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 2017

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Equality, Society: Class, Natural World: Animals, Natural World: Food, Natural World: Appearance & Reality

Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Gender / Feminism


Publication year 2014

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Fate, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies

Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Fantasy, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Action / Adventure, Children's Literature, Humor


Publication year 2007

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Identity: Language, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Values/Ideas: Win & Lose

Tags Philosophy, Education, Education, Business / Economics, Psychology, Psychology, Philosophy, Self Help

Thank You for Arguing: What Aristotle, Lincoln, and Homer Simpson Can Teach Us About the Art of Persuasion (2020) is a New York Times bestseller on rhetoric by Jay Heinrichs, a journalist, writer, and publisher who specializes in argumentation methods. The book was published in 14 languages and 4 editions, selling over 500,000 copies. Structured like a manual, it boasts over 100 tools of persuasion and references notable figures such as Cicero, Barack Obama, and... Read Thank You For Arguing Summary


Publication year 1994

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies

Tags Humor, Satire, American Literature, Modern Classic Fiction, Politics / Government

Originally published in 1994, Thank You for Smoking is a political satire novel centered around Nick Naylor, a lobbyist for the fictional Academy of Tobacco Studies, an organization founded by the tobacco industry with the true purpose of countering negative scientific data and public condemnation of tobacco. Nick’s job has made him a pariah, as he has humiliated everyone from grieving relatives of cancer victims to federal employees. He also must watch his back, as... Read Thank You for Smoking Summary


Publication year 2018

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Identity: Mental Health, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Relationships: Friendship, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Society: Education, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies

Tags Realistic Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Mental Illness, LGBTQ


Publication year 2009

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Friendship, Values/Ideas: Fate, Society: Community, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict

Tags Modern Classic Fiction, Humor, Historical Fiction, Action / Adventure, History: World


Publication year 2013

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Society: Community, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies

Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Fantasy, Romance

The 5th Wave is the first young adult science fiction novel in Rick Yancey’s trilogy of the same name. The book was published in 2013 by G.P. Putnam’s Sons. It follows the story of Cassie Sullivan, a young woman left on her own after aliens attack the Earth in three waves. The first wave is an electromagnetic pulse that shuts down all electricity; the second wave causes natural disasters on the coasts of each continent... Read The 5th Wave Summary


Publication year 2022

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies

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


Publication year 1936

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt

Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Relationships, Class, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, British Literature, Classic Fiction


Publication year 2008

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies

Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Futurism, Fantasy, Romance

The Adoration of Jenna Fox is a 2008 science fiction novel for young adults written by Mary E. Pearson. Pearson is the author of several works for children and young adults, including series such as the Dance of Thieves duology and stand-alone works like Scribbler of Dreams. The Adoration of Jenna Fox is the first in a trilogy centered on the titular protagonist's experiences after waking up from a coma. The novel was positively received... Read The Adoration of Jenna Fox Summary


Publication year 1883

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Relationships: Fathers

Tags Classic Fiction, Fantasy, Fairy Tale / Folklore, Action / Adventure, Italian Literature, Children's Literature, History: World

Set in the Tuscan region of Italy in the 1800s, by Carlo Collodi’s classic children's fantasy novel The Adventures of Pinocchio (1883) follows the misadventures of a living wooden puppet and his poor puppeteer father. The story was initially published as a serial in a weekly children's magazine; due to reader demand, it was later turned into a book. The Adventures of Pinocchio, translated into more than 260 languages, is considered one of the most... Read The Adventures of Pinocchio Summary


Publication year 1892

Genre Short Story Collection, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Teams, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies

Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Classic Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Historical Fiction, Action / Adventure

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s (1859-1930) The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes was published in 1892 as a collection of 12 short stories. The texts detail some of the earliest cases of the fictional detective Sherlock Holmes as narrated by his friend and collaborator, Doctor John Watson. The stories appear in the order in which they were originally published in The Strand Magazine.Conan Doyle was born in Edinburgh to Catholic parents, the second of 10 children. The... Read The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes Summary


Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Natural World: Appearance & Reality

Tags Philosophy, Ancient Greece, Education, Education, Science / Nature, Philosophy, History: World, Classical Period, Classic Fiction

Theaetetus is a philosophical work written by Ancient Greek philosopher Plato (427-347 BCEE). Written in 369 BCEE, it is an account of a dialogue between the Greek philosopher Socrates (470-399 BCEE) and a young geometry student, Theaetetus, about the nature of knowledge. Socrates asks Theaetetus questions that lead them to discuss, and assess, several theories and definitions of knowledge. These are, first, that knowledge is perception, that knowledge is true judgment, and that knowledge is... Read Theaetetus Summary


Publication year 2021

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Society: Politics & Government, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Win & Lose

Tags War On Terrorism / Iraq War, Military / War, History: U.S., History: Middle Eastern, Politics / Government, Journalism, History: World


Publication year 2012

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies

Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Fantasy

Published in 2012, Karen Thompson Walker’s The Age of Miracles is a bildungsroman science fiction novel. Set in modern-day California, “the slowing” is the term used to describe the mysterious phenomenon of Earth’s rotation gradually decelerating. Humanity must face drastic environmental issues, such as increased days of sunlight, and this serves as the dystopian backdrop to the coming-of-age story of 11-year-old protagonist, Julia.The Age of Miracles opens just as “the slowing” begins and is told... Read The Age Of Miracles Summary


Publication year 1794

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies

Tags Philosophy, Age of Enlightenment, Religion / Spirituality, Science / Nature, History: World, Philosophy, Classic Fiction, Politics / Government

Thomas Paine’s The Age of Reason is both a defense of Deism and a rejection of the world’s major monotheistic religions. Published in three parts (1794, 1795, 1807), Age of Reason reflects Paine’s belief that a significant religious upheaval would follow in the wake of the American and French Revolutions. In France, privileged orders such as monarchy and aristocracy had been toppled, and the established Catholic Church had not survived the onslaught. Paine feared that... Read The Age Of Reason Summary


Publication year 1610

Genre Play, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Values/Ideas: Win & Lose, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Society: Class, Society: Community, Relationships: Teams

Tags British Literature, Play: Historical, Play: Comedy / Satire, Satire, Class, Finance / Money / Wealth, Renaissance, Education, Education, History: World, Drama / Tragedy, Humor, Classic Fiction


Publication year 2013

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Identity: Femininity, Life/Time: The Past, Relationships: Family, Self Discovery, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies

Tags Historical Fiction


Publication year 2024

Genre Biography, Nonfiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Identity: Race, Society: Nation, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies

Tags History: U.S., African American Literature


Publication year 2021

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Fate, Self Discovery, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Relationships: Friendship, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Natural World: Animals, Emotions/Behavior: Memory

Tags Fantasy, Action / Adventure, Children's Literature, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Animals, History: World, Historical Fiction