LitQueuelitqueue

After

Radical acceptance

Tara Brach2003

5 of 6 directions open — nothing to recover from

More like it

1 more ↓

  • The Game of Life and How to Play It

    Florence Scovel Shinn1925

    A 1925 guide to spiritual success through positive thinking and the law of attraction. It uses biblical anecdotes to explain prosperity.

    tender → earnest, still spirituality

    pace0·prose0·bleak0

Denser prose

3 more ↓

  • 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.

    tender → dreamlike, still spirituality

    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.

    tender → meditative

    pace-1·prose+2·bleak0

  • Antifragile

    Nassim Nicholas Taleb2012

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

    tender → reflective

    pace0·prose+2·bleak+1

Faster

3 more ↓

  • 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.

    tender → earnest

    pace+2·prose-1·bleak+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.

    Same tender register

    pace+2·prose-1·bleak0

  • 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.

    tender → playful

    pace+2·prose-1·bleak0

Slower

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.

    tender → meditative

    pace-1·prose+2·bleak+1

  • Peace Is Every Step: The Path of Mindfulness in Everyday Life

    Thich Nhat Hanh1998

    A Buddhist monk provides short meditations and breathing exercises for daily life. It focuses on finding calm in routine activities.

    tender → meditative, still self-help

    pace-1·prose-1·bleak0

  • Wherever You Go, There You Are: Mindfulness Meditation in Everyday Life

    Jon Kabat-Zinn

    A guide to mindfulness meditation through short essays. It provides techniques for applying awareness to daily routines.

    tender → meditative, still self-help

    pace-1·prose0·bleak0

Heavier

3 more ↓

  • 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.

    tender → bleak

    pace+1·prose-1·bleak+3

  • Twelve Years a Slave

    Solomon Northup1853

    A memoir by a free Black man from New York who is kidnapped and sold into slavery. He details twelve years of labor on Louisiana plantations.

    tender → earnest

    pace+1·prose0·bleak+3

  • Hiroshima

    John Hersey

    The book follows six people in Hiroshima during and after the atomic bombing. It records their movements and physical symptoms.

    tender → clinical

    pace+1·prose+1·bleak+3