After
No Archive Will Restore You
Julietta Singh2018
- pace
- prose
- structure
- bleakness
4 of 6 directions open — nothing denser, nothing slower
More like it
- pace+1prose0bleak-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.
Same meditative register, still autotheory
pace+1·prose0·bleak-1
- pace0prose-1bleak0
A Writer's Diary
Virginia Woolf1953
Selected entries from twenty-seven years of the author's personal journals. The text focuses on her creative process and daily writing habits.
Same meditative register, still memoir
pace0·prose-1·bleak0
- pace0prose0bleak-1
Walden or, Life in the Woods
Henry David Thoreau1849
A man spends two years living in a cabin in the woods to observe nature and simplify his life. It is a series of slow, philosophical essays.
Same meditative register, still memoir
pace0·prose0·bleak-1
- pace0prose0bleak0
Either/Or
Søren Kierkegaard1992
A collection of papers presents two life philosophies: the aesthetic pursuit of pleasure and the ethical commitment to duty.
Same meditative register
pace0·prose0·bleak0
1 more ↓ ↑
- pace0prose0bleak0
The Mediterranean and the Mediterranean World in the Age of Philip II, Volume I
Fernand Braudel
A history of the 16th-century Mediterranean that prioritizes geography and long-term environmental trends over individual events.
Same meditative register
pace0·prose0·bleak0
To recover
meditative → earnest, still memoir
- pace+2prose-3bleak-1
Unfinished
Priyanka Chopra Jonas2021
The actress details her childhood in India, her time in American schools, and her transition from pageantry to a global film career.
pace+2·prose-3·bleak-1
- pace+2prose-3bleak-1
Untamed
Glennon Doyle2020
A woman recounts leaving her marriage and rebuilding her life after falling in love with another woman. It is a series of personal manifestos.
pace+2·prose-3·bleak-1
3 more ↓ ↑
- pace+2prose-3bleak-1
The Pioneer Woman
Ree Drummond2011
A city woman moves to a remote cattle ranch after falling in love with a cowboy. She details her transition to country life and farm chores.
meditative → warm, still memoir
pace+2·prose-3·bleak-1
- pace+2prose-3bleak-1
Murderbot Diaries
Martha Wells2023
A self-aware security android hacks its governor module to watch soap operas while protecting humans. It navigates corporate conspiracies.
meditative → sardonic
pace+2·prose-3·bleak-1
- pace+2prose-3bleak-1
Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me?
Mindy Kaling2011
A collection of essays about the author's childhood, her career in comedy, and her observations on friendship.
meditative → wry, still memoir
pace+2·prose-3·bleak-1
Faster
- pace+3prose-3bleak-1
Catch Me If You Can: The True Story of a Real Fake
Frank W. Abagnale
A teenager poses as a pilot, doctor, and lawyer to cash millions in fraudulent checks. He evades the FBI across several countries.
meditative → playful, still memoir
pace+3·prose-3·bleak-1
- pace+3prose-2bleak+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.
meditative → tense, still memoir
pace+3·prose-2·bleak+1
3 more ↓ ↑
- pace+3prose-3bleak0
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.
meditative → earnest
pace+3·prose-3·bleak0
- pace+3prose-3bleak-1
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.
meditative → tender
pace+3·prose-3·bleak-1
- pace+3prose-3bleak-1
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.
meditative → playful
pace+3·prose-3·bleak-1
Heavier
meditative → bleak, still memoir
- pace+2prose-3bleak+2
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.
pace+2·prose-3·bleak+2
- pace+1prose-2bleak+2
When Rabbit Howls
Truddi Chase1987
A woman and her ninety-two distinct personalities document her history of severe childhood trauma and her journey through therapy.
pace+1·prose-2·bleak+2
3 more ↓ ↑
- pace+2prose-1bleak+2
Wasted
Marya Hornbacher1998
A detailed memoir of the author's decade-long struggle with anorexia and bulimia. It documents hospitalizations and the physical decay of the body.
pace+2·prose-1·bleak+2
- pace+2prose-2bleak+2
A House in the Sky
Amanda Lindhout2013
A freelance journalist is kidnapped in Somalia and held for fifteen months. The memoir details her captivity and the conditions she endured.
meditative → tense, still memoir
pace+2·prose-2·bleak+2
- pace+2prose-2bleak+2
A River in Darkness
Masaji Ishikawa2018
A man describes his thirty-six years living in North Korea after moving there from Japan. He recounts extreme poverty and his eventual escape.
pace+2·prose-2·bleak+2