Mortality & Death

"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 1920

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Nostalgia, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Identity: Gender, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Marriage, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality

Tags Historical Fiction, Classic Fiction, Scandinavian Literature

Kristin Lavransdatter is a trilogy of historical novels by Norwegian author and Nobel Prize winner Sigrid Undset. Published between 1920 and 1922, the trilogy consists of The Wreath (see the comprehensive SuperSummary guide to The Wreath here), The Wife, and The Cross. The novels chronicle Scandinavian life during the Middle Ages. They follow the eponymous protagonist, Kristin Lavransdatter, a woman living in 1300s Norway. The trilogy is generally considered Undset’s magnum opus. This guide is... Read Kristin Lavransdatter Summary


Publication year 1819

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger

Tags Love / Sexuality, Education, Education, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Romanticism / Romantic Period, Gothic Literature, History: World, Fantasy, Romance, Classic Fiction


Publication year 1965

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Identity: Disability, Life/Time: Mortality & Death

Tags Lyric Poem, Depression / Suicide, Grief / Death, Education, Education, American Literature, Mental Illness, Classic Fiction


Publication year 1987

Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality

Tags Philosophy, Christian literature, Biography, Chinese Literature, Inspirational, Philosophy, Grief / Death, Religion / Spirituality


Publication year 1998

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Music, Life/Time: Mortality & Death

Tags Historical Fiction, Children's Literature, WWII / World War II, Sports, History: World, Humor

The Last Days of Summer is an epistolary novel written by Steve Kluger and published in 1998. The novel offers a view into the life of Joey Margolis, an articulate, resourceful, tender-hearted young Jewish baseball fan who resides in Brooklyn, New York during the 1940s. His parents’ divorce results in Joey’s estrangement from his father, who marries a Manhattan socialite and fails to maintain contact with his son, as well as relocation from the Hasidic... Read Last Days of Summer Summary


Publication year 2008

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Masculinity, Identity: Sexuality, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Natural World: Animals, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Natural World: Place, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Marriage, Relationships: Mothers, Relationships: Siblings, Self Discovery, Society: Community, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Literature, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt

Tags Historical Fiction, Fantasy, Mythology, Military / War, Italian Literature, History: World, Classic Fiction


Publication year 1945

Genre Short Story, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Art, Life/Time: Mortality & Death

Tags Fantasy, Classic Fiction, Children's Literature, British Literature, History: World, Religion / Spirituality


Publication year 2024

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Marriage, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice

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


Publication year 2017

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Gratitude, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Nostalgia, Identity: Mental Health, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Relationships: Grandparents, Relationships: Mothers, Relationships: Teams, Society: Community, Society: War

Tags Historical Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Grief / Death, Children's Literature, Realistic Fiction, History: World


Publication year 1994

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Identity: Race, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Society: Community, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies

Tags WWII / World War II, Military / War, French Literature, History: World, Philosophy, Philosophy, Religion / Spirituality


Publication year 1990

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Natural World: Environment, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Values/Ideas: Fate, Natural World: Place

Tags Lyric Poem, Science / Nature


Publication year 2022

Genre Short Story Collection, Fiction

Themes Life/Time: Aging, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed

Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Fantasy, American Literature, Modern Classic Fiction


Publication year 1993

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Life/Time: Birth, Life/Time: Mortality & Death


Publication year 1838

Genre Short Story, Fiction

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

Tags Gothic Literature, Romance, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, American Literature, History: World, Fantasy, Classic Fiction

Edgar Allan Poe's “Ligeia,” a well-known piece of Gothic and Romantic literature, invites readers to explore the intricacies of reality, death, and the enigmatic power of human will. Published in 1838 during the Romantic era, this tale falls within the sub-genre of Gothic fiction, typified by brooding atmospheres, uncanny occurrences, and a fascination with the supernatural.This guide refers to the Penguin Classic 2019 Kindle edition.Content Warning: This guide and the source text use the term... Read Ligeia Summary


Publication year 2017

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Society: Community, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Society: War, Relationships: Fathers, Natural World: Appearance & Reality

Tags Historical Fiction, Fantasy, Magical Realism, Grief / Death, American Civil War, Religion / Spirituality, History: U.S., Race / Racism, American Literature, History: World

The novel Lincoln in the Bardo by George Saunders, published by Random House in 2017, offers a portrait of an American legend in mourning, surrounded by a poignant but funny cast of 166 characters. It is Saunders’s debut novel, though he has been a notable author of short story collections for decades. The novel won the prestigious Man Booker Prize and was a New York Times best seller.Set in 1862, Lincoln in the Bardo is... Read Lincoln in the Bardo Summary


Publication year 1865

Genre Essay / Speech, Nonfiction

Themes Society: Nation, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Identity: Race, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Society: Colonialism, Society: Politics & Government, Society: War

Tags History: U.S., Politics / Government, Military / War, American Civil War, American Literature, History: World, Classic Fiction


Publication year 1942

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: The Past, Life/Time: The Future, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality

Tags Lyric Poem, Religion / Spirituality


Publication year 2024

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: Midlife, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Marriage, Relationships: Siblings, Self Discovery, Society: Class, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality

Tags Modern Classic Fiction, History: World, Historical Fiction, Literary Fiction, Jewish Literature


Publication year 2005

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal

Tags Realistic Fiction, Depression / Suicide, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Romance

Looking for Alaska is narrated by a sixteen-year-old boy, Miles Halter, who leaves behind his mundane life in Florida to attend a boarding school called Culver Creek. He is inspired by biographies detailing the adventures of notable figures during their days at boarding school. Most of all, he is motivated by the notion of a “Great Perhaps”. Miles has a fascination with famous last words, and particularly with the last words of the poet Francois... Read Looking for Alaska Summary


Publication year 1638

Genre Poem, Fiction

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

Tags Lyric Poem, Grief / Death, Pastoralism, Education, Education, British Literature, History: World, Drama / Tragedy, Classic Fiction