The solace and comfort of true friendship — and the pain of its loss — can rival any romantic or familial relationship. In this collection, we present texts that examine the unique qualities and costs of deep friendships.
Publication year 2017
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Relationships: Mothers, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Identity: Femininity, Natural World: Climate, Relationships: Friendship
Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction
The End We Start From (2017) is a dystopian novel by British author Megan Hunter. Set in an apocalyptic version of London, the story centers on climate disaster survival and the trauma of navigating pregnancy and motherhood in the wake of a cataclysmic climate event that alters the world as we know it. The story is primarily told from the first-person perspective of an unnamed narrator and written in a lyrical style that swings between... Read The End We Start From Summary
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Friendship, Identity: Masculinity, Life/Time: Mortality & Death
Tags Mythology, Education, Education, Narrative / Epic Poem, Classical Period, Fantasy, Classic Fiction
"The Epic of Gilgamesh" is the oldest existing myth in the world. It tells of the historical king Gilgamesh who reigned over Mesopotamia (in what is now Iraq) around 2750 BCE. The author of the poem is unknown, for "The Epic of Gilgamesh" is sourced from multiple fragments that have been excavated since the 19th century. The earliest versions of the epic are written in Sumerian and date to about 2100 BCE. The current translation... Read The Epic of Gilgamesh 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 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 2020
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Friendship, Identity: Gender, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Race, Society: Class, Society: Colonialism, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Equality
Tags Historical Fiction, Gender / Feminism, British Literature, History: World
Publication year 2023
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Coming of Age, Natural World: Animals, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Natural World: Environment, Natural World: Flora/plants, Natural World: Place, Relationships: Friendship, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger
Tags Fantasy, Children's Literature, Animals, Science / Nature, Action / Adventure
Publication year 1955
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Friendship, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil
Tags Fantasy, Classic Fiction, Action / Adventure
In 1954, writer and scholar of English literature J. R. R. Tolkien published The Fellowship of the Ring, the first of three volumes in his novel The Lord of the Rings. Considered a founding text of high fantasy, The Lord of the Rings is widely regarded as a modern classic. The saga’s roots in epic poetry, philology, and mythology have influenced both academia and popular culture, inspiring scholarship, Tolkien societies, and film adaptations, including Ralph... Read The Fellowship of the Ring Summary
Publication year 1993
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Society: War, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Identity: Gender, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Friendship, Self Discovery, Society: Class, Society: Colonialism, Society: Community, Society: Nation, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice
Tags Historical Fiction, Children's Literature, American Revolution
Publication year 2023
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Friendship, Identity: Race, Relationships: Marriage, Society: Education, Society: Politics & Government
Tags Historical Fiction, Auto/Biographical Fiction, Politics / Government, Gender / Feminism, History: World
Publication year 2022
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: The Future, Life/Time: The Past, Relationships: Friendship, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology
Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Children's Literature, History: World, Historical Fiction
Publication year 2003
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Life/Time: Aging, Values/Ideas: Fate, Relationships: Friendship, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: The Past, Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Society: War, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Relationships: Marriage, Relationships: Fathers, Emotions/Behavior: Nostalgia, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Relationships: Mothers
Tags Inspirational, Magical Realism, Religion / Spirituality, Grief / Death, Modern Classic Fiction, Fantasy, Philosophy, Philosophy, Classic Fiction
The Five People You Meet in Heaven is a novel by best-selling writer Mitch Albom. Published in 2003, it sold more than 10 million copies and appeared on the New York Times bestseller list. In 2004, the story was adapted into a made-for-television movie starring Jon Voight. In 2018, Albom penned a follow-up called The Next Person You Meet in Heaven. The novel follows the story of Eddie, a man who believes his life was... Read The Five People You Meet In Heaven Summary
Publication year 2023
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Friendship, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Self Discovery
Tags Romance, Realistic Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Drama / Tragedy
Publication year 1967
Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction
Themes Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Relationships: Friendship, Society: War
Tags History: World, Biography, WWII / World War II, History: European, Military / War
Publication year 2022
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Teams, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Relationships: Family
Tags Realistic Fiction, Action / Adventure, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Children's Literature, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2022
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Mental Health, Relationships: Friendship, Identity: Femininity, Values/Ideas: Equality
Tags Historical Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, History: World, Mental Illness
Publication year 2014
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Values/Ideas: Fame, Relationships: Mothers, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Relationships: Friendship, Life/Time: Aging, Life/Time: The Past
Tags Fantasy, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Children's Literature, Humor
In 2014’s The Fourteenth Goldfish, by Jennifer L Holm, an aging scientist turns himself into a teenager who must re-enter middle school alongside his granddaughter while they plot to get him back into his lab to finish his brilliant work. A humorous science-fiction novel for middle-grade readers, The Fourteenth Goldfish is the first in a two-book series. New York Times Bestselling author Holm has written nearly 60 books for young readers, including the May Amelia... Read The Fourteenth Goldfish Summary
Publication year 2011
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Friendship
Tags Realistic Fiction, Humor, Bullying, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Children's Literature, Education, Education, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Action / Adventure
The Fourth Stall is a 2011 contemporary realistic middle grade novel by Chris Rylander. With the help of his best friend and business manager Vince, sixth grader Mac runs a secret business as a “fixer” in his elementary school: He solves problems and provides services for fellow students—for a price. When Mac takes on a customer requiring protection from Staples, a legendary local criminal, he must decide the best way to deal with Staples’s harmful... Read The Fourth Stall Summary
Publication year 2023
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed
Tags Historical Fiction, Fantasy, LGBTQ
Publication year 2018
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Friendship, Emotions/Behavior: Grief
Tags Animals, Modern Classic Fiction
The Friend by Sigrid Nunez is a postmodern novel reflecting on grief and loss. As revealed in the penultimate chapter, it is essentially a novel within a novel, charting the imagined relationship between the narrator and a dog left behind by a friend who recently killed himself. Through her relationship with the Great Dane, the unnamed narrator comes to terms with the unexpected and tragic loss, and she analyzes the complexity and emotional effects of... Read The Friend Summary
Publication year 2019
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Society: Education, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed
Tags Realistic Fiction, Children's Literature, Education, Education, Modern Classic Fiction