LitQueuelitqueue

After

Citizens of London: The Americans Who Stood with Britain in Its Darkest, Finest Hour

Lynne Olson

6 of 6 directions open

More like it

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  • Elephant Company

    Vicki Constantine Croke2014

    Billy Williams works with elephants in the Burmese jungle and leads them on a rescue mission during the Japanese invasion in WWII.

    Same earnest register, still biography

    pace0·prose0·bleak0

Denser prose

3 more ↓

  • History of the Peloponnesian War

    Thucydides

    A contemporary account of the 5th-century BC conflict between Athens and Sparta. It focuses on military strategy and political speeches.

    earnest → clinical, still military history

    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.

    earnest → meditative

    pace-2·prose+2·bleak-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

    pace-1·prose+2·bleak0

To recover

earnest → playful

3 more ↓

  • All Systems Red

    Martha Wells2017

    A self-aware security android hacks its own governor module to watch soap operas while protecting a team of scientists on a distant planet.

    earnest → wry

    pace+1·prose-1·bleak-1

  • Legends & Lattes

    Travis Baldree2022

    An orc barbarian retires from adventuring to open a coffee shop in a city that has never heard of the drink.

    earnest → warm

    pace-1·prose-1·bleak-1

  • Farm Fresh Murder

    Paige Shelton2010

    A jam maker in a small town investigates a murder to clear her friend's name.

    earnest → warm

    pace-1·prose-1·bleak-1

Faster

3 more ↓

  • 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+1·prose-1·bleak-1

  • 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+1·prose-1·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.

    earnest → playful

    pace+1·prose-1·bleak-1

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.

    earnest → meditative

    pace-2·prose+2·bleak-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-2·prose+2·bleak0

  • 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.

    earnest → dreamlike

    pace-2·prose+2·bleak0

Heavier

3 more ↓

  • The Short and Tragic Life of Robert Peace

    Jeff Hobbs2014

    A biography of a brilliant man who went from the streets of Newark to Yale. It tracks his struggle to bridge two incompatible worlds.

    earnest → elegiac, still biography

    pace-1·prose0·bleak+2

  • Stalingrad: The Fateful Siege, 1942–1943

    Antony Beevor

    A chronological account of the battle for Stalingrad using primary sources. It details the military strategy and the starvation of soldiers.

    earnest → bleak, still military history

    pace0·prose+1·bleak+2

  • Als die Soldaten kamen: Die Vergewaltigung deutscher Frauen am Ende des Zweiten Weltkriegs

    Miriam Gebhardt

    A historical study of the mass sexual violence committed by Allied soldiers in Germany in 1945. It uses archival records and victim testimonies.

    earnest → clinical, still military history

    pace-1·prose+1·bleak+2