James Baldwin said, "It is certain, in any case, that ignorance, allied with power, is the most ferocious enemy justice can have." In this collection, we've compiled texts that explore the idea of what justice is — and how it can thrive.
Publication year 2015
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Emotions/Behavior: Apathy, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Identity: Mental Health, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed
Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Psychological Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 1956
Genre Scripture, Nonfiction
Themes Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Religion / Spirituality, Philosophy
Publication year 1943
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Femininity, Identity: Gender, Identity: Masculinity, Natural World: Place, Relationships: Marriage, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction
The Lady in the Lake, by Raymond Chandler, is a detective novel originally published in 1943. Chandler was born in Chicago but later moved to California, and he drew on his experiences living there when writing his Philip Marlowe novels. Marlowe, a down-on-his-luck Los Angeles detective, first appears in Chandler’s novel The Big Sleep, which was adapted into a film noir in 1946 with Marlowe played by Humphrey Bogart. In the 1946 adaptation of The... Read The Lady in the Lake Summary
Publication year 1882
Genre Short Story, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice
Tags Classic Fiction, Allegory / Fable / Parable
“The Lady, or the Tiger?” is a short story by Philadelphia-born author Frank R. Stockton published in the American magazine The Century in 1882. (The edition used in this study guide is available on the Project Gutenberg website.)Stockton was best known among his contemporaries for his humorous and unconventional fairy tales, which have been widely adapted since they were published in the late 19th and early 20th century. Some have been turned into plays and... Read The Lady, or the Tiger? Summary
Publication year 1999
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Relationships: Teams, Society: Education, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice
Tags Realistic Fiction, Journalism, Children's Literature, Education, Education, Modern Classic Fiction, Humor
The Landry News is a young adult novel by Andrew Clements, published in 1998. It centers on a school newspaper and the lives it touches, the lessons it teaches, and the power it gives people to stand up for their beliefs. The book received the William Allen White Children's Book Award in 2002 and has been translated into five languages. American author Andrew Clements (1949-2019) penned many books for young readers, including his most famous work, Frindle... Read The Landry News Summary
Publication year 2023
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Identity: Femininity, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Historical Fiction, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Southern Literature, History: World
Publication year -1
Genre Biography, Nonfiction
Themes Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Literature
Tags Philosophy, Ancient Greece, History: European
The Last Days of Socrates by Plato is a collection of four texts—Euthyphro, Apology, Crito, and Phaedo—about the trial and execution of Socrates. (Alternate titles for collection include The Trial and Death of Socrates.) These texts, believed to have been composed between 399 and 395 BCE, are considered founding works of Western philosophy that investigate piety, justice, and the immortality of the soul via Socrates’s defense speeches at his trial and his conversations with his... Read The Last Days of Socrates Summary
Publication year 2004
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger
Tags Medieval Literature / Middle Ages, History: European, Mystery / Crime Fiction, History: World, French Literature
Publication year 2019
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2022
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Race, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Values/Ideas: Equality
Tags Modern Classic Fiction, History: World, Historical Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction
Publication year 2017
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice
Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Psychological Fiction, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2024
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Fathers, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed
Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction
Publication year 2013
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Femininity, Identity: Race, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Relationships: Marriage, Society: Colonialism, Society: Immigration, Society: Nation, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags American Literature, History: World, Historical Fiction
Publication year 1971
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Mental Health, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed
Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Classic Fiction, Fantasy, Philosophy, Philosophy
The Lathe of Heaven is a speculative science fiction-fantasy novel written by Ursala K. Le Guin. Originally published as two parts in the pulp science fiction magazine Amazing Stories in 1971, the novel centers around an ordinary man, George Orr, who lives in overpopulated, perpetually rain-soaked Portland, Oregon, in 2002. When authorities force George to accept psychiatric care for his substance use disorder, he falls under the care of Dr. William Haber, a dream-analysis specialist... Read The Lathe Of Heaven Summary
Publication year 2011
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Relationships: Friendship, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge
Tags Realistic Fiction, Children's Literature, Education, Education, Mystery / Crime Fiction
The Lemonade Crime is the sequel to Jacqueline Davies’s elementary school reader novel The Lemonade War. Published in 2011, this follow-up continues the story of entrepreneurial siblings Evan and Jessie, solving the mystery of the theft that ended the first novel. The key question of the novel is about the best way to right a wrongdoing: Is it through vengeance or justice? By setting the climax of The Lemonade Crime at a mock trial organized... Read The Lemonade Crime Summary
Genre Play, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Mothers, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed
Tags Play: Tragedy, Mythology, Ancient Greece, Classical Period, Drama / Tragedy, Fantasy, Classic Fiction
Libation Bearers is an ancient Greek tragedy by the Athenian playwright Aeschylus, first produced in 458 BCE at the City Dionysia in Athens. Libation Bearers is the second part of the Oresteia, a trilogy exploring the themes of justice, retribution, and the cyclical pattern of bloodshed within the family of the mythical king Agamemnon. Following the events of Agamemnon, the first tragedy of Aeschylus’s Oresteia, the play depicts the murder of Clytaemestra, the queen of... Read The Libation Bearers Summary
Publication year 2006
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: The Past, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Identity: Language, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Teams, Society: Class, Society: Community, Society: Politics & Government, Society: Nation
Tags Fantasy, Action / Adventure, Mystery / Crime Fiction
The Lies of Locke Lamora, written by Scott Lynch and published in 2006, is the first entry in the Gentleman Bastards series. These novels mix caper stories and fantasy stories and include adventure, violence, dark humor, and intimate friendships. The Lies of Locke Lamora is an international best seller and was nominated for multiple awards. The other entries in the series are Red Seas Under Red Skies, The Republic of Thieves, and The Thorn of... Read The Lies of Locke Lamora Summary
Publication year 2022
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Friendship, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice
Tags Realistic Fiction, Romance, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Humor
Publication year 2009
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Society: Economics, Society: Community
Tags Philosophy, Poverty, Social Justice, Business / Economics, Sociology, Philosophy, Politics / Government
In 2009, Peter Singer, philosopher and ethicist at Princeton University, published The Life You Can Save, a short treatise on the obligations of affluent persons to alleviate the suffering of those experiencing extreme poverty on a global scale. By this time in his career, Singer had spent several decades on ethical questions related to global poverty. In 1972, he produced a seminal essay in the field, “Famine, Affluence, and Morality.” After a much more recent... Read The Life You Can Save Summary
Publication year 2005
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Values/Ideas: Music, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Crime / Legal, Class, Social Justice, Incarceration
Michael Connelly is a prolific New York Times bestselling author. His legal thriller, The Lincoln Lawyer, won the Shamus Award and Macavity Award in 2006. The book was then successfully adapted to film. Connelly is widely regarded as one of the best American mystery writers. Other works by this author include The Black Echo, The Drop, and The Fifth Witness.This guide refers to the 2005 Hieronymus, Inc. edition.Plot SummaryMichael “Mick” Haller is a criminal defense... Read The Lincoln Lawyer Summary