Huế 1968: A Turning Point of the American War in Vietnam

The Last Stand of Fox Company: A True Story of U.S. Marines in Combat

Bob Drury

A reconstruction of a Marine company's defense of a Korean mountain pass in 1950. It tracks the unit's survival against Chinese encirclement.

Same tense register, still military history

pace0·prose0·bleak0

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.

tense → clinical, still military history

pace-1·prose+2·bleak0

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.

tense → 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.

tense → reflective

pace-1·prose+2·bleak-1

Wielding a Red Sword

Piers Anthony1986

An Indian prince avoids an arranged marriage by accepting the supernatural office of War. He wields a sword that draws him into a conflict in Hell.

tense → playful

pace0·prose-1·bleak-2

Speaking for Myself: Faith, Freedom, and the Fight of Our Lives Inside the Trump White House

Sarah Huckabee Sanders

The former Press Secretary recounts her time in the Trump administration. She describes daily operations and her defense of the president's policies.

tense → earnest

pace0·prose-1·bleak-2

Redshirts

John Scalzi2012

Low-ranking crew members on a starship realize they are disposable characters in a sci-fi television show. They attempt to escape their fate.

tense → playful

pace0·prose-1·bleak-2

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.

tense → tender

pace+1·prose-1·bleak-2

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.

tense → 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.

tense → playful

pace+1·prose-1·bleak-2

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.

tense → 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.

tense → 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.

tense → dreamlike

pace-2·prose+2·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.

tense → 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.

pace0·prose0·bleak+1

The Third Reich at War

Richard J. Evans2008

A chronological history of Nazi Germany from the 1939 invasion of Poland to the 1945 collapse. It details military strategy and the Holocaust.

tense → clinical, still military history

pace-1·prose+1·bleak+1