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: Joy, Emotions/Behavior: Gratitude, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Relationships: Friendship, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality

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

In The Book of Joy: Lasting Happiness in a Changing World, co-authors Douglas Abrams, His Holiness the Dalai Lama, and Archbishop Desmond Tutu share their discussion on the nature of joy and the methods to achieve it in the face of adversity. Originally published in 2016, this work falls within the genre of spiritual and self-help literature. The Dalai Lama, the exiled spiritual leader of Tibet, and Archbishop Tutu, a leader in the fight against... Read The Book of Joy Summary


Publication year 2019

Genre Graphic Novel/Book, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Friendship, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Relationships: Teams, Self Discovery

Tags Children's Literature, Fantasy, Self Help, Philosophy, Animals


Publication year 2007

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Life/Time: Aging, Identity: Mental Health, Identity: Disability

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


Publication year 1993

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Life/Time: The Future, Natural World: Environment, Self Discovery

Tags Religion / Spirituality, Philosophy, Inspirational, Fantasy, Philosophy, Self Help, Action / Adventure

The Celestine Prophecy: An Adventure is a 1993 novel by James Redfield. A bestseller, the novel is a compilation of New Age philosophical and spiritual concepts, which Redfield labels as insights, that are loosely connected by a plot that follows the narrator’s search for them in the Peruvian jungle. An ancient manuscript is rumored to have been discovered, and the insights in the Manuscript claim that the end of the 20th century will witness a... Read The Celestine Prophecy Summary


Publication year 2011

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Relationships: Teams, Society: Economics

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


Publication year 2009

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Relationships: Teams, Identity: Language

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


Publication year 2017

Genre Biography, Nonfiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Life/Time: The Past

Tags Psychology, Health / Medicine, History: European, WWII / World War II, Holocaust, Military / War, History: World, Psychology, Self Help, Biography


Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Equality, Relationships: Teams, Self Discovery, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Identity: Language

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


Publication year 2021

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Identity: Mental Health, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Life/Time: The Future

Tags Inspirational, Self Help, Psychology, Psychology, Philosophy, Philosophy, Mental Illness


Publication year 2021

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Identity: Mental Health, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger

Tags Self Help, Health / Medicine, Psychology, Science / Nature, Sports, Psychology, Philosophy, Philosophy, Mental Illness


Publication year 2010

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Self Discovery

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


Publication year 2013

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Identity: Mental Health, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Relationships: Friendship, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt

Tags Self Help, Business / Economics, Psychology, Philosophy

The Courage to Be Disliked is a 2013 nonfiction self-help and psychology book written by Ichiro Kishimi and Fumitake Koga. Structured as a Socratic dialogue between a youth and a philosopher, the book introduces Alfred Adler’s psychological theories, addressing common challenges and points of confusion in the context of real-world application.Kishimi is a Japanese philosopher, psychologist, teacher, and translator who has studied Adlerian psychology and Greek philosophy for decades. Koga, a Japanese writer, encountered Adlerian... Read The Courage to Be Disliked Summary


Publication year 2023

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Identity: Mental Health, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: New Age, Identity: Language

Tags Arts / Culture, Music, Philosophy, Self Help, Psychology, Business / Economics, Philosophy, Psychology


Publication year 2016

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Self Discovery, Society: Education

Tags Philosophy, Self Help, Psychology, Leadership/Organization/Management, Business / Economics, History: World, Psychology, Philosophy, Religion / Spirituality


Publication year 2018

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Society: Class, Society: Community, Identity: Mental Health, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Life/Time: The Past, Identity: Disability, Life/Time: The Future, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Natural World: Nurture v. Nature, Society: Education, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth

Tags Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Mental Illness, Science / Nature, Health / Medicine, Education, Education, Parenting, Psychology, Psychology, Self Help


Publication year 1973

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Values/Ideas: Art

Tags Psychology, Philosophy, Religion / Spirituality, Grief / Death, Anthropology, Anthropology, Science / Nature, Sociology, Psychology, Philosophy, Self Help

The Denial of Death was written by the American cultural anthropologist Ernest Becker and published in 1973. The work explores the fear of death and the ways in which rituals and beliefs have helped humans to cope with it throughout history. It was inspired by the fact that Becker had been diagnosed with terminal colon cancer. Over the course of his life, he taught at several prestigious universities, including Syracuse University, UC Berkeley, and, by... Read The Denial of Death Summary


Publication year 2007

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Tags Self Help, Education, Education, Business / Economics, Inspirational, Psychology, Psychology

Book Details & Major ThemesJon Gordon’s 2007 self-help book The Energy Bus: 10 Rules to Fuel Your Life, Work, and Team with Positive Energy was a Wall Street Journal best-seller and tells the fictional tale of a man named George who, after a chance meeting with a unique bus driver, triumphs over serious career and marital problems using the power of positive energy. Both a work of fiction and a how-to manual on team-building, The... Read The Energy Bus Summary


Publication year 1978

Genre Reference/Text Book, Nonfiction

Themes Society: Community, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Identity: Gender, Identity: Mental Health, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Marriage, Relationships: Mothers

Tags Education, Education, Psychology, Psychology, Relationships, Mental Illness, Self Help


Publication year 2006

Genre Reference/Text Book, Nonfiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Masculinity, Identity: Gender, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: Aging, Life/Time: Midlife, Relationships: Marriage, Relationships: Mothers, Natural World: Nurture v. Nature

Tags Psychology, Science / Nature, Health / Medicine, Self Help, Gender / Feminism, Relationships, Love / Sexuality


Publication year 2009

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Values/Ideas: New Age

Tags Self Help, Philosophy, Religion / Spirituality