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.

Stripped Down

by Bunnie Xo

Publication year 2026

Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction

Themes Marriage, Forgiveness, Guilt, Love, Memory, Shame & Pride, Sexual Identity, Childhood & Youth, Coming of Age, Midlife, Nature Versus Nurture, Daughters & Sons, Family, Fathers, Self Discovery, Economics, Fame, Religion & Spirituality, Safety & Danger

Tags Memoir & Autobiography, Trauma & Abuse

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Summer in the City

by Alex Aster

Publication year 2025

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Love, Conflict, Perseverance, Fear, Forgiveness, Grief, Guilt, Memory, Regret, Shame & Pride, Gender Identity, Death, Fathers, Mothers, Self Discovery, Social Class, Equality, Power & Greed, Trust & Doubt

Tags Romance

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Sunburn

by Chloe Michelle Howarth

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Fear, Forgiveness, Guilt, Loneliness, Shame & Pride, Gender Identity, Sexual Identity, Coming of Age, Appearance & Reality, Mothers, Self Discovery, Community, Loyalty & Betrayal, Truth & Lies

Tags Romance, LGBTQ+

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Sunny

by Jason Reynolds

Publication year 2018

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Coming of Age, Family, Guilt

Tags Sports, Realistic Fiction, African American Literature, Children`s Literature, Modern Classic Fiction

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Sycamore Row

by John Grisham

Publication year 2013

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Forgiveness, Race, Family, Community, Guilt

Tags Mystery & Crime Fiction, Horror & Suspense, Crime & Law, Race & Racism

Sycamore Row (2013) by John Grisham is the sequel to his debut novel and best-selling legal thriller, A Time to Kill (1989). Grisham, a practicing lawyer prior to his career as a novelist, popularized the legal thriller with his prolific work in the genre, frequently highlighting social justice and legal ethics issues. Though marketed as a legal thriller, Grisham himself makes a clear distinction between his legal thrillers and his Ford County novels—aka the Jake... Read Sycamore Row Summary

Taiwan Travelogue

by Yáng Shuāng-Zǐ, Transl. Lin King

Publication year 2020

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Guilt, Food, Place, Friendship, Social Class, Colonialism, Immigration, Loyalty & Betrayal, Trust & Doubt

Tags Contemporary Literature, Historical Fiction

Yáng Shuāng-zǐ’s novel Taiwan Travelogue was originally published in Mandarin in 2020. A work of historical metafiction, the story is set in 1938, when Taiwan was a Japanese colony. The novel follows Aoyama Chizuko, a young, celebrated Japanese writer who travels to Taiwan on an official lecture tour. Disinterested in imperial propaganda, Aoyama seeks authentic Taiwanese culture, especially its food, and develops an intense relationship with her brilliant Taiwanese interpreter, Ō Chizuru (or Ōng Tshian-hòh... Read Taiwan Travelogue Summary

Tamerlane

by Edgar Allan Poe

Publication year 1827

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Death, Fame, Loyalty & Betrayal, Power & Greed, Love, Guilt, Grief, Memory, Regret

Tags Narrative Poem, Horror & Suspense, Classic Fiction

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Taming 7

by Chloe Walsh

Publication year 2024

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Fear, Guilt, Shame & Pride, Masculinity, Mental Health, Coming of Age, Friendship, Safety & Danger

Tags Romance, Sports, New Adult

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Tears of a Tiger

by Sharon M. Draper

Publication year 1994

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Guilt

Tags Realistic Fiction, African American Literature, Grief & Death, Depression & Suicide, Relationships, Children`s Literature, Education, Education, Modern Classic Fiction

Written in 1994 by Sharon M. Draper, Tears of a Tiger incorporates various modes of writing, including personal essays, newspaper articles (formal writing), journal entries, and conversations to convey the story of a teenage boy’s descent into grief, guilt, and suicidal ideation following a car crash in which he, as the driver, causes the death of a good friend. The novel explores the importance of mental health in high school students, the effects of drunk... Read Tears of a Tiger Summary

Tell Me Softly

by Mercedes Ron

Publication year 2025

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Forgiveness, Guilt, Family

Tags Romance

Tell Me Softly (2020), originally self-published in 2020, is a young adult romance novel by Argentinian author Mercedes Ron. It is the first installment in the Tell Me trilogy, which also includes Tell Me in Secret and Tell Me with Kisses. The story follows high school senior Kamila “Kami” Hamilton, whose carefully controlled life in the small town of Carsville is upended when her childhood best friends, brothers Taylor and Thiago Di Bianco, return after... Read Tell Me Softly Summary

That's Not What Happened

by Kody Keplinger

Publication year 2018

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Mental Health, Guilt, Grief, Self Discovery, Religion & Spirituality, Friendship, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Perseverance, Forgiveness, Regret, Coming of Age, Death, Education, Politics & Government, Justice, Safety & Danger, Truth & Lies

Tags Realistic Fiction, Mystery & Crime Fiction, Horror & Suspense, Modern Classic Fiction, Mental Illness, LGBTQ+

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The ABC Murders

by Agatha Christie

Publication year 1936

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Fear, Guilt, Hate & Anger, Good & Evil, Justice, Truth & Lies, Trust & Doubt

Tags Mystery & Crime Fiction, Trauma & Abuse, Relationships, Social Class, Horror & Suspense, British Literature, Classic Fiction

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