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.

Intruder In The Dust

by William Faulkner

Publication year 1948

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Shame & Pride, Race, Equality, Justice

Tags Race & Racism, Southern Gothic, Mystery & Crime Fiction, American Literature, Southern Literature, Southern Gothic, World History, Classic Fiction

Intruder in the Dust is a 1948 novel by William Faulkner that examines racism in the American South in the mid-20th century through the tale of a Black man wrongly accused of killing a white man. The novel was adapted into a well-received film in 1949.This guide is based on the 2015 Vintage edition.Content Warning: The source text and this guide discuss racism, enslavement, and death by suicide. In addition, the source text uses the... Read Intruder In The Dust Summary

Invisible Child

by Andrea Elliott

Publication year 2021

Genre Biography, Nonfiction

Themes Perseverance, Race, Social Class, Education, Loyalty & Betrayal, Justice

Tags Race & Racism, Social Justice, Poverty, Sociology, World History, Politics & Government, Biography

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Invisible Girl

by Lisa Jewell

Publication year 2010

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Fear, Grief, Hate & Anger, Loneliness, Masculinity, The Past, Appearance & Reality, Family, Justice, Trust & Doubt, Truth & Lies, Self Discovery

Tags Horror & Suspense, Mystery & Crime Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction

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Iqbal

by Francesco D'Adamo

Publication year 2001

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Perseverance, Childhood & Youth, Truth & Lies, Justice

Tags Historical Fiction, Realistic Fiction, Social Justice, Poverty, Children`s Literature, Education, Education, World History, Arts & Culture

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I, Robot

by Isaac Asimov

Publication year 1950

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Science & Technology, Justice, Safety & Danger

Tags Science Fiction, Classic Fiction, Fantasy

I, Robot, a science fiction novel by Isaac Asimov, is a set of stories about the first robotic machines and the problems and pitfalls of living with and working alongside them. The book is the first in a series of several novels about robots; it is famous for its Three Laws of Robotics that govern machine behavior, and for its device, the positronic brain, which contains a robot’s conscious intelligence.Asimov (1920-1992) is one of the... Read I, Robot Summary

Iron Lake

by William Kent Krueger

Publication year 1998

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Conflict, Grief, Memory, Indigenous Identity, Death, Climate, Environment, Place, Family, Colonialism, Justice, Power & Greed, Religion & Spirituality

Tags Mystery & Crime Fiction

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Iron Widow

by Xiran Jay Zhao

Publication year 2021

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Gender Identity, Sexual Identity, Equality, Justice, Good & Evil

Tags Fantasy, Science Fiction, Action & Adventure, Historical Fiction, Romance, LGBTQ+

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Ironwood

by Michael Connelly

Publication year 2026

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Perseverance, Fear, Grief, Guilt, Loneliness, Love, Femininity, Indigenous Identity, Masculinity, Mental Health, Death, Future, Climate, Environment, Plants, Place, Friendship, Teamwork, Self Discovery, Social Class, Community, Immigration, Politics & Government, Justice, Loyalty & Betrayal, Order & Chaos, Power & Greed, Safety & Danger, Science & Technology, Trust & Doubt, Truth & Lies, Wins & Losses

Tags Horror & Suspense

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Islam

by Karen Armstrong

Publication year 2000

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes The Past, Colonialism, Community, Globalization, Nation, Politics & Government, Justice, Religion & Spirituality

Tags Religion & Spirituality, World History, Philosophy, Theology, Politics & Government, Historical Fiction

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I Will Find You

by Harlan Coben

Publication year 2023

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Perseverance, Guilt, Regret, Masculinity, Daughters & Sons, Family, Fathers, Good & Evil, Justice, Loyalty & Betrayal, Trust & Doubt

Tags Horror & Suspense, Mystery & Crime Fiction

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I Write What I Like

by Steve Biko

Publication year 1978

Genre Biography, Nonfiction

Themes Race, Justice, Politics & Government, Community, Colonialism

Tags Race & Racism, History: African , Politics & Government, Social Justice, Philosophy, Philosophy, World History, Biography

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J'Accuse

by Émile Zola

Publication year 1898

Genre Essay / Speech, Nonfiction

Themes Hate & Anger, Nation, Equality, Justice, Truth & Lies

Tags Politics & Government, European History, Journalism, French Literature, Sociology, World History, Classic Fiction

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Japanese Gothic

by Kylie Lee Baker

Publication year 2026

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Fear, Grief, Guilt, Shame & Pride, Masculinity, Death, The Past, Nature Versus Nurture, Daughters & Sons, Colonialism, War, Good & Evil, Justice, Loyalty & Betrayal

Tags Magical Realism, Contemporary Literature

Kylie Lee Baker’s Japanese Gothic (2026) is a psychological horror novel that blends Western Gothic traditions with Japanese folklore. The story follows Lee Turner, a university student who flees to an old family home in Japan, believing he has murdered his roommate. Haunted by suppressed trauma, Lee discovers the house is a portal connecting his present to the year 1877. There, he meets Sen, a young female samurai whose family is hiding after a failed... Read Japanese Gothic Summary

jasper texas 1998

by Lucille Clifton

Publication year 1998

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Death, Safety & Danger, Forgiveness, Hate & Anger, Race, Justice, Good & Evil, Hope

Tags Lyric Poem, Poetry: Dramatic Poem, Race & Racism, Trauma & Abuse, Black Lives Matter, US History, African American Literature

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