LitQueuelitqueue

After

Alone at Dawn: Medal of Honor Recipient John Chapman and the Untold Story of the World's Deadliest Special Operations Force

Dan Schilling

6 of 6 directions open

More like it

Same earnest register, still biography

1 more ↓

  • Spain in Our Hearts

    Adam Hochschild2016

    This history follows American volunteers during the Spanish Civil War. It uses personal letters and diaries to track their time on the front lines.

    earnest → elegiac, still biography

    pace0·prose0·bleak0

Denser prose

3 more ↓

  • 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.

    earnest → meditative

    pace-2·prose+2·bleak-2

  • Antifragile

    Nassim Nicholas Taleb2012

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

    earnest → reflective

    pace-1·prose+2·bleak-1

  • How to Read a Book

    Mortimer J. Adler1940

    This is a guide to active reading techniques for different genres. It outlines levels of reading from basic literacy to syntopical analysis.

    earnest → mysterious

    pace-2·prose+2·bleak-1

To recover

3 more ↓

  • Big Magic

    Elizabeth Gilbert2015

    The author shares her philosophy on the creative process through personal anecdotes. It focuses on overcoming fear and pursuing curiosity.

    earnest → warm

    pace0·prose-1·bleak-2

  • A Higher Call

    Adam Makos2013

    In 1943, a German fighter pilot chooses not to shoot down a crippled American bomber. The book follows both men before and after the encounter.

    Same earnest register, still biography

    pace0·prose0·bleak-2

  • The Confidante: The Untold Story of the Woman Who Helped Win WWII and Shape Modern America

    Christopher C. Gorham

    A biography of Anna Rosenberg, a labor expert and advisor who managed manpower for the U.S. during World War II.

    Same earnest register, still biography

    pace-1·prose0·bleak-2

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.

    earnest → playful

    pace+1·prose-1·bleak-2

  • 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.

    earnest → playful

    pace+1·prose-1·bleak-2

  • 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.

    Same earnest register

    pace+1·prose-1·bleak-2

Slower

3 more ↓

  • 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.

    earnest → meditative

    pace-2·prose+2·bleak-2

  • How to Read a Book

    Mortimer J. Adler1940

    This is a guide to active reading techniques for different genres. It outlines levels of reading from basic literacy to syntopical analysis.

    earnest → mysterious

    pace-2·prose+2·bleak-1

  • The Red Book: Liber Novus

    C.G. Jung2009

    A psychologist records his visions and internal dialogues in an illuminated manuscript created during a period of intense self-exploration.

    earnest → dreamlike

    pace-2·prose+2·bleak-1

Heavier

earnest → elegiac, still biography

3 more ↓

  • Stalingrad: The Fateful Siege, 1942–1943

    Antony Beevor

    A chronological account of the battle for Stalingrad using primary sources. It details the military strategy and the starvation of soldiers.

    earnest → bleak, still military history

    pace0·prose+1·bleak+1

  • Als die Soldaten kamen: Die Vergewaltigung deutscher Frauen am Ende des Zweiten Weltkriegs

    Miriam Gebhardt

    A historical study of the mass sexual violence committed by Allied soldiers in Germany in 1945. It uses archival records and victim testimonies.

    earnest → clinical, still military history

    pace-1·prose+1·bleak+1

  • Enemy at the Gates: The Battle for Stalingrad

    William Craig

    A chronological account of the 1942-1943 battle between German and Soviet forces. It uses survivor interviews to detail the siege and starvation.

    earnest → bleak, still military history

    pace0·prose0·bleak+1