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Woodworking

Willis H. Wagner1961

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  • The Sixth Extinction

    Elizabeth Kolbert2014

    A journalist visits research sites to document the historical and current human-driven loss of species. It tracks five previous mass extinctions.

    Same elegiac register

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Denser prose

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  • Antifragile

    Nassim Nicholas Taleb2012

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

    elegiac → reflective, still nonfiction

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  • Memoirs of my nervous illness

    Daniel Paul Schreber1955

    A German judge documents his elaborate delusions and theological theories during his confinement in a mental asylum.

    Same elegiac register, still nonfiction

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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.

    elegiac → meditative

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To recover

3 more ↓

  • The Da Vinci Code

    Dan Brown2003

    A symbologist and a cryptologist flee the police while solving puzzles hidden in art. They search for a secret regarding the Holy Grail.

    elegiac → propulsive

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  • Fifty Shades of Grey

    E.L. James2000

    A college student enters a sexual contract with a wealthy businessman. The story focuses on their power dynamics and BDSM encounters.

    elegiac → earnest

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  • The Martian

    Andy Weir2011

    A man does arithmetic to stay alive on Mars. Problem, attempt, result, repeat.

    elegiac → wry

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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

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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.

    elegiac → playful

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  • 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 ↓

  • 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

  • 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.

    elegiac → dreamlike

    pace-1·prose+2·bleak-1

Heavier

Same elegiac register, still nonfiction

3 more ↓

  • Rough Sleepers

    Tracy Kidder2023

    A doctor and his team provide medical care to the homeless population of Boston, navigating the limits of the healthcare system.

    elegiac → tender, still nonfiction

    pace-1·prose+1·bleak+1

  • Bellevue

    David M. Oshinsky2016

    A chronological account of America's oldest public hospital, detailing its evolution from a colonial almshouse to a modern medical center.

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  • Behind the Beautiful Forevers: Life, Death, and Hope in a Mumbai Undercity

    Katherine Boo

    A journalist follows several residents of Annawadi, a slum near the Mumbai airport. It tracks their efforts to survive amid corruption and poverty.

    elegiac → eerie, still nonfiction

    pace0·prose+1·bleak+1