After
Mila 18
Leon Uris1961
- pace
- prose
- structure
- bleakness
5 of 6 directions open — nothing heavier
More like it
- pace0prose0bleak0
The Undertaking
Audrey Magee2014
A German soldier and a woman marry by proxy to secure leave and a pension. The narrative follows his time at the front and her life in Berlin.
propulsive → cold, still historical fiction
pace0·prose0·bleak0
- pace-1prose+1bleak0
Life and Fate
Vasily Grossman
A sprawling novel following the Shaposhnikov family during the Battle of Stalingrad. It depicts the parallels between Soviet and Nazi regimes.
propulsive → elegiac, still historical fiction
pace-1·prose+1·bleak0
- pace0prose0bleak0
Every Man Dies Alone
Hans Fallada2010
A working-class couple in WWII Berlin leaves anonymous postcards against the Nazi regime while a Gestapo inspector hunts them down the source.
propulsive → bleak, still historical fiction
pace0·prose0·bleak0
- pace0prose0bleak-1
Skeletons at the Feast
Chris Bohjalian2008
A Prussian girl, her Scottish POW lover, and a Jewish man posing as a soldier flee westward across Germany as the Soviet army advances in 1945.
propulsive → tense, still historical fiction
pace0·prose0·bleak-1
1 more ↓ ↑
- pace-1prose+1bleak-1
Suite Française
Irène Némirovsky2004
French families flee the 1940 Nazi invasion. Later, a small village adjusts to life under German occupation.
propulsive → elegiac, still historical fiction
pace-1·prose+1·bleak-1
Denser prose
- pace-2prose+2bleak-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.
propulsive → playful
pace-2·prose+2·bleak-3
- pace-2prose+2bleak-2
Either/Or
Søren Kierkegaard1992
A collection of papers presents two life philosophies: the aesthetic pursuit of pleasure and the ethical commitment to duty.
propulsive → meditative
pace-2·prose+2·bleak-2
3 more ↓ ↑
- pace-2prose+2bleak0
Doktor Faustus
Thomas Mann1948
A composer trades his soul for musical genius as his life and the rise of Nazi Germany are chronicled by a concerned friend.
propulsive → elegiac, still historical fiction
pace-2·prose+2·bleak0
- pace-1prose+2bleak0
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.
propulsive → bleak
pace-1·prose+2·bleak0
- pace-2prose+2bleak-3
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.
propulsive → meditative
pace-2·prose+2·bleak-3
To recover
propulsive → playful
- pace+1prose-1bleak-3
The Kaiju Preservation Society
John Scalzi2022
A food delivery driver joins a secret organization that travels to an alternate Earth to care for massive, dinosaur-like creatures.
pace+1·prose-1·bleak-3
- pace0prose-1bleak-3
Smokin' Seventeen
Janet Evanovich2011
A bounty hunter investigates bodies found in her boss's lot while choosing between three suitors. The story follows her daily mishaps in New Jersey.
pace0·prose-1·bleak-3
3 more ↓ ↑
- pace+1prose-1bleak-3
The Martian
Andy Weir2011
A man does arithmetic to stay alive on Mars. Problem, attempt, result, repeat.
propulsive → wry
pace+1·prose-1·bleak-3
- pace0prose-1bleak-3
That Time I Got Drunk and Saved a Demon
Kimberly Lemming2021
A spice trader saves a demon while intoxicated and joins his quest to kill a witch. The story features frequent sexual content and humor.
pace0·prose-1·bleak-3
- pace-1prose-1bleak-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.
propulsive → warm
pace-1·prose-1·bleak-3
Faster
- pace+1prose-1bleak-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.
propulsive → earnest
pace+1·prose-1·bleak-2
- pace+1prose-1bleak-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.
propulsive → tender
pace+1·prose-1·bleak-3
3 more ↓ ↑
- pace+1prose-1bleak-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.
propulsive → playful
pace+1·prose-1·bleak-3
- pace+1prose-1bleak-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.
propulsive → playful
pace+1·prose-1·bleak-3
- pace+1prose-1bleak-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.
propulsive → earnest
pace+1·prose-1·bleak-3
Slower
- pace-2prose+2bleak-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.
propulsive → playful
pace-2·prose+2·bleak-3
- pace-2prose+1bleak-1
Fugitive Pieces
Anne Michaels1996
A Jewish boy rescued from Nazi-occupied Poland is raised in Greece and Canada. The prose follows his life and the lives of those he touches.
propulsive → elegiac, still historical fiction
pace-2·prose+1·bleak-1
3 more ↓ ↑
- pace-2prose+2bleak-2
Either/Or
Søren Kierkegaard1992
A collection of papers presents two life philosophies: the aesthetic pursuit of pleasure and the ethical commitment to duty.
propulsive → meditative
pace-2·prose+2·bleak-2
- pace-2prose+2bleak0
Doktor Faustus
Thomas Mann1948
A composer trades his soul for musical genius as his life and the rise of Nazi Germany are chronicled by a concerned friend.
propulsive → elegiac, still historical fiction
pace-2·prose+2·bleak0
- pace-2prose+2bleak0
Absalom, Absalom!
William Faulkner1936
The rise and fall of Thomas Sutpen is recounted through multiple, conflicting memories. The prose uses extremely long, complex sentences.
propulsive → elegiac, still historical fiction
pace-2·prose+2·bleak0
