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After

Persepolis 2: The Story of a Return

Marjane Satrapi

6 of 6 directions open

More like it

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  • Relish: My Life in the Kitchen

    Lucy Knisley

    A graphic memoir following the author's childhood in a foodie family. Each chapter ends with an illustrated recipe.

    wry → warm, still graphic memoir

    pace0·prose0·bleak-1

Denser prose

3 more ↓

  • The Education of Henry Adams

    Henry Adams

    A man writes a sardonic third-person account of his life and his failure to adapt to the technological shifts of the late 19th century.

    wry → sardonic, still autobiography

    pace-2·prose+3·bleak+1

  • The Argonauts

    Maggie Nelson2015

    A memoir of the author's relationship with her partner and her pregnancy. It mixes personal narrative with academic theory on gender and family.

    wry → meditative

    pace-1·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·bleak0

To recover

3 more ↓

  • The Mane Event

    Shelly Laurenston2007

    A female cop reunites with a childhood friend who is now a lion-shifter. They navigate a romantic attraction while he pursues her in New York.

    wry → playful

    pace0·prose0·bleak-1

  • Pleasure for Pleasure

    Eloisa James2006

    Josie Essex ruins her reputation to escape a dull future and finds herself caught in a scandal. She seeks help from an Earl who is already engaged.

    Same wry register

    pace0·prose+1·bleak-1

  • Chatter

    Ethan Kross2021

    A psychologist examines the internal monologue and provides tools to manage negative self-talk. It combines research with practical exercises.

    wry → earnest

    pace0·prose+1·bleak-1

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.

    wry → playful

    pace+1·prose0·bleak-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.

    wry → playful

    pace+1·prose0·bleak-1

  • Bad Blood

    John Carreyrou2018

    A journalist tracks the rise of Elizabeth Holmes and the eventual exposure of her multibillion-dollar blood-testing startup as a fraud.

    wry → propulsive

    pace+1·prose+1·bleak0

Slower

3 more ↓

  • The Education of Henry Adams

    Henry Adams

    A man writes a sardonic third-person account of his life and his failure to adapt to the technological shifts of the late 19th century.

    wry → sardonic, still autobiography

    pace-2·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·bleak-1

  • 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·bleak0

Heavier

3 more ↓

  • 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.

    wry → bleak

    pace0·prose0·bleak+2

  • Twelve Years a Slave

    Solomon Northup1853

    A memoir by a free Black man from New York who is kidnapped and sold into slavery. He details twelve years of labor on Louisiana plantations.

    wry → earnest

    pace0·prose+1·bleak+2

  • Hiroshima

    John Hersey

    The book follows six people in Hiroshima during and after the atomic bombing. It records their movements and physical symptoms.

    wry → clinical

    pace0·prose+2·bleak+2