Truth & Lies

Whether exploring the consequences of concealing the truth or excavating the mysterious nature of truth itself, the titles in this collection discuss the intersections among honesty, factualness, legitimacy, deception, falsehood, and lies.

Cosmos

by Carl Sagan

Publication year 1980

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Space, Environment, Place, Perseverance, Hope, Science & Technology, Truth & Lies, Education, Globalization, War

Tags Science & Nature, World History, Philosophy, Philosophy, Classic Fiction

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Country of My Skull

by Antjie Krog

Publication year 1998

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Truth & Lies

Tags History: African , African Literature, Race & Racism, Education, Education, African American Literature, World History, Politics & Government, Biography

Country of My Skull: Guilt, Sorrow, and the Limits of Forgiveness in the New South Africa (1998) is a work of narrative nonfiction by Antjie Krog originally published in South Africa. This guide refers to the American edition of the text (1999) that includes an epilogue, glossary, Cast of Characters, and introduction not included in the South African edition, as well as the addition of the subtitle. Krog, an Afrikaner poet-turned-journalist who covered the Truth... Read Country of My Skull Summary

Crash

by Jerry Spinelli

Publication year 1996

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Friendship, Teamwork, Siblings, Daughters & Sons, Family, Shame & Pride, Power & Greed, Equality, Appearance & Reality, Truth & Lies, Fathers, Death, Wins & Losses, Perseverance, Conflict, Guilt, Gratitude, Grandparents, Self Discovery

Tags Realistic Fiction, Children`s Literature, Sports, Bullying, Education, Education, Modern Classic Fiction

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Crenshaw

by Katherine Applegate

Publication year 2015

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Truth & Lies, Family

Tags Fantasy, Animals, Children`s Literature, Realistic Fiction, Magical Realism

Crenshaw is Katherine Applegate’s 2015 middle grade novel about Jackson, a young boy whose family is struggling with financial instability, and his imaginary friend, Crenshaw, a human-sized cat with a fondness for bubble baths and doing cartwheels. Narrated by Jackson in the first person, the story explores the impact of poverty on family and community, the need to reconcile fact and fancy, and how to face the unknown and unpreventable productively.Other works by this author... Read Crenshaw Summary

Crossed

by Ally Condie

Publication year 2011

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Perseverance, Hope, Love, Memory, Coming of Age, Death, Self Discovery, War, Art, Justice, Literature, Safety & Danger, Trust & Doubt, Truth & Lies, Science & Technology

Tags Science Fiction, Romance, Fantasy, Action & Adventure, Arts & Culture, Love & Sexuality, Science & Nature, Social Justice

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Cyclops

by Euripides

Publication year 422

Genre Play, Fiction

Themes Masculinity, Religion & Spirituality, Wins & Losses, Truth & Lies, Place, Revenge

Tags Mythology, Ancient Greece, Classical Period, Comedy & Satire, Dramatic Literature, Arts & Culture, Religion & Spirituality

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Cyrano de Bergerac

by Edmond Rostand

Publication year 1897

Genre Play, Fiction

Themes Love, Art, Beauty, Truth & Lies, Grief, Shame & Pride, War, Literature

Tags Classic Fiction, Drama, Comedy & Satire, Romance, Life-Inspired Fiction, French Literature, Arts & Culture, Love & Sexuality, Grief & Death, Finance, Education, Education, Dramatic Literature, Historical Fiction

Cyrano de Bergerac: An Heroic Comedy in Five Acts by Edmond Rostand was originally published in 1898. Rostand was a popular poet and playwright in France during his lifetime. Cyrano de Bergerac is a five-act verse drama—a tragic romance, set in France in the mid-1600s. It was far more popular than all of Rostand’s other works and has been performed and adapted countless times since its initial successful run.Cyrano de Bergerac explores themes of Unrequited... Read Cyrano de Bergerac Summary

Daggermouth

by H. M. Wolfe

Publication year 2025

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Hate & Anger, Gender Identity, Social Class, Politics & Government, Truth & Lies

Tags Romance, Science Fiction

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Darkness at Noon

by Arthur Koestler

Publication year 1940

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Truth & Lies

Tags Science Fiction, Russian Literature, World History, Historical Fiction, Philosophy, Philosophy, Classic Fiction, Politics & Government

Darkness at Noon is Arthur Koestler’s fictional exploration of the socialist states that emerged midway through the twentieth century. In particular, it asks how a movement whose original purpose was to improve the conditions of “the masses” could instead end up terrorizing its own people, including its founders. The novel follows one of these founders, Nicholas Salmanovitch Rubashov, through the last month of his life, which he spends in prison and then on trial until he... Read Darkness at Noon Summary

Dark Places

by Gillian Flynn

Publication year 2009

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Social Class, Truth & Lies, Family, Hate & Anger, Fear, Masculinity

Tags Mystery & Crime Fiction, Horror & Suspense, Crime & Law, Modern Classic Fiction

Dark Places is a 2009 mystery thriller novel by American author Gillian Flynn. The narrative moves between two time periods, 1985 and 2009, as the protagonist, Libby Day, tries to solve her family’s brutal murder. The novel deals with the consequences of the 1980s Satanic Panic and the fallout from the 1970s Farm Boom for a community in the rural Midwest. Flynn is also the author of Sharp Objects (2006) and Gone Girl (2012).Dark Places... Read Dark Places Summary

Darling Girls

by Sally Hepworth

Publication year 2022

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Memory, The Past, Family, Siblings, Self Discovery, Justice, Loyalty & Betrayal, Truth & Lies

Tags Horror & Suspense, Mystery & Crime Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction

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D'Aulaires Book of Greek Myths

by Edgar Parin d'Aulaire, Ingri d'Aulaire

Publication year 1962

Genre Anthology/Varied Collection, Fiction

Themes Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Perseverance, Language, Appearance & Reality, Nature Versus Nurture, Daughters & Sons, Fathers, Marriage, Siblings, Colonialism, Community, Education, Politics & Government, Fate, Good & Evil, Justice, Literature, Order & Chaos, Power & Greed, Religion & Spirituality, Safety & Danger, Truth & Lies

Tags Fantasy, Mythology, Children`s Literature

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Deadline

by Chris Crutcher

Publication year 2007

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Death, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Perseverance, Grief, Coming of Age, Self Discovery, Truth & Lies

Tags Realistic Fiction, Coming of Age, Sports, Grief & Death, Modern Classic Fiction, Romance

Chris Crutcher’s novel Deadline is a work of young adult literary fiction. Set in the small town of Trout, Idaho, the novel is written from the protagonist Ben Wolf’s first-person point of view and traces his experiences throughout his senior year of high school. An energetic and determined character, Ben is ready to live his life to its fullest before leaving home for college. However, just after his 18th birthday, Ben’s circumstances change forever when... Read Deadline Summary

Dead Mountain

by Donnie Eichar

Publication year 2013

Genre Biography, Nonfiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Perseverance, Grief, Memory, Language, Death, The Past, Climate, Environment, Place, Teamwork, Nation, Safety & Danger, Truth & Lies

Tags Russian Literature, Mystery & Crime Fiction, World History, Biography, European History, Crime & Law, Action & Adventure, Travel Literature

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Dead Souls

by Nikolai Gogol

Publication year 1842

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Social Class, Economics, Truth & Lies

Tags Classic Fiction, Satirical Literature, Social Class, European History, Politics & Government, Religion & Spirituality, Russian Literature, Victorian Period, World History, Historical Fiction, Humor

Nikolai Gogol called his 1842 work Dead Souls an “epic poem in prose,” though most critics and scholars now refer to it as a novel. Structured in part as an analog to Dante’s Inferno, Dead Souls is an absurdist social satire of imperial Russia before the emancipation of the serfs, especially the foibles and customs of the Russian nobility. Though Gogol is not interested in strict realism, his portraits of nobles who speak French more... Read Dead Souls Summary