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.

Family Lore

by Elizabeth Acevedo

Publication year 2023

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Family, Femininity, Love, Memory, Mental Health, Race, Sexual Identity, Childhood & Youth, Death, Marriage, Mothers

Tags Magical Realism, Historical Fiction, Fantasy, Modern Classic Fiction

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Fates and Furies

by Lauren Groff

Publication year 2015

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Marriage, Love

Tags Romance, Modern Classic Fiction

Originally published in 2015, Fates and Furies is the third novel by Lauren Groff. The book dissects the twenty-four-year-long marriage between Lotto Satterwhite and Mathilde Yoder and incorporates many elements of Greek myths. The novel starts with their quickie marriage and jumps around in a disjointed timeline to chronicle everything from their childhoods before meeting one another in college to Mathilde’s decades as a widow after Lotto’s death. The majority of the events circle around... Read Fates and Furies Summary

Fear of Flying

by Erica Jong

Publication year 1973

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Love, Guilt, Loneliness, Shame & Pride, Femininity, Gender Identity, Mental Health, Sexual Identity, Marriage, Mothers, Self Discovery, Loyalty & Betrayal

Tags Love & Sexuality, Gender & Feminism

Fear of Flying (1973) is author Erica Jong’s first novel, considered by many to be semiautobiographical. Like her protagonist, Isadora Wing, Jong was married multiple times, published a book of poetry, and earned degrees from Barnard College and Columbia University. She also underwent psychoanalysis, a process in which Isadora has been engaged for many years. Isadora is married to an analyst, and the novel follows her as she attempts to reconcile her desire for sexual... Read Fear of Flying Summary

Finding Margaret Fuller

by Allison Pataki

Publication year 2024

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Literature, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Perseverance, Love, Revenge, Femininity, Midlife, Future, Friendship, Marriage, Self Discovery, Social Class, Community, Education, Equality, Fate, Justice

Tags Historical Fiction, US History, Gender & Feminism, World History

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Finding My Way

by Malala Yousafzai

Publication year 2025

Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction

Themes Fame, Love, Coming of Age, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Perseverance, Hope, Gender Identity, Mental Health, Place, Family, Marriage, Self Discovery, Education, Nation, Politics & Government, Equality

Tags Memoir & Autobiography

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Flashlight

by Susan Choi

Publication year 2025

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Fear, Forgiveness, Loneliness, Memory, Language, Mental Health, Race, Childhood & Youth, Coming of Age, Midlife, Death, Place, Family, Marriage, Community, Immigration

Tags Coming of Age

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Fleishman Is in Trouble

by Taffy Brodesser-Akner

Publication year 2019

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Marriage

Tags Jewish Literature, Modern Classic Fiction

Fleishman Is in Trouble is the debut novel by journalist and writer Taffy Brodesser-Akner. Originally published in 2019, it is a satiric novel work of domestic fiction. The book was long listed for the 2019 National Book Award. This guide references the June 2019 hardcover edition by Penguin Random House.Plot SummaryThe story is told by a narrator, Libby, who speaks in both third and first person. Rachel and Toby Fleishman, professionals in their 40s who... Read Fleishman Is in Trouble Summary

Flesh

by David Szalay

Publication year 2025

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Apathy, Shame & Pride, Mental Health, Marriage, Social Class, Economics, Power & Greed

Tags Literary Fiction, Contemporary Literature

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Flight Behavior

by Barbara Kingsolver

Publication year 2012

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Grief, Birth, Marriage, Mothers, Globalization, Environment

Tags Climate Change, Science & Nature, Modern Classic Fiction

Barbara Kingsolver’s 2012 novel Flight Behavior presents a symbolic connection between Dellarobia Turnbow, an unhappy farm wife who secretly dreams of running away from it all, and a surprising migration of monarch butterflies that alight upon her in-laws’ property in Feathertown, Tennessee. As the butterflies struggle to survive and reproduce to continue their species, Dellarobia struggles in her efforts to deal with the consequences of her past decisions and the possibility of her new life... Read Flight Behavior Summary

For Whom the Bell Tolls

by Ernest Hemingway

Publication year 1940

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Perseverance, Fear, Gender Identity, Masculinity, Marriage, War, Loyalty & Betrayal

Tags American Literature, Classic Fiction, Historical Fiction, Military & War, World History

For Whom the Bell Tolls (1940) is a novel by the Modernist American author Ernest Hemingway. The novel tells the story of Robert Jordan, an American volunteer working as a demolition specialist for the Republican army during the Spanish Civil War. Robert, sent to blow up a bridge to aid a Republican offensive, enlists the aid of a band of guerrilla fighters in the mountains. Robert falls in love with a woman in their care... Read For Whom the Bell Tolls Summary

Frankissstein

by Jeanette Winterson

Publication year 2019

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Femininity, Gender Identity, Masculinity, Sexual Identity, Death, Future, The Past, Marriage, Social Class, Economics, Art, Good & Evil, Religion & Spirituality, Science & Technology

Tags Science Fiction, Historical Fiction, LGBTQ+, Modern Classic Fiction

Frankissstein is a novel by Jeanette Winterson that combines speculative and historical fiction in revisiting Mary Shelley’s 1818 novel, Frankenstein. Winterson is a prolific author, known for her explorations of physical reality, gender, sexuality, and identity. Her first novel, Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit, won the 1985 Whitbread Prize for First Novel, and Frankissstein was longlisted for the 2019 Booker Prize. Winterson is a professor of Creative Writing at the University of Manchester, and... Read Frankissstein Summary

Galatea

by Madeline Miller

Publication year 2013

Genre Short Story, Fiction

Themes Marriage

Tags Mythology, Fantasy, Historical Fiction, Gender & Feminism, Relationships, Trauma & Abuse, World History

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Gargantua And Pantagruel

by François Rabelais, Transl. Thomas Urquhart

Publication year 1564

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Religion & Spirituality, Marriage, Self Discovery, Education, Politics & Government

Tags Classic Fiction, Comedy & Satire, Fantasy, Humor, French Literature

The Life of Gargantua and Pantagruel is a series of five novels written in French by François Rabelais in the 16th century. The novel-cycle relates the adventures of two giants in hyperbolic, satirical prose. Using humor ranging from slapstick to irony, Rabelais explores serious themes such as the development of education and religious reformation. The books are noted for their colorful, rich literary style, bursting with puns, allusions, and social commentary. An early example of... Read Gargantua And Pantagruel Summary

Gerald's Game

by Stephen King

Publication year 1992

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Fathers, Marriage, Self Discovery, Mental Health, Guilt

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

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Ghost Story

by Peter Straub

Publication year 1979

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Conflict, Apathy, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Perseverance, Fear, Grief, Guilt, Hate & Anger, Loneliness, Memory, Regret, Shame & Pride, Revenge, Aging, Death, The Past, Animals, Appearance & Reality, Environment, Beauty, Fate, Good & Evil, Loyalty & Betrayal, Music, Art, Power & Greed, Safety & Danger, Religion & Spirituality, Trust & Doubt, Truth & Lies, Gender Identity, Masculinity, Femininity, Sexual Identity, Friendship, Marriage, Mothers, Siblings, Teamwork, Order & Chaos, Justice, Equality

Tags Horror & Suspense, Mystery & Crime Fiction, Science Fiction, Fantasy, Religion & Spirituality

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