After
The Prophet
Kahlil Gibran1900
- pace
- prose
- structure
- bleakness
4 of 6 directions open — nothing to recover from, nothing slower
More like it
- pace0prose0bleak0
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.
Same meditative register, still mentor
pace0·prose0·bleak0
- pace0prose0bleak+1
Modern Man in Search of a Soul
C.G. Jung1933
A collection of essays exploring analytical psychology, dream analysis, and the spiritual limitations of modern Western society.
Same meditative register, still mentor
pace0·prose0·bleak+1
- pace0prose-1bleak0
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.
Same meditative register, still mentor
pace0·prose-1·bleak0
- pace0prose+1bleak0
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.
Same meditative register, still poetry
pace0·prose+1·bleak0
1 more ↓ ↑
- pace0prose+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.
Same meditative register, still philosophical fiction
pace0·prose+1·bleak+1
Denser prose
- pace0prose+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.
Same meditative register, still philosophical fiction
pace0·prose+1·bleak+1
- pace0prose+1bleak0
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.
meditative → playful
pace0·prose+1·bleak0
3 more ↓ ↑
- pace0prose+1bleak+3
Doktor Faustus
Thomas Mann1948
A composer trades his soul for musical genius as his life and the rise of Nazi Germany are chronicled by a concerned friend.
meditative → elegiac, still philosophical fiction
pace0·prose+1·bleak+3
- pace0prose+1bleak0
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.
Same meditative register, still poetry
pace0·prose+1·bleak0
- pace0prose+1bleak0
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.
Same meditative register
pace0·prose+1·bleak0
Faster
- pace+3prose-2bleak+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, still poetry
pace+3·prose-2·bleak+1
- pace+3prose-2bleak0
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, still poetry
pace+3·prose-2·bleak0
3 more ↓ ↑
- pace+3prose-2bleak0
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
pace+3·prose-2·bleak0
- pace+3prose-2bleak0
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
pace+3·prose-2·bleak0
- pace+3prose-2bleak0
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
pace+3·prose-2·bleak0
Heavier
- pace0prose+1bleak+3
Doktor Faustus
Thomas Mann1948
A composer trades his soul for musical genius as his life and the rise of Nazi Germany are chronicled by a concerned friend.
meditative → elegiac, still philosophical fiction
pace0·prose+1·bleak+3
- pace+2prose-1bleak+3
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
pace+2·prose-1·bleak+3
3 more ↓ ↑
- pace+1prose-1bleak+3
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
pace+1·prose-1·bleak+3
- pace+2prose-2bleak+3
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-2·bleak+3
- pace+2prose-1bleak+3
Twelve Years a Slave
Solomon Northup1853
A memoir by a free Black man from New York who is kidnapped and sold into slavery. He details twelve years of labor on Louisiana plantations.
meditative → earnest
pace+2·prose-1·bleak+3
