It’s almost New Year’s Day, and that means it’s time for people to reflect on life and create resolutions for how to live better and be happier. Learning from others’ success is a common approach that’s been popular since 1859, when best-selling author Samuel Smiles wrote and released “Self-Help” and redefined the term “self-improvement.”
Here are seven of the most popular self-help guides for 2017, based on the Amazon best-selling list:
“The Princess Diarist” by Carrie Fisher
“The Princess Diarist” is Fisher’s intimate and revealing recollection of what happened on one of the most famous film sets of all time — and what developed behind the scenes. Since her death last week, Fischer’s book has shot to the top of the charts.
List price: $26.00
Sale price: $15.47
You save: $10.53
“The 5 Love Languages: The Secret to Love that Lasts” by Gary Dr. Chapman
In the #1 New York Times bestseller “The 5 Love Languages,” you’ll discover the secret that has transformed millions of relationships worldwide. Whether your relationship is flourishing or failing, Dr. Gary Chapman’s proven approach to showing and receiving love will help you experience deeper and richer levels of intimacy with your partner — starting today.
List price: $15.99
Sale price: $9.59
You save: $6.40
“Tools of Titans: The Tactics, Routines, and Habits of Billionaires, Icons, and World-Class Performers” by Timothy Ferriss
Best-selling author Timothy Ferriss spent two years interviewing more than 200 world-class performers for his podcast, The Tim Ferriss Show. The guests ranged from celebrities like Jamie Foxx and Arnold Schwarzenegger to world-class athletes to legendary Special Operations commanders. According to Ferriss, “everything within these pages has been vetted, explored and applied to my own life in some fashion. The lessons have made me millions of dollars and saved me years of wasted effort and frustration.”
List price: $28.00
Sale price: $16.80
You save: $11.20
“The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck: A Counterintuitive Approach to Living a Good Life” by Mark Manson
In his wildly popular Internet blog, best-selling author Mark Manson doesn’t sugarcoat or equivocate. He tells it like it is—a dose of raw, refreshing, honest truth that is sorely lacking today. The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F**k is his antidote to the coddling, let’s-all-feel-good mindset that has infected modern society and spoiled a generation, rewarding them with gold medals just for showing up.
List price: $24.99
Sale price: $14.99
You save: $10.00
“The ONE Thing: The Surprisingly Simple Truth Behind Extraordinary Results” by Gary Keller
People are using this simple, powerful concept to focus on what matters most in their personal and work lives. Companies are helping their employees be more productive with study groups, training, and coaching. Sales teams are boosting sales. Churches are conducting classes and recommending for their members. By focusing their energy on one thing at a time people are living more rewarding lives by building their careers, strengthening their finances, losing weight and getting in shape, deepening their faith, and nurturing stronger marriages and personal relationships.
List price: $24.95
Sale price: $19.45
You save: $5.50
“The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing” by Marie Kondo
Japanese cleaning consultant Marie Kondo takes tidying to a whole new level, promising that if you properly simplify and organize your home once, you’ll never have to do it again. Most methods advocate a room-by-room or little-by-little approach, which doom you to pick away at your piles of stuff forever. The KonMari Method, with its revolutionary category-by-category system, leads to lasting results. In fact, none of Kondo’s clients have lapsed (and she still has a three-month waiting list).
List price: $16.99
Sale price: $10.19
You save: $6.80
“The Book of Joy: Lasting Happiness in a Changing World” by Dalai Lama
In April 2015, Archbishop Tutu traveled to the Dalai Lama's home in Dharamsala, India, to celebrate His Holiness's 80th birthday and to create what they hoped would be a gift for others. They looked back on their long lives to answer a single burning question: How do we find joy in the face of life's inevitable suffering? This book offers us a rare opportunity to experience their astonishing week together, from the first embrace to the final good-bye.
List price: $26.00
Sale price: $14.54
You save: $11.46
Note: The AJC receives commissions for purchases made through links in this article.
