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