Letter to a Christian Nation

Wishful Drinking

Carrie Fisher2008

An actress recounts her life growing up in Hollywood, her struggle with addiction, and her bipolar disorder diagnosis.

Same sardonic register

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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, still philosophy

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Antifragile

Nassim Nicholas Taleb2012

A philosophical exploration of systems that thrive under stress and disorder. It argues against fragility in economics and personal life.

sardonic → reflective, still philosophy

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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.

sardonic → mysterious, still philosophy

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Apprentice to the Villain

Hannah Nicole Maehrer2024

Evie Sage assists an evil overlord while a magical threat endangers their kingdom. The story follows their workplace dynamic and a looming siege.

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Nicomachean Ethics

Aristotle

A philosophical inquiry into human happiness, defining virtue as a mean between extremes of behavior and character.

sardonic → clinical, still philosophy

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Freakonomics: A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything

Steven D. Levitt

An economist uses data to investigate the incentives behind real-world phenomena like cheating teachers and falling crime rates.

sardonic → wry

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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

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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

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War Is a Racket

Smedley D. Butler1935

A retired Marine Corps general argues that military conflicts are orchestrated to benefit industrial corporations at the expense of soldiers.

Same sardonic register, still polemic

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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.

sardonic → mysterious, still philosophy

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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

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The Upanishads

Anonymous1957

Ancient Sanskrit texts explore the nature of reality and the self. They document a shift from ritual sacrifice to internal spiritual inquiry.

sardonic → meditative, still philosophy

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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

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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

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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

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