LitQueuelitqueue

After

The Wives of Henry VIII

Antonia Fraser1992

6 of 6 directions open

More like it

1 more ↓

  • Michael Collins

    Tim Pat Coogan1990

    A biography of the Irish revolutionary leader from his guerrilla warfare tactics to his death in the Civil War. It details his political organizing.

    Same elegiac register, still biography

    pace0·prose0·bleak0

Denser prose

3 more ↓

  • Either/Or

    Søren Kierkegaard1992

    A collection of papers presents two life philosophies: the aesthetic pursuit of pleasure and the ethical commitment to duty.

    elegiac → meditative

    pace-1·prose+2·bleak-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.

    elegiac → bleak, still history

    pace0·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.

    elegiac → sardonic, still history

    pace0·prose+2·bleak0

To recover

3 more ↓

  • Leadership

    Doris Kearns Goodwin2018

    A study of Abraham Lincoln, Theodore Roosevelt, FDR, and Lyndon Johnson. It examines how they developed and used their leadership skills.

    elegiac → earnest, still biography

    pace0·prose0·bleak-2

  • His Excellency: George Washington

    Joseph J. Ellis

    A chronological study of Washington's character and leadership. It focuses on his evolution from a young soldier to a national figurehead.

    elegiac → meditative, still biography

    pace0·prose+1·bleak-2

  • Elizabeth the Queen: The Life of a Modern Monarch

    Sally Bedell Smith

    A chronological biography of Elizabeth II covering her private life, public duties, and interactions with world leaders.

    elegiac → earnest, still biography

    pace0·prose0·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.

    elegiac → playful

    pace+2·prose-1·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.

    elegiac → playful

    pace+2·prose-1·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.

    elegiac → earnest

    pace+2·prose-1·bleak-2

Slower

3 more ↓

  • The Frontier in American History

    Frederick Jackson Turner1920

    A series of essays arguing that the American character and democracy were shaped by the continuous expansion into the western wilderness.

    elegiac → clinical, still history

    pace-1·prose+1·bleak-2

  • 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.

    elegiac → meditative

    pace-1·prose+2·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.

    elegiac → mysterious

    pace-1·prose+2·bleak-1

Heavier

3 more ↓

  • Trail of Tears: The Rise and Fall of the Cherokee Nation

    John Ehle

    A historical account of the Cherokee Nation's political struggles and their forced removal from ancestral lands in the 1830s.

    Same elegiac register, still biography

    pace0·prose0·bleak+1

  • Hitler: A Study in Tyranny – A Classic Biography: Authoritative and Readable, Abridged

    Alan Bullock

    A detailed biography of Adolf Hitler that focuses on his rise to power and his psychological control over the German state.

    elegiac → clinical, still biography

    pace0·prose+1·bleak+1

  • 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.

    Same elegiac register, still history

    pace0·prose0·bleak+1