Mortality & Death

"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.

The Comfort of Crows

by Margaret Renkl

Publication year 2023

Genre Essay Collection, Nonfiction

Themes Grief, Memory, Aging, Death, Future, The Past, Animals, Climate, Environment, Plants, Food, Nature Versus Nurture, Objects & Materials, Place, Family, Self Discovery, Community, Education, Globalization, Beauty, Equality, Fate, Good & Evil, Justice, Order & Chaos, Safety & Danger, Truth & Lies

Tags Animals, Science & Nature

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The Confession

by John Grisham

Publication year 2010

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Power & Greed, Justice, Race, Politics & Government, Mothers, Death

Tags Mystery & Crime Fiction, Horror & Suspense, Crime & Law, Social Justice, Incarceration, Grief & Death, Trauma & Abuse, Realistic Fiction, Race & Racism

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The Coral Island

by R.M. Ballantyne

Publication year 1857

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Perseverance, Hope, Loneliness, Love, Memory, Nostalgia, Regret, Indigenous Identity, Language, Masculinity, Race, Childhood & Youth, Coming of Age, Death, The Past, Animals, Climate, Environment, Plants, Objects & Materials, Place, Friendship, Teamwork, Self Discovery, Colonialism, Education, War, Literature, Order & Chaos, Power & Greed, Religion & Spirituality, Safety & Danger, Science & Technology

Tags Classic Fiction, Action & Adventure, Children`s Literature, Historical Fiction

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The Correspondent

by Virginia Evans

Publication year 2025

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Conflict, Fear, Forgiveness, Grief, Guilt, Hope, Loneliness, Memory, Regret, Disability, Gender Identity, Indigenous Identity, Mental Health, Death, Marriage, Mothers, Siblings, Community, Beauty, Literature

Tags Epistolary Fiction, Domestic Fiction

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The Cost of Knowing

by Brittney Morris

Publication year 2021

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Mental Health, Siblings, Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Perseverance, Fear, Gratitude, Grief, Guilt, Hate & Anger, Joy, Love, Memory, Regret, Shame & Pride, Childhood & Youth, Coming of Age, Death, Future, The Past, Fathers, Equality, Fate, Justice, Safety & Danger, Music, Appearance & Reality

Tags Magical Realism, Coming of Age, Race & Racism, Science Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Mental Illness, Fantasy

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The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

by F. Scott Fitzgerald

Publication year 1922

Genre Short Story, Fiction

Themes Death, Daughters & Sons, Fathers, Family

Tags Classic Fiction, Fantasy, American Literature, Science Fiction, World History

“The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” is a short story by American author F. Scott Fitzgerald (1896-1940) addressing themes of time, aging, social class, and destiny. Fitzgerald is among the most celebrated American authors of the 20th century. His novels The Great Gatsby and Tender Is the Night, though commercial disappointments in his lifetime, are now considered classics.Remembered today primarily as a novelist, Fitzgerald was known as a short story writer for magazines by contemporary... Read The Curious Case of Benjamin Button Summary

The Day of the Jackal

by Frederick Forsyth

Publication year 1971

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Conflict, Perseverance, Fear, Hate & Anger, Revenge, Masculinity, Death, Teamwork, Colonialism, Politics & Government, War, Loyalty & Betrayal, Truth & Lies

Tags Horror & Suspense, Mystery & Crime Fiction, Historical Fiction, Politics & Government

The Day of the Jackal is a 1971 thriller by Frederick Forsyth. The novel is centered around a professional assassin, known only as the Jackal, who is hired by a French paramilitary group to assassinate French President Charles de Gaulle. Forsyth’s realistic, research-based writing style builds suspense through a detailed account of the cat-and-mouse chase that spans across Europe, showcasing the complexities of security and espionage during a tumultuous political era. The novel has been... Read The Day of the Jackal Summary