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 1889

Genre Essay / Speech, Nonfiction

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

Tags Philosophy, Victorian Period, Education, Education, Arts / Culture, Literary Criticism, History: World, Philosophy, Victorian Literature / Period, Classic Fiction


Publication year 1996

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Society: Education, Society: Nation, Natural World: Space & The Universe, Natural World: Appearance & Reality

Tags Science / Nature, Education, Religion / Spirituality, History: World, Psychology, Psychology, Philosophy, Philosophy


Publication year 2024

Genre Biography, Nonfiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Relationships: Family, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies

Tags History: World, Biography


Publication year 2009

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies

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

The Dinner (2009) is a novel by Dutch author Herman Koch. In 2012, Sam Garrett translated it into English. The novel has been adapted into a film multiple times. It tells the story of a dinner at a restaurant, where the guests discuss a serious matter involving their children. Paul Lohman narrates the story, though his version of events may not be reliable.  Plot Summary Paul Lohman, a former history teacher and the narrator of the... Read The Dinner Summary


Publication year 2022

Genre Novel/Book in Verse, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Natural World: Place, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Siblings, Relationships: Grandparents, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Mothers, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Literature, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Win & Lose, Identity: Language, Identity: Masculinity, Identity: Race, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Society: Colonialism, Society: Community, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Society: Nation, Society: Education, Self Discovery, Relationships: Fathers

Tags Historical Fiction, Children's Literature, Free verse, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Race / Racism, History: African , African American Literature, History: World


Publication year 1877

Genre Short Story, Fiction

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

Tags Classic Fiction, Russian Literature, Philosophy, History: World, Philosophy


Publication year 2023

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Identity: Mental Health, Identity: Sexuality, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Marriage, Relationships: Mothers, Self Discovery, Society: Class, Society: Community, 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, Modern Classic Fiction


Publication year 1837

Genre Short Story, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride

Tags Classic Fiction, Fairy Tale / Folklore, Scandinavian Literature


Publication year 1947

Genre Short Story, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Marriage, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt

Tags Gothic Literature, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Education, Education, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, American Literature, Classic Fiction

“The Enormous Radio” is a short story written by John Cheever and first published in The New Yorker in 1947. It was republished in 1953 as the eponymous story in Cheever’s The Enormous Radio and Other Stories. Cheever went on to publish five novels and eight story collections, including a seminal anthology released in 1978 as The Stories of John Cheever. This book earned him a Pulitzer Prize for Fiction and a National Book Critics... Read The Enormous Radio Summary


Publication year 2001

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Siblings, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Literature, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Teams

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


Publication year 2006

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Identity: Indigenous, Society: Colonialism, Society: War, Society: Nation, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies

Tags History: Middle Eastern, Race / Racism, Military / War, History: World, Social Justice, Politics / Government, Religion / Spirituality


Publication year 2019

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Identity: Gender, Identity: Mental Health, Relationships: Grandparents, Relationships: Marriage, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies

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


Publication year 2021

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies

Tags Romance, Fantasy, Love / Sexuality, Relationships, Holidays & Occasions, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Religion / Spirituality


Publication year 2012

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Identity: Gender, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies

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

Published in 2012, The Expats is the debut spy novel of American thriller and suspense author Chris Pavone. Pavone is a book editor who began writing from his own experiences as an expatriate after he moved to Luxembourg for his wife’s work. The Expats was selected for the Edgar Award in 2013, as well as the Anthony Award for Best First Novel. Pavone revisited several characters from The Expats in his other novels, The Accident... Read The Expats Summary


Publication year 1908

Genre Essay / Speech, Nonfiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Literature, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed

Tags Existentialism


Publication year 2019

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies

Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Psychological Fiction, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Parenting, Psychology, LGBTQ, Modern Classic Fiction


Publication year 1977

Genre Short Story, Fiction

Themes Life/Time: Coming of Age, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Mental Health, Relationships: Mothers, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Identity: Sexuality

Tags Psychological Fiction

“The Fat Girl” is a short story by Andre Dubus II that was originally published in his 1977 collection Adultery and Other Choices. Dubus was an American writer of short stories and essays from Louisiana. “The Fat Girl” chronicles nearly two decades in protagonist Louise’s life, spanning childhood to motherhood. The story explores Louise’s issues with body image, food and dieting, secrecy, gender roles, and relationships.This guide is based on the version of the text... Read The Fat Girl Summary


Publication year 2022

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Relationships: Family

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


Publication year 1991

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Relationships: Siblings, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Relationships: Mothers, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Relationships: Marriage, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Society: Politics & Government, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance

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

OverviewBook DetailsThe Firm is the second legal thriller written by attorney John Grisham. It followed his 1988 debut novel A Time to Kill. The Firm was the top-selling novel of 1991 on the New York Times bestseller list, bringing its author international fame. It focuses on new Harvard Law School graduate Mitch McDeere, who accepts a financially lucrative position with a Memphis law firm that he discovers is embroiled in unethical and illegal activities.Author HighlightsGrisham... Read The Firm Summary


Publication year 1633

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Win & Lose, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Hope

Tags Lyric Poem, Metaphysical, Love / Sexuality, Relationships, Education, Education, History: World, Romance, Classic Fiction