Lincoln's Melancholy: How Depression Challenged a President and Fueled His Greatness – The Inner Life and Leadership of Abraham Lincoln

John Adams

David McCullough2001

A chronological account of the second president's life, from his law career to the revolution and his marriage. It uses extensive personal letters.

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The Righteous Mind

Jonathan Haidt2012

A social psychologist examines the intuitive origins of human morality. He explains how these instincts drive political and religious divides.

earnest → analytical, still psychology

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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, still psychology

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Memoirs of my nervous illness

Daniel Paul Schreber1955

A German judge documents his elaborate delusions and theological theories during his confinement in a mental asylum.

earnest → elegiac, still psychology

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The Gifts of Imperfection

Brené Brown2010

A guide to living through the concepts of courage, compassion, and connection. It focuses on embracing vulnerability to achieve self-acceptance.

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Surrounded by Idiots

Thomas Erikson2014

A guide to a four-color personality model designed to help readers categorize and communicate with different behavioral types in the workplace.

earnest → wry, still psychology

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Men Are from Mars, Women Are from Venus

John Gray1992

A guide to heterosexual relationships that attributes communication conflicts to inherent psychological differences between men and women.

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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.

earnest → 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.

earnest → playful

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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

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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.

earnest → meditative

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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.

earnest → meditative

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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.

earnest → mysterious

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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

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Mother Hunger

Kelly McDaniel2021

A counselor analyzes the psychological impact of missing maternal nurturance, protection, and guidance during infancy.

earnest → elegiac, still psychology

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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

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