After
The Lessons of History
Will Durant1968
- pace
- prose
- structure
- bleakness
5 of 6 directions open — nothing slower
More like it
- pace+1prose+1bleak-1
A History of Western Philosophy
Bertrand Russell1945
A chronological survey of philosophers from the Pre-Socratics to the mid-20th century. It links their ideas to the social conditions of their eras.
tense → wry, still history
pace+1·prose+1·bleak-1
- pace+1prose0bleak0
How to Hide an Empire
Daniel Immerwahr2019
A history of the United States focusing on its overseas territories, from the Guano Islands to Puerto Rico and the Philippines.
tense → wry, still history
pace+1·prose0·bleak0
- pace+1prose0bleak+1
The Fort Bragg Cartel
Seth Harp2025
An account of crime and corruption within the U.S. Army's Special Forces based at Fort Bragg.
Same tense register, still history
pace+1·prose0·bleak+1
- pace+1prose0bleak0
The Princes in the Tower
Alison Weir1992
A historical investigation into the 1483 disappearance of Edward V and Richard of Shrewsbury from the Tower of London.
tense → clinical, still history
pace+1·prose0·bleak0
1 more ↓ ↑
- pace+1prose+1bleak-1
Collected Writings: Common Sense / The Crisis / Rights of Man / The Age of Reason / Pamphlets, Articles, and Letters
Thomas Paine
A collection of 18th-century political pamphlets and letters. The author argues for American independence, human rights, and deism.
tense → earnest, still history
pace+1·prose+1·bleak-1
Denser prose
- pace+1prose+2bleak+1
Discipline and Punish: The Birth of the Prison
Michel Foucault
A philosophical history examines the shift from public torture to modern prison surveillance. It analyzes how power controls the body.
tense → clinical, still history
pace+1·prose+2·bleak+1
- pace0prose+2bleak-1
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, still philosophy
pace0·prose+2·bleak-1
3 more ↓ ↑
- pace0prose+2bleak0
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
pace0·prose+2·bleak0
- pace+1prose+2bleak0
Orientalism
Edward W. Said1978
A scholarly critique of how Western academics and artists represent the Middle East to justify imperial power.
tense → clinical, still history
pace+1·prose+2·bleak0
- pace0prose+2bleak-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.
tense → meditative, still philosophy
pace0·prose+2·bleak-1
To recover
- pace+1prose+1bleak-1
A History of Western Philosophy
Bertrand Russell1945
A chronological survey of philosophers from the Pre-Socratics to the mid-20th century. It links their ideas to the social conditions of their eras.
tense → wry, still history
pace+1·prose+1·bleak-1
- pace+1prose-1bleak-1
The Four Agreements
Don Miguel Ruiz1997
A guide to personal conduct based on four principles derived from Toltec traditions. It focuses on changing internal dialogue to reduce suffering.
tense → warm, still philosophy
pace+1·prose-1·bleak-1
3 more ↓ ↑
- pace+1prose+1bleak-1
Collected Writings: Common Sense / The Crisis / Rights of Man / The Age of Reason / Pamphlets, Articles, and Letters
Thomas Paine
A collection of 18th-century political pamphlets and letters. The author argues for American independence, human rights, and deism.
tense → earnest, still history
pace+1·prose+1·bleak-1
- pace+2prose-1bleak-1
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
pace+2·prose-1·bleak-1
- pace+3prose-1bleak-1
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
pace+3·prose-1·bleak-1
Faster
- pace+3prose-1bleak0
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
pace+3·prose-1·bleak0
- pace+3prose-1bleak-1
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
pace+3·prose-1·bleak-1
3 more ↓ ↑
- pace+3prose-1bleak-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.
tense → playful
pace+3·prose-1·bleak-1
- pace+3prose-1bleak-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.
tense → playful
pace+3·prose-1·bleak-1
- pace+3prose-1bleak-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.
tense → earnest
pace+3·prose-1·bleak-1
Heavier
tense → elegiac, still history
- pace+1prose0bleak+2
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.
pace+1·prose0·bleak+2
- pace+1prose0bleak+2
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.
pace+1·prose0·bleak+2
3 more ↓ ↑
- pace+1prose0bleak+2
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
pace+1·prose0·bleak+2
- pace+1prose+1bleak+2
By Hands Now Known
Margaret A. Burnham2022
An investigation into racial violence and legal failures in the Jim Crow South using previously unexamined archives.
pace+1·prose+1·bleak+2
- pace+1prose+1bleak+2
The Great Hunger: Ireland 1845 - 1849
Cecil Woodham-Smith
A detailed record of the Irish Potato Famine, focusing on the failure of British government policy and the resulting mass starvation.
pace+1·prose+1·bleak+2