LitQueuelitqueue

After

Operation Mincemeat: How a Dead Man and a Bizarre Plan Fooled the Nazis and Assured an Allied Victory

Ben Macintyre

6 of 6 directions open

More like it

Same propulsive register, still military history

1 more ↓

Denser prose

3 more ↓

  • History of the Peloponnesian War

    Thucydides

    A contemporary account of the 5th-century BC conflict between Athens and Sparta. It focuses on military strategy and political speeches.

    propulsive → clinical, still military history

    pace-1·prose+2·bleak+1

  • 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-1

  • Antifragile

    Nassim Nicholas Taleb2012

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

    propulsive → reflective

    pace-1·prose+2·bleak0

To recover

3 more ↓

  • Next of Kin

    Eric Frank Russell1959

    A scout pilot is captured by aliens and uses psychological warfare to convince his captors that humans possess a terrifying invisible power.

    propulsive → playful

    pace0·prose0·bleak-1

  • The Boy Next Door

    Meg Cabot2002

    A gossip columnist looks after her neighbor's pets after an attack and falls for the man she thinks is the woman's nephew. It is told in emails.

    propulsive → playful

    pace0·prose-1·bleak-1

  • Sex, Lies, and Online Dating

    Rachel Gibson2006

    A mystery writer and a detective go on dates while lying about their professions. They eventually collaborate on a real-life murder case.

    propulsive → playful

    pace0·prose-1·bleak-1

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.

    propulsive → playful

    pace+1·prose-1·bleak-1

  • 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-1

  • 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-1

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.

    propulsive → meditative

    pace-2·prose+2·bleak-1

  • 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.

    propulsive → mysterious

    pace-2·prose+2·bleak0

  • 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.

    propulsive → dreamlike

    pace-2·prose+2·bleak0

Heavier

3 more ↓

  • Enemy at the Gates: The Battle for Stalingrad

    William Craig

    A chronological account of the 1942-1943 battle between German and Soviet forces. It uses survivor interviews to detail the siege and starvation.

    propulsive → bleak, still military history

    pace0·prose0·bleak+2

  • The Third Reich at War

    Richard J. Evans2008

    A chronological history of Nazi Germany from the 1939 invasion of Poland to the 1945 collapse. It details military strategy and the Holocaust.

    propulsive → clinical, still military history

    pace-1·prose+1·bleak+2

  • The Forgotten Soldier

    Guy Sajer1971

    A teenager from Alsace joins the Wehrmacht and experiences the retreat from the Eastern Front during World War II.

    propulsive → bleak, still military history

    pace0·prose+1·bleak+2