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.

Small Pleasures

by Clare Chambers

Publication year 2021

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Loneliness, Love, Shame & Pride, Femininity, Mental Health, Sexual Identity, Midlife, Marriage, Mothers, Community, Beauty, Science & Technology, Truth & Lies

Tags Historical Fiction, Romance, LGBTQ+, Mystery & Crime Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, World History

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Snapdragon

by Kat Leyh

Publication year 2020

Genre Graphic Novel/Book, Fiction

Themes Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Perseverance, Fear, Hope, Joy, Loneliness, Love, Memory, Shame & Pride, Regret, Forgiveness, Femininity, Gender Identity, Masculinity, Race, Sexual Identity, Fate, Religion & Spirituality, Safety & Danger, Trust & Doubt, Truth & Lies, Animals, Appearance & Reality

Tags Fantasy, Magical Realism, LGBTQ+, Children`s Literature

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Something Borrowed

by Emily Giffin

Publication year 2005

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Friendship, Loyalty & Betrayal, Aging, Forgiveness, Memory, Childhood & Youth, Guilt, Hate & Anger, Love, Shame & Pride, The Past, Fear, Trust & Doubt, Marriage, Wins & Losses, Appearance & Reality, Truth & Lies, Apathy, Conflict, Loneliness

Tags Modern Classic Fiction, Romance, Relationships

Something Borrowed is a work of romantic fiction from author Emily Giffin, published in 2004. It was a critical and commercial success, earning rave reviews and landing a spot on the New York Times bestseller list. The novel was Giffin’s first, and she has published several more books in the same genre. Some of her other books include Love the One You’re With (2008), Heart of the Matter (2010), Where We Belong (2012), and Something... Read Something Borrowed Summary

Sometimes I Lie

by Alice Feeney

Publication year 2017

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Mental Health, Truth & Lies, Marriage

Tags Horror & Suspense, Mystery & Crime Fiction, Psychological Fiction, Southern Gothic, Relationships, Modern Classic Fiction

Sometimes I Lie is a 2017 murder thriller by veteran BBC journalist-turned-novelist Alice Feeney that challenges the reader to piece together an elaborate puzzle, complicated by the unfolding realization that the narrator may be a compulsive liar. The novel, with its decidedly ironic use of stock elements of murder mysteries (a torrid affair, an unexpected pregnancy, a demented stalker turned rapist, dark family secrets, a bad case of amnesia, a tragic house fire, incriminating diaries... Read Sometimes I Lie Summary

So Much Water So Close to Home

by Raymond Carver

Publication year 1981

Genre Short Story, Fiction

Themes Marriage, Trust & Doubt, Safety & Danger, Truth & Lies, Gender Identity

Tags Mystery & Crime Fiction, Education, Education

Content Warning: Both the story and the guide reference the graphic murders of women and feature ambiguously consensual sex as well as general misogyny.“So Much Water So Close to Home” is a short story by American writer Raymond Carver; it first appeared in his 1981 collection What We Talk About When We Talk About Love. The story’s earlier iteration, which this guide discusses, embodies the extreme minimalism Carver employed during this phase of his career... Read So Much Water So Close to Home Summary

Sonnet 130

by William Shakespeare

Publication year 1609

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Gratitude, Love, Beauty, Truth & Lies

Tags Lyric Poem, Comedy & Satire, Relationships, Love & Sexuality

William Shakespeare is the author of “Sonnet 130.” The sonnet is one of 154 sonnets that Shakespeare published in 1609 under the title Shakes-spears Sonnets. The first 126 sonnets address a young man, while Sonnets 127-152 focus on a mysterious woman. As with “Sonnet 130,” the sonnets about the enigmatic woman concern ideas of love and beauty and directly undercut typical representations of both. Thus, “Sonnet 130” is satire; it makes fun of how adored... Read Sonnet 130 Summary

Spare

by Prince Harry

Publication year 2023

Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction

Themes Family, Perseverance, Conflict, Grief, Hope, Loneliness, Love, Shame & Pride, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Self Discovery, Social Class, Colonialism, Politics & Government, Truth & Lies, Trust & Doubt, Loyalty & Betrayal, Justice, Power & Greed, Safety & Danger

Tags European History, Politics & Government, British Literature, Animals, Grief & Death, Depression & Suicide, Social Class, Relationships, Journalism, Bullying, World History, Biography

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Sphere

by Michael Crichton

Publication year 1987

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Fear, Loneliness, Mental Health, Death, Animals, Appearance & Reality, Space, Teamwork, Self Discovery, Loyalty & Betrayal, Safety & Danger, Science & Technology, Trust & Doubt, Truth & Lies

Tags Science Fiction, Fantasy, Horror & Suspense, Mystery & Crime Fiction, Action & Adventure

Sphere (1987) is a novel by best-selling author Michael Crichton, the sixth novel he released under his own name but his 16th novel overall. The novel follows protagonist Norman Johnson as he travels to the bottom of the ocean with a team of scientists to explore an unknown spacecraft. Inside the craft is a sphere that when entered enhances imagination and allows people to manifest reality from their unconscious mind. Sphere was made into a... Read Sphere Summary

Spilled Milk

by K.L Randis

Publication year 2013

Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction

Themes Truth & Lies, Safety & Danger, Justice, Family, Mental Health, Emotions/Behavior: Courage

Tags Crime & Law, Trauma & Abuse, Psychology, Mystery & Crime Fiction, Biography

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Spy School

by Stuart Gibbs

Publication year 2012

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Death, Loyalty & Betrayal, Friendship, Community, Teamwork, Safety & Danger, Memory, Daughters & Sons, Science & Technology, Childhood & Youth, Education, Power & Greed, Shame & Pride, Fear, Order & Chaos, Trust & Doubt, Perseverance, Good & Evil, Justice, Politics & Government, Appearance & Reality, Truth & Lies, Conflict, Fathers, Loneliness

Tags Mystery & Crime Fiction, Horror & Suspense, Action & Adventure, Children`s Literature, Realistic Fiction, Humor

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Starling House

by Alix E. Harrow

Publication year 2023

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Family, Truth & Lies, Power & Greed, Revenge, Memory, Social Class

Tags Fantasy, Horror & Suspense, Mystery & Crime Fiction, Trauma & Abuse, Gothic Literature, Romance, Religion & Spirituality

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Starry Messenger

by Neil Degrasse Tyson

Publication year 2022

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Space, Education, Truth & Lies, Science & Technology, Order & Chaos, Community, Gender Identity

Tags Science & Nature, Philosophy, World History, Politics & Government, Animals, Education, Diversity, Disability, Food, Health, Internet & Social Media, Military & War, Race & Racism, Religion & Spirituality, Social Justice, Technology, Philosophy

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Starters

by Lissa Price

Publication year 2012

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Aging, Siblings, Death, Social Class, Childhood & Youth, Community, Memory, Science & Technology, Future, The Past, Guilt, Family, Appearance & Reality, Trust & Doubt, Fear, Politics & Government, Power & Greed, Beauty, Truth & Lies, Good & Evil, Conflict

Tags Science Fiction, Mystery & Crime Fiction, Fantasy, Romance, Action & Adventure

Lissa Price’s Starters is a young adult science fiction novel set in the near future after the Spore Wars, during which biological weapons were used against the United States and wiped out much of the unvaccinated middle-aged population. As a result, many teens were left without families, and the elderly feared for their place in society. Starters without grandparents were barred from essentially every type of work. This led to teens being rounded up to... Read Starters Summary