LitQueuelitqueue

After

Five Against One

Kim Neely1998

6 of 6 directions open

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  • The Autobiography of Malcolm X

    Malcolm X1964

    A first-person account of a man's life from his childhood and time in prison to his leadership in the Nation of Islam and his later pilgrimage.

    Same earnest register, still biography

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Denser prose

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  • The Education of Henry Adams

    Henry Adams

    A man writes a sardonic third-person account of his life and his failure to adapt to the technological shifts of the late 19th century.

    earnest → sardonic

    pace-2·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

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To recover

3 more ↓

  • Love Unscripted

    Tina Reber2010

    An A-list movie star hides in a small-town pub to escape fans and falls for the owner. The story follows the logistical strain of his fame.

    earnest → warm

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  • My Lucky Life in and Out of Show Business

    Dick Van Dyke2011

    Dick Van Dyke recounts his career from radio to sitcoms and film. He focuses on his work ethic, his co-stars, and his personal struggles.

    earnest → warm

    pace0·prose-1·bleak-1

  • You Had Me at Hola

    Alexis Daria2020

    Two soap opera actors attempt to revitalize their careers while filming a new show. They navigate a public romance to hide their private lives.

    earnest → playful

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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.

    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

  • 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+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

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  • 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

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Heavier

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  • Escape from Camp 14

    Blaine Harden2012

    The biography of Shin Dong-hyuk, the only person born in a North Korean political prison camp known to have escaped.

    earnest → bleak, still biography

    pace0·prose0·bleak+2

  • Lords of Chaos

    Michael Moynihan1998

    A history of the early Norwegian black metal scene, focusing on the church burnings and murders committed by its central figures.

    earnest → clinical, still music history

    pace0·prose0·bleak+2

  • Nagasaki

    Susan Southard2015

    A historical account follows five survivors of the 1945 atomic bombing of Nagasaki across seven decades of their lives.

    earnest → elegiac, still biography

    pace-1·prose0·bleak+2