"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 1934
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Apathy, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Identity: Gender, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Marriage, Society: Class
Tags Satire, Classic Fiction, British Literature, History: World, Historical Fiction, Humor
A Handful of Dust is a satirical novel by Evelyn Waugh, published in 1934. The novel satirizes the lives of the English gentry and middle class in the interwar period. Waugh’s highly regarded satire is based on his own experience of divorce and unhappiness, as well as his understanding of the English class system. The novel has been dramatized for radio, theater, and screen. This guide uses the 2018 Penguin English Library edition.Content Warning: The... Read A Handful of Dust Summary
Publication year 1913
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Natural World: Place, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Natural World: Appearance & Reality
Tags Poetry: Dramatic Poem, Humor, Grief / Death, British Literature, Victorian Period
Publication year 1921
Genre Short Story, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Life/Time: Mortality & Death
Tags Love / Sexuality, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, British Literature, Gothic Literature, History: World, Classic Fiction
Publication year 1961
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Life/Time: Birth, Identity: Mental Health, Life/Time: Aging, Life/Time: The Past, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: Midlife, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Marriage, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Society: Class, Society: Colonialism, Society: Community, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Literature, Society: Economics
Tags Historical Fiction, Auto/Biographical Fiction, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Poverty, Finance / Money / Wealth, Depression / Suicide, Class, Colonialism / Postcolonialism, Indian Literature, Asian Literature, History: World, Classic Fiction
A House for Mr. Biswas is a 1961 historical fiction novel by V. S. Naipaul. The story takes a postcolonial perspective of the life of a Hindu Indian man in British-owned and occupied Trinidad. Now regarded as one of Naipaul's most significant novels, A House for Mr. Biswas has won numerous awards and has been adapted as a musical, a radio drama, and a television show. Naipaul is also known for the works The Mimic... Read A House for Mr. Biswas Summary
Publication year 2006
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Natural World: Environment, Relationships: Friendship, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Society: Politics & Government
Tags Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Children's Literature, Realistic Fiction, Science / Nature, Action / Adventure
First published in 2006, Alabama Moon by Watt Key is a realistic middle grade novel set in 1980 in rural Alabama. After being raised by his survivalist father, 10-year-old Moon Blake knows he can acquire anything he needs from the forest. When his father dies, Moon sets out for Alaska as Pap instructed. On his journey, Moon finds conflict with authorities, peers, “the system,” and a constable intent on breaking his spirit. Alabama Moon was... Read Alabama Moon Summary
Genre Play, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Values/Ideas: Fate, Emotions/Behavior: Grief
Tags Play: Tragedy, Ancient Greece, Classical Period, Drama / Tragedy, Fantasy, Classic Fiction
Publication year 2021
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Race, Identity: Mental Health, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Race / Racism, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 1947
Genre Play, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Relationships: Family, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Play: Tragedy, Classic Fiction, American Literature, Military / War, Education, Education, History: World, Drama / Tragedy
All My Sons is a play by Arthur Miller, first performed in 1947. Based on a true story, All My Sons tells the story of a munitions factory owner who is accused of producing defective engines for aircraft. The play received many awards, ran for 328 shows on Broadway, and has been twice adapted as a film. This guide is based on the 2015 Penguin Classics edition of Miller’s Collected Plays. Plot SummaryJoe Keller is... Read All My Sons Summary
Publication year 2023
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Joy, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Relationships: Siblings, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Beauty
Tags History: World, Arts / Culture, Biography
Publication year 2023
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Relationships: Mothers, Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Grief
Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Psychological Fiction, Grief / Death, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2020
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Mental Health, Emotions/Behavior: Grief
Tags Romance, Grief / Death, Depression / Suicide, Realistic Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Mental Illness
Publication year 2004
Genre Play, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt
Tags Modern Classic Fiction, Drama / Tragedy, Romance, LGBTQ
Almost, Maine is a play in two acts, and is comprised of a prologue, a four-scene first act, an interlogue, a four-scene second act (one of which has two different versions one can choose from), and finally an Epilogue. The title refers to an imagined town in Northern Maine, named Almost, that the playwright, John Cariani, writes, “doesn’t quite exist” (11). Each scene consists of at least two main characters, and, aside from the Prologue... Read Almost, Maine Summary
Publication year 1998
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Life/Time: Mortality & Death
Publication year 2011
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Values/Ideas: Win & Lose
Tags Fantasy, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Grief / Death, Children's Literature, Modern Classic Fiction, Magical Realism, Religion / Spirituality
A Monster Calls (2011) was written by Patrick Ness, illustrated by Jim Kay, and the original idea for the novel is credited to the late Siobhan Dowd. Ness wrote the novel in Dowd’s memory after she passed away in 2007 from breast cancer. Set in present-day England, A Monster Calls is a young adult fantasy novel that explores topics of terminal illness, grief, death, anger, and the grieving process through the eyes of a child;... Read A Monster Calls Summary
Publication year 1964
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Identity: Race, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger
Tags Black Arts Movement, Race / Racism
Publication year 1949
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Relationships: Marriage
Tags Lyric Poem, Free verse, Relationships
Publication year 1991
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Identity: Gender, Identity: Indigenous, Identity: Race, Identity: Sexuality, Life/Time: The Future, Life/Time: The Past, Natural World: Environment, Natural World: Place, Society: Colonialism, Society: Community, Society: Immigration, Society: Nation, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Literature
Tags Narrative / Epic Poem, American Literature
Publication year 2016
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Music, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Relationships: Friendship
Tags Race / Racism, Historical Fiction
Another Brooklyn is a 2016 novel by Jacqueline Woodson. After the narrator, August, returns home to care for her dying father, she runs into her former friend Sylvia. This encounter leads her to reflect on her childhood in Brooklyn in the 1970s and the way she coped with her mother’s death. The novel unfolds in fragments: each chapter moves between August’s girlhood memories and adult life as an ivy-league educated anthropologist who studies cultural rituals... Read Another Brooklyn Summary
Publication year 2005
Genre Short Story, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Self Discovery, Relationships: Mothers, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Grief
Tags Education, Education, Classic Fiction
Publication year 1838
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance
Tags Lyric Poem, Grief / Death, American Literature, Classic Fiction