From Baghdad, With Love: A Marine, the War, and a Dog Named Lava

To Hell and Back

Audie Murphy1949

The most decorated American soldier of WWII recounts his infantry service in Europe. It follows his journey from enlistment to the end of the war.

pace0·prose+1·bleak+1

Either/Or

Søren Kierkegaard1992

A collection of papers presents two life philosophies: the aesthetic pursuit of pleasure and the ethical commitment to duty.

earnest → meditative

pace-2·prose+3·bleak0

The Argonauts

Maggie Nelson2015

A memoir of the author's relationship with her partner and her pregnancy. It mixes personal narrative with academic theory on gender and family.

earnest → meditative, still memoir

pace-1·prose+3·bleak-1

History of the Peloponnesian War

Thucydides

A contemporary account of the 5th-century BC conflict between Athens and Sparta. It focuses on military strategy and political speeches.

earnest → clinical, still military history

pace-1·prose+3·bleak+1

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 military history

pace0·prose+1·bleak-1

Washington's Crossing

David Hackett Fischer2004

This history examines the military and political maneuvers of the 1776 winter campaign. It focuses on the tactical decisions of George Washington.

Same earnest register, still military history

pace-1·prose+2·bleak-1

Becoming

Michelle Obama2018

Michelle Obama recounts her life from her childhood in Chicago to her years in the White House. It focuses on her personal growth and public roles.

Same earnest register, still memoir

pace-1·prose+1·bleak-1

Into Thin Air: A Personal Account of the Mt. Everest Disaster

Jon Krakauer

A journalist recounts the 1996 Everest disaster. He details the logistical failures and the storm that killed several climbers.

earnest → tense, still memoir

pace+1·prose+1·bleak+1

Catch Me If You Can: The True Story of a Real Fake

Frank W. Abagnale

A teenager poses as a pilot, doctor, and lawyer to cash millions in fraudulent checks. He evades the FBI across several countries.

earnest → playful, still memoir

pace+1·prose0·bleak-1

House to House: An Epic Memoir of War

David Bellavia

An American infantry sergeant provides a room-by-room account of the Second Battle of Fallujah. It focuses on close-quarters urban combat.

earnest → tense, still memoir

pace+1·prose+1·bleak+1

The Education of Henry Adams

Henry Adams

A man writes a sardonic third-person account of his life and his failure to adapt to the technological shifts of the late 19th century.

earnest → sardonic, still memoir

pace-2·prose+3·bleak+1

No Archive Will Restore You

Julietta Singh2018

The author examines the history of her own body through the lens of race, desire, and pain. It is a collection of fragments and academic theory.

earnest → meditative, still memoir

pace-2·prose+3·bleak0

M Train

Patti Smith2015

A musician travels to various cafes and gravesites around the world. She reflects on her late husband, her favorite books, and her daily rituals.

earnest → elegiac, still memoir

pace-2·prose+2·bleak0

When Rabbit Howls

Truddi Chase1987

A woman and her ninety-two distinct personalities document her history of severe childhood trauma and her journey through therapy.

pace-1·prose+1·bleak+2

Wasted

Marya Hornbacher1998

A detailed memoir of the author's decade-long struggle with anorexia and bulimia. It documents hospitalizations and the physical decay of the body.

pace0·prose+2·bleak+2

A House in the Sky

Amanda Lindhout2013

A freelance journalist is kidnapped in Somalia and held for fifteen months. The memoir details her captivity and the conditions she endured.

earnest → tense, still memoir

pace0·prose+1·bleak+2