After
Going Infinite
Michael Lewis2023
- pace
- prose
- structure
- bleakness
6 of 6 directions open
More like it
- pace0prose0bleak+1
Zeitoun
Dave Eggers2009
A Syrian-American man stays in New Orleans during Hurricane Katrina to help neighbors, only to be arrested and held in a military-style prison.
sardonic → tense, still biography
pace0·prose0·bleak+1

- pace0prose0bleak+1
A Hope More Powerful Than the Sea
Melissa Fleming2017
A Syrian refugee flees her home and attempts to cross the Mediterranean. When her boat sinks, she fights to survive in the open sea.
sardonic → earnest, still biography
pace0·prose0·bleak+1

- pace0prose0bleak0
Liar's Poker
Michael Lewis1989
A former bond salesman details his career at Salomon Brothers in the 1980s. He describes the culture of greed and risk on the trading floor.
Same sardonic register, still journalism
pace0·prose0·bleak0

- pace0prose0bleak+1
Too Much and Never Enough
Mary L. Trump2020
A clinical psychologist examines her family history to explain the personality and upbringing of her uncle, Donald Trump.
Same sardonic register, still biography
pace0·prose0·bleak+1

1 more ↓ ↑
- pace0prose0bleak+1
The Divide
Matt Taibbi2014
This reportage contrasts the immunity of white-collar criminals with the aggressive policing and incarceration of the American poor.
Same sardonic register, still journalism
pace0·prose0·bleak+1
Denser prose
- pace-2prose+2bleak-1
Gödel, Escher, Bach
Douglas R. Hofstadter1979
An exploration of how cognition emerges from hidden neurological patterns. It uses math, art, and music to explain self-referential systems.
sardonic → playful
pace-2·prose+2·bleak-1

- pace-2prose+2bleak0
Either/Or
Søren Kierkegaard1992
A collection of papers presents two life philosophies: the aesthetic pursuit of pleasure and the ethical commitment to duty.
sardonic → meditative
pace-2·prose+2·bleak0

3 more ↓ ↑
- pace-2prose+2bleak-1
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.
sardonic → meditative
pace-2·prose+2·bleak-1

- pace-1prose+2bleak0
Antifragile
Nassim Nicholas Taleb2012
A philosophical exploration of systems that thrive under stress and disorder. It argues against fragility in economics and personal life.
sardonic → reflective
pace-1·prose+2·bleak0

- pace-2prose+2bleak0
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.
sardonic → mysterious
pace-2·prose+2·bleak0

To recover
sardonic → playful
- pace0prose-1bleak-1
The Love Hypothesis
Ali Hazelwood2021
A biology PhD candidate enters a fake relationship with a young professor to satisfy a friend. They navigate academic politics and attraction.
pace0·prose-1·bleak-1

- pace0prose-1bleak-1
Beautiful Bastard
Christina Lauren2013
An MBA intern and her demanding media executive boss engage in a series of sexual encounters while competing at work. It is an erotic romance.
pace0·prose-1·bleak-1

3 more ↓ ↑
- pace0prose-1bleak-1
The Hating Game
Sally Thorne2016
Two executive assistants at a publishing house compete for a single promotion through a series of psychological games and mutual sabotage.
pace0·prose-1·bleak-1

- pace0prose-1bleak-1
The Score
Elle Kennedy2016
A college senior has a one-night stand with a hockey player to get over a breakup. They continue the arrangement as graduation approaches.
pace0·prose-1·bleak-1

- pace-1prose-1bleak-1
The Spanish Love Deception
Elena Armas2021
A woman convinces a colleague she dislikes to fly to Spain and pose as her boyfriend for a wedding. They have four weeks to prepare the ruse.
pace-1·prose-1·bleak-1

Faster
- pace+1prose-1bleak0
The Sun and Her Flowers
Rupi Kaur2017
A collection of short, illustrated poems organized into five stages of growth. It covers themes of loss, trauma, and self-healing.
sardonic → earnest
pace+1·prose-1·bleak0

- pace+1prose-1bleak-1
Pillow Thoughts
Courtney Peppernell2016
A collection of short poems and prose pieces organized by emotional state. It focuses on themes of heartbreak, healing, and loneliness.
sardonic → tender
pace+1·prose-1·bleak-1

3 more ↓ ↑
- pace+1prose-1bleak-1
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.
sardonic → playful
pace+1·prose-1·bleak-1

- pace+1prose-1bleak-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.
sardonic → playful
pace+1·prose-1·bleak-1

- pace+1prose0bleak0
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.
sardonic → propulsive, still journalism
pace+1·prose0·bleak0

Slower
- pace-2prose+2bleak-1
Gödel, Escher, Bach
Douglas R. Hofstadter1979
An exploration of how cognition emerges from hidden neurological patterns. It uses math, art, and music to explain self-referential systems.
sardonic → playful
pace-2·prose+2·bleak-1

- pace-2prose+2bleak0
Either/Or
Søren Kierkegaard1992
A collection of papers presents two life philosophies: the aesthetic pursuit of pleasure and the ethical commitment to duty.
sardonic → meditative
pace-2·prose+2·bleak0

3 more ↓ ↑
- pace-2prose+2bleak-1
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.
sardonic → meditative
pace-2·prose+2·bleak-1

- pace-2prose+2bleak0
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.
sardonic → mysterious
pace-2·prose+2·bleak0

- pace-2prose+2bleak0
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.
sardonic → dreamlike
pace-2·prose+2·bleak0
Heavier
- pace-1prose0bleak+2
The Short and Tragic Life of Robert Peace
Jeff Hobbs2014
A biography of a brilliant man who went from the streets of Newark to Yale. It tracks his struggle to bridge two incompatible worlds.
sardonic → elegiac, still biography
pace-1·prose0·bleak+2

- pace0prose+1bleak+2
Hiroshima
John Hersey
The book follows six people in Hiroshima during and after the atomic bombing. It records their movements and physical symptoms.
sardonic → clinical, still journalism
pace0·prose+1·bleak+2

3 more ↓ ↑
- pace0prose0bleak+2
Columbine
Dave Cullen2009
A journalist reconstructs the 1999 school shooting using police records and the killers' journals to debunk common myths.
sardonic → clinical, still journalism
pace0·prose0·bleak+2

- pace0prose0bleak+2
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.
sardonic → earnest, still journalism
pace0·prose0·bleak+2

- pace0prose+1bleak+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.
sardonic → bleak, still journalism
pace0·prose+1·bleak+2
