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.

Fire Weather

by John Vaillant

Publication year 2023

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Environment, Climate, Plants, Economics, Globalization, Politics & Government, Safety & Danger, Science & Technology, Truth & Lies

Tags Science & Nature, Climate Change, Natural Disaster, Politics & Government, World History

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Flock

by Kate Stewart

Publication year 2020

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Love, Shame & Pride, Sexual Identity, Coming of Age, Fathers, Self Discovery, Social Class, Power & Greed, Truth & Lies

Tags Romance, Modern Classic Fiction

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Foe

by J. M. Coetzee

Publication year 1986

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Family, Literature, Truth & Lies, Femininity

Tags Gender & Feminism, Historical Fiction, Education, Education, World History, Classic Fiction

Foe is a 1986 novel by J. M. Coetzee. Foe is a parallel novel, reimagining the story of Daniel Defoe’s 1719 novel Robinson Crusoe from the perspective of a shipwrecked woman named Susan Barton, who then tries to convince a fictionalized version of Defoe to write her story.This guide refers to the 2015 Penguin edition.Content Warning: The source material uses outdated, offensive terms for Black people throughout, which is replicated in this guide only in... Read Foe Summary

Foucault's Pendulum

by Umberto Eco

Publication year 1988

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Truth & Lies, Shame & Pride, Good & Evil, Power & Greed, Education, The Past, Perseverance

Tags Mystery & Crime Fiction, Italian Literature, Historical Fiction, Philosophy

Originally published in Italian in 1988, Foucault’s Pendulum is a postmodern conspiracy thriller by Italian author Umberto Eco. Eco, a scholar of semiotics, culture, and medieval philosophy, was best known for writing stories that investigated the overlap between these topics, such as his 1980 historical mystery novel, The Name of the Rose.Foucault’s Pendulum concerns Casaubon, Belbo, and Diotallevi, three editors at an Italian publishing house who devise a grand narrative of world history based on... Read Foucault's Pendulum Summary

Foul Lady Fortune

by Chloe Gong

Publication year 2022

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Conflict, Nation, Good & Evil, Justice, Loyalty & Betrayal, Power & Greed, Safety & Danger, Truth & Lies, Trust & Doubt, Family

Tags Historical Fiction, Romance, Fantasy, Asian History, Mystery & Crime Fiction, World History

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Four Eyes

by Rex Ogle

Publication year 2023

Genre Graphic Memoir , Nonfiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Perseverance, Gratitude, Childhood & Youth, Family, Friendship, Self Discovery, Social Class, Community, Education, Justice, Loyalty & Betrayal, Truth & Lies

Tags Coming of Age, Bullying

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Frankenstein in Baghdad

by Ahmed Saadawi

Publication year 2013

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Truth & Lies

Tags Horror & Suspense, Middle Eastern History, Science Fiction, Military & War, Modern Classic Fiction, Magical Realism, Fantasy

Frankenstein in Baghdad, written by Ahmed Saadawi, was originally published in Arabic in 2013; it was published in English in 2018 in a translation by Jonathan Wright. It is a modern, magical realist take on Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, updated to take place in post-war, US-occupied Iraq. It won the International Prize for Arabic Fiction in 2014. Plot SummaryIn Bataween, a neighborhood in Baghdad, Iraq, live a series of interrelated characters: Elishva, an old widow who... Read Frankenstein in Baghdad Summary

Frankly in Love

by David Yoon

Publication year 2019

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Race, Immigration, Self Discovery, Truth & Lies, Friendship, Family, Love, Coming of Age

Tags Coming of Age, Romance, Asian Literature, Realistic Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction

Frankly in Love is a coming-of-age novel written by David Yoon and published in 2019 by Penguin Young Readers, Putnam. The story revolves around Frank Li, a Korean American teenager torn between his American identity and the traditional expectations of his Korean parents. With its engaging storyline and exploration of cultural identity, Frankly in Love tackles themes of love, family expectations, and self-discovery. David Yoon’s writing skillfully portrays the complexities of Frank’s experiences as he... Read Frankly in Love Summary

Freezing Order

by Bill Browder

Publication year 2022

Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction

Themes Power & Greed, Politics & Government, Safety & Danger, Justice, Truth & Lies, Loyalty & Betrayal

Tags Crime & Law, Politics & Government, Finance, Journalism, Social Justice, Russian Literature, Mystery & Crime Fiction, Business & Economics, World History, Biography

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Fresh Fruit, Broken Bodies

by Seth M. Holmes

Publication year 2013

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Immigration, Food, Social Class, Community, Globalization, Economics, Education, Politics & Government, Nation, Shame & Pride, Conflict, Justice, Safety & Danger, Power & Greed, Truth & Lies

Tags Anthropology, Social Justice, Sociology, Health, Education, Education, Anthropology, Food, Politics & Government

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