Addiction

Addiction affects millions of people around the world, yet the stigma of addiction remains. We hope this Collection inspires conversations about addiction, 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 both novels and memoirs tackling a variety of topics, such as alcoholism, methamphetamine and heroin addiction, myths surrounding addiction, and the effects of addiction on families.

Publication year 2015

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Identity: Masculinity, Life/Time: The Past, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Relationships: Marriage

Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Psychological Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Addiction / Substance Abuse, Modern Classic Fiction

Paula Hawkins wrote The Girl on the Train over the course of six months in 2014. Hawkins, an Oxford-educated journalist and writer, drew on her experience as a reporter in London to structure the novel and describe its locations. Drawing immediate comparisons to Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn, The Girl on the Train had similar performance, debuting at #1 on the New York Times bestseller list in 2015, and remaining there for 13 consecutive weeks... Read The Girl On The Train Summary


Publication year 2010

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Life/Time: Coming of Age

Tags Realistic Fiction, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Drama / Tragedy, Race / Racism, Crime / Legal, Addiction / Substance Abuse, Depression / Suicide, Modern Classic Fiction, Historical Fiction

The Girl Who Fell from the Sky is Heidi Durrow’s debut novel. Published in 2010 by Oneworld Publications, the novel won the PEN/Bellweather Prize for Socially Engaged Fiction, an award that recognizes work by a previously unpublished author that explores a social issue. The Girl Who Fell from the Sky explores the impact of racism and loss on a young girl whose mother is a White woman from Denmark and whose father is a Black... Read The Girl Who Fell From The Sky Summary


Publication year 2023

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Literature, Natural World: Place, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Fear

Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Psychological Fiction, Mental Illness, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Grief / Death, Addiction / Substance Abuse


Publication year 2021

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Identity: Race, Society: Nation, Life/Time: The Past, Natural World: Animals, Relationships: Family, Natural World: Flora/plants, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger

Tags Historical Fiction, Magical Realism, Fantasy, Romance, Addiction / Substance Abuse, Food, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, History: European, History: World, Immigration / Refugee, LGBTQ, Love / Sexuality, Military / War, Politics / Government, Science / Nature, Race / Racism, Relationships, Religion / Spirituality, Grief / Death, Modern Classic Fiction


Publication year 1989

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Society: Class, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt

Tags Historical Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Addiction / Substance Abuse, Class, Romanticism / Romantic Period, Children's Literature, Education, Education, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, History: World

The Man Who Was Poe is a young adult historical fiction novel published in 1989 by Edward Irving Wortis, an award-winning American author who writes under the pen name “Avi.” Set in Providence, Rhode Island in 1848, the story is about the unlikely partnership between Edgar Allan Poe and an 11-year-old London boy named Edmund. The book sources many facts from Poe’s life and works and emulates Poe’s own Gothic style of literature. Edmund turns... Read The Man Who Was Poe Summary


Publication year 2023

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Society: Class, Relationships: Siblings, Society: Community, Relationships: Fathers, Natural World: Place, Life/Time: The Past, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Identity: Disability, Identity: Femininity

Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Gothic Literature, Realistic Fiction, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Addiction / Substance Abuse, Depression / Suicide, Disability, Grief / Death, Class


Publication year 2015

Genre Graphic Novel/Book, Fiction

Themes Identity: Indigenous, Society: Colonialism, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Relationships: Family

Tags Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Addiction / Substance Abuse, Incarceration, Education, Education, Modern Classic Fiction


Publication year 1940

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Fate, Society: Community, Society: Politics & Government, Society: Colonialism

Tags Classic Fiction, Historical Fiction, Addiction / Substance Abuse, Religion / Spirituality, Class, Politics / Government, Poverty, British Literature, Christian literature, History: World

Graham Greene’s The Power and the Glory (originally published in 1940) recounts the tragic story of the whisky priest. His religion has been outlawed, his faith shattered, and his history—like his name—all but erased. He’s relentlessly pursued by the lieutenant, whose secular beliefs are as passionate as others’ spiritual beliefs. The priest’s mere presence endangers those he once served, and he constantly struggles to fulfill his duty to bring comfort and absolution to others at... Read The Power and the Glory Summary


Publication year 1967

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Identity: Masculinity, Identity: Sexuality

Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Western, Historical Fiction, LGBTQ, Addiction / Substance Abuse, History: U.S., American Literature, History: World, Classic Fiction


Publication year 1983

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Identity: Gender, Identity: Mental Health, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Win & Lose

Tags Modern Classic Fiction, History: World, Historical Fiction, Sports, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Gender / Feminism, Addiction / Substance Abuse


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 1993

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Friendship, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies

Tags Gender / Feminism, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Addiction / Substance Abuse, Women's Studies (Nonfiction), Modern Classic Fiction, Classic Fiction

The Robber Bride by Canadian novelist Margaret Atwood was originally published in the United States in 1993. It tells the story of three women who suffer betrayal at the hands of a fourth woman, Zenia. The novel was inspired by The Robber Bridegroom, a 19th century German fairy tale which Atwood updates to 1990s Toronto. It combines Atwood’s notable sense of humor with her attention to contemporary political issues such as feminism and environmentalism. The... Read The Robber Bride Summary


Publication year 1977

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Marriage

Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Fantasy, Gothic Literature, Addiction / Substance Abuse, Religion / Spirituality, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Classic Fiction

IntroductionThe Shining is a 1977 horror novel by American author Stephen King. It tells the story of Jack, Wendy, and Danny Torrance during an isolated winter in which Jack becomes the caretaker of Colorado’s Overlook Hotel. It deals with themes of parenthood, isolation, addiction, and the bonds of family. The Shining was Stephen King’s third novel and his first hardback bestseller. It was adapted into a 1980 film directed by Stanley Kubrick and starring Jack... Read The Shining Summary


Publication year 2011

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Identity: Masculinity, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Society: Community

Tags Historical Fiction, Satire, Western, Allegory / Fable / Parable, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, History: U.S., Addiction / Substance Abuse, Gender / Feminism, American Literature, American Civil War, Mystery / Crime Fiction, History: World, Action / Adventure, Humor

The Sisters Brothers is a 2011 novel by Canadian writer Patrick DeWitt. Set in 1851, it traces the journey of Charlie and Eli Sisters, two hired killers traveling from Oregon to San Francisco to find a man called Warm, who allegedly stole something from their boss, the Commodore. The darkly comic Western is in the picaresque genre, as the brothers’ episodic misadventures explore different communities populating the American West.The Sisters Brothers is divided into 64... Read The Sisters Brothers Summary


Publication year 1848

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Relationships: Marriage, Self Discovery, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality

Tags Victorian Period, Classic Fiction, Romance, British Literature, Gothic Literature, Gender / Feminism, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Addiction / Substance Abuse, History: World, Historical Fiction, Victorian Literature / Period

The Tenant of Wildfell Hall is the second and final novel written by Anne Brontë (1820-1849), the youngest of the three celebrated Brontë sisters. The novel was published in 1848 under Anne’s pseudonym, Acton Bell. Unlike Anne’s first novel, Agnes Grey (1847), The Tenant of Wildfell Hall was an immediate sensation and stirred strong reactions to its subject matter, which touched on adultery, marital separation, alcohol use disorder, and domestic abuse. After her death, Anne’s... Read The Tenant of Wildfell Hall Summary


Publication year 2005

Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction

Themes Life/Time: Coming of Age, Identity: Masculinity, Relationships: Fathers

Tags Relationships, Class, Addiction / Substance Abuse, Biography

J. R. Moehringer’s The Tender Bar (2005) is a sweeping memoir that brings the reader on a journey from his earliest childhood memories to his young adulthood. The bar in question, Publicans (previously known as Dickens), played an enormous role in the author’s childhood by introducing him to an array of men who helped fill the void left by his absent father. Moehringer paints a vivid picture of his childhood home in Manhasset, his colorful... Read The Tender Bar Summary


Publication year 1998

Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction

Themes Relationships: Friendship, Identity: Mental Health, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness

Tags Health / Medicine, Addiction / Substance Abuse, Sports, Mental Illness, Biography

The Tennis Partner: A Story of Friendship and Loss (1998) is a memoir by physician Abraham Verghese. It follows his friendship with David Smith, a medical student recovering from drug addiction, and the regular games of tennis that lie at the heart of their relationship. The book explores the themes The Disease of Addiction, The Power of Ritual, and Navigating Loneliness and Conflict in Relationships.Verghese is a physician, professor, and best-selling author. His first book... Read The Tennis Partner Summary


Publication year 2019

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Relationships: Family

Tags Romance, Addiction / Substance Abuse, Gender / Feminism, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Modern Classic Fiction


Publication year 2021

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Natural World: Environment, Identity: Indigenous, Society: Colonialism, Society: Politics & Government

Tags Science / Nature, Psychology, Health / Medicine, Addiction / Substance Abuse, Agriculture, Anthropology, Business / Economics, History: European, History: U.S., Politics / Government, History: World, Journalism, Religion / Spirituality, Psychology, Food


Publication year 2008

Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction

Tags Addiction / Substance Abuse, Psychology, Psychology, Mental Illness, Biography

Nic Sheff’s 2007 memoir, Tweak, focuses on Nic’s early 20s, during which he experienced two serious relapses and attempts to recover and remain clean from drugs. Throughout the narrative, Nic reflects on his troubled youth and his early history with drugs and alcohol. The memoir comprises his recollections of events that transpired over the course of a number of years. Nic narrates his struggles in the present tense, allowing the reader to experience the relapses... Read Tweak Summary