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 1999

Genre Reference/Text Book, Nonfiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Joy, Self Discovery, Identity: Language

Tags Psychology, Self Help, Relationships, Parenting, Leadership/Organization/Management, Business / Economics, Psychology


Publication year 2008

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Society: Economics, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Society: Politics & Government

Tags Self Help, Psychology, Business / Economics, Science / Nature, Sociology, Psychology, Politics / Government

In 2021 the behavioral economists Richard H. Thaler and the legal scholar Cass R. Sunstein released an updated, “final” version of their 2008 book Nudge: Improving Decisions about Health, Wealth, and Happiness. Drawing on research from psychology, economics, sociology, and elsewhere, Thaler and Sunstein make the case for the importance of “nudges.” Nudges, according to these authors, are “aspects of choice architecture” that predictably alter behavior without forbidding or commanding anything (8). Choice architecture refers... Read Nudge Summary


Publication year 1969

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Relationships: Family

Tags Science / Nature, Psychology, Philosophy, Philosophy, Self Help, Religion / Spirituality, Psychology, Grief / Death, Health / Medicine

On Death and Dying is a 1969 psychological study by Elisabeth Kübler-Ross. It is best known in popular culture for introducing the five stages of grief: denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance. Kübler-Ross’s work with terminally ill patients inspired the model. She wrote the study as a response to the lack of instruction in medical schools about how to handle the topic of death. It was the very first book written by Kübler-Ross in her... Read On Death and Dying Summary


Publication year 1988

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Society: Economics, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Natural World: Nurture v. Nature

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


Publication year 49

Genre Essay / Speech, Nonfiction

Themes Life/Time: The Past, Life/Time: The Future, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Natural World: Nurture v. Nature

Tags Classical Period, Philosophy, Ancient Rome, History: World, Psychology, Psychology, Philosophy, Self Help, Classic Fiction, Religion / Spirituality


Publication year 2000

Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Art, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Identity: Language

Tags Arts / Culture, Self Help, Biography

Stephen King’s 2000 memoir, On Writing, details King’s formation as an author and provides writing advice. The memoir is divided into five sections: “C.V.,” “What Writing Is,” “Toolbox,” “On Writing,” and “On Living.”In “C.V.,” King provides a curriculum vitae describing how he was formed as a writer. He begins in his early childhood and describes his life with his mother, Nellie, and older brother, David. King’s father is not in the picture, and the family... Read On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft Summary


Publication year 2016

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance

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


Publication year 2005

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Relationships: Teams, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt

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


Publication year 2008

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Society: Economics, Society: Education, Values/Ideas: Fame

Tags Psychology, Business / Economics, Science / Nature, Sociology, Psychology, Self Help

The nonfiction book Outliers: The Story of Success is Malcolm Gladwell’s third book, published in 2008. Gladwell is a prolific writer for the New Yorker, where he has been on staff since 1996. His writing often incorporates research from the social sciences, as in Outliers, in which he makes the case that the way we understand and portray success is wrong. Before joining the staff of the New Yorker, Gladwell was a reporter for the... Read Outliers Summary


Publication year 2023

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Life/Time: Aging, Identity: Mental Health, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: Midlife, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology

Tags Health / Medicine, Science / Nature, Self Help, Sports, Psychology, Psychology


Publication year 1907

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality

Tags Philosophy, Psychology, American Literature, Religion / Spirituality, Science / Nature, Psychology, Philosophy, Self Help, Classic Fiction

Pragmatism: A New Name for Some Old Ways of Thinking (1907) is a philosophical work by the American philosopher and psychologist William James. It consists of eight lectures originally delivered at the Lowell Institute in Boston and at Columbia University in New York. James is closely associated with the philosophy of pragmatism, originally formulated by the American philosopher Charles Sanders Peirce, and this book is considered the major statement of the ideas and principles of... Read Pragmatism Summary


Publication year 2008

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Identity: Mental Health, Natural World: Nurture v. Nature, Society: Education

Tags Business / Economics, Psychology, Science / Nature, Social Science, Sociology, Psychology, Philosophy, Philosophy, Self Help


Publication year 2023

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos

Tags Self Help, Action / Adventure, Military / War


Publication year 2015

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Identity: Language

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


Publication year 2011

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Society: Economics, Relationships: Teams, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed

Tags Business / Economics, Self Help, Leadership/Organization/Management, Philosophy, Philosophy, Biography


Publication year 2012

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Identity: Mental Health, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Friendship, Self Discovery, Society: Education

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


Publication year 2012

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Relationships: Teams, Self Discovery, Society: Community, Society: Education, Values/Ideas: Win & Lose

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

Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking is a nonfiction book by Susan Cain, published in 2012. It is considered part of the psychology and self-help genres. The book made several bestseller lists, including those of the New York Times, the Washington Post, the Los Angeles Times, and National Public Radio. It also was voted the best nonfiction book of 2012 by the Goodreads Choice Awards and has been translated... Read Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking Summary


Publication year 2019

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Fame, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Music, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Values/Ideas: Win & Lose, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance

Tags Business / Economics, Psychology, Self Help, Science / Nature, Education, Sports, Music, Arts / Culture, Education, Leadership/Organization/Management, Psychology


Publication year 2015

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Identity: Mental Health, Identity: Disability, Identity: Masculinity, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Self Discovery, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Courage

Tags Self Help, Psychology, Health / Medicine, Depression / Suicide, Inspirational, Mental Illness, Psychology, Biography


Publication year 2015

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Society: Education, Identity: Language

Tags Psychology, Technology, Relationships, Parenting, Science / Nature, Sociology, Psychology, Self Help, Arts / Culture

Reclaiming Conversation: The Power of Talk in a Digital Age (2015) is a non-fiction work by Sherry Turkle. A clinical psychologist and professor of Social Studies of Science and Technology at MIT, Turkle specializes in human-technology interaction and has decades of experience writing on technology’s problematic effects on human connection. In Reclaiming Conversation, the book’s premise is in the title: Turkle believes that technology has detrimentally taken over human conversation and that we ought to... Read Reclaiming Conversation Summary