Grief

"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 1956

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Identity: Gender, Life/Time: Mortality & Death

Tags Lyric Poem, Grief / Death, Relationships, American Literature


Publication year 2023

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Society: Colonialism, Values/Ideas: Literature

Tags Historical Fiction, Health / Medicine, Asian Literature


Publication year 2013

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Fame, Identity: Mental Health, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Identity: Disability, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Relationships: Siblings

Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction


Publication year 1983

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Natural World: Place, Natural World: Objects, Emotions/Behavior: Nostalgia

Tags Lyric Poem, Free verse, American Literature, Grief / Death


Publication year 1979

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride

Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Religion / Spirituality, Relationships, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Fantasy

The Dead Zone (1979) is a science fiction thriller novel by Stephen King. King’s story about a man who sees visions of the future after awakening from a years-long coma explores themes of missed opportunity, belief, and the sacrifices inherent in moral action. The novel was nominated for numerous awards, including the 1980 Locus Award, and has been adapted for film (1983) and television (2002-07). Please be advised that The Dead Zone includes mention of... Read The Dead Zone Summary


Publication year 2019

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Relationships: Marriage, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality

Tags Historical Fiction, Religion / Spirituality, Modern Classic Fiction, History: World


Publication year 2009

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Emotions/Behavior: Grief

Tags Holidays & Occasions


Publication year 2022

Genre Novel/Book in Verse, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Natural World: Place, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Siblings, Relationships: Grandparents, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Mothers, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Literature, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Win & Lose, Identity: Language, Identity: Masculinity, Identity: Race, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Society: Colonialism, Society: Community, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Society: Nation, Society: Education, Self Discovery, Relationships: Fathers

Tags Historical Fiction, Children's Literature, Free verse, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Race / Racism, History: African , African American Literature, History: World


Publication year 2021

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Natural World: Animals, Relationships: Family, Identity: Disability, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Society: Immigration

Tags Realistic Fiction, Disability, Children's Literature, Animals, Modern Classic Fiction


Publication year 1993

Genre Short Story Collection, Fiction

Themes Society: Community, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness

Tags Magical Realism, Fantasy, Modern Classic Fiction, Asian Literature, Japanese Literature


Publication year 2001

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Society: Politics & Government, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Nostalgia

Tags Lyric Poem, Military / War


Publication year 1992

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Society: War, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Life/Time: The Past, Identity: Race, Society: Community, Emotions/Behavior: Grief

Tags Historical Fiction, Military / War, History: World, Classic Fiction, Romance, WWII / World War II

The English Patient (1992) is a historical romance novel by Canadian writer Michael Ondaatje. The novel explores the relationships between four dissimilar people living in an abandoned Italian monastery at the end of World War II. The eponymous English patient—actually a Hungarian count burned beyond recognition—tells Canadian nurse Hana the story of his forbidden romance with British amateur cartographer Katharine Clifton as their small team attempted, several years earlier, to map North African deserts. Using... Read The English Patient Summary


Publication year 2016

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Relationships: Mothers, Self Discovery, Society: Community

Tags Modern Classic Fiction, Asian Literature, Historical Fiction, Chinese Literature


Publication year 1839

Genre Short Story, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Grief

Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, American Literature, Gothic Literature, Classic Fiction, Romanticism / Romantic Period, Education, Education, Mystery / Crime Fiction

American author Edgar Allan Poe wrote the Gothic short story “The Fall of the House of Usher” in 1839. It first appeared in Burton’s Gentleman’s Magazine and later in Poe’s collection of short stories Tales of the Grotesque and Arabesque in 1840. Poe is considered a founding figure of US Gothic and Romantic literature. He is best known for his poetry, including "The Raven" (1845) and "Annabel Lee" (1849), and short stories such as "The... Read The Fall of the House of Usher Summary


Publication year 1935

Genre Short Story, Fiction

Themes Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Life/Time: Aging, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Nostalgia, Values/Ideas: Beauty

Tags Modernism, Education, Education

“The Far and the Near” by American author Thomas Wolfe was first published in 1935. The story is set in rural America in the early 20th century and tells of a train engineer who passes the same cottage on his route for over 20 years. When the engineer retires, he visits the people who live in the cottage for the first time. The story explores themes such as The Relentless Passage of Time, Idealized Perception... Read The Far and the Near Summary


Publication year 2012

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Teams, Life/Time: The Past, Emotions/Behavior: Grief

Tags Sports, Children's Literature, Education, Education, Realistic Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction

The Final Four is a 2012 young adult novel by Paul Volponi. The book portrays the semifinal of a prestigious college basketball tournament, exploring the lives of four of the players.Other works by this author include Black and White, Rikers High, and Rucker Park Setup.Plot SummaryThe Final Four tells the story of the Michigan State Spartans and the Trojans of Troy University, two college basketball teams who reach the semifinal of the Men’s NCAA Basketball... Read The Final Four Summary


Publication year 2016

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice

Tags Black Lives Matter, Creative Nonfiction, Race / Racism, History: World, Social Justice, Politics / Government

The Fire This Time is a contemporary anthology responding to America’s turbulent racial climate. Jesmyn Ward, associate professor of English at Tulane University, edited the anthology. She has won numerous awards for her fiction writing, and in this book she seeks to present a collection of writing poetry from varied voices to illustrate the current moment and imagine a possible future. The book, which contains 14 essays and four poems, was published in 2016. In her... Read The Fire This Time Summary


Publication year 2003

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Self Discovery, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Relationships: Grandparents

Tags Romance, Realistic Fiction


Publication year 2003

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Life/Time: Aging, Values/Ideas: Fate, Relationships: Friendship, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: The Past, Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Society: War, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Relationships: Marriage, Relationships: Fathers, Emotions/Behavior: Nostalgia, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Relationships: Mothers

Tags Inspirational, Magical Realism, Religion / Spirituality, Grief / Death, Modern Classic Fiction, Fantasy, Philosophy, Philosophy, Classic Fiction

The Five People You Meet in Heaven is a novel by best-selling writer Mitch Albom. Published in 2003, it sold more than 10 million copies and appeared on the New York Times bestseller list. In 2004, the story was adapted into a made-for-television movie starring Jon Voight. In 2018, Albom penned a follow-up called The Next Person You Meet in Heaven. The novel follows the story of Eddie, a man who believes his life was... Read The Five People You Meet In Heaven Summary


Publication year 2018

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Relationships: Family

Tags Grief / Death, Modern Classic Fiction, Business / Economics, Inspirational, Humor