After
The Archetypes and the Collective Unconscious (Collected Works 9i)
C.G. Jung
- pace
- prose
- structure
- bleakness
3 of 6 directions open — nothing to recover from, nothing denser, nothing slower
More like it
Same meditative register, still philosophy
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Tao Te Ching
Lao Tzu1842
A collection of 81 short poetic verses outlining the principles of the Tao. It focuses on balance, inaction, and the flow of the natural world.
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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.
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Self-Reliance and Other Essays
Ralph Waldo Emerson1993
A collection of 19th-century lectures advocating for individualism and nonconformity. The prose is dense, formal, and philosophical.
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Walden or, Life in the Woods
Henry David Thoreau1849
A man spends two years living in a cabin in the woods to observe nature and simplify his life. It is a series of slow, philosophical essays.
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1 more ↓ ↑
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Letters to a Young Poet
Rainer Maria Rilke
A series of ten letters from a famous poet to an aspiring soldier. He offers advice on solitude, sexuality, and the inner life of an artist.
pace0·prose-1·bleak0

Faster
- pace+3prose-3bleak+1
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.
meditative → 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.
meditative → 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.
meditative → 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.
meditative → 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.
meditative → earnest
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Heavier
- pace+1prose-1bleak+3
Being Mortal
Atul Gawande2014
A surgeon examines how modern medicine handles aging and death. He argues for prioritizing quality of life over the extension of it.
meditative → tender, still philosophy
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War Is a Force That Gives Us Meaning
Chris Hedges2002
A war correspondent analyzes how societies use conflict to create a sense of national purpose. He uses history and personal experience.
meditative → elegiac, still philosophy
pace+1·prose-1·bleak+3

3 more ↓ ↑
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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.
meditative → sardonic
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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.
meditative → 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.
meditative → bleak
pace+2·prose-3·bleak+3
