"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 2005
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Life/Time: Mortality & Death
Tags Free verse, Love / Sexuality
Publication year 2021
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Relationships: Marriage
Tags Romance, Grief / Death, Modern Classic Fiction, Drama / Tragedy
Publication year 1962
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Literature, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Values/Ideas: Art
Tags Classic Fiction, Russian Literature, Post Modernism, American Literature, History: World
Pale Fire is a 1962 experimental novel by Vladimir Nabokov, the author of seminal novels like Lolita and Pnin. The novel consists of a 999-line poem by a fictional poet and the accompanying notations by a fictional editor. Rather than analyze the poem, however, the notations create a new narrative. Pale Fire has been heralded as a landmark example of metafiction and one of the most important novels of the 20th century.This guide is written... Read Pale Fire Summary
Publication year 1939
Genre Novella, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Fate, Society: War, Society: Nation
Tags Historical Fiction, Health / Medicine, History: U.S., American Literature, History: World, Classic Fiction
Pale Horse, Pale Rider is a novella written by Katherine Anne Porter. It was published in 1939, along with two other short novellas, Old Mortality and Noon Wine, under the collective title Pale Horse, Pale Rider. The story portrays two young lovers who are tragically affected by the 1918 influenza epidemic, or Spanish Flu.Other works by this author include The Jilting of Granny Weatherall and Flowering Judas.This guide uses an eBook version of the 2008... Read Pale Horse, Pale Rider Summary
Publication year 1320
Genre Novel/Book in Verse, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Self Discovery
Tags Narrative / Epic Poem, Allegory / Fable / Parable, Religion / Spirituality, Philosophy, Medieval Literature / Middle Ages, Italian Literature, Fantasy, Philosophy, Classic Fiction
Paradiso is the third and concluding part of The Divine Comedy, Dante Alighieri’s three-part epic narrative poem. It completes the allegorical journey initiated by the first two parts, Inferno (Hell) and Purgatorio (Purgatory). Beatrice, who symbolizes Dante’s ideal woman and who had previously accompanied him through the past part of Purgatory, here accompanies him as he journeys through the nine levels or spheres of Heaven, which are represented by various celestial bodies. In each sphere... Read Paradiso Summary
Publication year 1995
Genre Biography, Nonfiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance
Tags History: European, WWII / World War II, Holocaust, Education, Education, Military / War, History: World, Biography
Parallel Journeys (1995) is a nonfiction book by Eleanor Ayer. It won several awards, including the American Library Association’s Best Book for Young Adults. An author of many nonfiction books about the Holocaust, Ayer pairs the stories of Alfons Heck (a former Hitler Youth member) and Helen Waterford (a Holocaust survivor) to show how Nazism impacts the people it empowered and targeted. Ayer didn’t choose Alfons and Helen randomly. They formed a partnership in the... Read Parallel Journeys Summary
Publication year 1994
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos
Tags Mythology, Religion / Spirituality, Fairy Tale / Folklore, Education, Education, Philosophy, Philosophy, History: World, Fantasy
Publication year 1670
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Emotions/Behavior: Apathy, Life/Time: Mortality & Death
Tags Philosophy, Religion / Spirituality, Christian literature, French Literature, History: World, Philosophy, Classic Fiction
Publication year 1956
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Natural World: Appearance & Reality
Tags Classic Fiction, Allegory / Fable / Parable, Existentialism, British Literature, History: World, Fantasy
Pincher Martin is a novel by British author William Golding, first published in 1956. Set during World War II, it tells the story of a Royal Navy lieutenant named Christopher Hadley Martin who washes up on an inhospitable islet after his ship sinks. Though nominally a survival story, the book primarily concerns Martin’s spiritual and metaphysical journey as he struggles to maintain his sanity while awaiting rescue.This study guide refers to the 2013 edition published... Read Pincher Martin Summary
Publication year 2019
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Siblings, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Joy, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Identity: Mental Health, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Natural World: Space & The Universe, Relationships: Family, Self Discovery, Society: Community, Society: Economics, Society: Education, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt
Tags Children's Literature, History: World, Historical Fiction, Realistic Fiction, Disability
Publication year 2024
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Natural World: Environment, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Identity: Masculinity, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Marriage, Relationships: Siblings, Relationships: Teams, Self Discovery, Society: Community, Society: Education, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Literature, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Values/Ideas: Win & Lose
Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2008
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Life/Time: Mortality & Death
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Psychological Fiction, Magical Realism, Health / Medicine, History: Asian, Gender / Feminism, Parenting, Asian Literature, Modern Classic Fiction, Asian Literature
Translated from the Korean by Chi-young Kim, Please Look After Mom (2008) by Kyung-sook Shin is an international work of best-selling fiction. When 69-year-old So-nyo Park goes missing one Saturday outside Seoul Station, her disappearance sets in motion a desperate search not only for where So-nyo might be but for who So-nyo was to her shocked and confused family members. One by one, So-nyo’s family comes to terms with the fact that they didn’t know... Read Please Look After Mom Summary
Publication year 2021
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: The Past, Natural World: Animals, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Relationships: Family, Society: Colonialism, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality
Tags Children's Literature, History: World, Historical Fiction, Fantasy, Animals, Action / Adventure
Publication year 1991
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Life/Time: Mortality & Death
Tags Lyric Poem, Grief / Death
Publication year 2002
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Life/Time: Mortality & Death
Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Action / Adventure, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Fantasy
Introduction Prey is a 2002 science-fiction novel by Michael Crichton. Like his more popular novels in the Jurassic Park series, Prey employs the misuse of technology—and the hubris of opportunistic scientists—to pit his characters against a threat. In this case, the danger comes in the form of nanobots, microscopic agents that are rapidly evolving to destroy the people in a Nevada molecular fabrication lab. This guide uses the 2009 HarperCollins eBook edition of Prey. Content... Read Prey Summary
Publication year 2003
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Relationships: Siblings, Life/Time: Mortality & Death
Tags Historical Fiction, Children's Literature, Education, Education, History: World, Military / War, WWI / World War I
Private Peaceful (2003) is a historical fiction novel by English author Michael Morpurgo. The story revolves around the reminiscences of Thomas “Tommo” Peaceful, a young World War I soldier who reflects on his upbringing in rural England. Thomas bridges the past and present while awaiting the execution of his older brother, Charlie, who faces charges of cowardice.Other works by this author include War Horse, The Butterfly Lion, and An Elephant in the Garden.This guide refers to... Read Private Peaceful Summary
Publication year 1996
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Identity: Indigenous, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Natural World: Place, Relationships: Family, Society: Colonialism, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality
Tags Historical Fiction, History: U.S., Social Justice, Education, Education, History: World
Written by Diane Glancy in 1996, Pushing the Bear: A Novel of the Trail of Tears follows a group of Cherokee people as they are forced to relocate to “Indian Territory” in Oklahoma in 1838 and 1839. The novel is told from varying perspectives of members of the Cherokee Nation as well as soldiers, reverends, and disembodied voices. These shifting perspectives create a fragmented yet nuanced narrative as Glancy weaves together multiple viewpoints and utilizes... Read Pushing the Bear Summary
Publication year 1813
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Natural World: Place, Natural World: Environment, Life/Time: The Future, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Society: War
Tags Narrative / Epic Poem, Christian literature, Poetry: Dramatic Poem, Mythology, Fantasy, Philosophy, Politics / Government, Military / War, History: World, Science / Nature, Religion / Spirituality, Grief / Death, Romanticism / Romantic Period, British Literature, Health / Medicine, Philosophy, Food, Classic Fiction
Publication year 2024
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Mental Health, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Natural World: Climate, Natural World: Objects, Natural World: Place, Relationships: Marriage, Society: Politics & Government, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Win & Lose
Tags Fantasy, Romance, Trauma / Abuse / Violence
Publication year 2020
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: The Future, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology
Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Fantasy, Action / Adventure, Technology, Arts / Culture, American Literature