LitQueuelitqueue

After

Freakonomics: A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything

Steven D. Levitt

5 of 6 directions open — nothing to recover from

More like it

1 more ↓

  • The United States of Arugula: How We Became a Gourmet Nation

    David Kamp

    A history of the American food revolution from the 1960s to the 2000s. It tracks how specialty ingredients became mainstream consumer goods.

    Same wry register, still journalism

    pace0·prose+1·bleak0

Denser prose

3 more ↓

  • Doktor Faustus

    Thomas Mann1948

    A composer trades his soul for musical genius as his life and the rise of Nazi Germany are chronicled by a concerned friend.

    wry → elegiac

    pace-2·prose+3·bleak+3

  • Consider the Lobster and Other Essays

    David Foster Wallace2005

    Ten essays covering topics from the Maine Lobster Festival to adult film awards. The author uses extensive footnotes to analyze cultural events.

    Same wry register, still journalism

    pace-1·prose+3·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.

    wry → meditative

    pace-2·prose+3·bleak0

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.

    wry → tender

    pace+1·prose0·bleak0

  • 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.

    wry → playful

    pace+1·prose0·bleak0

  • 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.

    wry → playful

    pace+1·prose0·bleak0

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.

    wry → meditative

    pace-2·prose+3·bleak0

  • 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.

    wry → mysterious

    pace-2·prose+3·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.

    wry → dreamlike

    pace-2·prose+3·bleak+1

Heavier

wry → clinical, still journalism

3 more ↓

  • And the Band Played on

    Randy Shilts1987

    A journalistic account of the early AIDS epidemic. It tracks the spread of the virus and the political response from 1980 to 1985.

    wry → earnest, still journalism

    pace0·prose+1·bleak+3

  • My War Gone By, I Miss It So

    Anthony Loyd1999

    A journalist reports on the Bosnian War while grappling with his family's military legacy and a personal addiction to heroin.

    wry → bleak, still journalism

    pace0·prose+2·bleak+3

  • Missoula

    Jon Krakauer2015

    A journalist investigates several sexual assault cases at the University of Montana. He follows the victims, the accused, and the legal process.

    wry → earnest, still journalism

    pace0·prose+1·bleak+3