After
Reading While Black
Esau McCaulley2020
- pace
- prose
- structure
- bleakness
5 of 6 directions open — nothing to recover from
More like it
- pace0prose0bleak+1
Sister Outsider
Audre Lorde1984
Fifteen essays and speeches by a Black lesbian poet. The text examines intersectional identity, anger as a tool, and the necessity of difference.
Same earnest register, still essays
pace0·prose0·bleak+1
- pace0prose0bleak0
A Swim in a Pond in the Rain
George Saunders2021
A fiction professor analyzes seven classic Russian short stories. He breaks down the mechanics of how each narrative functions.
earnest → warm, still essays
pace0·prose0·bleak0
- pace0prose-1bleak0
Mere Christianity
C.S. Lewis1943
A series of radio transcripts explaining the core tenets of the Christian faith. It uses logic and analogy to define common moral ground.
Same earnest register, still theology
pace0·prose-1·bleak0
- pace0prose0bleak0
The View from the Cheap Seats
Neil Gaiman2016
A collection of over sixty speeches, introductions, and articles covering comics, libraries, and the author's creative influences.
earnest → warm, still essays
pace0·prose0·bleak0
1 more ↓ ↑
- pace0prose-1bleak0
Searching for Sunday
Rachel Held Evans2015
A series of essays structured around seven sacraments. The author recounts her departure from and eventual return to the Christian church.
Same earnest register, still theology
pace0·prose-1·bleak0
Denser prose
- pace-1prose+1bleak0
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.
earnest → playful
pace-1·prose+1·bleak0
- pace-1prose+1bleak+1
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-1·prose+1·bleak+1
3 more ↓ ↑
- pace-1prose+1bleak0
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.
earnest → meditative
pace-1·prose+1·bleak0
- pace0prose+1bleak+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.
earnest → reflective
pace0·prose+1·bleak+1
- pace-1prose+1bleak+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.
earnest → mysterious
pace-1·prose+1·bleak+1
Faster
- pace+2prose-2bleak+1
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.
Same earnest register
pace+2·prose-2·bleak+1
- pace+2prose-2bleak0
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.
earnest → tender
pace+2·prose-2·bleak0
3 more ↓ ↑
- pace+2prose-2bleak0
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.
earnest → playful
pace+2·prose-2·bleak0
- pace+2prose-2bleak0
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.
earnest → playful
pace+2·prose-2·bleak0
- pace+2prose-2bleak0
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.
Same earnest register
pace+2·prose-2·bleak0
Slower
- pace-1prose+1bleak0
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.
earnest → playful
pace-1·prose+1·bleak0
- pace-1prose+1bleak+1
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-1·prose+1·bleak+1
3 more ↓ ↑
- pace-1prose0bleak0
The Upanishads
Anonymous1957
Ancient Sanskrit texts explore the nature of reality and the self. They document a shift from ritual sacrifice to internal spiritual inquiry.
earnest → meditative, still theology
pace-1·prose0·bleak0
- pace-1prose+1bleak0
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.
earnest → meditative
pace-1·prose+1·bleak0
- pace-1prose+1bleak+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.
earnest → mysterious
pace-1·prose+1·bleak+1
Heavier
- pace0prose-1bleak+3
Not That Bad: Dispatches from Rape Culture
Roxane Gay
A collection of essays by various authors regarding sexual violence and harassment. The writers describe personal experiences and cultural norms.
Same earnest register, still essays
pace0·prose-1·bleak+3
- pace0prose0bleak+3
The Drowned and the Saved
Primo Levi
A series of analytical essays examining the social hierarchy, psychological trauma, and ethics of survival within Nazi concentration camps.
earnest → meditative, still essays
pace0·prose0·bleak+3
3 more ↓ ↑
- pace+1prose-1bleak+3
Animal Farm
George Orwell1945
Farm animals overthrow their human owner to run the farm themselves. The pigs gradually seize control and establish a new hierarchy.
earnest → sardonic
pace+1·prose-1·bleak+3
- pace0prose-1bleak+3
The Diary of a Young Girl
Anne Frank2001
A Jewish teenager records her daily life and thoughts while hiding from the Nazis in a secret annex in Amsterdam.
Same earnest register
pace0·prose-1·bleak+3
- pace+1prose-2bleak+3
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
pace+1·prose-2·bleak+3
