tags Fantasy, Romance, Horror & Suspense, LGBTQ+, Science Fiction, Religion & Spirituality

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