LitQueuelitqueue

After

The Scramble for Africa: The White Man's Conquest of the Dark Continent from 1876 to 1912

Thomas Pakenham

6 of 6 directions open

More like it

Same sardonic register

1 more ↓

  • Goodbye to All That

    Robert Graves1929

    A poet recounts his childhood and his time as an officer in the trenches of the First World War before leaving England for good.

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Denser prose

3 more ↓

  • Capital: A Critique of Political Economy, Volume 1

    Karl Marx2015

    An analysis of the capitalist mode of production focusing on commodities, surplus value, and the exploitation of labor.

    sardonic → clinical

    pace0·prose+1·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.

    sardonic → meditative

    pace-1·prose+1·bleak-2

  • Antifragile

    Nassim Nicholas Taleb2012

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

    sardonic → reflective

    pace0·prose+1·bleak-1

To recover

3 more ↓

  • The cat who blew the whistle

    Lilian Jackson Braun1994

    A journalist and his two Siamese cats investigate a missing railroad enthusiast and a bank scandal. It is a small-town mystery.

    sardonic → playful

    pace0·prose-2·bleak-2

  • Larceny and Old Lace

    Tamar Myers1996

    An antique shop owner investigates the murder of her aunt, who was strangled with a bell pull. She navigates the local collectibles market for clues.

    sardonic → playful

    pace+1·prose-2·bleak-2

  • Year zero

    Reid, Robert2012

    Aliens discover that Earth's music is the best in the galaxy and they owe humanity trillions in copyright fines.

    sardonic → playful

    pace+1·prose-2·bleak-2

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+2·prose-2·bleak-2

  • 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+2·prose-2·bleak-2

  • 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+2·prose-2·bleak-2

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-1·prose+1·bleak-2

  • 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-1·prose+1·bleak-1

  • 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-1·prose+1·bleak-1

Heavier

3 more ↓

  • 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.

    sardonic → bleak

    pace+1·prose-2·bleak+1

  • 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.

    sardonic → earnest

    pace+1·prose-1·bleak+1

  • Hiroshima

    John Hersey

    The book follows six people in Hiroshima during and after the atomic bombing. It records their movements and physical symptoms.

    sardonic → clinical

    pace+1·prose0·bleak+1