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After

Retribution: The Battle for Japan, 1944-45

Max Hastings

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More like it

Same clinical register, still military history

1 more ↓

  • The Face of Battle: A Study of Agincourt, Waterloo and the Somme

    John Keegan

    An analysis of three battles from the perspective of the individual soldier. It examines the physical realities of combat across different eras.

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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.

    clinical → meditative

    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.

    clinical → meditative

    pace-1·prose+2·bleak-2

  • Antifragile

    Nassim Nicholas Taleb2012

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

    clinical → reflective

    pace0·prose+2·bleak-1

To recover

clinical → playful

3 more ↓

  • Washington's Crossing

    David Hackett Fischer2004

    This history examines the military and political maneuvers of the 1776 winter campaign. It focuses on the tactical decisions of George Washington.

    clinical → earnest, still military history

    pace0·prose+1·bleak-2

  • Redshirts

    John Scalzi2012

    Low-ranking crew members on a starship realize they are disposable characters in a sci-fi television show. They attempt to escape their fate.

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  • The Da Vinci Code

    Dan Brown2003

    A symbologist and a cryptologist flee the police while solving puzzles hidden in art. They search for a secret regarding the Holy Grail.

    clinical → propulsive

    pace+2·prose-1·bleak-2

Faster

clinical → propulsive, still military history

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.

    clinical → 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.

    clinical → tender

    pace+2·prose-1·bleak-2

  • 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.

    clinical → playful

    pace+2·prose-1·bleak-2

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.

    clinical → meditative

    pace-1·prose+2·bleak-2

  • 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.

    clinical → mysterious

    pace-1·prose+2·bleak-1

  • 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.

    clinical → dreamlike

    pace-1·prose+2·bleak-1

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.

    clinical → bleak, still military history

    pace+1·prose0·bleak+1

  • 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.

    Same clinical register, still military history

    pace0·prose+1·bleak+1

  • The Forgotten Soldier

    Guy Sajer1971

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

    clinical → bleak, still military history

    pace+1·prose+1·bleak+1