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 2021

Genre Novel, Fiction

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

Tags LGBTQ, Humor, Realistic Fiction, Grief / Death, Parenting, American Literature, Modern Classic Fiction, Romance


Publication year 2024

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Life/Time: Aging, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Marriage

Tags LGBTQ, Modern Classic Fiction, Humor, Romance


Publication year 2020

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Values/Ideas: Art

Tags Romance, Modern Classic Fiction


Publication year 1839

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Identity: Mental Health, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict

Tags Narrative / Epic Poem, Depression / Suicide


Publication year 2005

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: The Past, Relationships: Family, Society: Politics & Government, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality

Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Historical Fiction, Fantasy, Gothic Literature, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, History: World, Religion / Spirituality

The Historian (2005), Elizabeth Kostova’s best-selling novel, blends fact and fiction to reinvent the myth of the iconic vampire Dracula, or Vlad Ţepeş. In this retelling, the unnamed narrator accompanies her ambassador father, Paul, across Europe in the early 1970s as he tells her the story of his near encounter with the vampire. He tells her the Prince of Wallachia lives, 500 years after his death. Paul’s mentor, Dr. Rossi, was conducting research on Dracula... Read The Historian Summary


Publication year 2023

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Identity: Race, Identity: Gender, Values/Ideas: Equality

Tags Historical Fiction, Asian Literature, LGBTQ, Asian Literature, History: World


Publication year 2013

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Relationships: Marriage, Relationships: Mothers

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

Liane Moriarty’s novel The Husband’s Secret was published in 2013. It is classified as a thriller, though it could also be classified as women’s fiction because of its focus on women’s life experiences and relationships. Moriarty is perhaps best known for her novels Big Little Lies and Nine Perfect Strangers, both of which have been adapted for television. Moriarty's other well-known works include The Chaperone (2012), Truly Madly Guilty (2016), and Apples Never Fall (2021)... Read The Husband's Secret Summary


Publication year 2023

Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction

Themes Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Emotions/Behavior: Love

Tags Health / Medicine, Grief / Death, Philosophy, Science / Nature, Biography, Religion / Spirituality


Publication year 2020

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Win & Lose, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Relationships: Siblings, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Relationships: Family

Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Romance, Poverty, Grief / Death, Finance / Money / Wealth, Information Age, Class, Modern Classic Fiction, Fantasy


Publication year 1874

Genre Short Story, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Relationships: Friendship, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality

Tags Classic Fiction, Humor

Mark Twain’s short story “The Invalid’s Story,” published in his 1882 collection The Stolen White Elephant, Etc., is a tall tale involving a mix-up between a coffin and a box full of guns. Traveling on a train with what he believes to be the coffin, the first-person narrator mistakes the odor of pungent cheese for that of the decaying corpse. Disparaged by critics for its crudeness at its time of publication, the story deals with... Read The Invalid's Story Summary


Publication year 2023

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Life/Time: The Past, Relationships: Mothers, Values/Ideas: Literature, Emotions/Behavior: Courage

Tags Historical Fiction, Magical Realism, Fantasy


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 1929

Genre Short Story, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies

Tags Education, Education, American Literature, Classic Fiction

“The Jilting of Granny Weatherall” is a short story written by American author Katherine Anne Porter and first published in 1930 as part of Porter’s short story collection Flowering Judas, and Other Stories. Set in the final moments of the title character’s life, the narrative explores her emotions and memories, as well as her struggle to cope with mortality. Written during the Modernist movement, which sought to break away from traditional literary forms and explore... Read The Jilting of Granny Weatherall Summary


Publication year 1968

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Society: Class, Emotions/Behavior: Grief

Tags History: U.S., Natural Disaster, Industrial Revolution, American Literature, History: World

American author and historian David McCullough’s debut book, The Johnstown Flood (1968), is a work of social history that chronicles the Johnstown Flood of 1889, a deluge of water and debris that tore through a steel community in Central Pennsylvania, killing more than 2,000 people and causing millions of dollars in damage. The flood resulted from a dam bursting in the mountains above Johnstown. The dam had been somewhat hurriedly built to create a lake... Read The Johnstown Flood Summary


Publication year 2021

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Identity: Femininity

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


Publication year 2015

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Emotions/Behavior: Apathy, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Identity: Mental Health, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed

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


Publication year 2023

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Siblings, Society: Community, Relationships: Family

Tags Children's Literature, Realistic Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Fantasy


Publication year 2022

Genre Novel, Fiction

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

Tags Modern Classic Fiction, History: World, Historical Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction


Publication year 2019

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Marriage

Tags Romance, Military / War, New Adult, Modern Classic Fiction


Publication year 2023

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Relationships: Mothers

Tags Modern Classic Fiction, Romance