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.

Jesus and John Wayne

by Kristin Kobes Du Mez

Publication year 2020

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Fear, Nostalgia, Masculinity, Race, Sexual Identity, Family, Social Class, Colonialism, Community, Nation, Politics & Government, War, Fate, Good & Evil, Justice, Loyalty & Betrayal, Order & Chaos, Power & Greed, Religion & Spirituality, Trust & Doubt, Truth & Lies, Wins & Losses

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July's People

by Nadine Gordimer

Publication year 1981

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Equality, Conflict, Fear, Guilt, Memory, Regret, Race, Family, Marriage, Social Class, Colonialism, Community, Nation, Politics & Government, War, Fate, Justice, Loyalty & Betrayal, Order & Chaos, Power & Greed, Safety & Danger, Trust & Doubt, Truth & Lies

Tags Historical Fiction, Race & Racism, Military & War, African Literature

July’s People, a 1981 dystopian novel by South African author Nadine Gordimer, imagines the aftermath of a bloody uprising that topples South Africa’s notorious, white-ruled apartheid regime. Her novel, which follows a white family’s desperate flight from Johannesburg, traces the complex interdependencies of white and Black South Africans, revealing the insidiousness of the regime’s racial disparities and mindsets, even among liberal, well-meaning white people. Through the lens of this hypothetical future, Gordimer’s novel explores racial... Read July's People Summary

Just Listen

by Sarah Dessen

Publication year 2006

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Appearance & Reality, Truth & Lies, Self Discovery, Family

Tags Romance, Realistic Fiction, Relationships, Music, Mental Illness, Modern Classic Fiction

Just Listen by Sarah Dessen is a contemporary YA coming-of-age novel published in 2006. The story follows protagonist Annabel Greene, a 16-year-old model who is isolated at school due to a secret trauma that ended her friendship with Sophie. While Annabel tries to forget the past, her older sister, Whitney, deals with anorexia and bulimia. Her eating disorder weighs down the family, and Annabel can’t add another burden on them. When Annabel meets Owen, a... Read Just Listen Summary

Killing Mr. Griffin

by Lois Duncan

Publication year 1978

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Apathy, Conflict, Fear, Grief, Guilt, Hate & Anger, Loneliness, Revenge, Shame & Pride, Coming of Age, Appearance & Reality, Friendship, Community, Education, Family, Good & Evil, Fate, Justice, Power & Greed, Literature, Trust & Doubt, Safety & Danger, Truth & Lies

Tags Mystery & Crime Fiction, Horror & Suspense, Realistic Fiction, Dramatic Literature, Trauma & Abuse, Education, Education

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Kill Joy

by Holly Jackson

Publication year 2021

Genre Novella, Fiction

Themes Childhood & Youth, Justice, Safety & Danger, Truth & Lies

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

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King Lear

by William Shakespeare

Publication year 1606

Genre Play, Fiction

Themes Truth & Lies

Tags Classic Fiction, Elizabethan Era, Education, Education, British Literature, Dramatic Literature

King Lear is a play written around 1606 by the English playwright William Shakespeare. Widely considered one of Shakespeare’s greatest tragedies, King Lear tells the story of a king who goes mad after bequeathing his fortune and power to his daughters. It is loosely based on the myth of Leir of Britain, a legendary monarch said to have ruled Ancient Britons in the eighth century B.C.This guide refers to the 1999 Pelican Shakespeare edition. Please... Read King Lear Summary

Knife

by Salman Rushdie

Publication year 2024

Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction

Themes Politics & Government, Perseverance, Love, Self Discovery, Community, Globalization, Art, Good & Evil, Justice, Order & Chaos, Safety & Danger, Science & Technology, Truth & Lies

Tags Trauma & Abuse, Indian Literature, Mystery & Crime Fiction, Psychology, Psychology, Biography

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Lady Audley's Secret

by Mary Elizabeth Braddon

Publication year 1862

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Gender Identity, Truth & Lies, Loyalty & Betrayal

Tags Mystery & Crime Fiction, Classic Fiction, Gender & Feminism, Victorian Period, British Literature, Gothic Literature, World History, Historical Fiction, Victorian Era

Lady Audley’s Secret was published in 1862 and caused a stir among Victorian readers with its depiction of murder, madness, extortion, and bigamy. The novel centers on a young woman, Lucy Graham, a governess working in the village of Audley. Everyone in the village is charmed by her, including Sir Michael Audley, who was instantly smitten with her youth, beauty, and sweet demeanor. Sir Michael is a wealthy, 56-year-old widower who did not want Lucy to... Read Lady Audley's Secret Summary

Landscape with Invisible Hand

by M. T. Anderson

Publication year 2017

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Power & Greed, Equality, Love, Truth & Lies, Social Class, Economics, Art

Tags Science Fiction, Fantasy, Satirical Literature, Relationships, Agriculture, Arts & Culture, Business & Economics, Social Class, Finance, Food, Health, US History, Politics & Government, Poverty, Religion & Spirituality, Social Justice

Landscape with Invisible Hand is a satirical dystopian science fiction novel by M. T. Anderson, written for a young adult audience. A diverse author, Anderson writes both fiction and nonfiction for people of all ages. In 2023, Landscape with Invisible Hand was adapted for film, reflecting the novel’s popularity and relevance. The book depicts a future world in which an alien species, the vuvv, have sold their technology to humans, causing the collapse of the... Read Landscape with Invisible Hand Summary

Last Night at the Telegraph Club

by Malinda Lo

Publication year 2021

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Self Discovery, Sexual Identity, Race, Gender Identity, Femininity, Masculinity, Love, Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Perseverance, Fear, Hope, Equality, Truth & Lies, Loyalty & Betrayal, Family, Friendship

Tags Historical Fiction, LGBTQ+, Romance, Coming of Age, Love & Sexuality, Women`s Studies, Modern Classic Fiction, World History

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Later

by Stephen King

Publication year 2021

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Coming of Age, Masculinity, Memory, Self Discovery, Truth & Lies, Safety & Danger

Tags Horror & Suspense, Mystery & Crime Fiction, Coming of Age, Fantasy, Religion & Spirituality

... Read Later Summary