After
The Liars' Club
Mary Karr1995
- pace
- prose
- structure
- bleakness
6 of 6 directions open
More like it
- pace0prose-1bleak-1
Running with Scissors
Augusten Burroughs2002
A memoir of a boy living in a chaotic household after his mother leaves him with her unorthodox psychiatrist. There is no supervision or school.
sardonic → wry, still memoir
pace0·prose-1·bleak-1
- pace0prose-1bleak-1
Chanel Bonfire
Wendy Lawless2013
A daughter recounts growing up with a glamorous, alcoholic mother in 1970s New York. She details a childhood of neglect and frequent moves.
sardonic → wry, still memoir
pace0·prose-1·bleak-1
- pace0prose-1bleak0
Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing
Matthew Perry2022
The actor details his career on a major sitcom alongside his decades-long struggle with severe drug and alcohol addiction.
Same sardonic register, still memoir
pace0·prose-1·bleak0
- pace0prose0bleak-1
A heartbreaking work of staggering genius
Dave Eggers2000
A self-aware memoir about a young man raising his eight-year-old brother in California after both of their parents die of cancer.
Same sardonic register, still memoir
pace0·prose0·bleak-1
1 more ↓ ↑
- pace0prose-1bleak0
How to Murder Your Life
Cat Marnell2017
A fashion editor details her daily life balancing a high-profile career with a severe prescription drug addiction and eating disorder.
Same sardonic register, still memoir
pace0·prose-1·bleak0
Denser prose
- pace-1prose+1bleak-2
The Argonauts
Maggie Nelson2015
A memoir of the author's relationship with her partner and her pregnancy. It mixes personal narrative with academic theory on gender and family.
sardonic → meditative, still memoir
pace-1·prose+1·bleak-2
- pace-1prose+1bleak+1
The Gulag Archipeligo 1918-1956: An Experiment In Literary Investigation I - Ii.
Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn
A history of the Soviet forced labor camp system based on survivor reports and the author's own imprisonment. It documents state-run repression.
sardonic → bleak, still memoir
pace-1·prose+1·bleak+1
3 more ↓ ↑
- pace-2prose+1bleak-2
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.
sardonic → playful
pace-2·prose+1·bleak-2
- pace-2prose+1bleak-1
No Archive Will Restore You
Julietta Singh2018
The author examines the history of her own body through the lens of race, desire, and pain. It is a collection of fragments and academic theory.
sardonic → meditative, still memoir
pace-2·prose+1·bleak-1
- pace-2prose+1bleak-1
Either/Or
Søren Kierkegaard1992
A collection of papers presents two life philosophies: the aesthetic pursuit of pleasure and the ethical commitment to duty.
sardonic → meditative
pace-2·prose+1·bleak-1
To recover
sardonic → warm, still memoir
- pace-1prose-2bleak-2
Whiskey in a Teacup
Reese Witherspoon2018
Reese Witherspoon shares recipes, interior design tips, and personal stories centered on Southern lifestyle and hospitality.
pace-1·prose-2·bleak-2
- pace0prose-2bleak-2
The Pioneer Woman
Ree Drummond2011
A city woman moves to a remote cattle ranch after falling in love with a cowboy. She details her transition to country life and farm chores.
pace0·prose-2·bleak-2
3 more ↓ ↑
- pace-1prose-2bleak-2
Everything Beautiful in Its Time
Jenna Bush Hager2020
The author reflects on the lives and deaths of her grandparents, including a former President and First Lady. It is a series of personal essays.
pace-1·prose-2·bleak-2
- pace0prose-2bleak-2
Happy, Happy, Happy
Phil Robertson2013
The founder of Duck Commander recounts his life from a difficult upbringing to business success. He focuses on his faith and outdoor lifestyle.
sardonic → earnest, still memoir
pace0·prose-2·bleak-2
- pace0prose-2bleak-2
Smokin' Seventeen
Janet Evanovich2011
A bounty hunter investigates bodies found in her boss's lot while choosing between three suitors. The story follows her daily mishaps in New Jersey.
sardonic → playful
pace0·prose-2·bleak-2
Faster
- pace+1prose-1bleak0
Into Thin Air: A Personal Account of the Mt. Everest Disaster
Jon Krakauer
A journalist recounts the 1996 Everest disaster. He details the logistical failures and the storm that killed several climbers.
sardonic → tense, still memoir
pace+1·prose-1·bleak0
- pace+1prose-2bleak-2
Catch Me If You Can: The True Story of a Real Fake
Frank W. Abagnale
A teenager poses as a pilot, doctor, and lawyer to cash millions in fraudulent checks. He evades the FBI across several countries.
sardonic → playful, still memoir
pace+1·prose-2·bleak-2
3 more ↓ ↑
- pace+1prose-1bleak0
House to House: An Epic Memoir of War
David Bellavia
An American infantry sergeant provides a room-by-room account of the Second Battle of Fallujah. It focuses on close-quarters urban combat.
sardonic → tense, still memoir
pace+1·prose-1·bleak0
- pace+1prose-1bleak-1
Red Platoon: A True Story of American Valor
Clinton Romesha
A Medal of Honor recipient provides a tactical account of the 2009 Battle of Kamdesh at Combat Outpost Keating.
sardonic → propulsive, still memoir
pace+1·prose-1·bleak-1
- pace+1prose-1bleak-1
Lions of Kandahar: The Story of a Fight Against All Odds
Rusty Bradley
A Special Forces officer recounts the 2006 battle for Sperwan Ghar. The focus is on tactical decisions during a multi-day engagement.
sardonic → propulsive, still memoir
pace+1·prose-1·bleak-1
Slower
- pace-2prose0bleak-1
M Train
Patti Smith2015
A musician travels to various cafes and gravesites around the world. She reflects on her late husband, her favorite books, and her daily rituals.
sardonic → elegiac, still memoir
pace-2·prose0·bleak-1
- pace-2prose+1bleak0
The Education of Henry Adams
Henry Adams
A man writes a sardonic third-person account of his life and his failure to adapt to the technological shifts of the late 19th century.
Same sardonic register, still memoir
pace-2·prose+1·bleak0
3 more ↓ ↑
- pace-2prose+1bleak-2
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.
sardonic → playful
pace-2·prose+1·bleak-2
- pace-2prose+1bleak-1
No Archive Will Restore You
Julietta Singh2018
The author examines the history of her own body through the lens of race, desire, and pain. It is a collection of fragments and academic theory.
sardonic → meditative, still memoir
pace-2·prose+1·bleak-1
- pace-2prose+1bleak-1
Either/Or
Søren Kierkegaard1992
A collection of papers presents two life philosophies: the aesthetic pursuit of pleasure and the ethical commitment to duty.
sardonic → meditative
pace-2·prose+1·bleak-1
Heavier
sardonic → bleak, still memoir
- pace0prose-2bleak+1
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.
pace0·prose-2·bleak+1
- pace-1prose-1bleak+1
When Rabbit Howls
Truddi Chase1987
A woman and her ninety-two distinct personalities document her history of severe childhood trauma and her journey through therapy.
pace-1·prose-1·bleak+1
3 more ↓ ↑
- pace0prose0bleak+1
Wasted
Marya Hornbacher1998
A detailed memoir of the author's decade-long struggle with anorexia and bulimia. It documents hospitalizations and the physical decay of the body.
pace0·prose0·bleak+1
- pace0prose-1bleak+1
A House in the Sky
Amanda Lindhout2013
A freelance journalist is kidnapped in Somalia and held for fifteen months. The memoir details her captivity and the conditions she endured.
sardonic → tense, still memoir
pace0·prose-1·bleak+1
- pace0prose-1bleak+1
A River in Darkness
Masaji Ishikawa2018
A man describes his thirty-six years living in North Korea after moving there from Japan. He recounts extreme poverty and his eventual escape.
pace0·prose-1·bleak+1