"The art of losing isn't hard to master," wrote poet Elizabeth Bishop. Perhaps she meant that we will all face loss at some point in our lives. In this collection, we have brought together texts that take up the universal experience of grief.
Publication year 1968
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Society: Class, Emotions/Behavior: Grief
Tags History: U.S., Natural Disaster, Industrial Revolution, American Literature, History: World
American author and historian David McCullough’s debut book, The Johnstown Flood (1968), is a work of social history that chronicles the Johnstown Flood of 1889, a deluge of water and debris that tore through a steel community in Central Pennsylvania, killing more than 2,000 people and causing millions of dollars in damage. The flood resulted from a dam bursting in the mountains above Johnstown. The dam had been somewhat hurriedly built to create a lake... Read The Johnstown Flood Summary
Publication year 2021
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Identity: Femininity
Tags Historical Fiction, Romance, WWII / World War II, Military / War, History: World, French Literature
Publication year 2015
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Emotions/Behavior: Apathy, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Identity: Mental Health, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed
Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Psychological Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2023
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Siblings, Society: Community, Relationships: Family
Tags Children's Literature, Realistic Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Fantasy
Publication year 2022
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Race, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Values/Ideas: Equality
Tags Modern Classic Fiction, History: World, Historical Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction
Publication year 2019
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Marriage
Tags Romance, Military / War, New Adult, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2023
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Relationships: Mothers
Tags Modern Classic Fiction, Romance
Publication year 2022
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Grief
Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Psychological Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2022
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Race, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Society: Politics & Government, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Fear
Tags Magical Realism, Race / Racism, Internet Culture / Social Media, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Fantasy
Publication year 2023
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Literature, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Identity: Mental Health, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger
Tags Modern Classic Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Psychological Fiction
Publication year 2011
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Emotions/Behavior: Grief
Tags Fantasy, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction
The Leftovers by Tom Perrotta was published in 2011 and chronicles the lives of the residents of a small northeastern US town in the aftermath of a rapture-like event. Following the random disappearances of millions of people across the globe, the characters of The Leftovers seek various modes of coping with the grief of sudden death as well as the notion of being left behind in others’ absence. The Leftovers was adapted for television by... Read The Leftovers Summary
Publication year 1978
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance
Tags Lyric Poem
Publication year 2006
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: The Past, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Identity: Language, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Teams, Society: Class, Society: Community, Society: Politics & Government, Society: Nation
Tags Fantasy, Action / Adventure, Mystery / Crime Fiction
The Lies of Locke Lamora, written by Scott Lynch and published in 2006, is the first entry in the Gentleman Bastards series. These novels mix caper stories and fantasy stories and include adventure, violence, dark humor, and intimate friendships. The Lies of Locke Lamora is an international best seller and was nominated for multiple awards. The other entries in the series are Red Seas Under Red Skies, The Republic of Thieves, and The Thorn of... Read The Lies of Locke Lamora Summary
Publication year 2024
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Life/Time: Aging, Natural World: Environment, Self Discovery
Tags Modern Classic Fiction, Fantasy, History: World
Publication year 2012
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Values/Ideas: Fate
Tags Historical Fiction, History: World, Drama / Tragedy, Romance
The Light Between Oceans is Australian writer M.L. Stedman’s debut novel, published in 2012 by Random House Australia. Categorized as historical fiction, the novel won various accolades, such as the Indie Book Awards Book of the Year in 2013. A film adaptation of The Light Between Oceans was released four years after the novel’s publication in 2016. All citations in this guide are based on the 2012 Scribner edition, accessed via Scribd.com.Plot SummaryIn 1918, after... Read The Light Between Oceans Summary
Publication year 2022
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Natural World: Climate, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Society: Community, Emotions/Behavior: Grief
Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Magical Realism, Fantasy, Climate Change, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2002
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Life/Time: The Past, Emotions/Behavior: Nostalgia
Tags Modern Classic Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, American Literature, Southern Gothic
The Little Friend (2002) is a Southern Gothic novel by Donna Tartt. Twelve-year-old protagonist Harriet Dufresnes, who lives in the small town of Alexandria, Mississippi, becomes obsessed with her brother Robin’s unsolved murder and her family’s mythical lost fortune and happiness. This coming-of-age novel traces Harriet’s attempts to discover and murder Robin’s killer, all while grappling with loss, revisionist history, secrets, and social tensions based on race, class, and gender.Donna Tartt became a success when... Read The Little Friend Summary
Publication year 2013
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Literature, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Life/Time: Mortality & Death
Tags Romance, Psychological Fiction, German Literature, Modern Classic Fiction, French Literature, Travel Literature
Nina George’s romance novel The Little Paris Bookshop was originally published in German in 2013 and was translated to English by Simon Pare in 2015. The story follows Jean Perdu, a bookseller, as he travels from Paris to Avignon on his floating bookstore, the Literary Apothecary. Perdu leaves Paris on a whim after receiving heartbreaking news about the death of his former lover. Perdu is joined in his travels by Max Jordan, a bestselling author... Read The Little Paris Bookshop Summary
Publication year 2023
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Sexuality, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Self Discovery, Society: Class
Tags Historical Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Fantasy, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, History: World, LGBTQ, Religion / Spirituality
Publication year 2023
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Relationships: Family, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Literature
Tags Modern Classic Fiction, Romance