Truth & Lies

Whether exploring the consequences of concealing the truth or excavating the mysterious nature of truth itself, the titles in this collection discuss the intersections among honesty, factualness, legitimacy, deception, falsehood, and lies.

Publication year 2023

Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Society: Nation, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal

Tags Politics / Government, History: U.S., Trauma / Abuse / Violence, History: World, Biography


Publication year 1820

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Beauty, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies

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


Publication year 2023

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Identity: Mental Health, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies

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


Publication year 2005

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Marriage, Life/Time: Aging, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Identity: Race, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Relationships: Mothers, Society: Class, Society: Community, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Siblings, Life/Time: Midlife, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Relationships: Friendship, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Values/Ideas: Art, Emotions/Behavior: Apathy, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Values/Ideas: Equality, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Identity: Masculinity, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Society: Education, Identity: Femininity, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Identity: Gender, Emotions/Behavior: Hope

Tags British Literature, Race / Racism, Modern Classic Fiction

On Beauty by the celebrated British author Zadie Smith was published in 2005. On Beauty was shortlisted for the prestigious Man Booker Prize and won the Orange Prize for Fiction. Smith is known for writing novels and essays that analyze the intersections of identity in the contemporary world with nuance, clarity, and empathy. She is also known to be influenced by the classic English author E.M. Forster. On Beauty is loosely based on Forster’s masterpiece... Read On Beauty Summary


Publication year 1973

Genre Essay / Speech, Nonfiction

Themes Identity: Mental Health, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies

Tags Science / Nature, Psychology, Psychology, Mental Illness, Health / Medicine


Publication year 2021

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Literature, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness

Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Romance, Fantasy


Publication year 2021

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Fame, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Values/Ideas: Fate, Society: Nation, Self Discovery, Emotions/Behavior: Fear

Tags Historical Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Arts / Culture, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Addiction / Substance Abuse, Depression / Suicide, History: U.S., Mental Illness, History: World


Publication year 2020

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Relationships: Marriage, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies

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


Publication year 2022

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Emotions/Behavior: Fear

Tags Fantasy, Romance, Gothic Literature, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction


Publication year 2018

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies

Tags Holidays & Occasions, Modern Classic Fiction, Romance

One Day in December is a romance novel by Josie Silver, told through the first-person point of view of two characters: Jack O’Mara and Laurie James. The story focuses on specific months in the characters’ lives, providing a circular narrative that encourages the reader to notice how people develop but do not necessarily change over time. A #1 New York Times bestseller, the novel was published in 2018 by Broadway Books of Crown Publishing Group... Read One Day in December Summary


Publication year 2008

Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Gratitude, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Identity: Indigenous, Identity: Language, Natural World: Animals, Natural World: Flora/plants, Natural World: Place, Self Discovery, Society: Colonialism, Society: Community, Society: Education, Society: Nation, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Literature, Values/Ideas: Music, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies

Tags History: World, Biography


Publication year 2020

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Identity: Sexuality, Identity: Gender, Identity: Masculinity, Relationships: Siblings

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


Publication year 2024

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Identity: Femininity, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Relationships: Friendship, Self Discovery, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies

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


Publication year 1986

Genre Novella, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Life/Time: Mortality & Death

Tags Realistic Fiction, Relationships, Children's Literature, Education, Education, Grief / Death

On My Honor by Marion Dane Bauer is a middle grade and young adult novel published in 1986. It was a Newberry Honor winner in 1987 and was also named an American Library Association Best Book for Young Adults. Bauer is a prolific writer who has written more than 80 books for young readers. In this novel, written in third-person omniscient point of view, she uses sparse language to deliver a profound message about honor... Read On My Honor Summary


Publication year 2009

Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Identity: Mental Health, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: Midlife, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Siblings, Self Discovery, Society: Community, Society: Education, Values/Ideas: Fame, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Win & Lose, Relationships: Teams

Tags History: U.S., Sports, Biography


Publication year 2004

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies

Tags Education, Education, Science / Nature, History: World, Psychology, Psychology, Philosophy, Philosophy, Mental Illness, Health / Medicine

Opening Skinner’s Box: Great Psychological Experiments of the Twentieth Century by Lauren Slater is a work of narrative non-fiction published in 2004 by W.W. Norton & Company. Slater, an American psychotherapist, examines 10 landmark psychological experiments—from B.F. Skinner’s infamous boxes to Harry Harlow’s primates—and, in doing so, she explores larger philosophical questions related to human freedom, the limits of science, and truth in art.Slater provides biographical details of the scientists behind each landmark experiment. She... Read Opening Skinner's Box Summary


Publication year 2021

Genre Biography, Nonfiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Literature, Society: Politics & Government, Natural World: Environment, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies

Tags Arts / Culture, History: World, Politics / Government, Philosophy, Social Justice, Science / Nature, Biography


Publication year 2022

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Literature, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Mothers, Natural World: Animals, Natural World: Place, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Memory

Tags Magical Realism, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Grief / Death, Relationships, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Romance, Fantasy, Religion / Spirituality


Publication year 2013

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Society: Class, Relationships: Friendship, Identity: Sexuality, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Values/Ideas: Literature, Relationships: Mothers, Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Natural World: Nurture v. Nature, Relationships: Fathers, Identity: Gender, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Hope

Tags Historical Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Realistic Fiction, Southern Literature, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, History: World, Romance

Out of the Easy, written by Ruta Sepetys and published in 2013, is a young adult historical fiction novel. Sepetys is an award-winning Lithuanian American writer of young adult historical fiction. Her honors include the Carnegie Medal, awarded to one work of children’s or young adult literature per year. Her novels are international best sellers and are widely translated. Out of the Easy is about Josie, a teenage girl living in the French Quarter of... Read Out of the Easy Summary


Publication year 1993

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Natural World: Climate

Tags Allegory / Fable / Parable, Afrofuturism, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Climate Change, Fantasy, Classic Fiction

Parable of the Sower is a science fiction novel, the first in author Octavia E. Butler’s two-part Parable series. Butler followed this 1993 publication with Parable of the Talents in 1998. Also known as the Earthseed series, the duology follows a community in a dystopian/post-apocalyptic version of the 21st-century United States. The societal collapse is due to environmental and class issues, including corporate power and greed, climate collapse, and growing inequality between the upper and... Read Parable of the Sower Summary