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.

The Iron Heel

by Jack London

Publication year 1908

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Politics & Government, Gender Identity, Social Class, Justice, Power & Greed, Equality, Community

Tags Science Fiction

The Iron Heel is a dystopian novel by American writer Jack London and was first published in 1908. London was a prominent writer and activist of socialist causes and is best known for his adventure novels The Call of the Wild (1903) and White Fang (1906). The Iron Heel is considered an early example of modern dystopian fiction and was cited by George Orwell as a portentous work on fascism. Framed as a found text... Read The Iron Heel Summary

The Jacket

by Andrew Clements

Publication year 2001

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Justice, Equality, Siblings, Race

Tags Realistic Fiction, Race & Racism, Diversity, Children`s Literature, Education, Education, Arts & Culture

... Read The Jacket Summary

The Jasad Heir

by Sara Hashem

Publication year 2023

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Perseverance, Love, Revenge, Gender Identity, Coming of Age, The Past, Self Discovery, Colonialism, Community, Nation, War, Justice

Tags Fantasy, Romance, Mythology, Action & Adventure

... Read The Jasad Heir Summary

The Lady in the Lake

by Raymond Chandler

Publication year 1943

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Femininity, Gender Identity, Masculinity, Place, Marriage, Social Class, Justice, Power & Greed, Truth & Lies

Tags Mystery & Crime Fiction, Horror & Suspense

The Lady in the Lake, by Raymond Chandler, is a detective novel originally published in 1943. Chandler was born in Chicago but later moved to California, and he drew on his experiences living there when writing his Philip Marlowe novels. Marlowe, a down-on-his-luck Los Angeles detective, first appears in Chandler’s novel The Big Sleep, which was adapted into a film noir in 1946 with Marlowe played by Humphrey Bogart. In the 1946 adaptation of The... Read The Lady in the Lake Summary

The Lady, or the Tiger?

by Frank R. Stockton

Publication year 1882

Genre Short Story, Fiction

Themes Love, Justice

Tags Classic Fiction, Symbolic Narrative

“The Lady, or the Tiger?” is a short story by Philadelphia-born author Frank R. Stockton published in the American magazine The Century in 1882. (The edition used in this study guide is available on the Project Gutenberg website.)Stockton was best known among his contemporaries for his humorous and unconventional fairy tales, which have been widely adapted since they were published in the late 19th and early 20th century. Some have been turned into plays and... Read The Lady, or the Tiger? Summary

The Lake

by Natasha Preston

Publication year 2021

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Fear, Forgiveness, Guilt, Hate & Anger, Nostalgia, Mental Health, Death, Appearance & Reality, Friendship, Justice, Loyalty & Betrayal, Safety & Danger, Truth & Lies

Tags Horror & Suspense, Mystery & Crime Fiction, Psychological Fiction, Trauma & Abuse

... Read The Lake Summary

The Landry News

by Andrew Clements

Publication year 1999

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Truth & Lies, Childhood & Youth, Teamwork, Education, Justice

Tags Realistic Fiction, Journalism, Children`s Literature, Education, Education, Modern Classic Fiction, Humor

The Landry News is a young adult novel by Andrew Clements, published in 1998. It centers on a school newspaper and the lives it touches, the lessons it teaches, and the power it gives people to stand up for their beliefs. The book received the William Allen White Children's Book Award in 2002 and has been translated into five languages. American author Andrew Clements (1949-2019) penned many books for young readers, including his most famous work, Frindle... Read The Landry News Summary

The Last Days of Socrates

by Plato

Publication year -1

Genre Biography, Nonfiction

Themes Death, Justice, Literature

Tags Philosophy, Ancient Greece, European History

The Last Days of Socrates by Plato is a collection of four texts—Euthyphro, Apology, Crito, and Phaedo—about the trial and execution of Socrates. (Alternate titles for collection include The Trial and Death of Socrates.) These texts, believed to have been composed between 399 and 395 BCE, are considered founding works of Western philosophy that investigate piety, justice, and the immortality of the soul via Socrates’s defense speeches at his trial and his conversations with his... Read The Last Days of Socrates Summary

The Last Duel

by Eric Jager

Publication year 2004

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Politics & Government, Justice, Conflict, Perseverance, Hate & Anger

Tags Medieval, European History, Mystery & Crime Fiction, World History, French Literature

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The Last Runaway

by Tracy Chevalier

Publication year 2013

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Femininity, Race, Appearance & Reality, Marriage, Colonialism, Immigration, Nation, Politics & Government, Justice, Truth & Lies

Tags American Literature, World History, Historical Fiction

... Read The Last Runaway Summary