The Shock Doctrine: The Rise of Disaster Capitalism

The Last Days of the Incas

Kim MacQuarrie2007

A history of the Spanish conquest of Peru. It follows the Pizarro brothers and the Inca resistance during the fall of the empire.

Same propulsive register, still history

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Either/Or

Søren Kierkegaard1992

A collection of papers presents two life philosophies: the aesthetic pursuit of pleasure and the ethical commitment to duty.

propulsive → meditative

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Seeing Like a State

James C. Scott1998

An analysis of how large-scale state projects fail by ignoring local knowledge. It covers forestry, city planning, and forced villagization.

propulsive → analytical, still politics

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The Gulag Archipeligo 1918-1956: An Experiment In Literary Investigation I - Ii.

Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn

A history of the Soviet forced labor camp system based on survivor reports and the author's own imprisonment. It documents state-run repression.

propulsive → bleak, still history

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Neon Gods

Katee Robert2021

In a modern city-state, Persephone flees an arranged marriage to Zeus by entering the underworld. She strikes a deal with Hades to stay there.

propulsive → tense

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The Duke and I

Julia Quinn2000

A duke and a debutante enter a fake courtship to avoid social pressure. They navigate Regency London's marriage market while hiding their deal.

propulsive → playful

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Artemis

Andy Weir2017

A porter and smuggler on a lunar colony takes a high-stakes sabotage job to pay off a debt. She uses technical knowledge to solve problems.

Same propulsive register

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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

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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

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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

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U.S. Constitution (Saddlewire) (Books of American Wisdom)

Founding Fathers

The 1787 document establishing the three branches of the United States government and the subsequent twenty-seven amendments.

propulsive → clinical, still politics

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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

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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

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Auschwitz

Laurence Rees2005

A chronological history of the camp's evolution from a Polish barracks to a site of mass industrial murder, based on archival research.

propulsive → clinical, still history

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By Hands Now Known

Margaret A. Burnham2022

An investigation into racial violence and legal failures in the Jim Crow South using previously unexamined archives.

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The Great Hunger: Ireland 1845 - 1849

Cecil Woodham-Smith

A detailed record of the Irish Potato Famine, focusing on the failure of British government policy and the resulting mass starvation.

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