LitQueuelitqueue

After

The divine farce

Michael S. A. Graziano2009

6 of 6 directions open

More like it

1 more ↓

  • Learning to Be Me

    Jocelyn Golden2005

    hopeful → melancholy, still nonfiction

    pace0·prose0·bleak0

Denser prose

3 more ↓

  • Antifragile

    Nassim Nicholas Taleb2012

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

    hopeful → reflective, still nonfiction

    pace0·prose+1·bleak0

  • 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.

    hopeful → elegiac, still nonfiction

    pace0·prose+1·bleak+2

  • 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.

    hopeful → meditative

    pace-1·prose+1·bleak-1

To recover

3 more ↓

  • Atomic Habits

    James Clear2018

    This guide provides a system for building small daily routines and breaking bad ones. It focuses on the science of incremental behavior change.

    hopeful → earnest, still self-help

    pace+1·prose-2·bleak-1

  • 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.

    hopeful → earnest, still self-help

    pace0·prose-2·bleak-1

  • 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.

    hopeful → wry, still self-help

    pace+1·prose-2·bleak-1

Faster

3 more ↓

  • 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.

    hopeful → earnest

    pace+2·prose-2·bleak0

  • 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.

    hopeful → tender

    pace+2·prose-2·bleak-1

  • 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.

    hopeful → playful

    pace+2·prose-2·bleak-1

Slower

3 more ↓

  • The Art of Happiness

    Dalai Lama XIV1998

    The Dalai Lama discusses his philosophy on mental discipline and suffering through interviews with a psychiatrist. It is a guide to secular ethics.

    hopeful → meditative, still self-help

    pace-1·prose-1·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.

    hopeful → meditative

    pace-1·prose+1·bleak-1

  • God's Junk Drawer

    fiyah Angelou2018

    Same hopeful register, still nonfiction

    pace-1·prose-1·bleak-1

Heavier

hopeful → elegiac, still nonfiction

3 more ↓

  • Rough Sleepers

    Tracy Kidder2023

    A doctor and his team provide medical care to the homeless population of Boston, navigating the limits of the healthcare system.

    hopeful → tender, still nonfiction

    pace-1·prose0·bleak+2

  • Bellevue

    David M. Oshinsky2016

    A chronological account of America's oldest public hospital, detailing its evolution from a colonial almshouse to a modern medical center.

    pace0·prose0·bleak+2

  • Behind the Beautiful Forevers: Life, Death, and Hope in a Mumbai Undercity

    Katherine Boo

    A journalist follows several residents of Annawadi, a slum near the Mumbai airport. It tracks their efforts to survive amid corruption and poverty.

    hopeful → eerie, still nonfiction

    pace0·prose0·bleak+2