"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 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
Publication year 2022
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Grief
Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Psychological Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2022
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Race, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Society: Politics & Government, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Fear
Tags Magical Realism, Race / Racism, Internet Culture / Social Media, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Fantasy
Publication year 2023
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Literature, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Identity: Mental Health, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger
Tags Modern Classic Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Psychological Fiction
Publication year 2011
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Emotions/Behavior: Grief
Tags Fantasy, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction
The Leftovers by Tom Perrotta was published in 2011 and chronicles the lives of the residents of a small northeastern US town in the aftermath of a rapture-like event. Following the random disappearances of millions of people across the globe, the characters of The Leftovers seek various modes of coping with the grief of sudden death as well as the notion of being left behind in others’ absence. The Leftovers was adapted for television by... Read The Leftovers Summary
Publication year 1978
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance
Tags Lyric Poem