LitQueuelitqueue

After

Consider the Lobster and Other Essays

David Foster Wallace2005

5 of 6 directions open — nothing denser

More like it

1 more ↓

  • The American Political Tradition and the Men Who Made It

    Richard Hofstadter1948

    Twelve biographical essays on American leaders from the Founders to FDR. It argues they shared a common commitment to capitalist property rights.

    Same wry register, still essays

    pace0·prose-1·bleak0

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.

    wry → warm, still essays

    pace+1·prose-3·bleak-1

  • The Grass Is Always Greener over the Septic Tank

    Erma Bombeck1976

    A collection of essays observing the daily frustrations and domestic absurdities of suburban family life in the 1970s.

    wry → playful, still essays

    pace+1·prose-3·bleak-1

  • Apprentice to the Villain

    Hannah Nicole Maehrer2024

    Evie Sage assists an evil overlord while a magical threat endangers their kingdom. The story follows their workplace dynamic and a looming siege.

    wry → playful

    pace+1·prose-3·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.

    wry → playful

    pace+2·prose-3·bleak-1

  • 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.

    wry → playful

    pace+2·prose-3·bleak-1

  • Bad Blood

    John Carreyrou2018

    A journalist tracks the rise of Elizabeth Holmes and the eventual exposure of her multibillion-dollar blood-testing startup as a fraud.

    wry → propulsive, still journalism

    pace+2·prose-2·bleak0

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.

    wry → meditative

    pace-1·prose0·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.

    wry → mysterious

    pace-1·prose0·bleak0

  • 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.

    wry → meditative, still essays

    pace-1·prose0·bleak-1

Heavier

wry → clinical, still journalism

3 more ↓

  • And the Band Played on

    Randy Shilts1987

    A journalistic account of the early AIDS epidemic. It tracks the spread of the virus and the political response from 1980 to 1985.

    wry → earnest, still journalism

    pace+1·prose-2·bleak+2

  • My War Gone By, I Miss It So

    Anthony Loyd1999

    A journalist reports on the Bosnian War while grappling with his family's military legacy and a personal addiction to heroin.

    wry → bleak, still journalism

    pace+1·prose-1·bleak+2

  • Missoula

    Jon Krakauer2015

    A journalist investigates several sexual assault cases at the University of Montana. He follows the victims, the accused, and the legal process.

    wry → earnest, still journalism

    pace+1·prose-2·bleak+2