Self-Help Books

Self-Help Books describes a diverse selection of titles that focus on self-discovery and self-improvement. The self-help genre is characterized by literature that shares research and advice to promote self-understanding and prompt changes in one's outlook or behavior, thus improving one's quality of life. The Self-Help Collection features texts that discuss topics ranging from business and personal finance to interpersonal relationships, mental health, and sexuality.

Publication year 2016

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Apathy, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Win & Lose, Self Discovery, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Society: Economics, Society: Nation, Society: Politics & Government

Tags Self Help, Psychology, Philosophy, Business / Economics, Humor, Grief / Death, Psychology, Philosophy, Mental Illness


Publication year 2018

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Natural World: Nurture v. Nature, Relationships: Teams, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance

Tags Psychology, Self Help, Business / Economics, Education, Science / Nature, Leadership/Organization/Management, Parenting


Publication year 1982

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Tags Philosophy, Psychology, Psychology, Philosophy, Self Help, Humor, Classic Fiction, Religion / Spirituality

The Tao of Pooh, by Benjamin Hoff, is an introduction to the philosophy of Taoism. Hoff uses Winnie-the-Pooh and other characters from A.A. Milne’s well-known children books to exemplify and explain these principles. The primary character, Pooh, exhibits many qualities that produce contentment. The literal meaning of Tao is “the way,” and the goal of the way is the kind of contentment that Pooh possesses.Many of the book’s passages are devoted to Taoist concepts such... Read The Tao Of Pooh Summary


Publication year 2014

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Society: Education, Relationships: Daughters & Sons

Tags Psychology, Parenting, Science / Nature, Education, Education, Psychology, Self Help, Health / Medicine

The Teenage Brain: A Neuroscientist’s Survival Guide to Raising Adolescents and Young Adults (2014) is by American neurologist Frances E. Jensen with journalist Amy Ellis Nutt. A New York Times bestseller, the book was nominated for the PEN/E.O. Wilson Prize for Literary Science Writing. The Teenage Brain is a guide to the workings of the adolescent brain aimed at parents. Using scientific research data combined with real-life stories and anecdotes, the author explains the changes... Read The Teenage Brain Summary


Publication year 1992

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality

Tags Religion / Spirituality, Philosophy, Self Help, Grief / Death, Psychology, Psychology, Philosophy, Classic Fiction


Publication year 2000

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Society: Economics, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Life/Time: The Future

Tags Business / Economics, Sociology, Psychology, Self Help, Leadership/Organization/Management, Science / Nature, Psychology

Malcolm Gladwell’s The Tipping Point (2000) is an interdisciplinary work of popular sociology and psychology that explores the concept of the tipping point, a moment of sudden change that occurs in social epidemics. Gladwell explores how social epidemics work and offers many case studies and illustrative research to bolster his novel arguments about how epidemics “tip.” The book began as an article for The New Yorker. This guide refers to the first edition of the... Read The Tipping Point Summary


Publication year 1994

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Society: Economics, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Self Discovery

Tags Finance / Money / Wealth, Self Help, Business / Economics, Religion / Spirituality


Publication year 1991

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Society: Community, Emotions/Behavior: Gratitude

Tags Christian literature, Inspirational, Philosophy, Religion / Spirituality, Modern Classic Fiction, Philosophy, Self Help


Publication year 2007

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Identity: Mental Health, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Self Discovery

Tags Self Help, Religion / Spirituality, Inspirational, Psychology, Psychology, Philosophy, Philosophy, Mental Illness, Health / Medicine

Michael A. Singer’s The Untethered Soul: The Journey Beyond Yourself, originally published in 2007, is a spiritual self-help book about living life from the point of view of centered consciousness. Identifying with the nonstop chaos of thinking, emotion, and stimulus in our minds causes most of our problems, and Singer offers insight about how to identify as pure awareness and simply notice our experiences pass by without identifying with them. He discusses how our levels... Read The Untethered Soul Summary


Publication year 2019

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Apathy, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Identity: Mental Health

Tags Psychology, Science / Nature, Self Help, Sociology, Arts / Culture, Technology, Business / Economics, Psychology, Philosophy, Philosophy, Religion / Spirituality


Publication year 2002

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Art, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Fame, Identity: Language

Tags Business / Economics, Self Help, Arts / Culture, Psychology, Philosophy, Leadership/Organization/Management, Psychology, Philosophy


Publication year 2021

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Identity: Mental Health, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict

Tags Self Help, Religion / Spirituality, Psychology, Inspirational, Psychology, Philosophy, Philosophy, Mental Illness


Publication year 1758

Genre Essay / Speech, Nonfiction

Tags History: U.S., Business / Economics, History: World, Philosophy, Philosophy, Finance / Money / Wealth, Self Help, Classic Fiction

The essay begins as Poor Richard addresses his audience, “Courteous Reader,” and admits that few “other learned authors” have quoted him, despite his being “an eminent author of almanacs annually now a full quarter of a century” (1). Poor Richard does take solace in the fact that “[his] writings produce [him] some solid pudding” (1) thanks to the people who buy his work, whom he describes as “the best judges of [his] merit” (2). Because... Read The Way To Wealth Summary


Publication year 2003

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Identity: Gender, Identity: Masculinity, Values/Ideas: Equality

Tags Gender / Feminism, Love / Sexuality, Relationships, Psychology, Philosophy, Social Justice, Sociology, Psychology, Philosophy, Self Help, Politics / Government


Publication year 1951

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Identity: Mental Health, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Self Discovery

Tags Philosophy, Psychology, Religion / Spirituality, Psychology, Philosophy, Mental Illness, Self Help


Publication year 2015

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Self Discovery, Society: Economics, Society: Globalization, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology

Tags Education, Education, Science / Nature, Sociology, Psychology, Psychology, Philosophy, Philosophy, Self Help, Arts / Culture


Publication year 2021

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Society: Community

Tags Business / Economics, Education, Education, Science / Nature, Psychology, Psychology, Philosophy, Philosophy, Self Help


Publication year 1937

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Relationships: Teams, Society: Economics, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality

Tags Self Help, Finance / Money / Wealth, Business / Economics, Psychology, Psychology, Philosophy, Philosophy

Originally published in 1937, Napoleon Hill’s Think and Grow Rich is widely acknowledged as a foundational text in the field of self-help literature. The book mainly revolves around the themes of The Mystical Power of Positive Thinking, Setting Goals and Persistence, and Desire and Motivation in Personal and Financial Growth. Through anecdotes and practical strategies that Hill claims came from his intimate knowledge of business luminaries such as Andrew Carnegie, Hill promises to catalyze personal... Read Think and Grow Rich Summary


Publication year 2011

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Society: Economics, Society: Politics & Government

Tags Psychology, Science / Nature, Self Help, Leadership/Organization/Management, Business / Economics, Psychology, Philosophy, Philosophy

Thinking, Fast and Slow (2011), written by Nobel Laureate Daniel Kahneman, examines how people exercise judgment and make decisions. It draws from Kahneman’s long career—particularly his collaboration with fellow psychologist Amos Tversky beginning in 1969—identifying the mechanisms, biases, and perspectives that constitute human decision-making. Its 38 chapters provide detailed information affecting disciplines ranging from mathematics to law. The book was named one of the best books of 2011 by The New York Times and The... Read Thinking, Fast and Slow Summary


Publication year 1991

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt

Tags Business / Economics, Self Help, Science / Nature, Leadership/Organization/Management, Psychology, Psychology, Politics / Government