LitQueuelitqueue

After

The Real Lincoln: A New Look at Abraham Lincoln, His Agenda, and an Unnecessary War

Thomas J. DiLorenzo

6 of 6 directions open

More like it

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  • Hood Feminism

    Mikki Kendall2020

    A collection of essays arguing that mainstream feminism ignores basic survival needs like housing, hunger, and gun violence.

    Same sardonic register

    pace0·prose0·bleak0

Denser prose

3 more ↓

  • 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.

    sardonic → clinical

    pace-1·prose+2·bleak+1

  • The Annals of Imperial Rome

    Tacitus1956

    A Roman historian chronicles the reigns of emperors from Tiberius to Nero. He focuses on the corruption of power and the decline of political liberty.

    Same sardonic register

    pace-1·prose+2·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.

    sardonic → meditative

    pace-2·prose+2·bleak-1

To recover

3 more ↓

  • Starter Villain

    John Scalzi2023

    A substitute teacher inherits his uncle's secret supervillain business, including a volcano lair and talking cats.

    sardonic → wry

    pace0·prose-1·bleak-1

  • The Sentinel

    Lee Child2020

    A drifter helps an IT manager targeted by criminals after a cyberattack. He uses physical force to protect the man and uncover a conspiracy.

    sardonic → propulsive

    pace0·prose-1·bleak-1

  • Playing with Fire

    Gena Showalter2006

    A barista gains elemental superpowers after being poisoned and must flee from a government agent. They eventually work together to escape.

    sardonic → playful

    pace0·prose-1·bleak-1

Faster

3 more ↓

  • 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.

    sardonic → 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.

    sardonic → 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.

    sardonic → earnest

    pace+1·prose-1·bleak-1

Slower

3 more ↓

  • 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.

    sardonic → 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.

    sardonic → mysterious

    pace-2·prose+2·bleak0

  • The Red Book: Liber Novus

    C.G. Jung2009

    A psychologist records his visions and internal dialogues in an illuminated manuscript created during a period of intense self-exploration.

    sardonic → dreamlike

    pace-2·prose+2·bleak0

Heavier

sardonic → clinical, still political history

3 more ↓

  • Churchill's Secret War: The British Empire and the Ravaging of India During World War II

    Madhusree Mukerjee

    An investigation into the 1943 Bengal Famine. It examines how Winston Churchill’s wartime policies contributed to millions of Indian deaths.

    sardonic → bleak, still political history

    pace-1·prose0·bleak+2

  • Stalin: The Court of the Red Tsar

    Simon Sebag Montefiore

    A history of Stalin’s inner circle and private life from the 1920s to his death. It focuses on the social dynamics of the Soviet leadership.

    sardonic → cold, still political history

    pace0·prose0·bleak+2

  • 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.

    Same sardonic register

    pace0·prose0·bleak+2