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 Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Natural World: Space & The Universe
Tags Chinese Literature, Asian Literature, Realistic Fiction, Children's Literature, Modern Classic Fiction, Action / Adventure
See You in the Cosmos, a 2017 middle-grade contemporary novel by Jack Cheng, features 11-year-old Alex Petroski as its main character and narrator. Inspired by scientist Carl Sagan, Alex wants to use a hand-built rocket to send audio recordings about life on Earth to extraterrestrial creatures. Though his quest to communicate with alien life fails, Alex finds himself on a much larger journey toward self-identity and truth. The novel is a Golden Kite Award Winner... Read See You in the Cosmos Summary
Publication year 1987
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Society: Colonialism, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict
Tags Poetry: Dramatic Poem, British Literature
Publication year 1811
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Society: Class, Society: Economics, Identity: Gender
Tags Romance, Romanticism / Romantic Period, British Literature, Relationships, Class, Gender / Feminism, History: World, Historical Fiction, Classic Fiction
Sense and Sensibility (1811) was the first published novel of English writer Jane Austen (1775-1817). She published it anonymously, identifying herself only as "a lady." It tells the story of two sisters, Elinor and Marianne Dashwood, who find love after their father dies and they are plunged into a more modest lifestyle. Sense and Sensibility’s continual presence in the cultural imagination is evident in its numerous film and TV adaptations, including the award-winning 1995 version... Read Sense and Sensibility Summary
Publication year 2003
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Society: Colonialism, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Identity: Indigenous, Life/Time: The Past
Tags History: European, History: The Americas, Colonialism / Postcolonialism, History: U.S., Latin American Literature, American Literature, History: World
Publication year 2004
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Natural World: Objects, Natural World: Place, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags History: World, WWII / World War II, Action / Adventure, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Military / War, Science / Nature, Biography
Shadow Divers: The True Story of Two Americans Who Risked Everything to Solve One of the Last Mysteries of World War II (2004) by Robert Kurson is a celebrated nonfiction adventure book. Kurson, an adventure journalist whose stories have been featured in Rolling Stone, Esquire, and The New York Times Magazine, is known for his immersive and entertaining style. His first book-length work, Shadow Divers was a New York Times Best Seller and won the... Read Shadow Divers Summary
Publication year 2024
Genre Memoir in Verse, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Life/Time: The Past, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 1773
Genre Play, Fiction
Themes Society: Class, Relationships: Marriage, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Win & Lose
Tags Humor, Classic Fiction, Play: Comedy / Satire, British Literature, History: World, Drama / Tragedy
She Stoops to Conquer is a play by British writer Oliver Goldsmith, first performed in 1773. The play is a comedy of manners and a romance set in 18th-century England. Goldsmith was an Anglo-Irish poet and dramatist and this play is his most popular and well-known work, with performances still regularly occurring in the 21st century. In 1778, John O'Keeffe wrote a successful sequel to the play, entitled Tony Lumpkin in Town. She Stoops to... Read She Stoops to Conquer Summary
Publication year 2013
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Life/Time: The Future, Life/Time: The Past, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Society: Community, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil
Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Fantasy, Survival Fiction, Health / Medicine, Education, Food, Technology, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction
Publication year 1991
Genre Novella, Fiction
Themes Natural World: Animals, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Life/Time: Coming of Age
Tags Children's Literature, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Realism, Education, Education, Animals, Realistic Fiction, Classic Fiction
Eleven-year-old Marty Preston fights to save an abused beagle from its cruel owner in Shiloh (1991). Marty bonds with the dog, Shiloh, and learns more about himself and others as he struggles to reconcile the letter of the law with what he knows in his heart is right. Acclaimed children’s author Phyllis Reynolds Naylor based Shiloh on a poignant, personal encounter with a mistreated dog. Marty’s character struggles with the same issues that troubled Naylor... Read Shiloh Summary
Publication year 2016
Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction
Themes Society: Economics, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Business / Economics, Sports, Biography
Shoe Dog is a first-person memoir written by Nike cofounder Phil Knight. It was published in 2016. Shoe Dog primarily recounts the events from 1962, the year Knight traveled around the world as a young man, to 1980, the year Nike went public and Knight became a multimillionaire. The years in between are comprised of the struggles and challenges Knight faced as he worked to build the company that would ultimately be known worldwide as... Read Shoe Dog Summary
Genre Novel/Book in Verse, Nonfiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Identity: Sexuality, Identity: Femininity, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Gender / Feminism, Modern Classic Fiction, Mental Illness
Shout: The True Story of A Survivor Who Refused to be Silenced by Laurie Halse Anderson is a memoir written in verse published in 2019. Anderson wrote it as both a personal narrative and a call to action in the wake of the 2017 #MeToo movement, which supported survivors of sexual assault who came forward to share their stories publicly. Shout received widespread critical acclaim and was named Time’s Best Book of the Year 2019.Laurie... Read Shout Summary
Publication year 2003
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Life/Time: The Past
Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction
Shutter Island, Dennis Lehane’s 2003 psychological thriller, investigates how a person’s mental state can shape their perspective of reality. The prologue opens with an excerpt from Dr. Lester Sheehan’s diary dated May 3rd, 1993. Sheehan is a retired psychiatrist from Ashecliffe Hospital on Shutter Island, but he remains haunted by the dangerous tragedy of four people: Edward “Teddy” Daniels, Rachel Solando, Dolores Chanal, and Andrew Laeddis. Now that Sheehan’s health is failing, he feels compelled... Read Shutter Island Summary
Publication year 2000
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Identity: Mental Health, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Siblings, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Realistic Fiction, Children's Literature
Publication year 1981
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Nostalgia, Natural World: Animals, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Self Discovery, Society: Economics, Values/Ideas: New Age, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Philosophy, Sociology, Arts / Culture, French Literature, Post Modernism, Education, Education, Psychology, Psychology, Philosophy, Politics / Government
Publication year 1974
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Mythology, Love / Sexuality
Publication year 2021
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Self Discovery, Relationships: Siblings, Relationships: Mothers, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance
Tags Fantasy, Romance
Publication year 2009
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Friendship, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Action / Adventure
Publication year 2016
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Society: Community, Self Discovery, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict
Tags Realistic Fiction, Humor, Children's Literature, Education, Education, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2009
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Apathy, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Win & Lose, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Natural World: Food, Identity: Gender, Identity: Mental Health, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Siblings, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Mothers, Relationships: Teams, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Self Discovery, Society: Community, Society: Education
Tags Modern Classic Fiction, Realistic Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Humor, Children's Literature, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Bullying, Grief / Death, Trauma / Abuse / Violence
Publication year 2021
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Mental Health, Identity: Sexuality, Life/Time: Midlife, Relationships: Marriage, Relationships: Mothers, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Historical Fiction, Romance, LGBTQ, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, History: World