"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 1902
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Society: Colonialism, Identity: Sexuality, Identity: Masculinity
Tags LGBTQ, Classic Fiction, Travel Literature, Gender / Feminism, Colonialism / Postcolonialism, French Literature, History: World, Philosophy, Philosophy
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 2009
Genre Biography, Nonfiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Natural World: Environment, Society: Nation
Tags History: U.S., Crime / Legal, Action / Adventure, Drama / Tragedy, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, History: World, Biography
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 1940
Genre Novella, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology
Tags Latin American Literature, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Fantasy, History: World, Classic Fiction
The Invention of Morel (La invención de Morel) is a 1940 novella by Argentinian writer Adolfo Bioy Casares. A literary thought experiment in the manner of Bioy Casares’s close friend, Jorge Luis Borges, The Invention of Morel imagines an island on which a group of wealthy socialites unknowingly relive a single weeklong holiday over and over again. They are observed by the novella’s narrator, a political criminal who has come to the island to hide from the Venezuelan... Read The Invention of Morel Summary
Publication year 2020
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Identity: Gender, Life/Time: Mortality & Death
Tags Fantasy, Gender / Feminism, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Religion / Spirituality, LGBTQ, Age of Enlightenment, Modern Classic Fiction, History: World, Historical Fiction, Magical Realism, Romance
The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue is a historical fantasy novel by the American author V.E. Schwab published in 2020. It chronicles the story of Addie LaRue, an 18th-century Frenchwoman who gains eternal life through a bargain with a demonic entity. However, the deal comes at a great cost: Everybody who meets Addie immediately forgets her. A New York Times bestseller, The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue received a 2020 Goodreads Choice Award nomination for... Read The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue Summary
Publication year 2015
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Identity: Race, Identity: Sexuality, Life/Time: Aging, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Society: Class, Society: Immigration, Values/Ideas: Art
Tags Romance, Historical Fiction, WWII / World War II, Modern Classic Fiction, History: World
The Japanese Lover is Isabel Allende’s 18th novel. Like most of Allende’s work, it falls under the genres of magical realism and historical fiction. The novel was originally published in 2015, the year after Allende was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom. In addition to the overarching focus on romance and love, the novel addresses issues relating to World War II (WWII), Japanese American incarceration during the 1940s, racism, homophobia, and the struggles of aging... Read The Japanese Lover Summary
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 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 1827
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Natural World: Environment, Life/Time: Mortality & Death
Tags Romanticism / Romantic Period, History: World, Classic Fiction
Publication year -1
Genre Biography, Nonfiction
Themes Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Literature
Tags Philosophy, Ancient Greece, History: European
The Last Days of Socrates by Plato is a collection of four texts—Euthyphro, Apology, Crito, and Phaedo—about the trial and execution of Socrates. (Alternate titles for collection include The Trial and Death of Socrates.) These texts, believed to have been composed between 399 and 395 BCE, are considered founding works of Western philosophy that investigate piety, justice, and the immortality of the soul via Socrates’s defense speeches at his trial and his conversations with his... Read The Last Days of Socrates Summary
Publication year 2023
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Aging, Relationships: Friendship, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Humor, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 1826
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Natural World: Nurture v. Nature, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Life/Time: The Future
Tags Classic Fiction, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Gothic Literature, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, History: World
Publication year 1978
Genre Short Story, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Siblings, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed
Tags Drama / Tragedy, Depression / Suicide, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction
Publication year 1968
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Life/Time: Aging, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Fame
Tags Fantasy, Classic Fiction, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Action / Adventure
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 1978
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance
Tags Lyric Poem
Publication year 2023
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Literature, Relationships: Friendship, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Life/Time: Aging, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Self Discovery, Society: Community
Tags Historical Fiction, Humor, Modern Classic Fiction, History: World
Publication year 2006
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: The Past, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Identity: Language, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Teams, Society: Class, Society: Community, Society: Politics & Government, Society: Nation
Tags Fantasy, Action / Adventure, Mystery / Crime Fiction
The Lies of Locke Lamora, written by Scott Lynch and published in 2006, is the first entry in the Gentleman Bastards series. These novels mix caper stories and fantasy stories and include adventure, violence, dark humor, and intimate friendships. The Lies of Locke Lamora is an international best seller and was nominated for multiple awards. The other entries in the series are Red Seas Under Red Skies, The Republic of Thieves, and The Thorn of... Read The Lies of Locke Lamora Summary