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 2021

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Relationships: Family, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Art

Tags Romance, Holidays & Occasions


Publication year 1983

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: The Past, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Relationships: Mothers

Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, History: World, Historical Fiction, Classic Fiction, Religion / Spirituality, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Gothic Literature, Grief / Death

The Woman in Black (1983) by Susan Hill follows the gothic literary tradition. Hill explores traditional horror tropes, such as abandoned estates and ghost hauntings, set in an unspecified time in England’s countryside. The horror novella focuses on the first-person point-of-view of Arthur Kipps as he reflects on a ghost haunting he experienced as a young man. Hill explores themes of loss and mourning, the impact of holding onto the past, and the clash between... Read The Woman in Black Summary


Publication year 2024

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Society: War, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Identity: Femininity, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger

Tags Historical Fiction, Gender / Feminism, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Military / War, History: World, Romance


Publication year 2020

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Relationships: Marriage, Relationships: Siblings, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies

Tags Historical Fiction, WWII / World War II, Military / War, History: World


Publication year 2025

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Relationships: Mothers, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Relationships: Marriage

Tags Romance


Publication year 2009

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Identity: Gender, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Natural World: Environment, Natural World: Place, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice

Tags Grief / Death, Lyric Poem, Gender / Feminism


Publication year 2017

Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction

Themes Identity: Mental Health, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Relationships: Teams, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed

Tags Health / Medicine, Humor, Science / Nature


Publication year 2024

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: The Past, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies

Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction


Publication year 2024

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Nostalgia, Identity: Indigenous, Identity: Race, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: Midlife, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: The Future, Life/Time: The Past, Natural World: Place, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Marriage, Relationships: Mothers, Relationships: Siblings, Self Discovery, Society: Colonialism, Society: Community, Society: Globalization, Society: Nation, Society: Politics & Government, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies

Tags Military / War, History: World, French Literature, Historical Fiction


Publication year 1862

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Natural World: Appearance & Reality

Tags Lyric Poem, American Literature, Romanticism / Romantic Period, Religion / Spirituality


Publication year 2023

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: The Past, Relationships: Teams, Self Discovery, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt

Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Trauma / Abuse / Violence


Publication year 2014

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Self Discovery, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology

Tags Self Help, Business / Economics, Psychology, Health / Medicine, Psychology, Biography


Publication year 1994

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Grandparents, Self Discovery

Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Children's Literature, Fantasy, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Religion / Spirituality

Time for Andrew: A Ghost Story is a gothic middle grade novel written by Mary Downing Hahn and published in 1994. Hahn is known for incorporating elements of the thriller and gothic genres into stories for young readers. This novel follows 12-year-old Drew as he spends the summer with his Aunt Blythe and an irritable great-grandfather in their creaky, shadowy ancestral home. When a dying boy who looks strikingly similar to Drew mysteriously appears in... Read Time for Andrew: A Ghost Story Summary


Publication year 2009

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Life/Time: Aging, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Relationships: Family

Tags Psychological Fiction, Historical Fiction, Relationships, Grief / Death, American Literature, Modern Classic Fiction

Tinkers (2009) is Paul Harding’s debut novel. It delves into the life of a dying man, George Washington Crosby, as he reflects on his past and his family history. The narrative weaves together George’s memories with stories from his father’s life, and it explores the themes of mortality, memory, and the interconnectedness of generations. The novel, which is considered literary fiction, won the 2010 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction and the 2010 PEN/ Robert W. Bingham... Read Tinkers Summary


Publication year 1896

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Gratitude, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Values/Ideas: Fame

Tags Grief / Death


Publication year 1820

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Life/Time: Mortality & Death

Tags Science / Nature, Romanticism / Romantic Period, Education, Education, British Literature, History: World, Classic Fiction


Publication year 1988

Genre Short Story, Fiction

Themes Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Society: Community, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Nostalgia, Identity: Race, Life/Time: Aging

Tags African American Literature

Alice Walker published her first short story, “To Hell with Dying,” in 1968 and republished it as a children’s book with illustrations by Catherine Deeter in 1988. While suitable for children, its depth, themes, and writing style resonate with readers of all ages with an interest in African American literature.Alice Walker is a prominent author of novels, essays, and poems and was the first African American woman to win the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in... Read To Hell with Dying Summary


Publication year 1681

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Life/Time: Mortality & Death

Tags Lyric Poem, Love / Sexuality, Grief / Death, British Literature, Restoration, Education, Education, History: World, Romance, Classic Fiction

“To His Coy Mistress” by Andrew Marvell was posthumously published in 1681 as part of the collection Miscellaneous Poems. Marvell, a metaphysical poet, wrote this piece in Restoration England, probably after the English Civil War. Marvell’s canonical lyric works are well-known today but were unheard of during his lifetime. Like Emily Dickinson, none of Marvell's poems were published until after his death. However, some of his satirical and other prose works were published during his... Read To His Coy Mistress Summary


Publication year 1773

Genre Poem, Fiction

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

Tags Lyric Poem, Arts / Culture, Grief / Death, Religion / Spirituality, Neoclassical, African American Literature, Colonial America


Publication year 1982

Genre Essay / Speech, Nonfiction

Themes Natural World: Space & The Universe, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Natural World: Place