"Nothing can be said to be certain," wrote Ben Franklin, "except death and taxes." And yet, death is often ignored, dismissed, or delayed as an experience worth contemplating—until we are forced to reckon with it head-on. The books in this collection do their own reckoning.
Publication year 2014
Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction
Themes Natural World: Environment, Identity: Sexuality, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Emotions/Behavior: Grief
Tags Animals, Science / Nature, Grief / Death, Biography
H Is for Hawk (2014) is British author Helen MacDonald’s award-winning memoir about her attempts to train a goshawk named Mabel in the wake of her father’s death. It is a memoir of grief, self-discovery, and the healing power of nature. MacDonald intersperses her descriptions of training Mabel with references to the memoirs of T.H. White, who writes about his own hapless attempts at falconry in the 1930s. The memoir was an instant bestseller and... Read H Is For Hawk Summary
Publication year 2017
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Mental Health, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Relationships: Friendship
Tags Romance, LGBTQ, Modern Classic Fiction, Mental Illness
Publication year 2023
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Society: Class, Relationships: Mothers, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Identity: Disability, Identity: Mental Health, Identity: Race
Tags Modern Classic Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Psychological Fiction, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Race / Racism, Disability, Health / Medicine
Publication year 2024
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Mental Health, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Natural World: Place, Relationships: Teams, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Literature, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction
Publication year 1914
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Relationships: Marriage, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Identity: Gender, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Relationships: Family
Tags Poetry: Dramatic Poem, Blank verse, Grief / Death
Genre Novel/Book in Verse, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Relationships: Marriage, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos
Tags Ancient Greece, Narrative / Epic Poem, Mythology
Publication year 2024
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Values/Ideas: Art, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Psychological Fiction
Publication year 2021
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Self Discovery, Relationships: Siblings, Relationships: Family, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Fantasy, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Magical Realism, Grief / Death, Religion / Spirituality
Publication year 2022
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Society: Community, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Life/Time: The Future, Life/Time: The Past, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Nostalgia, Natural World: Climate, Natural World: Space & The Universe, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship
Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Fantasy, Grief / Death, Climate Change, Technology
Publication year 2013
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Society: Colonialism, Society: Community
Tags Historical Fiction, History: U.S., Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Children's Literature, History: World, Magical Realism, Fantasy, Arts / Culture
Published in 2013 by Tim Tingle, How I Became a Ghost is a work of middle grade fiction that follows a young boy in the Choctaw nation and his death on the Trail of Tears. The Choctaw Trail of Tears refers to The Indian Removal Act of 1830 and the forced relocation of Choctaws from their homes in the deep south to areas further west. How I Became a Ghost has received an American Indian... Read How I Became a Ghost Summary
Publication year 2004
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Society: War, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Identity: Mental Health, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger
Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Survival Fiction
How I Live Now by Meg Rosoff was originally published in 2004. It is a young adult dystopian novel about an American teenager experiencing a near-future world war in England, and it won the Guardian Children’s Fiction Prize and the Printz Award. In 2013, How I Live Now was adapted into a film directed by Kevin Macdonald and starring Saoirse Ronan. Rosoff also won a Carnegie Medal, a Whitbread Award, and other awards. How I... Read How I Live Now Summary
Publication year 2015
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Identity: Mental Health, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Natural World: Environment, Natural World: Food, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology
Tags Science / Nature, Self Help, Food, Health / Medicine
Publication year 2016
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Mothers, Self Discovery, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger
Tags Fantasy, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Historical Fiction, Romance, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Religion / Spirituality
Publication year 2023
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Relationships: Family, Life/Time: The Past, Relationships: Siblings
Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Fantasy, Southern Gothic
Publication year 2024
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Identity: Mental Health, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction
Publication year 2017
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Life/Time: Mortality & Death
Tags Romance, Fantasy, Historical Fiction, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, History: World
Publication year 2014
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Society: Politics & Government, Society: Community, Emotions/Behavior: Memory
Tags Historical Fiction, Grief / Death, Social Justice, Korean Literature, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Modern Classic Fiction, Asian Literature, History: World
Publication year 2017
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Identity: Race, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: The Future, Life/Time: The Past, Relationships: Friendship, Self Discovery, Society: Colonialism, Society: Community, Society: Nation, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags History: World, Arts / Culture, Historical Fiction, Race / Racism
Publication year 2005
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Win & Lose, Life/Time: Mortality & Death
Tags War On Terrorism / Iraq War
Publication year 1964
Genre Essay / Speech, Nonfiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Identity: Race, Life/Time: Mortality & Death
Tags Politics / Government, History: African , Race / Racism, History: World