"Nothing can be said to be certain," wrote Ben Franklin, "except death and taxes." And yet, death is often ignored, dismissed, or delayed as an experience worth contemplating—until we are forced to reckon with it head-on. The books in this collection do their own reckoning.
Publication year 2010
Genre Short Story Collection, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Self Discovery, Society: Class
Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction
Memory Wall (2010) is a collection of short stories by Anthony Doerr, the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of All the Light We Cannot See (2014). Doerr’s writing career began in 2002, with the publication of his short story collection The Shell Collector (2002), and he is also the author of novels About Grace (2004) and Cloud Cuckoo Land (2021), and a memoir titled Four Seasons in Rome (2007). Memory Wall won the 2011 Story Prize and... Read Memory Wall Summary
Publication year 8
Genre Novel/Book in Verse, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Society: Politics & Government, Life/Time: Mortality & Death
Tags Education, Education, Mythology, Philosophy, Philosophy, Classical Period, Fantasy, Classic Fiction, Ancient Greece, Narrative / Epic Poem
Publius Ovidius Naso, known more commonly today as Ovid, originally composed his Metamorphoses in Latin and completed the work around 8 CE. The Metamorphoses combines hundreds of Greco-Roman mythological tales into 15 books of poetry, brief summaries of which follow.This guide follows A. D. Melville’s 1986 translation for Oxford World’s Classics, and citations reference page numbers rather than line numbers. This guide follows Melville’s divisions of the various myths, although not all editions will make... Read Metamorphoses Summary
Publication year 2023
Genre Graphic Memoir , Nonfiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Identity: Language, Identity: Race, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: The Past, Society: Immigration
Tags Children's Literature, Humor, Biography
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Natural World: Space & The Universe, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: The Future, Natural World: Nurture v. Nature, Self Discovery, Society: Colonialism
Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Fantasy
Publication year 2019
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Natural World: Animals, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Natural World: Food, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Grandparents, Relationships: Mothers, Society: Class, Society: Community, Society: Economics, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Romance, Southern Literature, Modern Classic Fiction, Magical Realism, Fantasy
Publication year 2020
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Relationships: Family
Tags Romance, Fantasy, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Religion / Spirituality
Publication year 1996
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Identity: Masculinity, Identity: Mental Health, Identity: Race, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: The Past, Relationships: Siblings, Society: Class, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal
Tags Realistic Fiction, African American Literature
Miracle’s Boys (2000) is a young adult novel by Jaqueline Woodson. The novel tells the story of three brothers, ages 21, 15, and 12, coping with the sudden death of their mother a year before. The middle brother, Charlie, recently returned home from a juvenile detention facility, where he was serving a two-year sentence for attempting to rob a candy store at gun point. Set in a Puerto Rican neighborhood in New York City, Miracle’s... Read Miracle's Boys Summary
Publication year 1963
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Aging, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness
Tags Lyric Poem, Confessional, History: World
Publication year 2016
Genre Novel/Book in Verse, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Life/Time: Aging, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Natural World: Animals, Natural World: Environment, Relationships: Siblings, Relationships: Teams, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Self Discovery
Tags Realistic Fiction, Animals, Children's Literature
... Read Moo Summary
Publication year 2010
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Emotions/Behavior: Nostalgia, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: The Past, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Natural World: Place, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship, Society: Community, Society: Class, Society: Economics, Society: Immigration, Society: Education, Society: War, Society: Politics & Government, Society: Nation, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Literature, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt
Tags Historical Fiction, Children's Literature, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Realistic Fiction, History: World
Moon Over Manifest is a 2010 novel by author Claire Vanderpool. It relates the story of 12-year-old Abilene Tucker, a drifting girl in search of her father, a home, and a sense of belonging. When the novel starts, her father, Gideon Tucker, has just sent Abilene to the Kansas town of Manifest, claiming that he can’t take her to Iowa, where he is allegedly taking a railroad job. It is 1936, and the Great Depression... Read Moon Over Manifest Summary
Publication year 1987
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Identity: Femininity, Life/Time: Mortality & Death
Tags Historical Fiction, WWII / World War II, British Literature, Military / War, History: World, Classic Fiction
Penelope Lively’s 1987 novel Moon Tiger is a work of historical fiction. Set primarily in England and Egypt during the 20th century, the novel is a frame story that joins protagonist Claudia Hampton on her deathbed as she reflects on the relationships, memories, and historical forces that shaped her life. The author was awarded the 1987 Booker Prize for the novel. Moon Tiger explores the subjective nature of memory, the difference between lived and linear... Read Moon Tiger Summary
Publication year 2011
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Gratitude, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Identity: Mental Health, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Relationships: Family, Self Discovery, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Literature, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt
Tags Modern Classic Fiction, Japanese Literature, Asian Literature, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Romance
Publication year 2013
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt
Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Fantasy, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, LGBTQ, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 1995
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Nostalgia, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: The Past
Tags Free verse
Publication year 1971
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Life/Time: Aging, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Natural World: Place, Relationships: Friendship, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Relationships: Mothers, Natural World: Animals, Relationships: Family, Life/Time: The Past, Life/Time: The Future, Society: Education, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Hope
Tags Fantasy, Children's Literature, Classic Fiction, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Action / Adventure, Animals, Technology, Grief / Death, Agriculture, Parenting, Science / Nature, Philosophy, Sociology
Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH is a children’s science fiction novel written in 1971 by Robert C. O’Brien. It tells the story of a field mouse whose son becomes ill as moving day approaches, so she enlists the help of a group of highly intelligent experimental rats for help. Robert C. O’Brien was inspired to write the Rats of NIMH after a visit to the National Institute of Mental Health’s experimental rat compound... Read Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH Summary
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
Publication year 2016
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Mortality & Death
Tags Realistic Fiction, Humor, Action / Adventure, Children's Literature, Education, Education, Grief / Death
Publication year 2015
Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Art
Tags Music, Arts / Culture, Grief / Death, Travel Literature
Publication year 1935
Genre Play, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality
Tags Play: Drama, Play: Historical, Poetry: Dramatic Poem, Religion / Spirituality, Christian literature, History: World, Drama / Tragedy, Historical Fiction, Classic Fiction
Murder in the Cathedral is a verse drama by T.S. Eliot that portrays the final days of Thomas Becket, the Archbishop of Canterbury, who was assassinated and martyred in 1170. Written in 1935 for the Canterbury Festival, the play explores themes of faith, power, martyrdom, and the conflict between church and state. Many stage performances of the play have been produced, and Murder in the Cathedral has also been adapted for television, film, and opera... Read Murder in the Cathedral Summary
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