After
Prognosis
Sarah Vallance2019
- pace
- prose
- structure
- bleakness
5 of 6 directions open — nothing denser
More like it
Same tense register, still nonfiction
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Consciousness Explained
Daniel C. Dennett1991
A philosopher uses neuroscience and AI to argue that consciousness is a series of parallel 'multiple drafts' rather than a unified stream.
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Pierre Berton
Brian McKillop2011
A biography of the Canadian journalist and historian who shaped national identity through his books and television appearances.
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The Tyranny of Merit
Michael J. Sandel2020
This book examines how the ideal of meritocracy creates social division. It argues that the system demeans those without degrees and fuels populism.
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Tough Trip Through Paradise
Barbara, Silverstone1976
Andrew Garcia's 1870s memoir of life as a trader among the Nez Perce. He details his marriage to a Native woman and the impact of the Indian Wars.
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1 more ↓ ↑
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Azincourt
René de Belleval2007
A detailed historical analysis of the 1415 Battle of Agincourt, focusing on military strategy and the political context of the Hundred Years' War.
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To recover
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Modern Romance
Aziz Ansari2015
A comedian and a sociologist examine how technology and infinite choice have changed the search for a partner. It uses data and interviews.
tense → playful, still nonfiction
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Redshirts
John Scalzi2012
Low-ranking crew members on a starship realize they are disposable characters in a sci-fi television show. They attempt to escape their fate.
tense → playful
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3 more ↓ ↑
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The Da Vinci Code
Dan Brown2003
A symbologist and a cryptologist flee the police while solving puzzles hidden in art. They search for a secret regarding the Holy Grail.
tense → propulsive
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Fifty Shades of Grey
E.L. James2000
A college student enters a sexual contract with a wealthy businessman. The story focuses on their power dynamics and BDSM encounters.
tense → earnest
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The Martian
Andy Weir2011
A man does arithmetic to stay alive on Mars. Problem, attempt, result, repeat.
tense → wry
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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.
tense → earnest
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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.
tense → tender
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3 more ↓ ↑
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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.
tense → 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.
tense → 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.
tense → earnest
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Slower
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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.
tense → playful
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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.
tense → meditative
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3 more ↓ ↑
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The Frontier in American History
Frederick Jackson Turner1920
A series of essays arguing that the American character and democracy were shaped by the continuous expansion into the western wilderness.
tense → clinical, still history
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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.
tense → meditative
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Heavier
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Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee
Dee Alexander Brown
A chronological history of the displacement and systematic destruction of Native American tribes in the late 19th century.
tense → elegiac, still history
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3 more ↓ ↑
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Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee: An Indian History of the American West
Dee Brown
A chronological account of the displacement and slaughter of Native Americans by the U.S. government in the late 19th century.
tense → elegiac, still history
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Auschwitz
Laurence Rees2005
A chronological history of the camp's evolution from a Polish barracks to a site of mass industrial murder, based on archival research.
tense → clinical, still history
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By Hands Now Known
Margaret A. Burnham2022
An investigation into racial violence and legal failures in the Jim Crow South using previously unexamined archives.
tense → elegiac, still history
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