The American Way of Eating: Undercover at Walmart, Applebee's, Farm Fields and the Dinner Table

The Underground Girls of Kabul

Jenny Nordberg2014

A journalist documents the Afghan practice of 'bacha posh,' where families raise daughters as sons. It follows several women and their families.

pace-1·prose0·bleak0

Capital: A Critique of Political Economy, Volume 1

Karl Marx2015

An analysis of the capitalist mode of production focusing on commodities, surplus value, and the exploitation of labor.

earnest → clinical

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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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Antifragile

Nassim Nicholas Taleb2012

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

earnest → reflective

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King of Pride

Ana Huang2023

A buttoned-up billionaire heir falls for an impulsive bartender while trying to secure a CEO position. They navigate a forbidden workplace romance.

earnest → playful

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The Inspector and Mrs. Jeffries

Emily Brightwell1993

A Victorian housekeeper and her staff secretly solve crimes for their employer, a clueless Scotland Yard inspector.

earnest → playful

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Royally Screwed

Emma Chase2016

A crown prince visiting Manhattan pursues a bakery worker who threw a pie at him. The story follows their class-clash courtship.

earnest → playful

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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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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.

earnest → propulsive, still journalism

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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

pace-2·prose+2·bleak-2

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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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

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And the Band Played on

Randy Shilts1987

A journalistic account of the early AIDS epidemic. It tracks the spread of the virus and the political response from 1980 to 1985.

Same earnest register, still journalism

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My War Gone By, I Miss It So

Anthony Loyd1999

A journalist reports on the Bosnian War while grappling with his family's military legacy and a personal addiction to heroin.

earnest → bleak, still journalism

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Missoula

Jon Krakauer2015

A journalist investigates several sexual assault cases at the University of Montana. He follows the victims, the accused, and the legal process.

Same earnest register, still journalism

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