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.

The Maltese Falcon

by Dashiell Hammett

Publication year 1930

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Apathy, Perseverance, Fear, Hate & Anger, Love, Memory, Revenge, Shame & Pride, Death, The Past, Beauty, Justice, Loyalty & Betrayal, Power & Greed, Safety & Danger, Truth & Lies, Trust & Doubt, Order & Chaos, Art, Good & Evil, Femininity, Gender Identity, Masculinity, Appearance & Reality, Politics & Government, Social Class, Community, Immigration

Tags Mystery & Crime Fiction, Classic Fiction, Horror & Suspense, Roaring Twenties, Great Depression

Dashiell Hammett’s The Maltese Falcon (1930) is a detective novel that was first serialized in the magazine Black Mask. As Hammett’s third novel, The Maltese Falcon includes the introduction of Sam Spade as the protagonist, a departure from the nameless Continental Op who narrated his previous stories. Spade’s hard exterior, cool detachment, and reliance on his own moral code would become staples of the hardboiled genre, and The Maltese Falcon has since been named one... Read The Maltese Falcon Summary

The Managed Heart

by Arlie Russell Hochschild

Publication year 1983

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Conflict, Hate & Anger, Joy, Mental Health, Social Class, Community, Economics, Education, Politics & Government, Justice, Power & Greed, Safety & Danger, Truth & Lies

Tags Education, Education, Anthropology, Anthropology, Gender & Feminism, Social Science, Business & Economics, Sociology, Psychology, Psychology, Philosophy, Philosophy

... Read The Managed Heart Summary

The Man Made of Smoke

by Alex North

Publication year 2025

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Apathy, Conflict, Fear, Guilt, Loneliness, Memory, Revenge, Mental Health, Death, The Past, Appearance & Reality, Place, Daughters & Sons, Fathers, Community, Fate, Good & Evil, Justice, Order & Chaos, Safety & Danger, Truth & Lies

Tags Horror & Suspense, Psychological Fiction

... Read The Man Made of Smoke Summary

The Marvelous Land of Oz

by L. Frank Baum

Publication year 1904

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Fear, Hope, Love, Femininity, Gender Identity, Language, Masculinity, Mental Health, Childhood & Youth, Death, Future, The Past, Animals, Appearance & Reality, Plants, Nature Versus Nurture, Objects & Materials, Place, Family, Friendship, Self Discovery, Social Class, Community, Nation, Politics & Government, War, Beauty, Equality, Fate, Good & Evil, Justice, Literature, Loyalty & Betrayal, Power & Greed, Safety & Danger, Trust & Doubt, Truth & Lies

Tags Fantasy, Classic Fiction, Children`s Literature, Action & Adventure

... Read The Marvelous Land of Oz Summary

The Massacre at El Mozote

by Mark Danner

Publication year 1994

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes War, Truth & Lies

Tags Military & War, Cold War, Education, Education, Latin American Literature, Journalism, World History, Social Justice, Politics & Government

The Massacre at El Mozote, by Mark Danner, which in its first iteration appeared as a series of articles for The New Yorker, is an in-depth investigation into the events of December 1981 in the small town of El Mozote in northern El Salvador, during the country’s long civil war. Danner proceeds to not only bring these events to light, but also to place them in the global context of the Cold War of the... Read The Massacre at El Mozote Summary

The Mastery of Love

by Don Miguel Ruiz

Publication year 1999

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Love, Fear, Mental Health, Appearance & Reality, Religion & Spirituality, Truth & Lies

Tags Self-Improvement, Religion & Spirituality, Relationships, Philosophy, Psychology, Love & Sexuality, Philosophy, Inspirational, Psychology

... Read The Mastery of Love Summary

The Message

by Ta-Nehisi Coates

Publication year 2024

Genre Essay Collection, Nonfiction

Themes Guilt, Hope, Race, Colonialism, Nation, Politics & Government, War, Equality, Justice, Literature, Truth & Lies

Tags US History, Race & Racism, African American Literature, Biography

... Read The Message Summary

The Minds of Billy Milligan

by Daniel Keyes

Publication year 1981

Genre Biography, Nonfiction

Themes Justice, Mental Health, Self Discovery, Politics & Government, Fate, Loyalty & Betrayal, Safety & Danger, Trust & Doubt, Truth & Lies

Tags Crime & Law, Psychology, Mental Illness, Horror & Suspense, Mystery & Crime Fiction, American Literature, Psychology, Biography

The Minds of Billy Milligan (1981) is a nonfiction work by Daniel Keyes, documenting the life and experiences of William Stanley “Billy” Milligan, the first defendant found not guilty by reason of insanity because of dissociative identity disorder (DID). The book follows Milligan’s early life experiences that led to his illness, arrest, and trial after the rapes of three women on the Ohio State University campus, as well as the years he spent in different... Read The Minds of Billy Milligan Summary

The Ministry of Time

by Kaliane Bradley

Publication year 2024

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Conflict, Perseverance, Love, Regret, Race, Future, The Past, Climate, Environment, Social Class, Community, Economics, Globalization, Immigration, Nation, Politics & Government, War, Fate, Good & Evil, Justice, Loyalty & Betrayal, Order & Chaos, Power & Greed, Safety & Danger, Science & Technology, Trust & Doubt, Truth & Lies

Tags World History, Historical Fiction, Fantasy, Romance, Science Fiction

... Read The Ministry of Time Summary

The Mosquito Coast

by Paul Theroux

Publication year 1981

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Coming of Age, Colonialism, Truth & Lies

Tags Action & Adventure, Coming of Age, Modern Classic Fiction, World History, Travel Literature, Classic Fiction

The Mosquito Coast, published in 1981 by Paul Theroux, is an adventure story narrated by 13-year-old Charlie Fox, the son of a brilliant inventor who uproots his family to establish a self-sustaining settlement in the jungles of Honduras. Writing in the tradition of novels like The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Robinson Crusoe, The Swiss Family Robinson, and Lord of the Flies, Theroux cited the Jonestown Massacre and the Mormon prophet Joseph Smith as influences in... Read The Mosquito Coast Summary

The Mostly True Adventures of Homer P. Figg

by Rodman Philbrick

Publication year 2009

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Safety & Danger, Truth & Lies

Tags Historical Fiction, Children`s Literature, Military & War, World History, Action & Adventure, Humor

Rodman Philbrick’s The Mostly True Adventures of Homer P. Figg (2009) is a historical fiction novel for middle-grade readers. It won the Newbery Honor award for its story about a young boy’s travels across Civil War America in search of his lost brother. The 2011 e-book edition is the basis for this study guide. Plot SummaryHomer Figg, 12 years old in 1863, lives on a farm in Maine with his older brother, Harold. They’re in... Read The Mostly True Adventures of Homer P. Figg Summary

The Mothers

by Brit Bennett

Publication year 2016

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Family, Shame & Pride, Religion & Spirituality, Mothers, Community, Friendship, Forgiveness, Guilt, Gender Identity, Masculinity, Race, Coming of Age, Self Discovery, Social Class, Truth & Lies

Tags Coming of Age, African American Literature

The Mothers (2016) is the debut literary fiction novel by American author Brit Bennett. Set within a contemporary Black church community in Southern California, the story follows Nadia Turner, a grieving teenager whose decision to terminate a pregnancy creates ripples effects for her, the baby’s father, and her best friend for years to come. The narrative, framed by the collective voice of the church’s elderly women, explores themes including The Corrosive Power of Secrets, Motherhood... Read The Mothers Summary

The Murder of Roger Ackroyd

by Agatha Christie

Publication year 1926

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Good & Evil, Social Class, Truth & Lies

Tags Mystery & Crime Fiction, Horror & Suspense, British Literature

The Murder of Roger Ackroyd, first published in 1926, is a mystery novel by Agatha Christie, often called the “Queen of Mystery.” Christie has 66 detective novels to her name, as well as 14 short story collections. She is considered the best-selling fiction author of all time, with her books selling more than 2 billion copies worldwide. Christie also wrote a play, The Mousetrap, which has run continuously in London’s West End since its premiere... Read The Murder of Roger Ackroyd Summary