"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 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
Publication year 1988
Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Natural World: Environment, Natural World: Food, Natural World: Place, Relationships: Teams, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger
Tags Action / Adventure, Travel Literature, Sports, Science / Nature, Biography
Touching the Void is a 1988 memoir by British author Joe Simpson. The book recounts the disastrous, near-fatal attempt of Simpson and his climbing partner, Simon Yates, to ascend the West Face of Siula Grande in the Peruvian Andes. The book details Simpson’s harrowing ordeal, in which he broke his leg and fell into a crevasse, and how he survived against seemingly insurmountable odds.Simpson’s narrative highlights the resilience of the human spirit and explores the... Read Touching the Void Summary
Publication year 1917
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Aging, Natural World: Animals, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Life/Time: Mortality & Death
Tags Imagist poetry
Publication year 1978
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Natural World: Nurture v. Nature, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Natural World: Animals
Tags Action / Adventure, Realistic Fiction, Children's Literature, Animals, Science / Nature
Publication year 1962
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Natural World: Animals, Natural World: Environment, Natural World: Place
Published in 1962 in an America just beginning to grapple with the responsibilities of environmental stewardship and the catastrophic cost of technology’s impact on nature, William Stafford’s deceptively simple poem “Traveling Through the Dark” raises difficult—often unanswerable—questions about humanity’s responsibility for the future of nature. Driving a mountain road one night, the speaker comes upon a dead doe, hit by a car and left by the side of the road. While clearing the deer off... Read Traveling through the Dark Summary
Publication year 2006
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Identity: Disability, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Relationships: Family, Society: Class, Society: Economics, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction
Publication year 1209
Genre Novel/Book in Verse, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Narrative / Epic Poem, Classic Fiction, Romance, Mythology, Medieval Literature / Middle Ages, German Literature, Fantasy
Publication year 1975
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Aging, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Relationships: Friendship, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Family
Tags Fantasy, Classic Fiction, Children's Literature, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, American Literature, Education, Education, Historical Fiction, Romance
Tuck Everlasting by Natalie Babbitt follows the journey of a young girl’s decision to live forever or remain mortal. The book received many honors and awards, including the Janusz Korczak Medal and the 1976 Christopher Award as best book for young people, among others, and it was named an ALA Notable Book. Tuck Everlasting was adapted twice into a full-length feature film (1981 and 2002), and it appeared on Broadway as a stage musical in... Read Tuck Everlasting Summary
Publication year 1997
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Life/Time: Mortality & Death
Tags Philosophy, Philosophy, Modern Classic Fiction, Inspirational, Biography, Self Help, Classic Fiction
First published in 1997, Tuesday’s with Morrie: An Old Man, A Young Man, and Life’s Greatest Lesson, is a nonfiction memoir that describes author Mitch Albom’s visits to a beloved college professor who is dying of Lou Gehrig’s disease, and the lessons he learns there. The book became a New York Times #1 bestseller and remained on the list for nearly four years, selling 15 million copies in 45 languages. It also became an Emmy-winning... Read Tuesdays with Morrie Summary
Publication year 2022
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Natural World: Environment, Emotions/Behavior: Apathy, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Identity: Indigenous, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Teams, Relationships: Mothers, Natural World: Animals, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Natural World: Flora/plants, Natural World: Place, Society: Politics & Government, Society: Community
Tags Action / Adventure, Survival Fiction, Realistic Fiction, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Children's Literature, Natural Disaster, Climate Change, Modern Classic Fiction, Historical Fiction
Publication year 1993
Genre Play, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Life/Time: Mortality & Death
Tags Play: Drama, Play: Historical, Civil Rights / Jim Crow, African American Literature, Black Arts Movement, Race / Racism, Class, Finance / Money / Wealth, Education, Education, American Literature, Drama / Tragedy, Historical Fiction, Classic Fiction
Two Trains Running by August Wilson first opened in 1990 at the Yale Repertory Theatre with Samuel L. Jackson as Wolf and Laurence Fishburne playing Sterling. The play premiered on Broadway in 1992, receiving four Tony nominations in 1992 including Best Play. Two Trains Running is a part of Wilson’s Century Cycle, also known as the Pittsburgh Cycle, which consists of 10 plays: one for each decade of the 20th century, each depicting the changing... Read Two Trains Running Summary
Publication year 2023
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Natural World: Food
Tags Food, Health / Medicine, Science / Nature, Self Help
Publication year 2014
Genre Biography, Nonfiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality
Tags Biography, Inspirational, History: World, Sports, Military / War, WWII / World War II
Publication year 1947
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Mental Health, Relationships: Marriage, Natural World: Environment, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Emotions/Behavior: Apathy
Tags Historical Fiction, Addiction / Substance Abuse, British Literature, Modernism, History: World, Classic Fiction
Under the Volcano by Malcolm Lowry is a modernist novel published in 1947. Set in Quauhnahuac, Mexico, in 1938, it follows the Consul, a former British diplomat with an alcohol addiction, on the day of his death. In addition to the Consul, the small cast of characters includes the Consul’s half-brother, Hugh, his ex-wife, Yvonne, and his friend-turned-enemy, Jacques Laruelle. Malcolm Lowry, who spent time in Mexico and was known to have experienced addiction himself... Read Under the Volcano Summary
Publication year 2021
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Identity: Mental Health, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Memory
Tags Fantasy, Romance, LGBTQ, Modern Classic Fiction, Magical Realism, Religion / Spirituality
Publication year 2022
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Family, Society: Community, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Identity: Mental Health, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: The Past, Natural World: Animals, Natural World: Environment, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Siblings
Tags Magical Realism, Humor, Animals, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Fantasy
Publication year 2022
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: The Future, Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Fantasy, Climate Change, Politics / Government, Technology
Publication year 2000
Genre Graphic Novel/Book, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Fate, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger
Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Fantasy, Japanese Literature, Psychology, Science / Nature, Natural Disaster
Publication year 1593
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance
Tags Narrative / Epic Poem, Classic Fiction, Romance, Mythology, Love / Sexuality, British Literature, History: World, Drama / Tragedy, Fantasy