Literary theme analysis, by a book like {foo}
Books about Honesty
Bitter Is the New Black: Confessions of a Condescending, Egomaniacal, Self-Centered Smartass, Or, Why You Should Never Carry A Prada Bag to the Unemployment Office
by Jen Lancaster
Humorous memoir of a woman's journey from financial stability to unemployment and back again.
This is the story of how a haughty former sorority girl went from having a household income of almost a quarter-million dollars to being evicted from a ghetto apartment... It's a modern Greek ... (Goodreads)
On Bullshit
by Harry G. Frankfurt
A philosophical exploration of the concept of bullshit, and its implications in society.
One of the most salient features of our culture is that there is so much bullshit. Everyone knows this. Each of us contributes his share. But we tend to take the situation for granted. Most people ... (Goodreads)
Dispatches
by Michael Herr
A journalist's account of the Vietnam War, depicting the brutality, confusion and chaos of the conflict.
Written on the front lines in Vietnam, Dispatches became an immediate classic of war reportage when it was published in 1977. From its terrifying opening pages to its final eloquent words, Dispatches ... (Goodreads)
Olive Kitteridge
by Elizabeth Strout
An exploration of the life of a small-town woman, revealing her struggles and emotional complexities.
Winner of the Pulitzer Prize, Olive Kitteridge offers profound insights into the human condition – its conflicts, its tragedies and joys, and the endurance it requires. At times stern, at other times ... (Goodreads)
Inferno
by Dante Alighieri
An epic journey through the nine circles of Hell, guided by the Roman poet Virgil.
Of the great poets, Dante is one of the most elusive and therefore one of the most difficult to adequately render into English verse. In the Inferno, Dante not only judges sin but strives to ... (Goodreads)
Hollywood
by Charles Bukowski
A gritty and wild novel of the film industry and its desperate players.
Adopting the stylized alter-ego, Henry 'Hank' Chinaski , a character used in previous novels, this book relates his experiences of working with a director, finding financial backing, losing financial ... (Wikipedia)
You Get So Alone at Times That it Just Makes Sense
by Charles Bukowski
A collection of poems exploring the depths of human emotion and the beauty of life.
Charles Bukowski examines cats and his childhood in You Get So Alone at Times , a book of poetry that reveals his tender side. He delves into his youth to analyze its repercussions. ... (Barnes & Noble)
Heartburn
by Nora Ephron
A woman's journey of redemption after her husband's infidelity.
The narrator of the novel is Rachel Samstat (based on Nora Ephron), a food writer who is married to Mark Feldman (based on Carl Bernstein), a political journalist. Rachel is a Jewish New Yorker who ... (Wikipedia)
Les Liaisons dangereuses
by Pierre Choderlos de Laclos
An intricate game of love, lust and manipulation as two rival aristocrats scheme to outwit one another.
The Vicomte de Valmont is determined to seduce the virtuous, married, and therefore inaccessible Madame de Tourvel, who is staying with Valmont's aunt while her husband is away on a court case. At ... (Wikipedia)
Taran Wanderer
by Lloyd Alexander
Taran sets out on a journey of self-discovery, seeking to learn his true identity and purpose in life.
Taran and Gurgi have returned to Caer Dallben after leaving Princess Eilonwy at the royal court of Dinas Rhydnant for education in the ways of a princess . Taran has come to realize that he loves ... (Wikipedia)
The Painted Word
by Tom Wolfe
A satirical critique of the contemporary art world and its reliance on art theory and criticism.
,"America's nerviest journalist" (,Newsweek,) trains his satirical eye on Modern Art in this "masterpiece" (,The Washington Post,),Wolfe's style has never been more dazzling, his wit never more ... (Goodreads)
Coriolanus
by William Shakespeare
A tragedy of power, betrayal, and ambition, exploring the consequences of pride.
After the exotic eroticism of Antony and Cleopatra , Shakespeare returned to Rome for one of his final tragedies, and the change could not have been more dramatic. Coriolanus is one of Shakespeare's ... (Goodreads)
Journals
by Kurt Cobain
An intimate look into the life and mind of the iconic musician.
The lyrics notebook and personal journals of Kurt Cobain, iconic singer of the band Nirvana. Kurt Cobain filled dozens of notebooks with lyrics, drawings, and writings about his plans for Nirvana and ... (Goodreads)
A Kiss Before Dying
by Ira Levin
A young man's quest to uncover the truth behind the death of his lover.
Bud Corliss is a young man with a ruthless drive to rise above his working-class origins to a life of wealth and importance. He serves in the Pacific in World War II, and upon his honorable discharge ... (Wikipedia)
Whatever
by Michel Houellebecq
A man's search for purpose in a world of nihilism and alienation.
"Houellebecq captures precisely the cynical disillusionment of disaffected youth."— Booklist "This boy needs serious therapy. He may be beyond help."—,The Washington Post, Just thirty, with a ... (Barnes & Noble)
Mightier Than the Sword
by Jeffrey Archer
Political intrigue, involving a secret society, threatens to disrupt the stability of the world.
A bomb goes off, but how many passengers on the MV Buckingham have lost their lives? You will find out only if you read the opening chapter of, Mightier than the Sword,., When Harry arrives in New ... (Goodreads)
The Emperor's New Clothes
by Hans Christian Andersen
A ruler's vanity leads to his own downfall and the truth being revealed.
Two swindlers arrive at the capital city of an emperor who spends lavishly on clothing at the expense of state matters. Posing as weavers, they offer to supply him with magnificent clothes that are ... (Wikipedia)
Brat Farrar
by Josephine Tey
A young man impersonates the long-lost heir of a wealthy family, but his plan is threatened by a dark secret from the past.
The story is about the Ashbys, an English country-squire family. Their centuries-old family estate is Latchetts, in the fictional village of Clare, near the south coast of England. It takes place in ... (Wikipedia)
People of the Lie: The Hope for Healing Human Evil
by M. Scott Peck
A psychological and spiritual exploration of human evil, its origins, and how to heal from it.
In this absorbing and equally inspiring companion volume to his classic trilogy – The Road Less Traveled, Further Along the Road Less Traveled , and The Road Less Traveled and Beyond – Dr. M. Scott ... (Goodreads)
New Rules: Polite Musings from a Timid Observer
by Bill Maher
Comedian Bill Maher shares his humorous and often controversial observations on politics, religion, and society.
Bill Maher is on the forefront of the new wave of comedians who have begun to influence and shape political debate through their comedy. He is best known not just for being funny, but for advocating ... (Goodreads)
The Gathering
by Anne Enright
A family reunites for the funeral of the patriarch, and secrets are revealed.
Anne Enright is a dazzling writer of international stature and one of Ireland’s most singular voices. Now she delivers The Gathering , a moving, evocative portrait of a large Irish family and a shot ... (Goodreads)
The Collected Stories of Lydia Davis
by Lydia Davis
A collection of short stories that are often experimental, exploring the complexities of human relationships and the nature of language.
Lydia Davis is one of our most original and influential writers. She has been called “an American virtuoso of the short story form” ( Salon ) and “one of the quiet giants . . . of American fiction” ( ... (Goodreads)
The Guilty
by David Baldacci
A former Secret Service agent must solve the murder of a prominent politician before the killer strikes again.
Will Robie is the government's most professional, disciplined, and lethal assassin. He infiltrates the most hostile countries in the world, defeats our enemies' advanced security measures, and ... (Goodreads)
Erections, Ejaculations, Exhibitions, and General Tales of Ordinary Madness
by Charles Bukowski
A collection of raw and gritty short stories and poems that explore the darker side of human nature and the struggles of everyday life.
Erections, Ejaculations, Exhibitions, and General Tales of Ordinary Madness was a paperback collection of short stories by Charles Bukowski, first published by City Lights Publishers in 1972.[1] It ... (Goodreads)
Defending Jacob
by William Landay
A father must defend his son who is accused of murder, unraveling the truth of a complex crime.
Andy Barber is an assistant district attorney in Newton , Massachusetts. He is investigating the murder of a 14-year-old boy, Ben Rifkin, who was a classmate of his son Jacob and was found stabbed to ... (Wikipedia)
Sing, Unburied, Sing
by Jesmyn Ward
A family's journey through the Mississippi Delta, confronting a traumatic past.
It is Jojo's thirteenth birthday. To step into his new role as a man, Jojo tries to bravely help his grandfather, Pop, kill a goat. Jojo ends up throwing up at the sight although Pop is sympathetic. ... (Wikipedia)
Palm Sunday: An Autobiographical Collage
by Kurt Vonnegut Jr.
A memoir of Kurt Vonnegut Jr.'s life, including his experiences during World War II and his reflections on religion and society.
"[Kurt Vonnegut] is either the funniest serious writer around or the most serious funny writer."–,Los Angeles Times Book Review, In this self-portrait by an American genius, Kurt Vonnegut writes with ... (Goodreads)
Dressed for Death
by Donna Leon
A Venetian detective investigates a murder with a complicated web of suspects and motives.
Venetian Commissario Guido Brunetti’s hopes of escaping the sweltering heat of Venice in August for a refreshing family holiday in the mountains are dashed when a gruesome discovery is made in a ... (Barnes & Noble)
Love Is a Dog from Hell
by Charles Bukowski
A poetic exploration of the human experience, from joy to heartache and everything in between.
Collection of poems rising from and returning to Bukowski's personal experiences reflect people, objects, places, and events of the external world, and reflects on them, on their way out and back. ... (Goodreads)
I Kissed Dating Goodbye: A New Attitude Toward Relationships and Romance
by Joshua Harris
A manifesto for a new approach to dating and relationships, emphasizing purity, intentionality, and faith.
Joshua Harris's first book, written when he was only 21, turned the Christian singles scene upside down...and people are still talking. More than 800,000 copies later,, I Kissed Dating Goodbye, with ... (Barnes & Noble)
Less Than Zero
by Bret Easton Ellis
A young man returns to his hometown of Los Angeles and becomes disillusioned with the empty and hedonistic lifestyle of his wealthy friends.
The novel follows the life of Clay, a rich, young college student who has returned to his hometown of Los Angeles , California for winter break circa 1984. Through first-person narration , Clay ... (Wikipedia)
Wait for Signs: Twelve Longmire Stories
by Craig Johnson
A collection of twelve short stories featuring Sheriff Walt Longmire and his adventures in Absaroka County, Wyoming.
Twelve Longmire short stories available for the first time in a single volume—featuring an introduction by Lou Diamond Phillips of A&E’s, Longmire, Ten years ago, Craig Johnson wrote his first short ... (Goodreads)
Postsecret: Anonymous Confessions of Ordinary Lives (Vintage)
by Frank Warren
Compilation of anonymous secrets written on postcards, exploring the depths of human experience.
New York Times, Bestseller The project that captured a nation's imagination. The instructions were simple, but the results were extraordinary. You are invited to anonymously contribute a secret to a ... (Goodreads)
My Secret: A PostSecret Book
by Frank Warren
A collection of anonymous secrets, confessions, and regrets, revealing the hidden emotions and experiences of everyday people.
New York Times Bestseller Postsecret.com founder Frank Warren is back with a fresh and compelling companion to his wildly popular Los Angeles Times bestseller, PostSecret. For, My Secret, a ... (Barnes & Noble)
Letter to My Daughter
by Maya Angelou
Collection of essays from a mother to her daughter, exploring life lessons, history, and love.
For a world of devoted readers, a much-awaited new volume of absorbing stories and inspirational wisdom from one of our best-loved writers. Dedicated to the daughter she never had but sees all around ... (Goodreads)
Tartuffe
by Molière
A comedic satire about a religious hypocrite who attempts to manipulate a family for his own gain.
Orgon's family is up in arms because Orgon and his mother have fallen under the influence of Tartuffe, a pious fraud (and a vagrant prior to Orgon's help). Tartuffe pretends to be pious and to speak ... (Wikipedia)
A Quiet Flame
by Philip Kerr
A former Berlin detective investigates a murder in Argentina during Perón's regime, uncovering dark secrets and facing his own past.
Philip Kerr returns with his best-loved character, Bernie Gunther, in the fifth novel in what is now a series: a tight, twisting, compelling thriller that is firmly rooted in history. A Quiet Flame ... (Goodreads)
Mistakes Were Made
by Carol Tavris
Examining the psychological process of self-justification, and the implications of our behavior.
Why do people dodge responsibility when things fall apart? Why the parade of public figures unable to own up when they screw up? Why the endless marital quarrels over who is right? Why can we see ... (Goodreads)
Police
by Jo Nesbø
Crime novel set in Oslo, Norway, featuring a detective who must solve a case full of unexpected twists and turns.
The tenth in the Oslo crime series featuring detective Harry Hole is the most sizeable entry yet; a twisting-turning saga that pits the gangly maverick against that most feared of serial killers, the ... (Wikipedia)
Something Borrowed
by Emily Giffin
A woman must decide between her friendship and her desires when she falls in love with her best friend's fiance.
The novel centers around the protagonist and narrator , Rachel White, a thirty-year-old single woman who is a consummate good-girl. She and Darcy Rhone have been best friends since childhood , and ... (Wikipedia)
The Summons
by John Grisham
An unexpected inheritance leads to a journey of self-discovery and a re-evaluation of life choices.
The main character, Ray Atlee, is a law professor with a good salary at the University of Virginia . He has a brother, Forrest, and a father, known to many as Judge Reuben V. Atlee. Ray is sent to ... (Wikipedia)
Blackout: Remembering the Things I Drank to Forget
by Sarah Hepola
A candid memoir of a woman's journey to reclaim her life from alcohol abuse.
A memoir of unblinking honesty and poignant, laugh-out-loud humor,, Blackout, is the story of a woman stumbling into a new kind of adventure — the sober life she never wanted. For Sarah Hepola, ... (Barnes & Noble)
The Portable Dorothy Parker
by Dorothy Parker
A collection of witty, satirical, and candid stories and poems.
This collection ranges over the verse, stories, essays, and journalism of one of the twentieth century's most quotable authors. ... (Goodreads)
Sometimes I Lie
by Alice Feeney
A woman suffering from amnesia desperately trying to uncover the truth about her past.
NEW YORK TIMES, AND INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLER “Boldly plotted, tightly knotted—a provocative true-or-false thriller that deepens and darkens to its ink-black finale. Marvelous.” —AJ Finn, author of, ... (Barnes & Noble)
Fraud: Essays
by David Rakoff
A collection of witty and insightful essays exploring the absurdities of modern life, from weddings to cancer to the art world.
From This American Life alum David Rakoff comes a hilarious collection that single-handedly raises self-deprecation to an art form. Whether impersonating Sigmund Freud in a department store window ... (Goodreads)
The Honest Truth About Dishonesty: How We Lie to Everyone - Especially Ourselves
by Dan Ariely
Examines why people lie and how dishonesty affects our lives.
Het wetenschappelijk bewijs liegt er niet om: zelfs de meest eerlijke mensen nemen meerdere keren per dag een loopje met de waarheid. Hóé (on)eerlijk we zijn blijkt verrassend genoeg afhankelijk van ... (Goodreads)
Shame on It All
by Zane
A steamy novel about a woman's journey to self-discovery and sexual liberation.
Harmony, Bryce, and Lucinda (a.k.a. Lucky) Whitfield are sisters in every sense of the word. They argue and get on each other's nerves, but when it comes down to the wire they are extremely ... (Goodreads)
Arsène Lupin, Gentleman-Thief
by Maurice Leblanc
An infamous gentleman-thief outwits law enforcement, outmaneuvering adversaries.
Librarian note: This is an alternate cover edition of ISBN 9780143104865. The suave adventures of a gentleman rogue—a French Thomas Crown Created by Maurice LeBlanc during the early twentieth ... (Goodreads)
Sharpe's Revenge
by Bernard Cornwell
Richard Sharpe seeks revenge against a French colonel who killed his wife. Set during the Napoleonic Wars.
In 1814, Richard Sharpe and his second wife, Jane , quarrel over Sharpe's imminent duel with Captain Bampfylde, resulting from the latter's cowardice in the previous novel,, Sharpe's Siege, . Just in ... (Wikipedia)
A Noble Masquerade
by Kristi Ann Hunter
Lady Miranda disguises herself as a plain woman to avoid marriage, but finds love with a man who sees her true beauty.
Lady Miranda Hawthorne acts every inch the lady, but inside she longs to be bold and carefree. Entering her fourth Season and approaching spinsterhood in the eyes of society, she pours her innermost ... (Goodreads)
Civilization and Its Discontents
by Sigmund Freud
Exploration of the psychological underpinnings of human civilization and its discontents.
It stands as a brilliant summary of the views on culture from a psychoanalytic perspective that he had been developing since the turn of the century. It is both witness and tribute to the late theory ... (Goodreads)
Purge
by Sofi Oksanen
A young woman's battle to uncover a family secret and discover the truth amidst a violent past.
The plot begins in 1992 with an elderly woman, Aliide Truu, who lives in a remote portion of Estonia. The woman had isolated herself from the surrounding society and watches the youth of her nation, ... (Wikipedia)
Dear Committee Members
by Julie Schumacher
An epistolary novel of a professor's reflections on his life and career.
Finally, a novel that puts the "pissed" back into "epistolary." Jason Fitger is a beleaguered professor of creative writing and literature at Payne University, a small and not very distinguished ... (Goodreads)
Shame
by Salman Rushdie
Exploring the intricacies of identity and belonging in an ever-changing world.
This story takes place in a town called "Q" which is actually a fictitious version of Quetta, Pakistan . In Q, one of the three sisters (Chunni, Munnee, and Bunny Shakil) gives birth to Omar Khayyám ... (Wikipedia)
The Art of Memoir
by Mary Karr
A guide to writing memoirs, exploring the art of storytelling and the complexities of memory.
Credited with sparking the current memoir explosion, Mary Karr’s The Liars’ Club spent more than a year at the top of the New York Times list. She followed with two other smash bestsellers: Cherry ... (Goodreads)
My Best Friend's Girl
by Dorothy Koomson
A story of female friendship and betrayal, with a search for redemption.
Kamryn Matika is a 32-year-old national marketing manager for a department store, who lives in Leeds . On her birthday, she receives a card—not a birthday card —from her former best friend, Adele ... (Wikipedia)
The Last Watch
by Sergei Lukyanenko
A group of magic users protect humanity from supernatural threats in the shadows of the night.
Anton Gorodetsky is learning to use his new power when Gesar sends him to assist the Scottish Night Watch in Edinburgh in a murder investigation. A young Russian man has been murdered in a "Vampire ... (Wikipedia)
The Children's Book of Virtues
by William J. Bennett
A collection of stories and poems that teach children about virtues such as honesty, courage, and compassion.
Responsibility. Courage. Compassion. Honesty. Friendship. Persistence. Faith. Everyone recognizes these traits as essentials of good character. In order for our children to develop such traits, we ... (Barnes & Noble)
Old School
by Tobias Wolff
An aspiring writer's journey of self-discovery, competing against his peers for the attention of a prestigious school's faculty.
The book is narrated by a school senior ("sixth former" in prep-school vernacular) at an unnamed elite boarding school in the northeastern United States in 1960–61. The unnamed protagonist is a ... (Wikipedia)
If This Isn't Nice, What Is?: Advice for the Young
by Kurt Vonnegut Jr.
Collection of speeches and advice from Kurt Vonnegut Jr. on how to live a good life.
Master storyteller and satirist Kurt Vonnegut was one of the most in-demand commencement speakers of his time. For each occasion, Vonnegut's words were unfailingly unique, insightful, and witty, and ... (Goodreads)
The Misanthrope
by Molière
A comedic satire of the French social and political elite, exposing their hypocrisies and vices.
The Misanthrope or Le Misanthrope ou l’Atrabilaire amoureux is a comedy of manners in five acts and in verse. It is one of the best of Molière's plays — and one of the greatest of all comedies — ... (Goodreads)
Bark
by Lorrie Moore
A collection of short stories exploring the complexities of human relationships and the struggles of everyday life.
A new collection of stories by one of America’s most beloved and admired short-story writers, her first in fifteen years, since Birds of America (“Fluid, cracked, mordant, colloquial . . . Will stand ... (Goodreads)
F is for Fugitive
by Sue Grafton
Private investigator Kinsey Millhone races to uncover the truth behind a murder and a fugitive on the run.
Henry Pitts is having Kinsey's garage apartment rebuilt after it was destroyed in the events of the previous novel . Royce Fowler wants the detective to exonerate his son of the murder of Jean ... (Wikipedia)
Meaty
by Samantha Irby
A collection of hilarious and brutally honest essays about life, love, and the pursuit of happiness.
Samantha Irby explodes onto the printed page with her debut collection of brand-new essays about trying to laugh her way through failed relationships, being black, taco feasts, bouts with Crohn's ... (Goodreads)
Chelsea Chelsea Bang Bang
by Chelsea Handler
A comical look at life and relationships, as seen through the eyes of Chelsea Handler.
The hilarious new book from the star of Chelsea Lately and the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Are You There, Vodka? It's Me, Chelsea. Get ready for big laughs as Chelsea Handler lets loose ... (Goodreads)
Lying
by Sam Harris
Examination of the morality of deception, exploring its implications in modern society.
As it was in Anna Karenina, Madame Bovary, and Othello, so it is in life. Most forms of private vice and public evil are kindled and sustained by lies. Acts of adultery and other personal betrayals, ... (Goodreads)
41: A Portrait of My Father
by George W. Bush
An intimate portrait of former President George H. W. Bush, exploring his life and legacy.
George W. Bush, the 43rd President of the United States, has authored a personal biography of his father, George H. W. Bush, the 41st President. Forty-three men have served as President of the United ... (Goodreads)
Devil's Cub
by Georgette Heyer
A young woman embarks on a daring mission to rescue her abducted brother, finding love along the way.
The son of the Duke and Duchess of Avon, the Marquis of Vidal is known as Devil's Cub not only for the excesses of his father but for his own wild habits. As he is paying court to a girl of the ... (Wikipedia)
Three Cups of Deceit: How Greg Mortenson, Humanitarian Hero, Lost His Way
by Jon Krakauer
Investigative report on the fraudulent activities of Greg Mortenson, author of "Three Cups of Tea" and co-founder of the Central Asia Institute.
Greg Mortenson has built a global reputation as a selfless humanitarian and children’s crusader, and he’s been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize. He is also not what he appears to be. As acclaimed ... (Goodreads)
The Universe Doesn't Give a Flying Fuck About You
by Johnny B. Truant
A blunt and irreverent self-help book that encourages readers to take control of their lives and stop waiting for external validation or permission.
If you walk around every day on eggshells, nervous about making a mistake or looking stupid, then you should read this. If you have a "next big thing" in mind you want to do because you know it will ... (Barnes & Noble)
Imperial Bedrooms
by Bret Easton Ellis
A dark and twisted tale of a group of Hollywood friends whose lives are intertwined with sex, drugs, and violence.
The action of Imperial Bedrooms depicts Clay, who, after four months in New York, returns to Los Angeles to assist in the casting of his new film. There, he meets up with his old friends who were ... (Wikipedia)
Down London Road
by Samantha Young
A young woman struggles to escape her past and build a new life, but her secrets threaten to unravel everything.
Johanna Walker is used to taking charge. But she’s about to meet someone who will make her lose control... It has always been up to Johanna to care for her family, particularly her younger brother, ... (Goodreads)
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