LitQueuelitqueue

After

My Story

Elizabeth Smart2013

6 of 6 directions open

More like it

Same earnest register, still memoir

1 more ↓

  • Adnan's Story

    Rabia Chaudry2016

    An advocate for Adnan Syed reviews the evidence and legal proceedings of his 1999 murder conviction. It includes details not covered in the podcast.

    pace0·prose0·bleak0

Denser prose

3 more ↓

  • Either/Or

    Søren Kierkegaard1992

    A collection of papers presents two life philosophies: the aesthetic pursuit of pleasure and the ethical commitment to duty.

    earnest → meditative

    pace-2·prose+2·bleak-1

  • No Archive Will Restore You

    Julietta Singh2018

    The author examines the history of her own body through the lens of race, desire, and pain. It is a collection of fragments and academic theory.

    earnest → meditative, still memoir

    pace-2·prose+2·bleak-1

  • The Argonauts

    Maggie Nelson2015

    A memoir of the author's relationship with her partner and her pregnancy. It mixes personal narrative with academic theory on gender and family.

    earnest → meditative, still memoir

    pace-1·prose+2·bleak-2

To recover

3 more ↓

  • Happy, Happy, Happy

    Phil Robertson2013

    The founder of Duck Commander recounts his life from a difficult upbringing to business success. He focuses on his faith and outdoor lifestyle.

    Same earnest register, still memoir

    pace0·prose-1·bleak-2

  • Through My Eyes

    Tim Tebow2011

    A college and professional quarterback recounts his football career and the role of his Christian faith in his public and private life.

    Same earnest register, still memoir

    pace-1·prose-1·bleak-2

  • Carry On, Warrior

    Glennon Doyle2013

    A collection of personal essays about marriage, motherhood, and recovery from addiction.

    earnest → warm, still memoir

    pace0·prose-1·bleak-2

Faster

3 more ↓

  • Killing Lincoln: The Shocking Assassination that Changed America Forever

    Bill O'Reilly

    A minute-by-minute narrative of John Wilkes Booth's plot to kill Abraham Lincoln and the subsequent manhunt for the conspirators.

    earnest → propulsive, still true crime

    pace+1·prose-1·bleak-1

  • American Kingpin

    Nick Bilton2017

    This account follows Ross Ulbricht as he builds the Silk Road dark web market and the federal agents who spend years tracking him down.

    earnest → propulsive, still true crime

    pace+1·prose0·bleak-1

  • Into Thin Air: A Personal Account of the Mt. Everest Disaster

    Jon Krakauer

    A journalist recounts the 1996 Everest disaster. He details the logistical failures and the storm that killed several climbers.

    earnest → tense, still memoir

    pace+1·prose0·bleak0

Slower

3 more ↓

  • The Education of Henry Adams

    Henry Adams

    A man writes a sardonic third-person account of his life and his failure to adapt to the technological shifts of the late 19th century.

    earnest → sardonic, still memoir

    pace-2·prose+2·bleak0

  • No Archive Will Restore You

    Julietta Singh2018

    The author examines the history of her own body through the lens of race, desire, and pain. It is a collection of fragments and academic theory.

    earnest → meditative, still memoir

    pace-2·prose+2·bleak-1

  • M Train

    Patti Smith2015

    A musician travels to various cafes and gravesites around the world. She reflects on her late husband, her favorite books, and her daily rituals.

    earnest → elegiac, still memoir

    pace-2·prose+1·bleak-1

Heavier

3 more ↓

  • Broken

    Shy Keenan2008

    The author recounts years of severe physical and sexual abuse by her parents. It follows her journey toward survival and activism.

    earnest → bleak, still memoir

    pace0·prose0·bleak+1

  • The Fact of a Body

    Alexandria Marzano-Lesnevich2017

    A lawyer investigates a 1992 murder case while confronting her own history of childhood trauma. It blends true crime with personal memoir.

    earnest → meditative, still memoir

    pace-1·prose+1·bleak+1

  • A Child Called "It"

    Dave Pelzer1987

    A memoir of the author's childhood survival against severe physical and psychological abuse by his mother in California.

    earnest → bleak, still memoir

    pace0·prose-1·bleak+1