LitQueuelitqueue

After

When Things Fall Apart

Pema Chödrön1997

6 of 6 directions open

More like it

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  • Tough Trip Through Paradise

    Barbara, Silverstone1976

    Andrew Garcia's 1870s memoir of life as a trader among the Nez Perce. He details his marriage to a Native woman and the impact of the Indian Wars.

    hopeful → tense, still nonfiction

    pace0·prose0·bleak0

Denser prose

3 more ↓

  • Antifragile

    Nassim Nicholas Taleb2012

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

    hopeful → reflective, still nonfiction

    pace0·prose+1·bleak0

  • Memoirs of my nervous illness

    Daniel Paul Schreber1955

    A German judge documents his elaborate delusions and theological theories during his confinement in a mental asylum.

    hopeful → elegiac, still nonfiction

    pace0·prose+1·bleak+2

  • 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.

    hopeful → meditative

    pace-1·prose+1·bleak-1

To recover

3 more ↓

  • 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.

    hopeful → propulsive

    pace+2·prose-2·bleak-1

  • Fifty Shades of Grey

    E.L. James2000

    A college student enters a sexual contract with a wealthy businessman. The story focuses on their power dynamics and BDSM encounters.

    hopeful → earnest

    pace+1·prose-2·bleak-1

  • The Martian

    Andy Weir2011

    A man does arithmetic to stay alive on Mars. Problem, attempt, result, repeat.

    hopeful → wry

    pace+2·prose-2·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.

    hopeful → playful

    pace+2·prose-2·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.

    hopeful → playful

    pace+2·prose-2·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.

    hopeful → earnest

    pace+2·prose-2·bleak-1

Slower

3 more ↓

  • You are here

    Thích Nhất Hạnh2009

    A Buddhist monk explains the fundamentals of mindfulness and breathing. The text focuses on being present in the current moment.

    hopeful → peaceful, still buddhism

    pace-1·prose-1·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.

    hopeful → meditative

    pace-1·prose+1·bleak-1

  • God's Junk Drawer

    fiyah Angelou2018

    Same hopeful register, still nonfiction

    pace-1·prose-1·bleak-1

Heavier

hopeful → elegiac, still nonfiction

3 more ↓

  • Rough Sleepers

    Tracy Kidder2023

    A doctor and his team provide medical care to the homeless population of Boston, navigating the limits of the healthcare system.

    hopeful → tender, still nonfiction

    pace-1·prose0·bleak+2

  • Bellevue

    David M. Oshinsky2016

    A chronological account of America's oldest public hospital, detailing its evolution from a colonial almshouse to a modern medical center.

    pace0·prose0·bleak+2

  • Behind the Beautiful Forevers: Life, Death, and Hope in a Mumbai Undercity

    Katherine Boo

    A journalist follows several residents of Annawadi, a slum near the Mumbai airport. It tracks their efforts to survive amid corruption and poverty.

    hopeful → eerie, still nonfiction

    pace0·prose0·bleak+2