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.

This Is Why We Lied

by Karin Slaughter

Publication year 2024

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Conflict, Fear, Guilt, Love, Regret, Revenge, Death, The Past, Fate, Good & Evil, Justice, Loyalty & Betrayal, Power & Greed, Safety & Danger, Trust & Doubt, Truth & Lies

Tags Horror & Suspense, Mystery & Crime Fiction

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This Strange Eventful History

by Claire Messud

Publication year 2024

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Conflict, Loneliness, Memory, Nostalgia, Indigenous Identity, Race, Childhood & Youth, Coming of Age, Midlife, Death, Future, The Past, Place, Daughters & Sons, Family, Fathers, Friendship, Marriage, Mothers, Siblings, Self Discovery, Colonialism, Community, Globalization, Nation, Politics & Government, War, Equality, Justice, Order & Chaos, Religion & Spirituality, Trust & Doubt, Truth & Lies

Tags Military & War, World History, French Literature, Historical Fiction

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Those Empty Eyes

by Charlie Donlea

Publication year 2023

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Truth & Lies, Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Guilt, Memory, Revenge, Childhood & Youth, Coming of Age, Death, The Past, Teamwork, Self Discovery, Community, Justice, Power & Greed, Safety & Danger, Trust & Doubt

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

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Thrive

by Arianna Huffington

Publication year 2014

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Self Discovery, Death, Science & Technology

Tags Self-Improvement, Business & Economics, Psychology, Health, Psychology, Biography

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Time for Andrew: A Ghost Story

by Mary Downing Hahn

Publication year 1994

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Perseverance, Childhood & Youth, Coming of Age, Death, Family, Fathers, Grandparents, Self Discovery

Tags Horror & Suspense, Children`s Literature, Fantasy, Science Fiction, Mystery & Crime Fiction, Religion & Spirituality

Time for Andrew: A Ghost Story is a gothic middle grade novel written by Mary Downing Hahn and published in 1994. Hahn is known for incorporating elements of the thriller and gothic genres into stories for young readers. This novel follows 12-year-old Drew as he spends the summer with his Aunt Blythe and an irritable great-grandfather in their creaky, shadowy ancestral home. When a dying boy who looks strikingly similar to Drew mysteriously appears in... Read Time for Andrew: A Ghost Story Summary

Tinkers

by Paul Harding

Publication year 2009

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Memory, Aging, Death, Family

Tags Psychological Fiction, Historical Fiction, Relationships, Grief & Death, American Literature, Modern Classic Fiction

Tinkers (2009) is Paul Harding’s debut novel. It delves into the life of a dying man, George Washington Crosby, as he reflects on his past and his family history. The narrative weaves together George’s memories with stories from his father’s life, and it explores the themes of mortality, memory, and the interconnectedness of generations. The novel, which is considered literary fiction, won the 2010 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction and the 2010 PEN/ Robert W. Bingham... Read Tinkers Summary

Tin Man

by Sarah Winman

Publication year 2017

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Fear, Love, Memory, Regret, Sexual Identity, Childhood & Youth, Coming of Age, Death, The Past

Tags LGBTQ+, Romance, Historical Fiction

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To Autumn

by John Keats

Publication year 1820

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Death

Tags Science & Nature, Romanticism, Education, Education, British Literature, World History, Classic Fiction

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To Hell with Dying

by Alice Walker

Publication year 1988

Genre Short Story, Fiction

Themes Death, Community, Love, Nostalgia, Race, Aging

Tags African American Literature

Alice Walker published her first short story, “To Hell with Dying,” in 1968 and republished it as a children’s book with illustrations by Catherine Deeter in 1988. While suitable for children, its depth, themes, and writing style resonate with readers of all ages with an interest in African American literature.Alice Walker is a prominent author of novels, essays, and poems and was the first African American woman to win the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in... Read To Hell with Dying Summary

To His Coy Mistress

by Andrew Marvell

Publication year 1681

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Love, Death

Tags Lyric Poem, Love & Sexuality, Grief & Death, British Literature, Restoration, Education, Education, World History, Romance, Classic Fiction

“To His Coy Mistress” by Andrew Marvell was posthumously published in 1681 as part of the collection Miscellaneous Poems. Marvell, a metaphysical poet, wrote this piece in Restoration England, probably after the English Civil War. Marvell’s canonical lyric works are well-known today but were unheard of during his lifetime. Like Emily Dickinson, none of Marvell's poems were published until after his death. However, some of his satirical and other prose works were published during his... Read To His Coy Mistress Summary

Tom's Crossing

by Mark Z. Danielewski

Publication year 2025

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Perseverance, Fear, Grief, Hope, Love, Revenge, Indigenous Identity, Masculinity, Coming of Age, Death, Future, The Past, Animals, Nature Versus Nurture, Friendship, Teamwork, Colonialism, Good & Evil, Justice, Power & Greed, Safety & Danger, Truth & Lies

Tom’s Crossing: A Western (2025) is a novel by Mark Z. Danielewski. Set in 1982 in a fictionalized version of Provo, Utah, where the author grew up, the story follows the friendship between two teenage boys, Tom Gatestone and Kalin March. When Tom dies, Kalin honors his deathbed promise to Tom to rescue two horses from a slaughter paddock and guide them to a remote mountain sanctuary known as “the Crossing.” This act ignites a... Read Tom's Crossing Summary

Tom's Midnight Garden

by Philippa Pearce

Publication year 1958

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Friendship, Aging, Loneliness, Memory, Coming of Age, Death

Tags Fantasy, Children`s Literature

Tom’s Midnight Garden by Philippa Pearce is a children’s fantasy novel that follows Tom Long, a boy who discovers a magical garden that appears only at midnight. In this garden, Tom meets Hatty, a girl from the past. Through their friendship, the novel explores the themes of The Impact of History on the Present, The Contrast Between Childhood and Adulthood, and The Transformative Power of Friendship. Tom’s Midnight Garden has been in print continuously since... Read Tom's Midnight Garden Summary

Torpedoed

by Deborah Heiligman

Publication year 2019

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Perseverance, Hope, Childhood & Youth, Death, The Past, Nation, War, Safety & Danger

Tags World History, Military & War, Children`s Literature

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