LitQueuelitqueue

After

In Deadly Combat: A German Soldier's Memoir of the Eastern Front

Gottlob Herbert Bidermann

5 of 6 directions open — nothing heavier

More like it

1 more ↓

  • Random family

    Adrian Nicole LeBlanc2003

    Two women and their extended families navigate poverty, romance, and prison in the Bronx over ten years of immersion reporting.

    Same bleak register

    pace0·prose0·bleak0

Denser prose

3 more ↓

  • The Gulag Archipeligo 1918-1956: An Experiment In Literary Investigation I - Ii.

    Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn

    A history of the Soviet forced labor camp system based on survivor reports and the author's own imprisonment. It documents state-run repression.

    Same bleak register

    pace0·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.

    bleak → meditative

    pace-1·prose+2·bleak-3

  • Antifragile

    Nassim Nicholas Taleb2012

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

    bleak → reflective

    pace0·prose+2·bleak-2

To recover

bleak → playful

3 more ↓

  • The Martian

    Andy Weir2011

    A man does arithmetic to stay alive on Mars. Problem, attempt, result, repeat.

    bleak → wry

    pace+2·prose-1·bleak-3

  • The Comfort Book

    Matt Haig2021

    A collection of short reflections, lists, and anecdotes intended to provide mental support. It is a non-linear book of philosophy and memoir.

    bleak → warm

    pace0·prose-1·bleak-3

  • Odessa Sea

    Clive Cussler2016

    Dirk Pitt investigates a ghost ship in the Black Sea and discovers a conspiracy involving a lost Romanov secret. It is a high-speed adventure.

    bleak → propulsive

    pace+2·prose-1·bleak-3

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.

    bleak → playful

    pace+2·prose-1·bleak-3

  • 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.

    bleak → playful

    pace+2·prose-1·bleak-3

  • 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.

    bleak → earnest

    pace+2·prose-1·bleak-3

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.

    bleak → meditative

    pace-1·prose+2·bleak-3

  • 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.

    bleak → mysterious

    pace-1·prose+2·bleak-2

  • 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.

    bleak → dreamlike

    pace-1·prose+2·bleak-2