Mental illnesses are common, yet the stigma of discussions around mental health remains. We hope this compilation inspires conversations about mental health, whether you are a professor looking to round out a syllabus or someone hoping to better understand your own experiences. Read on to discover study guides for fiction and nonfiction titles spanning a variety of important topics, such as suicide, schizophrenia, depression and anxiety, trauma, and bipolar disorder.
Publication year 2022
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Mental Health, Relationships: Mothers, Life/Time: The Past, Identity: Race, Emotions/Behavior: Hope
Tags Historical Fiction, Magical Realism, Asian Literature, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, History: World, Chinese Literature, Mental Illness, Fantasy
Publication year 2020
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Mental Health, Life/Time: The Past, Emotions/Behavior: Fear
Tags Fantasy, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Magical Realism, Mental Illness
Publication year 1981
Genre Biography, Nonfiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Identity: Mental Health, Self Discovery, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Crime / Legal, Psychology, Mental Illness, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, 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
Publication year 2020
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Identity: Mental Health, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: New Age, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict
Tags Self Help, Psychology, Relationships, Psychology, Philosophy, Philosophy, Mental Illness, Health / Medicine, Religion / Spirituality
Publication year 2021
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Society: Community, Relationships: Friendship, Natural World: Environment, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Identity: Mental Health, Self Discovery, Natural World: Animals, Natural World: Flora/plants, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Society: Politics & Government, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Hope
Tags Animals, Science / Nature, Disability, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Agriculture, Education, Health / Medicine, Grief / Death, Depression / Suicide, Mental Illness, Social Justice, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2022
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Identity: Mental Health, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Society: Economics
Tags Psychology, Self Help, Health / Medicine, Science / Nature, Sociology, Psychology, Mental Illness
Publication year 2021
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Friendship, Society: Community, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Gratitude, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Joy, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt
Tags LGBTQ, Romance, Arts / Culture, Grief / Death, Health / Medicine, Love / Sexuality, Mental Illness, Parenting, Relationships, Religion / Spirituality, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2003
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Coming of Age, Society: Class, Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance
Tags Realistic Fiction, Poverty, Education, Education, Modern Classic Fiction, Mental Illness
Barbara Haworth-Attard’s young adult novel Theories of Relativity follows the story of Dylan Wallace, a 16-year-old boy living on the streets of a large city in Canada. Through first-person, present-tense narration, Dylan navigates the dangers and risks of street life and deals with the hardships that accompany the lifestyle. This novel was originally published in Canada in 2003 by HarperCollins Publishers Ltd. This study guide follows the First American Edition of the novel, published in... Read Theories of Relativity Summary
Publication year 2016
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Society: Class, Relationships: Mothers, Identity: Race
Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Psychological Fiction, French Literature, Race / Racism, Mental Illness, Modern Classic Fiction
The Perfect Nanny is a thriller written by Franco-Moroccan journalist and author Leïla Slimani. Published in 2016, the novel is inspired by the 2012 murders of two white American children in New York City by their caretaker, a naturalized American citizen born in the Dominican Republic. Slimani resets the narrative in Paris, France, and the nanny she depicts is a native French woman and white. Slimani reframes the crime to explore themes of racism, classicism... Read The Perfect Nanny Summary
Publication year 1999
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Music, Relationships: Family, Life/Time: Coming of Age
Tags Depression / Suicide, Mental Illness, LGBTQ, Realistic Fiction, Romance, Classic Fiction
The Perks of Being a Wallflower is Stephen Chbosky’s first novel and was published in 1999. It is young adult fiction and a coming-of-age tale told from the perspective of Charlie, a freshman in high school. The epistolary novel is comprised of a series of letters that Charlie writes to someone he calls “friend,” although he has never met this friend in person. He makes it immediately clear that he wants to remain anonymous with... Read The Perks of Being a Wallflower Summary
Publication year 2022
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Identity: Mental Health, Self Discovery, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Regret
Tags Psychology, Self Help, Relationships, Business / Economics, Sociology, Psychology, Mental Illness, Health / Medicine
Publication year 1998
Genre Biography, Nonfiction
Themes Identity: Mental Health, Identity: Language
Tags History: European, Mental Illness, Arts / Culture, Education, Age of Enlightenment, History: World, Biography
The Professor and the Madman: A Tale of Murder, Insanity, and the Making of the Oxford English Dictionary is a 1998 work of nonfiction by British-American journalist Simon Winchester. Originally titled The Surgeon of Crowthorne: A Tale of Murder, Madness, and the Love of Words upon its release in the United Kingdom, the book follows the story of the creation of the Oxford English Dictionary (OED) and the connection that developed between James Murray, the... Read The Professor And The Madman Summary
Publication year 2013
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Mental Health, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Romance, Depression / Suicide, Fantasy, Mental Illness
The Program is a 2014 young adult dystopian novel by Suzanne Young. Young is a novelist specializing in science fiction, thriller, and romance novels in the young adult genre. The novel takes place in a dystopian society where the government declares mental illness an epidemic. The Program follows seventeen-year-old Sloane Barstow, who struggles to reunite with her boyfriend James after a treatment clinic called The Program erases their memories in an attempt to “cure” their... Read The Program Summary
Publication year 1994
Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction
Tags Psychology, Mental Illness, Psychology, Health / Medicine, Biography
The Quiet Room: A Journey Out of the Torment of Madness is a 1994 memoir that chronicles the years-long struggle of Lori Schilling, a bright, promising, high-achieving Jewish woman, born to affluent parents and afflicted with schizophrenia. Ultimately, Schilling will emerge triumphant from her journey, which includes many stints, both voluntarily and involuntarily, in mental hospitals, several suicide attempts, and a constant battle with hallucinated voices that viciously assail Lori and bid her to kill... Read The Quiet Room Summary
Publication year 2007
Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction
Themes Identity: Disability, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Society: Community, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Equality
Tags Health / Medicine, Psychology, Disability, Japanese Literature, Psychology, Mental Illness, Biography
Publication year 1974
Genre Short Story, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Siblings, Society: War, Identity: Indigenous, Life/Time: Coming of Age
Tags Mental Illness, American Literature, Education, Education, Modern Classic Fiction, Magical Realism
Content Warning: This guide contains references to war-related trauma, suicide, and systemic racism and violence against Indigenous Americans.“The Red Convertible” is a short story that explores themes of Coming of Age and The Trauma of War through the lives of two young Chippewa men. Protagonist Lyman Lamartine reflects on his relationship with his brother, Henry Junior, before, during, and after Henry’s time serving in the Vietnam War. Lyman focuses on the period when he and... Read The Red Convertible Summary
Publication year 2014
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Society: Class, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Society: Community, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger
Tags Narrative / Epic Poem, Confessional, Grief / Death, Addiction / Substance Abuse, Relationships, Mental Illness, Disability
Publication year 2015
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Mental Health, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Relationships: Family
Tags Fantasy, Romance, LGBTQ, Love / Sexuality, Modern Classic Fiction, Magical Realism, Mental Illness, Religion / Spirituality
The Rest of Us Just Live Here, a novel by critically acclaimed young adult (YA) author Patrick Ness, tells the story of Mikey, a high school senior living in a fictional town in the state of Washington. The novel follows Mikey as graduation approaches and he navigates the anxieties and uncertainties of love, friendship, and the fear of leaving behind everything he’s grown up with. Ness, the author of the widely lauded Chaos Walking trilogy... Read The Rest of Us Just Live Here Summary
Publication year 2021
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Identity: Mental Health, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt
Tags Psychological Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Mental Illness, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Relationships, British Literature, Gothic Literature
Publication year 2018
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Identity: Mental Health, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Relationships: Mothers, Relationships: Friendship
Tags Realistic Fiction, Mental Illness, Depression / Suicide, Children's Literature, Modern Classic Fiction