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.

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

Half the Sky

by Nicholas D. Kristof , Sheryl WuDunn

Publication year 2009

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Equality, Justice, Community

Tags Gender & Feminism, Social Justice, Women`s Studies, Diversity, Education, Education, Sociology, Politics & Government

In their 2009 nonfiction book Half the Sky: Turning Oppression Into Opportunity for Women Worldwide, husband-and-wife journalist team Nicholas D. Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn document what they consider the paramount moral challenge of the 21st century: the oppression of women and girls. The book was an international bestseller, inspired a four-part PBS documentary of the same name, and launched the Half the Sky movement.Like many journalists, when Kristof and WuDunn first began their careers, they... Read Half the Sky Summary

Hana's Suitcase

by Karen Levine

Publication year 2002

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Perseverance, Grief, Justice, War, Love, Family, The Past

Tags Holocaust, World War II, Jewish Literature, Children`s Literature, Military & War, World History, Biography

Originally published in 2002 by Second Story Press, Hana’s Suitcase is a historical text by Karen Levine that weaves together the story of two young children in the Holocaust with the narrative of a Japanese museum curator in the early 21st century. Levine, a radio journalist and producer, first heard about Hana Brady’s suitcase from a news article and subsequently produced a radio show about the story. This launched what would become Hana’s Suitcase and... Read Hana's Suitcase Summary

Harlem

by Langston Hughes

Publication year 1951

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Future, Race, Justice, Equality, Nation

Tags Lyric Poem, Harlem Renaissance, African American Literature, Civil Rights & Jim Crow South, Race & Racism, US History, Urban Development

... Read Harlem Summary

Harvest Season

by Brynne Weaver

Publication year 2026

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Conflict, Revenge, Death, Justice, Loyalty & Betrayal, Trust & Doubt

Tags Romance, Horror & Suspense, Mystery & Crime Fiction

Published in 2026, Harvest Season is a dark romantic comedy and thriller by #1 New York Times bestselling author Brynne Weaver. The novel is the second installment in the Seasons of Carnage trilogy, which begins with Tourist Season. Weaver is known for blending irreverent humor with suspense and romance, a style established in her popular Ruinous Love trilogy. Harvest Season is set in the macabre coastal town of Cape Carnage, Maine, and follows protagonist Harper... Read Harvest Season Summary

Heart Bones

by Colleen Hoover

Publication year 2020

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Love, Forgiveness, Family, Daughters & Sons, Self Discovery, Justice

Tags Romance, Coming of Age, Inspirational, Love & Sexuality, Relationships, Modern Classic Fiction, Dramatic Literature

... Read Heart Bones Summary

Heart of a Stranger

by Angela Buchdahl

Publication year 2025

Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction

Themes Gender Identity, Race, Coming of Age, Family, Self Discovery, Community, Politics & Government, Equality, Justice, Religion & Spirituality

Tags Memoir & Autobiography, Religion & Spirituality

Rabbi Angela Buchdahl’s spiritual memoir, Heart of a Stranger: An Unlikely Rabbi’s Story of Faith, Identity, and Belonging (2025), chronicles her journey as the daughter of a Korean Buddhist mother and a Jewish American father who became the first Asian American to be ordained as both a cantor (or worship leader) and a rabbi. The book traces her path from a childhood in Tacoma, Washington, where she navigated her intersecting identities, to her leadership of... Read Heart of a Stranger Summary

Heaven Official's Blessing

by Mò Xiāng Tóng Xiù

Publication year 2022

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Grief, Loneliness, Love, Shame & Pride, Sexual Identity, Death, The Past, Appearance & Reality, Teamwork, Social Class, Good & Evil, Justice, Power & Greed, Religion & Spirituality, Truth & Lies

Tags Fantasy, Romance, Historical Fiction, LGBTQ+, Chinese Literature

... Read Heaven Official's Blessing Summary

Hebrew Bible

by Anonymous

Publication year -600

Genre Scripture, Nonfiction

Themes Religion & Spirituality, Future, The Past, Daughters & Sons, Fathers, Marriage, Community, Immigration, Nation, Politics & Government, Good & Evil, Justice, Loyalty & Betrayal, Order & Chaos

Tags Religion & Spirituality, Philosophy, Jewish Literature

The Hebrew Bible is the standard canon of Jewish sacred texts, composed in a period that falls across the second and first millennia BCE. It is also referred to as the Tanakh, an acrostic portmanteau of the three major sections of the Hebrew Bible: the Torah (“teaching”), the Nevi’im (“prophets”), and the Ketuvim (“writings”). The Hebrew Bible is a collection of 24 major texts, in which there are 39 books. These 39 books correspond to... Read Hebrew Bible Summary

Hecuba

by Euripides

Genre Play, Fiction

Themes Revenge, War, Fate, Justice, Conflict, Hate & Anger

Tags Tragedy, Mythology, Ancient Greece, Classical Period, Grief & Death, European History, Trauma & Abuse, Dramatic Literature, Fantasy, Classic Fiction

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Heir

by Sabaa Tahir

Publication year 2024

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Hate & Anger, Hope, Love, Revenge, Gender Identity, Indigenous Identity, Coming of Age, Colonialism, Nation, Politics & Government, War, Good & Evil, Justice, Power & Greed

Tags Fantasy, Romance

... Read Heir Summary

Heracles

by Euripides

Publication year -416

Genre Play, Fiction

Themes Fathers, Friendship, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Perseverance, Fate, Justice

Tags Tragedy, Mythology, Ancient Greece, Classical Period

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Her Soul for Revenge

by Harley Laroux

Publication year 2021

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Conflict, Love, Memory, Revenge, Coming of Age, Animals, Appearance & Reality, Place, Family, Teamwork, Self Discovery, Community, Fate, Good & Evil, Justice, Loyalty & Betrayal, Order & Chaos, Power & Greed, Religion & Spirituality, Safety & Danger, Trust & Doubt, Truth & Lies, Wins & Losses

Tags Fantasy, Romance, Horror & Suspense

... Read Her Soul for Revenge Summary

Hijab Butch Blues

by Lamya H

Publication year 2023

Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction

Themes Religion & Spirituality, Hope, Love, Gender Identity, Race, Family, Friendship, Self Discovery, Community, Immigration, Equality, Justice

Tags Coming of Age, LGBTQ+, Gender & Feminism

... Read Hijab Butch Blues Summary