
After
Hood Feminism
Mikki Kendall2020
- pace
- prose
- structure
- bleakness
6 of 6 directions open
More like it
- pace0prose0bleak0
The Witches Are Coming
Lindy West2019
A series of essays examining American pop culture, gender, and politics through a feminist lens. The author uses a sardonic, personal voice.
Same sardonic register, still essays
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- pace0prose0bleak0
This Is How
Augusten Burroughs2012
A collection of essays offering unconventional advice on personal crises. The author uses his own history of trauma to frame his suggestions.
Same sardonic register, still essays
pace0·prose0·bleak0

- pace0prose0bleak-1
Very Good Lives: The Fringe Benefits of Failure and the Importance of Imagination
J.K. Rowling
The text of a 2008 commencement speech. It argues that failure provides a foundation for success and that empathy is a moral necessity.
sardonic → earnest, still essays
pace0·prose0·bleak-1
- pace0prose0bleak+1
Leaving Isn't the Hardest Thing
Lauren Hough2021
A series of essays follows a woman from her childhood in a global cult to her adult life as a bouncer and airman. She recounts leaving the group.
Same sardonic register, still essays
pace0·prose0·bleak+1

1 more ↓ ↑
- pace0prose0bleak-1
Holidays on Ice
David Sedaris1997
A collection of essays about the holidays, including a first-hand account of working as a Christmas elf at Macy's.
Same sardonic register, still essays
pace0·prose0·bleak-1

Denser prose
- pace-2prose+2bleak-1
Gödel, Escher, Bach
Douglas R. Hofstadter1979
An exploration of how cognition emerges from hidden neurological patterns. It uses math, art, and music to explain self-referential systems.
sardonic → playful
pace-2·prose+2·bleak-1

- pace-2prose+2bleak0
Either/Or
Søren Kierkegaard1992
A collection of papers presents two life philosophies: the aesthetic pursuit of pleasure and the ethical commitment to duty.
sardonic → meditative
pace-2·prose+2·bleak0

3 more ↓ ↑
- pace-1prose+2bleak+1
Capital: A Critique of Political Economy, Volume 1
Karl Marx2015
An analysis of the capitalist mode of production focusing on commodities, surplus value, and the exploitation of labor.
sardonic → clinical
pace-1·prose+2·bleak+1

- pace-2prose+2bleak+1
The Souls of Black Folk
W.E.B. Du Bois1903
A collection of 1903 essays examining the psychological and social effects of racism in America through the concept of double consciousness.
sardonic → elegiac, still essays
pace-2·prose+2·bleak+1

- pace-1prose+2bleak-1
A Room of One's Own
Virginia Woolf
This essay argues that a woman must have money and a private space to write fiction. It examines the history of women in literature.
sardonic → meditative
pace-1·prose+2·bleak-1

To recover
- pace0prose-1bleak-1
Big Magic
Elizabeth Gilbert2015
The author shares her philosophy on the creative process through personal anecdotes. It focuses on overcoming fear and pursuing curiosity.
sardonic → warm, still essays
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- pace0prose-1bleak-1
The Grass Is Always Greener over the Septic Tank
Erma Bombeck1976
A collection of essays observing the daily frustrations and domestic absurdities of suburban family life in the 1970s.
sardonic → playful, still essays
pace0·prose-1·bleak-1
3 more ↓ ↑
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When to Rob a Bank
Steven D. Levitt2015
A collection of short essays and blog posts applying economic logic to everyday life. Topics range from gambling to the ROI of bank robberies.
sardonic → playful, still essays
pace0·prose-1·bleak-1

- pace0prose-1bleak-1
Carry On, Warrior
Glennon Doyle2013
A collection of personal essays about marriage, motherhood, and recovery from addiction.
sardonic → warm, still essays
pace0·prose-1·bleak-1
- pace+1prose-1bleak-1
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.
sardonic → propulsive
pace+1·prose-1·bleak-1

Faster
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The Sun and Her Flowers
Rupi Kaur2017
A collection of short, illustrated poems organized into five stages of growth. It covers themes of loss, trauma, and self-healing.
sardonic → earnest
pace+1·prose-1·bleak0

- pace+1prose-1bleak-1
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.
sardonic → tender
pace+1·prose-1·bleak-1

3 more ↓ ↑
- pace+1prose-1bleak-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.
sardonic → playful
pace+1·prose-1·bleak-1

- pace+1prose-1bleak-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.
sardonic → playful
pace+1·prose-1·bleak-1

- pace+1prose-1bleak-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.
sardonic → earnest
pace+1·prose-1·bleak-1
Slower
- pace-2prose+2bleak-1
Gödel, Escher, Bach
Douglas R. Hofstadter1979
An exploration of how cognition emerges from hidden neurological patterns. It uses math, art, and music to explain self-referential systems.
sardonic → playful
pace-2·prose+2·bleak-1

- pace-2prose+2bleak0
Either/Or
Søren Kierkegaard1992
A collection of papers presents two life philosophies: the aesthetic pursuit of pleasure and the ethical commitment to duty.
sardonic → meditative
pace-2·prose+2·bleak0

3 more ↓ ↑
- pace-2prose+2bleak-1
Self-Reliance and Other Essays
Ralph Waldo Emerson1993
A collection of 19th-century lectures advocating for individualism and nonconformity. The prose is dense, formal, and philosophical.
sardonic → meditative, still essays
pace-2·prose+2·bleak-1

- pace-2prose+2bleak+1
The Souls of Black Folk
W.E.B. Du Bois1903
A collection of 1903 essays examining the psychological and social effects of racism in America through the concept of double consciousness.
sardonic → elegiac, still essays
pace-2·prose+2·bleak+1

- pace-2prose+2bleak-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.
sardonic → meditative
pace-2·prose+2·bleak-1

Heavier
- pace-1prose0bleak+2
Not That Bad: Dispatches from Rape Culture
Roxane Gay
A collection of essays by various authors regarding sexual violence and harassment. The writers describe personal experiences and cultural norms.
sardonic → earnest, still essays
pace-1·prose0·bleak+2
- pace-1prose+1bleak+2
The Drowned and the Saved
Primo Levi
A series of analytical essays examining the social hierarchy, psychological trauma, and ethics of survival within Nazi concentration camps.
sardonic → meditative, still essays
pace-1·prose+1·bleak+2
3 more ↓ ↑
- pace0prose0bleak+2
Animal Farm
George Orwell1945
Farm animals overthrow their human owner to run the farm themselves. The pigs gradually seize control and establish a new hierarchy.
Same sardonic register
pace0·prose0·bleak+2

- pace-1prose0bleak+2
The Diary of a Young Girl
Anne Frank2001
A Jewish teenager records her daily life and thoughts while hiding from the Nazis in a secret annex in Amsterdam.
sardonic → earnest
pace-1·prose0·bleak+2

- pace0prose-1bleak+2
A Child Called "It"
Dave Pelzer1987
A memoir of the author's childhood survival against severe physical and psychological abuse by his mother in California.
sardonic → bleak
pace0·prose-1·bleak+2
