"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 1989
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Natural World: Environment, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Natural World: Animals, Natural World: Appearance & Reality
Tags Lyric Poem
Publication year 1997
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Natural World: Place, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Life/Time: Mortality & Death
Tags Travel Literature, Action / Adventure, Sports, Drama / Tragedy, Natural Disaster, History: World, Biography
Into Thin Air is American is authored by professional mountain climber Jon Krakauer. It is a personal account of attempting to ascend Mount Everest, prompted by an assignment from Outside magazine to cover the commercial development of the communities at the mountain’s base. Krakauer’s climbing attempt, which was fatal for several, became the deadliest expedition ever on the mountain. In the book, he reflects on his experience, reporting it as truthfully as possible.Krakauer recalls being... Read Into Thin Air Summary
Publication year 1998
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Identity: Indigenous, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Natural World: Climate, Natural World: Environment, Natural World: Place, Relationships: Family, Society: Colonialism, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction
Publication year 1962
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Society: Colonialism, Society: Community, Society: Education, Society: Politics & Government
Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Philosophy, Modern Classic Fiction, British Literature, Fantasy, Philosophy, Classic Fiction
Publication year 2025
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Identity: Gender, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Natural World: Nurture v. Nature, Society: Class
Tags Historical Fiction, Survival Fiction
Publication year 2020
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Aging, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Relationships: Siblings, Values/Ideas: Beauty
Tags African American Literature, Realistic Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Romance
Publication year 2022
Genre Novel/Book in Verse, Fiction
Themes Identity: Mental Health, Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Identity: Race, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Grandparents, Relationships: Mothers, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger
Tags Realistic Fiction, Mental Illness
Publication year 2024
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: The Past
Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction
Publication year 1961
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Friendship, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance
Tags Fantasy, Classic Fiction, Humor, Children's Literature, Magical Realism, Animals, Action / Adventure
James and the Giant Peach by British author Roald Dahl was first published in 1961. This critically acclaimed children’s novel was made into an award-winning film in 1996. It tells the story of a giant peach that magically grows in a young boy, James’s, back garden—big enough for him to enter the center of the peach and have adventures with the insects who live in there. Dahl is known as one of the 20th century’s greatest... Read James And The Giant Peach Summary
Publication year 1998
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Identity: Race, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Emotions/Behavior: Hope
Tags Lyric Poem, Poetry: Dramatic Poem, Race / Racism, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Black Lives Matter, History: U.S., African American Literature
Publication year 1992
Genre Short Story Collection, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Apathy, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Identity: Masculinity, Identity: Mental Health, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: The Future, Life/Time: The Past, Relationships: Friendship, Self Discovery, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger
Tags Addiction / Substance Abuse, American Literature, Modern Classic Fiction, History: World, Classic Fiction
Jesus’ Son (1992) is a collection of short fiction by American writer Denis Johnson, published by Farrar, Strauss, & Giroux. It explores themes of The Slipperiness of Time, Substance Use Disorder, and Violence as Inevitability. In the form of a short story cycle, each of the 11 stories of Jesus’ Son is narrated by the same protagonist, who has a substance use disorder and is referred to in the narrative as “Fuckhead”. The book takes... Read Jesus' Son Summary
Publication year 1932
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Apathy, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Mental Health, Identity: Race, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Society: Class, Society: Colonialism, Society: War
Tags French Literature, Philosophy, Auto/Biographical Fiction, WWI / World War I, Modernism, The Lost Generation
Journey to the End of the Night is a modernist novel by Louis-Ferdinand Céline, first published in the French language in 1932 by Parisian publishing house Éditions Denoël et Steele. It is a semi-autobiographical work centered on the life and travels of cynical antihero Ferdinand Bardamu, set over several decades of Bardamu’s life, beginning at the outbreak of World War I. The novel became influential in the development of post–WWI literary modernism, but like many... Read Journey to the End of the Night Summary
Publication year 1924
Genre Play, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Society: War, Life/Time: Mortality & Death
Tags Play: Drama, Class, Irish Literature, Realism, Education, Education, History: World, Drama / Tragedy, Classic Fiction
Irish-born playwright Sean O’Casey’s Juno and the Paycock was first produced in 1924 at the Abbey Theatre, Ireland’s national theatre, in Dublin. This Realistic play is one of three plays (known as the “Dublin Trilogy”) that O’Casey wrote for the Abbey Theatre. Juno and the Paycock is anthologized in various collections, including Masters of Modern Drama by Haskell Block and Robert Shedd in 1962 (which this guide references).The play is set entirely in a two-room... Read Juno and the Paycock Summary
Publication year 2019
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Identity: Mental Health, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: The Past, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Marriage, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction
Publication year 2022
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Femininity, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Values/Ideas: Equality
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Humor, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2013
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Society: Colonialism, Society: Nation, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal
Tags Religion / Spirituality, Biography, History: World, Christian literature
Publication year 1979
Genre Short Story, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Mortality & Death
"Killings" was published in 1979 as a part of the collection Finding a Girl in America. Andre Dubus II is also known for his short story collection Dancing After Hours (1996), and his story "The Fat Girl," published in his collection, Adultery and Other Choices (1999). The story opens on an August morning. The Fowler family is burying their youngest child, Frank Fowler. Frank Fowler was twenty-one years old at the time of his death... Read Killings Summary
Publication year 2023
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Identity: Gender, Identity: Indigenous, Identity: Mental Health, Identity: Race, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: The Past, Society: Colonialism, Society: Community, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger
Tags History: U.S.
Publication year 2020
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Race, Identity: Sexuality, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: Coming of Age
Tags LGBTQ, Realistic Fiction, Magical Realism, Children's Literature, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 1995
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Identity: Gender, Identity: Masculinity, Identity: Mental Health, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Teams, Society: Class, Society: Community, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Psychological Fiction