
After
What to Eat
Marion Nestle2006
- pace
- prose
- structure
- bleakness
5 of 6 directions open — nothing to recover from
More like it
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Breath
James Nestor2020
A journalist investigates the history and science of human respiration, testing ancient techniques and modern medical findings.
Same earnest register, still investigation
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- pace0prose0bleak0
You're Not Listening
Kate Murphy2020
A journalist examines the psychological and social decline of listening skills through interviews and research. It focuses on how to reconnect.
Same earnest register, still journalism
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- pace0prose0bleak0
Thinking In Pictures: and Other Reports from My Life with Autism
Temple Grandin
An autistic scientist explains how she perceives the world through visual images. She details her work in animal science and sensory processing.
Same earnest register, still science
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The Demon-Haunted World: Science as a Candle in the Dark
Carl Sagan
A scientist explains the scientific method and provides a toolkit for spotting fallacies and pseudoscience.
Same earnest register, still science
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1 more ↓ ↑
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Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience
Mihály Csíkszentmihályi
A psychologist explains his research into the state of total immersion in an activity. He outlines how to achieve this focus in daily life.
Same earnest register, still science
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Denser prose
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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.
earnest → playful
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- pace-1prose+2bleak+1
Either/Or
Søren Kierkegaard1992
A collection of papers presents two life philosophies: the aesthetic pursuit of pleasure and the ethical commitment to duty.
earnest → meditative
pace-1·prose+2·bleak+1

3 more ↓ ↑
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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.
earnest → meditative
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- pace0prose+2bleak+1
Antifragile
Nassim Nicholas Taleb2012
A philosophical exploration of systems that thrive under stress and disorder. It argues against fragility in economics and personal life.
earnest → reflective
pace0·prose+2·bleak+1

- pace-1prose+2bleak+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.
earnest → mysterious
pace-1·prose+2·bleak+1

Faster
- pace+2prose-1bleak+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.
Same earnest register
pace+2·prose-1·bleak+1

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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.
earnest → tender
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3 more ↓ ↑
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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.
earnest → playful
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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.
earnest → playful
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- pace+2prose0bleak+1
Bad Blood
John Carreyrou2018
A journalist tracks the rise of Elizabeth Holmes and the eventual exposure of her multibillion-dollar blood-testing startup as a fraud.
earnest → propulsive, still journalism
pace+2·prose0·bleak+1

Slower
- pace-1prose+2bleak0
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.
earnest → playful
pace-1·prose+2·bleak0

- pace-1prose+2bleak+1
Either/Or
Søren Kierkegaard1992
A collection of papers presents two life philosophies: the aesthetic pursuit of pleasure and the ethical commitment to duty.
earnest → meditative
pace-1·prose+2·bleak+1

3 more ↓ ↑
- pace-1prose+2bleak0
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.
earnest → meditative
pace-1·prose+2·bleak0

- pace-1prose+2bleak+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.
earnest → mysterious
pace-1·prose+2·bleak+1

- pace-1prose+2bleak+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.
earnest → dreamlike
pace-1·prose+2·bleak+1
Heavier
earnest → clinical, still journalism
- pace+1prose+1bleak+3
Hiroshima
John Hersey
The book follows six people in Hiroshima during and after the atomic bombing. It records their movements and physical symptoms.
pace+1·prose+1·bleak+3

- pace+1prose0bleak+3
Columbine
Dave Cullen2009
A journalist reconstructs the 1999 school shooting using police records and the killers' journals to debunk common myths.
pace+1·prose0·bleak+3

3 more ↓ ↑
- pace+1prose0bleak+3
And the Band Played on
Randy Shilts1987
A journalistic account of the early AIDS epidemic. It tracks the spread of the virus and the political response from 1980 to 1985.
Same earnest register, still journalism
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- pace+1prose+1bleak+3
My War Gone By, I Miss It So
Anthony Loyd1999
A journalist reports on the Bosnian War while grappling with his family's military legacy and a personal addiction to heroin.
earnest → bleak, still journalism
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- pace+1prose0bleak+3
Missoula
Jon Krakauer2015
A journalist investigates several sexual assault cases at the University of Montana. He follows the victims, the accused, and the legal process.
Same earnest register, still journalism
pace+1·prose0·bleak+3
