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.

Publication year 2017

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Love, Grief, Loyalty & Betrayal, Safety & Danger, Beauty, Trust & Doubt, Truth & Lies, Forgiveness, Memory, Guilt, Hate & Anger, Shame & Pride, Fear, Perseverance, Conflict, Loneliness, Hope, Environment, Family, Immigration

Tags Lyric Poem, Gender & Feminism, Relationships, Love & Sexuality, Women`s Studies, Modern Classic Fiction, Romance, Mental Illness

Publication year 2023

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Conflict, Grief, Memory, Revenge, Mental Health, Childhood & Youth, Death, The Past, Family, Siblings, Self Discovery, Social Class, Education, Politics & Government, Good & Evil, Justice, Loyalty & Betrayal, Power & Greed, Safety & Danger, Science & Technology, Trust & Doubt, Truth & Lies

Tags Mystery & Crime Fiction, Horror & Suspense, Health

Publication year 1955

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Truth & Lies, Trust & Doubt, Good & Evil, Friendship

Tags Mystery & Crime Fiction, Horror & Suspense, Psychological Fiction, Italian Literature, Classic Fiction

The Talented Mr. Ripley, written by Patricia Highsmith, was originally published in 1955 by W. W. Norton & Company. The novel falls within the psychological thriller genre and is the first of five books featuring Tom Ripley, known as The Ripleiad, published between 1955 and 1991. The novel has been adapted twice into film, first in 1960 as a French film titled Purple Noon and again in 1991 under its original title. The 1991 film... Read The Talented Mr. Ripley Summary

Publication year 1008

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Beauty, Truth & Lies, Gender Identity

Tags Asian Literature, Japanese Literature, Classic Fiction, Gender & Feminism

The Tale of Genji, by Murasaki Shikibu, is considered by many to be the world’s earliest surviving novel. The edition/translation used for this guide, edited by Royall Tyler, was originally published in 2001, and reissued in 2006, abridged from the longer pieces of Shikibu’s classic story, which was originally written at the start of the 11thcentury. There are considered to be fifty-four total “chapters” salvaged from the tale Shikibu originally composed. However, Tyler’s edition includes... Read The Tale Of Genji Summary

Publication year 1984

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Perseverance, Fear, Grief, Hate & Anger, Hope, Love, Memory, Good & Evil, Loyalty & Betrayal, Order & Chaos, Safety & Danger, Power & Greed, Religion & Spirituality, Fate, Trust & Doubt, Truth & Lies, Childhood & Youth, Coming of Age, Friendship, Mothers, Death, The Past, Future, Appearance & Reality, Animals, Space, War, Family

Tags Horror & Suspense, Fantasy, Coming of Age, Action & Adventure

The Talisman is a 1984 novel co-written by Stephen King and Peter Straub. It is a fantasy novel with horror elements and has connections to the works in King’s Dark Tower series. The Talisman is a road trip book that tells the story of Jack Sawyer and his quest to save his mother. The Talisman examines themes of lost innocence, coming of age, friendship, the corrupting nature of power, and more.The Talisman has a sequel... Read The Talisman Summary

Publication year 2025

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Trust & Doubt, Truth & Lies, Revenge, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Family, Self Discovery, War, Marriage

Tags Horror & Suspense, Mystery & Crime Fiction, Psychological Fiction

Publication year 2015

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Friendship, Conflict, Loneliness, Shame & Pride, Perseverance, Revenge, Forgiveness, Teamwork, Justice, Loyalty & Betrayal, Order & Chaos, Power & Greed, Truth & Lies, Safety & Danger, Trust & Doubt, Wins & Losses, Family, Appearance & Reality, Animals, Hate & Anger, Childhood & Youth, Education

Tags Action & Adventure, Humor, Realistic Fiction, Children`s Literature, Education, Education

Publication year 2021

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Truth & Lies, Loyalty & Betrayal, Community, Appearance & Reality

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

Publication year 2006

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Truth & Lies, Order & Chaos, Literature, Siblings, Mothers, Appearance & Reality, Grief, Death, Memory

Tags Mystery & Crime Fiction, Gothic Literature, Historical Fiction, Horror & Suspense, World History, Fantasy

The Thirteenth Tale, written by Diane Setterfield, was published in 2006 by Emily Bestler Books/Washington Square Press. The book rose to #1 on The New York Times Best Seller list just one week after publication and won the Quill Award for debut author of the year. Before publishing this first book, Setterfield was an academic, specializing in 20th-century French literature. Since the publication of her first book, Setterfield has published two further books, Bellman &... Read The Thirteenth Tale Summary

Publication year 1998

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Truth & Lies, Science & Technology, Environment, Appearance & Reality, Future

Tags Science Fiction, Fantasy, Action & Adventure, Survival Fiction, Children`s Literature

The Transall Saga is a 1998 fantasy/sci-fi novel by author Gary Paulsen, who is best known for his wilderness survival books, such as Hatchet. The plot revolves around young protagonist Mark Harrison, who goes on a weeklong hiking trip and is transported to what appears to be another world—Transall. He must learn to survive among strange vegetation, animals, and people—all in the midst of war—as he tries to find a way home.Other works by this... Read The Transall Saga Summary

Publication year 1925

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Truth & Lies, Justice, Politics & Government, Guilt

Tags Classic Fiction, Science Fiction, Absurdism, Philosophy, Jewish Literature, German Literature, World History, Philosophy

Book DetailsThe Trial, an unfinished novel by Franz Kafka, was written in the 1910s and published posthumously in 1925. One of Kafka’s most famous works, it is a nightmarish story where the rules of reality are bent and twisted as the protagonist, Josef K., is prosecuted for a crime whose nature is never revealed to him. Literary Movement & Major ThemesWritten at a pivotal moment in European history, The Trial has become one of the... Read The Trial Summary