The solace and comfort of true friendship — and the pain of its loss — can rival any romantic or familial relationship. In this collection, we present texts that examine the unique qualities and costs of deep friendships.
Publication year 2015
Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction
Themes Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Friendship, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Self Discovery, Natural World: Environment, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Society: Class, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Literature
Tags Sports, Travel Literature, Action / Adventure, Bullying, Arts / Culture, Class, Race / Racism, Relationships, Poverty, Politics / Government, Science / Nature, Social Justice, History: World, Biography
Barbarian Days: A Surfing Life is a 2015 memoir by William Finnegan, a writer for The New Yorker and the author of several social journalism books such as A Complicated War: The Harrowing of Mozambique and Dateline Soweto: Travels with Black South African Reporters. In Barbarian Days, Finnegan reflects on his upbringing in California and Hawaii, as well as his coming of age in the late 1960s. He relays his experience of the surfing counterculture... Read Barbarian Days: A Surfing Life Summary
Publication year 2002
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Joy, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Nostalgia, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Natural World: Animals, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Natural World: Place, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Mothers, Society: Community, Society: Economics, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Modern Classic Fiction, Fantasy, Animals, Romance, Canadian Literature, Classic Fiction
Publication year 2021
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Values/Ideas: Literature, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Relationships: Friendship
Tags Class, Love / Sexuality, Modern Classic Fiction, Romance, Irish Literature
Publication year 2019
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship, Life/Time: Coming of Age
Tags Realistic Fiction, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Animals, Children's Literature, Education, Education
Publication year 1959
Genre Play, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Relationships: Friendship, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed
Tags Historical Fiction, Play: Tragedy, Religion / Spirituality, History: European, Politics / Government, French Literature, Modernism, Medieval Literature / Middle Ages, History: World, Drama / Tragedy, Classic Fiction
Becket or The Honor of God is a 1959 play by the French dramatist Jean Anouilh. It portrays a fictionalized version of the conflict that took place between King Henry II of England and the archbishop of Canterbury, Thomas Becket, in the 12th century. The English translation of the play premiered on Broadway in 1960 to great acclaim and was adapted into an Academy Award-winning film in 1964.The central conflict of Becket, which ended in... Read Becket Summary
Publication year 2018
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Literature, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Relationships: Marriage, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Mothers, Self Discovery, Emotions/Behavior: Joy, Life/Time: Midlife
Tags Historical Fiction, Romance, Auto/Biographical Fiction, British Literature, Christian literature, History: World, Religion / Spirituality
Publication year 2020
Genre Novel/Book in Verse, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Fathers, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Family
Tags Realistic Fiction, Sports, Relationships, American Literature, Children's Literature, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2023
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: The Past, Relationships: Friendship, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2013
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Identity: Mental Health, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Natural World: Environment, Natural World: Place, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Literature, Values/Ideas: Music, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Realistic Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Romance, Action / Adventure
Publication year 2004
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Coming of Age, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Relationships: Friendship, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology
Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Humor, Romance, Modern Classic Fiction, Fantasy
Be More Chill (2004) by Ned Vizzini is a young adult novel about a teenage boy trying to increase his social status in high school. The work employs humor and a science fiction premise to satirize the absurdity of social norms in contemporary youth culture. The main character, Jeremy Heere, is a socially awkward high school student who ingests a pill that contains a quantum supercomputer that advises him on how to modify his behavior... Read Be More Chill Summary
Publication year 1992
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Relationships: Friendship, Values/Ideas: Fame, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology
Publication year 2018
Genre Graphic Memoir , Nonfiction
Themes Relationships: Friendship, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Self Discovery, Society: Class, Society: Immigration, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Life/Time: Coming of Age
Tags Humor, Action / Adventure, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Children's Literature, Realistic Fiction
Publication year 2019
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth
Tags Realistic Fiction, Children's Literature, Historical Fiction
Publication year 2023
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Nostalgia, Self Discovery, Relationships: Mothers, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Relationships: Siblings, Relationships: Friendship, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Emotions/Behavior: Hope
Tags Historical Fiction, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Romance, WWII / World War II, Class, Education, Finance / Money / Wealth, Love / Sexuality, Relationships, Military / War, Grief / Death, History: World, Parenting
Publication year 2020
Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction
Themes Relationships: Friendship, Identity: Race, Self Discovery, Society: Community
Tags Self Help, Gender / Feminism, Relationships, Psychology, Psychology
Publication year 2010
Genre Graphic Novel/Book, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Friendship, Values/Ideas: Fate, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Values/Ideas: Fame
Tags Humor, Realistic Fiction, Children's Literature, Education, Education
Publication year 1945
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Coming of Age, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Natural World: Animals, Natural World: Place, Relationships: Friendship
Tags Children's Literature, Historical Fiction, Classic Fiction, Animals, Action / Adventure
Jim Kjelgaard’s novel Big Red (1945) traces the adventures of protagonist Danny Pickett after he befriends a unique Irish setter named Red. Danny has lived at the edge of the Wintapi wilderness with his father, Ross Pickett, for as long as he can remember. Although he loves his father, their life together, and the surrounding woods, Danny longs for a friend. Danny is thrilled when Mr. Haggin, the Pickett’s property owner and boss, hires Danny... Read Big Red Summary
Publication year 1991
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Relationships: Friendship, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Fantasy, Children's Literature, Action / Adventure
Publication year 2018
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Race, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Femininity, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice
Tags Realistic Fiction, African American Literature, Race / Racism
Publication year 2021
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Race, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Relationships: Grandparents, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Values/Ideas: Music, Values/Ideas: Literature, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Natural World: Appearance & Reality
Tags Romance, LGBTQ, African American Literature, New Adult, Love / Sexuality, Realistic Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction