Marriage

"It is not a lack of love, but a lack of friendship that makes unhappy marriages," said philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche. The texts in this collection depict happy and unhappy marriages—and those that fall somewhere in between.

Troilus and Criseyde

by Geoffrey Chaucer

Publication year 1385

Genre Novel/Book in Verse, Fiction

Themes Love, Gender Identity, Coming of Age, Marriage, Social Class, War, Beauty, Literature, Religion & Spirituality

Tags Classic Fiction, Medieval, Narrative Poem, Romance, Military & War, Education, Education, World History

Troilus and Criseyde is an epic poem by Geoffrey Chaucer written between 1382 and 1386 in Middle English. The poem is divided into five books and features Chaucer’s innovation, the Rhyme royal stanza form, which is a seven-line stanza in iambic pentameter with an ABABBCC rhyme scheme. The poem is set during the Trojan War and tells the tragic story of Troilus, a prince of Troy who falls in love with a young woman named... Read Troilus and Criseyde Summary

Truly Madly Guilty

by Liane Moriarty

Publication year 2016

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Marriage, Friendship, Truth & Lies

Tags Horror & Suspense, Mystery & Crime Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Relationships, Psychological Fiction, Trauma & Abuse, Parenting, Love & Sexuality

Truly Madly Guilty is Liane Moriarty’s seventh adult novel, published in 2016. The work uses suspense elements and a nonlinear timeline to tell a story of a backyard barbecue and its deep emotional and psychological repercussions for the attendees. The book explores themes of friendship, marriage, and parenthood through the relationships of three couples, Erika and Oliver, Clementine and Sam, and Tiffany and Vid.The edition referenced is the first US e-book edition from Flatiron Books.Plot... Read Truly Madly Guilty Summary

Under the Volcano

by Malcolm Lowry

Publication year 1947

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Mental Health, Marriage, Environment, Death, Apathy

Tags Historical Fiction, Addiction & Substance Abuse, British Literature, Modernism, World History, Classic Fiction

Under the Volcano by Malcolm Lowry is a modernist novel published in 1947. Set in Quauhnahuac, Mexico, in 1938, it follows the Consul, a former British diplomat with an alcohol addiction, on the day of his death. In addition to the Consul, the small cast of characters includes the Consul’s half-brother, Hugh, his ex-wife, Yvonne, and his friend-turned-enemy, Jacques Laruelle. Malcolm Lowry, who spent time in Mexico and was known to have experienced addiction himself... Read Under the Volcano Summary

Valentine

by Elizabeth Wetmore

Publication year 2020

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Friendship, Community, Safety & Danger, Coming of Age, Forgiveness, Revenge, Love, Mothers, Family, Guilt, Hate & Anger, Fear, Justice, Equality, Good & Evil, Marriage, Truth & Lies, Perseverance, Conflict, Loneliness, Hope, Gratitude

Tags Historical Fiction, Mystery & Crime Fiction, Coming of Age, Relationships, Race & Racism, Trauma & Abuse, Love & Sexuality, Social Justice, Modern Classic Fiction, World History

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Voyager

by Diana Gabaldon

Publication year 1993

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Forgiveness, Grief, Guilt, Hope, Love, Memory, Regret, Shame & Pride, Gender Identity, Masculinity, Race, Sexual Identity, Midlife, Death, Future, The Past, Environment, Family, Marriage, War, Loyalty & Betrayal, Safety & Danger

Tags Historical Fiction, Romance, Fantasy, Science Fiction

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Waiting on the Moon

by Peter Wolf

Publication year 2025

Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction

Themes Love, Fame, Aging, Conflict, Fear, Gratitude, Hope, Family, Friendship, Marriage, Teamwork, Self Discovery, Art, Beauty, Loyalty & Betrayal, Music, Order & Chaos

Tags Memoir & Autobiography, Music, Grief & Death

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War and Peace

by Leo Tolstoy

Publication year 1867

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes War, Order & Chaos, Marriage

Tags Historical Fiction, Classic Fiction, Coming of Age, Realistic Fiction, European History, Military & War, Philosophy, Relationships, Realism, Russian Literature, World History

War and Peace is a historical fiction novel by Russian author Leo Tolstoy that was first published between 1865 and 1869. The story charts the alliances and wars between Russia and France at the beginning of the 19th century, following the lives of characters swept along by historical events and examining key themes like Living a Meaningful Life, The Purpose of Suffering, and History and Free Will. Heralded as one of the most important novels... Read War and Peace Summary

We Did OK, Kid

by Anthony Hopkins

Publication year 2025

Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction

Themes Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Perseverance, Grief, Loneliness, Memory, Shame & Pride, Mental Health, Childhood & Youth, Midlife, The Past, Place, Daughters & Sons, Family, Fathers, Friendship, Marriage, Mothers, Teamwork, Self Discovery, Community, Education, Fame, Loyalty & Betrayal, Order & Chaos, Religion & Spirituality, Truth & Lies

Tags Memoir & Autobiography, Arts & Culture, Addiction & Substance Abuse, Relationships

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Wellness

by Nathan Hill

Publication year 2023

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Guilt, Loneliness, Love, Midlife, Nature Versus Nurture, Marriage, Social Class, Art, Science & Technology, Truth & Lies, Family

Tags Modern Classic Fiction, Historical Fiction, Romance

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What Looks Like Crazy on an Ordinary Day

by Pearl Cleage

Publication year 1997

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Death, Marriage, Siblings, Community

Tags Realistic Fiction, Romance, African American Literature, Modern Classic Fiction

Pearl Cleage’s debut novel, What Looks Like Crazy on an Ordinary Day, traces one summer in the life of the protagonist, Ava Johnson. Ava’s once independent and exciting life in Atlanta, Georgia, changes forever when she tests positive for HIV (human immunodeficiency virus), the virus that can lead to AIDS. As a Black woman living in the 1990s, Ava is immediately met with social and cultural stigmas surrounding the virus. Unable to maintain her hair... Read What Looks Like Crazy on an Ordinary Day Summary