<p>We read religious inspiration books from time to time. Mostly I like historical fiction.</p>
<p>MOWC–I absolutely love Traveling Mercies. I will add Ann Lamont’s more recent book of essays, Plan B, plus, if you are a writer, her book on writing advice–Bird by Bird, which is really also life advice.</p>
<p>The Gospel According to Moses</p>
<p>Cry the Beloved Country (not self-help or instructional, but this book moved me profoundly)</p>
<p>No More Plastic Jesus by Adam Daniel Finnerty, a book I picked up during a conference at UofWisconsin in 1980.</p>
<p>Death at an Early Age by Jonathan Kozol </p>
<p>I never read a self help book other than a few golf instruction books which are hardly life altering, though they do allow me to continue abusing myself ofn the golf course!</p>
<p>Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance by Robert Pirsig.</p>
<p>My love of reading arrived late but I can’t say I’ve read any life changing books … I had life changing experiences for sure … lots of great books but none life changing.</p>
<p>I admit that this one won’t make my list of life-changing books, but it somehow seems appropriate:</p>
<p>“Getting In” by James Finney Boylan: a wry account of an extended family’s trip to visit Ivy and NESCAC schools. The characters are well drawn and you’ll recognize some of the archetypes immediately!</p>
<p>Great book! OT, but James Boylan is now Jennifer Boylan and wrote a great book called “She’s not There” about her life…</p>
<p>One of the best books I read years ago as a new parent was “Raising Your Spirited Child: A Guide for Parents Whose Child Is More Intense, Sensitive, Perceptive, Persistent, Energetic” by Mary Sheedy Kurcinka which came out in 1991, right around the time I desperately needed parenting advice for dealing with my four year old son (who was diagnosed shortly thereafter with mild Aspergers Syndrome). Although not geared to parenting LD kids it really opened my eyes to how important temperament and learning styles are in everyone’s development. Followed by many others like Howard Gardner’s “Frames of Mind” (multiple intelligences) and Daniel Goleman’s “Emotional Intelligence.”</p>
<p>The Little Engine That Could
(“I think I can, I think I can, I know I can.”)</p>
<p>I know it’s silly but I still say “I think I can” to myself when I’m really pushing it. And I hate hearing people telling themselves they can’t do something; I insist on rephrasing it as a positive statement.</p>
<p>The Little Engine That Could
(“I think I can, I think I can, I know I can.”)</p>
<p>Oh absolutely–this is perhaps one of the most important books for our little ones, as well, as far as their self-development goes. I often buy books for baby showers and this is one I ALWAYS include!</p>
<p>Not me, but my D read the book Exodus by Leon Uris when she was in middle school. She has since re-read the book several times and then followed with dozens of other books on the subject of Israel and the middle east… It transformed her view of herself as an American Jew and led her to major in IR with an emphasis on the middle east. She is going to Israel winter break. Other related books by Uris, The Haj and Mila 18 are favorites.</p>
<p>Oh, oh! I’ve got one–The Secret Garden!!!</p>
<p>What’s important in life, according to this book:</p>
<p>a sense of purpose, human connections, and the natural world. Definitely a guideline I’ve lived by.</p>
<p>Second The Secret Garden as transformational for bookish young girls and Bird by Bird as inspirational for struggling writers.</p>
<p>Changed my life? I did a line-by-line reading of Moby Dick and Hamlet for a one-on-one year long philosophy tutorial during my GAP year. That, plus a thesis paper on LeCorbusier, plus twelve years of Catholic education formed the backbone of my intellect.</p>
<p>I paid the brilliant tutor $20 for two hour sessions.</p>
<p>Fast Food Nation read it a few years ago and cut back substantially on ff. Wish I could say we’ve given it up completely :o</p>
<p>also Trapped in the Mirror about adult children of narcissists.</p>
<p>In sixth grade, I read a biography of Sigmund Freud. (My father just about had a fit!) I think it inspired my interest in the mind, and in psychology.</p>
<p>“Sense and Sensibility” turned me on to Jane Austen, and “Surely You’re Joking, Mr. Feynman” helped me understand my husband and sons’ interest in physics. </p>
<p>“The Omega Rx Zone” by Barry Sears has helped me deal with health issues.</p>
<p>the complete old testament</p>
<p>Blessings of the skinned knee- for self-help, reflective on your life book</p>
<p>Three cups of tea - for how we should and could help others in life</p>
<p>Malignant Self Love–Narcissism Revisited by Sam Vaknin</p>
<p>An amazing book on Narcissistic Personality Disorder and those affected by pathological narcissists. The one single book helped me to understand and label behaviors and events which had always defied explanation in my birth family <em>and</em> more importantly, it made the future actions of my family members become suddenly predictable.</p>
<p>I love book suggestion threads! I’ve written a lot of these down…unfortunately, my “to be read” pile is a bit large at this point.</p>
<p>While not a self help book, I still own my copy of “The Velvet Room” by Zilphia Keatley Snyder which I first read at age 9 or 10 and helped me get through some family dynamics issues I was having at the time. I recently re-read it after more than 30 years.</p>