Books on Justice & Injustice

James Baldwin said, "It is certain, in any case, that ignorance, allied with power, is the most ferocious enemy justice can have." In this collection, we've compiled texts that explore the idea of what justice is — and how it can thrive.

God Is Red

by Vine Deloria Jr.

Publication year 1972

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Indigenous Identity, Race, Environment, Place, Politics & Government, Justice, Power & Greed

Tags Religion & Spirituality, World History, Philosophy, Race & Racism

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Go Down, Moses

by Anonymous

Publication year 1872

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Religion & Spirituality, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Hope, Fear, Race, Future, Community, Equality, Justice, Trust & Doubt

Tags Race & Racism, Lyric Poem

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God Sees the Truth, but Waits

by Leo Tolstoy

Publication year 1872

Genre Short Story, Fiction

Themes Religion & Spirituality, Forgiveness, Justice, Family, Hate & Anger

Tags Russian Literature, Classic Fiction, World History, Philosophy, Philosophy, Religion & Spirituality

“God Sees the Truth, but Waits” is a short story by Leo Tolstoy originally published in 1872. The story, a parable about forgiveness that explores religious and spiritual themes, tells of a man sent to prison in Siberia for a murder he did not commit. The story has been adapted for various media, including films and radio programs. This guide refers to the 1990 Norton Critical Edition.Set in Tolstoy’s contemporary Russia, the story is narrated... Read God Sees the Truth, but Waits Summary

Gooseberries

by Anton Chekhov

Publication year 1898

Genre Short Story, Fiction

Themes Fate, Equality, Justice, Self Discovery, Social Class, Community, Education, Nation

Tags Classic Fiction, Realistic Fiction, Historical Fiction, Social Class, Finance, Education, World History, Social Justice, Russian Literature, Education, Philosophy, Philosophy

“Gooseberries,” by Russian author Anton Chekhov, is a short story that uses symbolism, subtlety, irony, and keen observation of human behavior to explore themes of the quest for happiness, the meaning of life, social expectations, privilege, and social equality. Written in mid-1898, the story is the second in what was later referred to as The Little Trilogy, together with “The Man in the Case” and “About Love.” All three stories explore the definitions of happiness... Read Gooseberries Summary

Go Set A Watchman

by Harper Lee

Publication year 2015

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Coming of Age, Family, Justice

Tags Historical Fiction, Politics & Government, Race & Racism, World History, Classic Fiction

Go Set a Watchman is the second novel of Pulitzer Prize winner Harper Lee. While this novel was initially touted as a sequel to her critically acclaimed 1960 debut novel, To Kill a Mockingbird, it is now regarded as an early draft of that book, featuring many of the same characters and, occasionally, the same scenes. When first published in 2015, the book set a record for the highest adult novel one-day sales at Barnes... Read Go Set A Watchman Summary

Gray Mountain

by John Grisham

Publication year 2014

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Power & Greed, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Grief, Hate & Anger, Hope, Revenge, Death, Environment, Self Discovery, Social Class, Economics, Justice

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

The legal thriller Gray Mountain (2014) is a #1 New York Times bestseller from John Grisham, an author known for his critiques of the American legal system. A former criminal defense attorney and Mississippi state legislator, Grisham draws on his legal background to craft narratives that often explore systemic corruption and social injustice. In Gray Mountain, the 2008 financial crisis serves as the catalyst for the story: After the collapse of Lehman Brothers, high-powered Wall... Read Gray Mountain Summary

Great and Precious Things

by Rebecca Yarros

Publication year 2020

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Death, Conflict, Grief, Guilt, Love, Memory, Disability, Mental Health, Aging, The Past, Family, Fathers, Friendship, Siblings, Self Discovery, Community, Fate, Justice, Literature, Loyalty & Betrayal, Trust & Doubt, Truth & Lies

Tags Romance, Military & War, Contemporary Literature, Dramatic Literature

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Greenwild

by Pari Thomson

Publication year 2023

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Revenge, Race, Childhood & Youth, Animals, Environment, Plants, Family, Justice, Power & Greed

Tags Fantasy, Children`s Literature

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Gregor and the Prophecy of Bane

by Suzanne Collins

Publication year 2004

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Perseverance, Fear, Grief, Joy, Love, Revenge, Childhood & Youth, Coming of Age, Animals, Appearance & Reality, Nature Versus Nurture, Place, Family, Friendship, Siblings, Teamwork, Self Discovery, Community, War, Equality, Fate, Good & Evil, Justice, Loyalty & Betrayal, Order & Chaos, Power & Greed, Safety & Danger, Trust & Doubt

Tags Fantasy, Action & Adventure, Children`s Literature, Animals, Science Fiction

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Gulag

by Anne Applebaum

Publication year 2003

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Memory, Social Class, Politics & Government, Justice, Power & Greed

Tags European History, World History, Military & War, Politics & Government, Incarceration, Russian Literature

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Half Brother

by Kenneth Oppel

Publication year 2009

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Family, Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Forgiveness, Guilt, Hate & Anger, Loneliness, Language, Coming of Age, Animals, Appearance & Reality, Environment, Nature Versus Nurture, Fathers, Siblings, Teamwork, Justice, Safety & Danger, Science & Technology

Tags Historical Fiction, Animals, Children`s Literature, Realistic Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction

Half Brother (2010) is a young adult novel by Kenneth Oppel. In the novel, Oppel combines and fictionalizes several experiments in which chimpanzees learned sign language to communicate. The story follows the Tomlin family as they adopt a baby chimpanzee to see if it can learn and use language. Through this experiment and its effect on the characters, the text explores the themes of family, belonging, animal rights, communication, individuality, and growing up. The novel... Read Half Brother Summary