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After

Inferno: The World at War, 1939-1945

Max Hastings

5 of 6 directions open — nothing heavier

More like it

Same bleak register, still military history

1 more ↓

  • Vietnam: An Epic Tragedy, 1945-1975

    Max Hastings

    A thirty-year history of the conflict in Vietnam, covering the French defeat, American escalation, and the fall of Saigon.

    bleak → elegiac, still military history

    pace-1·prose0·bleak-1

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.

    bleak → clinical, still military history

    pace-1·prose+2·bleak-1

  • The Gulag Archipeligo 1918-1956: An Experiment In Literary Investigation I - Ii.

    Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn

    A history of the Soviet forced labor camp system based on survivor reports and the author's own imprisonment. It documents state-run repression.

    Same bleak register

    pace-1·prose+2·bleak0

  • No Archive Will Restore You

    Julietta Singh2018

    The author examines the history of her own body through the lens of race, desire, and pain. It is a collection of fragments and academic theory.

    bleak → meditative

    pace-2·prose+2·bleak-2

To recover

3 more ↓

  • Smokin' Seventeen

    Janet Evanovich2011

    A bounty hunter investigates bodies found in her boss's lot while choosing between three suitors. The story follows her daily mishaps in New Jersey.

    bleak → playful

    pace0·prose-1·bleak-3

  • The Martian

    Andy Weir2011

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

    bleak → wry

    pace+1·prose-1·bleak-3

  • The Duke and I

    Julia Quinn2000

    A duke and a debutante enter a fake courtship to avoid social pressure. They navigate Regency London's marriage market while hiding their deal.

    bleak → playful

    pace0·prose-1·bleak-3

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.

    bleak → playful

    pace+1·prose-1·bleak-3

  • 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.

    bleak → playful

    pace+1·prose-1·bleak-3

  • 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.

    bleak → earnest

    pace+1·prose-1·bleak-3

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.

    bleak → meditative

    pace-2·prose+2·bleak-3

  • 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.

    bleak → mysterious

    pace-2·prose+2·bleak-2

  • 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.

    bleak → dreamlike

    pace-2·prose+2·bleak-2