After
Memoirs of my nervous illness
Daniel Paul Schreber1955
- pace
- prose
- structure
- bleakness
4 of 6 directions open — nothing heavier, nothing denser
More like it
- pace0prose-1bleak0
Mother Hunger
Kelly McDaniel2021
A counselor analyzes the psychological impact of missing maternal nurturance, protection, and guidance during infancy.
Same elegiac register, still nonfiction
pace0·prose-1·bleak0
- pace0prose-1bleak-1
What Happened To You?
Bruce D. Perry2021
A psychiatrist and Oprah Winfrey discuss how childhood trauma shapes adult behavior. It uses clinical case studies to explain brain development.
elegiac → tense, still nonfiction
pace0·prose-1·bleak-1
- pace0prose-1bleak0
We're all doing time
Bo Lozoff1985
A guide to spiritual practice and meditation specifically written for people serving time in the prison system.
Same elegiac register, still nonfiction
pace0·prose-1·bleak0
- pace0prose-1bleak0
Bellevue
David M. Oshinsky2016
A chronological account of America's oldest public hospital, detailing its evolution from a colonial almshouse to a modern medical center.
Same elegiac register, still nonfiction
pace0·prose-1·bleak0
1 more ↓ ↑
- pace0prose-1bleak0
To recover
elegiac → earnest, still psychology
- pace+1prose-3bleak-3
Atomic Habits
James Clear2018
This guide provides a system for building small daily routines and breaking bad ones. It focuses on the science of incremental behavior change.
pace+1·prose-3·bleak-3
- pace0prose-3bleak-3
The Gifts of Imperfection
Brené Brown2010
A guide to living through the concepts of courage, compassion, and connection. It focuses on embracing vulnerability to achieve self-acceptance.
pace0·prose-3·bleak-3
3 more ↓ ↑
- pace+1prose-3bleak-3
Surrounded by Idiots
Thomas Erikson2014
A guide to a four-color personality model designed to help readers categorize and communicate with different behavioral types in the workplace.
elegiac → wry, still psychology
pace+1·prose-3·bleak-3
- pace0prose-3bleak-3
Men Are from Mars, Women Are from Venus
John Gray1992
A guide to heterosexual relationships that attributes communication conflicts to inherent psychological differences between men and women.
pace0·prose-3·bleak-3
- pace0prose-3bleak-3
Strengths Finder 2.0
Tom Rath2007
This book provides an access code to an online personality assessment. It categorizes the reader's professional talents into thirty-four themes.
pace0·prose-3·bleak-3
Faster
- pace+2prose-3bleak-2
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.
elegiac → earnest
pace+2·prose-3·bleak-2
- pace+2prose-3bleak-3
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.
elegiac → tender
pace+2·prose-3·bleak-3
3 more ↓ ↑
- pace+2prose-3bleak-3
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.
elegiac → playful
pace+2·prose-3·bleak-3
- pace+2prose-3bleak-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.
elegiac → playful
pace+2·prose-3·bleak-3
- pace+2prose-3bleak-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.
elegiac → earnest
pace+2·prose-3·bleak-3
Slower
- pace-1prose-2bleak-3
- pace-1prose-1bleak-2
Modern Man in Search of a Soul
C.G. Jung1933
A collection of essays exploring analytical psychology, dream analysis, and the spiritual limitations of modern Western society.
elegiac → meditative, still psychology
pace-1·prose-1·bleak-2
3 more ↓ ↑
- pace-1prose0bleak-3
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.
elegiac → playful
pace-1·prose0·bleak-3
- pace-1prose-1bleak-3
The Interpretation of Dreams
Sigmund Freud1994
Freud analyzes his own dreams and those of his patients to argue that every dream is the fulfillment of a repressed wish.
elegiac → clinical, still psychology
pace-1·prose-1·bleak-3
- pace-1prose-3bleak-2
Notes from Underground
Stephen Duncombe1997
A study of the history and culture of zines and the underground press. It examines how small-scale media operates outside of corporate control.
elegiac → tense, still nonfiction
pace-1·prose-3·bleak-2
