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.

Most Dangerous

by Steve Sheinkin

Publication year 2015

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Self Discovery, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice

Tags History: U.S., Military / War, Politics / Government, Vietnam War, Children's Literature, History: World, Biography

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Mother Daughter Murder Night

by Nina Simon

Publication year 2022

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Identity: Gender, Relationships: Mothers, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice

Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction

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Mother Tongue

by Amy Tan

Publication year 1990

Genre Essay / Speech, Nonfiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice

Tags Race / Racism, Asian Literature, Chinese Literature

“Mother Tongue” explores Amy Tan’s relationship with the English language, her mother, and writing. This nonfiction narrative essay was originally given as a talk during the 1989 State of the Language Symposium; it was later published by The Threepenny Review in 1990. Since then, “Mother Tongue” has been anthologized countless times and won notable awards and honors, including being selected for the 1991 edition of Best American Essays.The original publication of “Mother Tongue,” which this... Read Mother Tongue Summary

Moth Smoke

by Mohsin Hamid

Publication year 2000

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Society: Class, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice

Tags Asian Literature, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Asian Literature

Mohsin Hamid’s first novel, Moth Smoke, examines class and privilege, drugs, and sex in 1990s Pakistan. The novel plots the unraveling of Darashikoh Shezad’s life. When the book opens, Daru is on trial for the death of a boy, and the text examines the events leading up to this false accusation. Multiple narrators chart Daru’s moral decline, and the examination of Daru’s choices from different angles asks the reader to be the judge of Daru’s... Read Moth Smoke Summary

Mr Stink

by David Walliams

Publication year 2009

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Marriage, Relationships: Mothers, Relationships: Siblings, Society: Class, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice

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Mrs. Wiggins

by Mary Monroe

Publication year 2021

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Relationships: Family, Identity: Race, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice

Tags History: World, Historical Fiction, Romance, Humor, Great Depression, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction

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Mr. Terupt Falls Again

by Rob Buyea

Publication year 2012

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Friendship, Society: Education, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Literature

Tags Realistic Fiction, Children's Literature, Education, Education, Modern Classic Fiction

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Murder at the Vicarage

by Agatha Christie

Publication year 1930

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Marriage, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice

Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Classic Fiction, British Literature

Published in 1930, Murder at the Vicarage is Agatha Christie’s first novel featuring the elderly detective Miss Marple. The character first appears in a 1927 short story entitled “The Tuesday Murder Club.” In Murder at the Vicarage, unpopular bully Colonel Protheroe dies from a gunshot wound in the study of St. Mary Mead’s Vicarage. All suspects have an alibi, including the victim’s wife and her lover, who each admits guilt to divert suspicion from the... Read Murder at the Vicarage Summary

Murder by Cheesecake

by Rachel Ekstrom Courage

Publication year 2025

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Nostalgia, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Gender, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger

Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction

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Murderland

by Caroline Fraser

Publication year 2025

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Identity: Masculinity, Identity: Mental Health, Identity: Sexuality, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: The Future, Life/Time: The Past, Natural World: Animals, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Natural World: Climate, Natural World: Environment, Natural World: Place, Relationships: Family, Society: Class, Society: Community, Society: Education, Society: Nation, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies

Tags True Crime, Biography

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Murder on the Orient Express

by Agatha Christie

Publication year 1934

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Society: Globalization, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt

Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Classic Fiction

Murder on the Orient Express, first published in 1934, is a mystery by Agatha Christie featuring one of her most famous characters, the Belgian detective Hercule Poirot. A locked-room mystery, the novel unfolds in a train, the Orient Express, which has become stranded in a snowstorm. Poirot happens to be on the train when a man named Mr. Ratchett is murdered. Poirot is called upon to solve the case, and the book follows his investigation... Read Murder on the Orient Express Summary

Murder Road

by Simone St. James

Publication year 2024

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Identity: Gender, Life/Time: The Past, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt

Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Religion / Spirituality

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My Best Friend's Exorcism

by Grady Hendrix

Publication year 2016

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Society: Class, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Family, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice

Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Fantasy, Humor, Religion / Spirituality

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My Name Is Not Easy

by Debby Dahl Edwardson

Publication year 2011

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Society: Education, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Identity: Indigenous, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Siblings, Society: Colonialism, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt

Tags Realistic Fiction, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Children's Literature, Education, Education, History: World, Historical Fiction

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My Own Words

by Ruth Bader Ginsburg

Publication year 2016

Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Society: Nation, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice

Tags Politics / Government, Gender / Feminism, History: U.S., History: World, Biography

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My Sister's Grave

by Robert Dugoni

Publication year 2014

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Siblings, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Life/Time: The Past, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies

Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction

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Mythology: Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes

by Edith Hamilton

Publication year 1942

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Literature, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Art

Tags Mythology, Classical Period, Education, Education, History: World, Fantasy, Classic Fiction, Religion / Spirituality

Originally published in 1942, Mythology is primarily a compendium of Greek and Roman myths, with a brief final section on Norse mythology, written by American educator and classicist Edith Hamilton. Hamilton engages with the myths as both a storyteller and a literary critic. She organizes and retells the myths narrated in ancient sources, and she assesses those ancient sources as works of literature. Her approach is grounded in the assumptions that Greek and Roman civilizations... Read Mythology: Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes Summary

Naked Lunch

by William S. Burroughs

Publication year 1959

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Identity: Mental Health, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Society: Community, Society: Politics & Government

Tags The Beat Generation, Classic Fiction, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Addiction / Substance Abuse, American Literature, Satire, Politics / Government, Modern Classic Fiction, History: World

Naked Lunch is a 1959 novel by American author William. S. Burroughs. In it, Lee, a heroin user, looks to escape New York to avoid arrest by the police. He thus embarks on a journey through Philadelphia and Mexico before arriving in the fictional state of Freeland, where all life is well-ordered and hygienic. Following a riot in a Freeland psychological reconditioning center, however, Lee flees to the strange and fantastical city of Interzone. There... Read Naked Lunch Summary

Necropolitics

by Achille Mbembe

Publication year 2016

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Identity: Indigenous, Identity: Race, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Natural World: Environment, Natural World: Place, Society: Class, Society: Colonialism, Society: Community, Society: Economics, Society: Globalization, Society: Nation, Society: Politics & Government, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies

Tags Philosophy, Social Science, Politics / Government, Sociology

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