The Last Folk Hero: The Life and Myth of Bo Jackson

Grandma Gatewood's Walk

Ben Montgomery2014

A 67-year-old woman hikes the 2,050-mile Appalachian Trail alone in 1955. The book follows her daily survival and the media attention she attracts.

pace-1·prose0·bleak0

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.

warm → meditative

pace-2·prose+2·bleak-1

Antifragile

Nassim Nicholas Taleb2012

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

warm → reflective

pace-1·prose+2·bleak0

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.

warm → mysterious

pace-2·prose+2·bleak0

David and Goliath

Malcolm Gladwell2013

A series of case studies arguing that perceived disadvantages can become strengths. It covers topics from dyslexia to the civil rights movement.

warm → earnest

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My Lucky Life in and Out of Show Business

Dick Van Dyke2011

Dick Van Dyke recounts his career from radio to sitcoms and film. He focuses on his work ethic, his co-stars, and his personal struggles.

Same warm register

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The Good Neighbor

Maxwell King2018

A chronological account of Fred Rogers' life and career. It uses archives and interviews to document his development of Mister Rogers' Neighborhood.

Same warm register, still biography

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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.

warm → playful

pace+1·prose-1·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.

warm → playful

pace+1·prose-1·bleak-1

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.

warm → earnest

pace+1·prose-1·bleak-1

Confessions of a prairie bitch

Alison Arngrim2010

The actress who played Nellie Oleson recounts her time on Little House on the Prairie and her subsequent life in activism.

warm → tender, still biography

pace-2·prose0·bleak0

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.

warm → meditative

pace-2·prose+2·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.

warm → mysterious

pace-2·prose+2·bleak0

Escape from Camp 14

Blaine Harden2012

The biography of Shin Dong-hyuk, the only person born in a North Korean political prison camp known to have escaped.

warm → bleak, still biography

pace0·prose0·bleak+2

Nagasaki

Susan Southard2015

A historical account follows five survivors of the 1945 atomic bombing of Nagasaki across seven decades of their lives.

warm → elegiac, still biography

pace-1·prose0·bleak+2

House of Sticks

Ly Tran2021

A Vietnamese girl grows up in Queens while working in her family's sweatshop. She navigates poverty, failing eyesight, and cultural isolation.

warm → elegiac, still biography

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