LitQueuelitqueue

After

A Swim in a Pond in the Rain

George Saunders2021

5 of 6 directions open — nothing to recover from

More like it

1 more ↓

  • This Is Your Mind on Plants

    Michael Pollan2021

    Three essays examine the history and chemistry of opium, caffeine, and mescaline. The author blends journalism with personal experimentation.

    warm → meditative, still essays

    pace0·prose0·bleak0

Denser prose

3 more ↓

  • Doktor Faustus

    Thomas Mann1948

    A composer trades his soul for musical genius as his life and the rise of Nazi Germany are chronicled by a concerned friend.

    warm → elegiac

    pace-1·prose+1·bleak+3

  • Confessions

    Augustine of Hippo

    A 4th-century bishop writes a spiritual autobiography addressed to God. He recounts his sinful youth and his eventual conversion to Christianity.

    warm → meditative

    pace-1·prose+1·bleak0

  • Antifragile

    Nassim Nicholas Taleb2012

    A philosophical exploration of systems that thrive under stress and disorder. It argues against fragility in economics and personal life.

    warm → reflective

    pace0·prose+1·bleak+1

Faster

3 more ↓

  • Astrophysics for People in a Hurry

    Neil deGrasse Tyson2017

    A summary of the origin of the universe, the laws of physics, and the nature of space and time.

    warm → playful

    pace+2·prose-2·bleak0

  • Steal Like an Artist

    Austin Kleon2012

    A series of short, illustrated principles for creative work. It focuses on remixing existing ideas and establishing productive daily habits.

    warm → playful

    pace+2·prose-2·bleak0

  • Poke the Box

    Seth Godin2011

    A short manifesto encouraging readers to start projects and take initiative. It argues that the greatest risk is staying in place.

    warm → earnest

    pace+2·prose-2·bleak0

Slower

3 more ↓

  • Self-Reliance and Other Essays

    Ralph Waldo Emerson1993

    A collection of 19th-century lectures advocating for individualism and nonconformity. The prose is dense, formal, and philosophical.

    warm → meditative, still essays

    pace-1·prose+1·bleak0

  • The Federalist Papers

    Alexander Hamilton2012

    A series of 85 essays arguing for the ratification of the United States Constitution. It details the proposed structure of federal government.

    warm → earnest, still essays

    pace-1·prose+1·bleak0

  • The Souls of Black Folk

    W.E.B. Du Bois1903

    A collection of 1903 essays examining the psychological and social effects of racism in America through the concept of double consciousness.

    warm → elegiac, still essays

    pace-1·prose+1·bleak+2

Heavier

3 more ↓

  • Animal Farm

    George Orwell1945

    Farm animals overthrow their human owner to run the farm themselves. The pigs gradually seize control and establish a new hierarchy.

    warm → sardonic

    pace+1·prose-1·bleak+3

  • The Diary of a Young Girl

    Anne Frank2001

    A Jewish teenager records her daily life and thoughts while hiding from the Nazis in a secret annex in Amsterdam.

    warm → earnest

    pace0·prose-1·bleak+3

  • A Child Called "It"

    Dave Pelzer1987

    A memoir of the author's childhood survival against severe physical and psychological abuse by his mother in California.

    warm → bleak

    pace+1·prose-2·bleak+3