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.
Publication year 2022
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Identity: Race, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice
Tags Fantasy, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Action / Adventure
Publication year 1772
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Society: Colonialism, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Equality
Tags American Revolution, Colonial America, History: U.S.
Publication year 2017
Genre Biography, Nonfiction
Themes Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger
Tags Biography, True Crime, Technology, Business / Economics
Publication year 1997
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Fate
Tags Historical Fiction, American Literature, Relationships, History: U.S., Modern Classic Fiction, Classic Fiction
American Pastoral (1997) by Philip Roth examines in detail one man’s quest for the American dream and the fragility of the entire enterprise. Roth, one of the most critically acclaimed novelists of the 20th century, focuses his narrative microscope through the eyes of Nathan Zuckerman, his literary alter ego from whose perspective he has written 10 other novels, including Zuckerman Unbound (1981), The Anatomy Lesson (1983), The Human Stain (2000), and The Plot Against America... Read American Pastoral Summary
Publication year 2019
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice
Tags True Crime, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Crime / Legal
Publication year 2018
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Identity: Race, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice
Tags Incarceration, Social Justice, Journalism, Race / Racism, American Literature, Post-War Era, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Sociology, History: World, Politics / Government
Publication year 2005
Genre Biography, Nonfiction
Themes Society: War, Society: Politics & Government, Society: Nation, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Identity: Mental Health
Tags Biography, History: U.S., History: World, Science / Nature, Politics / Government, Military / War, WWII / World War II
Publication year 2021
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Identity: Race, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Society: Politics & Government, Society: Community
Tags History: U.S., Politics / Government, Race / Racism, Social Justice, Civil Rights / Jim Crow, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Sociology, History: World
Publication year 2023
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Identity: Masculinity, Identity: Race, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed
Tags Crime / Legal, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Journalism, Sociology, History: World
Publication year 2018
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Society: Politics & Government, Society: Nation, Values/Ideas: Equality
Tags History: U.S., Race / Racism, Politics / Government, Social Justice, Civil Rights / Jim Crow, Gender / Feminism, Black Lives Matter, Sociology, History: World
Publication year 1950
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Race, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice
Tags Auto/Biographical Fiction, Historical Fiction, Race / Racism, Children's Literature, Education, Education, History: World, Classic Fiction
Amos Fortune, Free Man (1950) is a middle-grade biographical novel based loosely on the life of Amos Fortune (c. 1710-1801). The title not only refers to the person at the center of the book but also his status as a “freeman,” the term typically used to describe people of African descent who were formerly enslaved but acquired their freedom. In 1951, Amos Fortune, Free Man won the Newbery Medal for excellence in American children’s literature.The... Read Amos Fortune, Free Man Summary
Publication year 1950
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Society: Class, Society: Community
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, British Literature, Classic Fiction
First published in 1950, A Murder Is Announced is a mystery novel by one of the leading writers of the Golden Age of detective fiction: Agatha Christie, “Queen of Crime.” Although best known for her Miss Marple and Hercule Poirot novels such as Murder at the Vicarage and The Murder of Roger Ackroyd, Christie also published short story collections and wrote the world’s longest-running play—The Mousetrap (1952). Her fiction has inspired numerous film and television adaptations... Read A Murder Is Announced Summary
Publication year 2017
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Society: Economics, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice
Tags Health / Medicine, Business / Economics, History: U.S., Science / Nature, History: World, Politics / Government
An American Sickness: How Healthcare Became Big Business and How You Can Take It Back is physician and journalist Elisabeth Rosenthal’s overview and critique of the American healthcare system. It was initially published in April 2017, arriving during a time in which healthcare reform became a prominent cornerstone of both Democratic and Republican political campaigns. The book offers a mixture of testimonials from a myriad of people impacted by the health industry, including medical professionals... Read An American Sickness Summary
Publication year 1925
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Relationships: Marriage
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Historical Fiction, Drama / Tragedy, American Literature, History: World, Classic Fiction
Published in 1925, Theodore Dreiser’s realist novel An American Tragedy is one of the author’s most critically acclaimed works. Set in the 1920s in Kansas City, Chicago, and small-town New York state, the historical fiction novel is the story of how Clyde Griffiths, the son of poor, itinerant preachers, kills Roberta Alden during a boat trip in the Adirondack Mountains.This guide is based on the Kindle edition published by Rosetta Books.Content Warning: This novel contains... Read An American Tragedy Summary
Publication year 1991
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Identity: Gender, Identity: Indigenous, Identity: Race, Identity: Sexuality, Life/Time: The Future, Life/Time: The Past, Natural World: Environment, Natural World: Place, Society: Colonialism, Society: Community, Society: Immigration, Society: Nation, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Literature
Tags Narrative / Epic Poem, American Literature
Publication year 1939
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Life/Time: The Past, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Identity: Gender, Identity: Masculinity, Identity: Femininity, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Emotions/Behavior: Apathy, Society: Colonialism
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Modernism, Classic Fiction
Published in 1939, And Then There Were None is a mystery novel by Agatha Christie, best-selling novelist of all time, outsold only by the Bible and Shakespeare. With over 100 million copies sold, And Then There Were None is the world’s best-selling crime novel as well as one of the best-selling books of all time. It has had more adaptations than any other work by Agatha Christie, including television programs, films, radio broadcasts, and most... Read And Then There Were None Summary
Publication year 2018
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Identity: Femininity, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice
Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2013
Genre Short Story Collection, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Nostalgia, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Identity: Disability, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Gender, Identity: Mental Health, Relationships: Siblings, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Humor
Publication year 2021
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Race, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger
Tags Race / Racism, Social Justice, History: World, Historical Fiction, Romance