Recommendations based on First, We Make the Beast Beautiful: A New Story About Anxietyby Sarah Wilson

* statistically, based on millions of data-points provided by fellow humans

  1. Eggshell Skull

    by Bri Lee
    A memoir of a young woman's experience as a judge's associate in the Australian legal system, and her own journey seeking justice for sexual assault.

    EGGSHELL SKULL: A well-established legal doctrine that a defendant must 'take their victim as they find them'. If a single punch kills someone because of their thin skull, that victim's weakness ... (Goodreads)

  2. The Barefoot Investor: The Only Money Guide You'll Ever Need

    by Scott Pape
    A practical guide to managing personal finances, including budgeting, investing, and reducing debt.

    This is the only money guide you'll ever need That's a bold claim, given there are already thousands of finance books on the shelves. So what makes this one different? Well, you won't be overwhelmed ... (Goodreads)

  3. The Rules Do Not Apply

    by Ariel Levy
    A memoir of a woman's journey of self-discovery, exploring the boundaries of freedom and responsibility.

    A gorgeous, darkly humorous memoir about a woman overcoming dramatic loss and finding reinvention—for readers of Cheryl Strayed and Joan Didion When thirty-eight-year-old New Yorker writer Ariel Levy ... (Goodreads)

  4. The State of Affairs: Rethinking Infidelity

    by Esther Perel
    An exploration of the psychology of cheating and relationships, challenging traditional notions of fidelity and monogamy.

    Iconic couples’ therapist and bestselling author of, Mating in Captivity, Esther Perel returns with a provocative look at relationships through the lens of infidelity. An affair: it can rob a couple ... (Goodreads)

  5. TED Talks: The Official TED Guide to Public Speaking

    by Chris J. Anderson
    A guide to creating and delivering powerful presentations, to captivate and move an audience.

    New York Times, Bestseller , “Catnip for all the TED fans out there.” ,—Publishers Weekly, “The most insightful book ever written on public speaking . . . a must-read.” —Adam Grant, Wharton professor ... (Barnes & Noble)

  6. The Chronology of Water

    by Lidia Yuknavitch
    Intimate memoir of a woman's journey through pain, healing, and transformation.

    This is not your mother’s memoir. In The Chronology of Water, Lidia Yuknavitch expertly moves the reader through issues of gender, sexuality, violence, and the family from the point of view of a ... (Goodreads)

  7. The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma

    by Bessel van der Kolk
    Examining the physical, psychological and emotional effects of trauma, and how to heal.

    A pioneering researcher and one of the world’s foremost experts on traumatic stress offers a bold new paradigm for healing. Trauma is a fact of life. Veterans and their families deal with the painful ... (Goodreads)

  8. Hunger: A Memoir of

    by Roxane Gay
    A candid and raw exploration of body image and its effects on a woman's life.

    From the New York Times bestselling author of Bad Feminist : a searingly honest memoir of food, weight, self-image, and learning how to feed your hunger while taking care of yourself. “I ate and ate ... (Goodreads)

  9. The Gifts of Imperfection

    by Brené Brown
    A guide to self-acceptance, embracing imperfections and finding courage, compassion and connection.

    In this groundbreaking New York Times best seller, Dr. Brené Brown, a research professor and thought leader on vulnerability , courage , worthiness , and shame , shares ten guideposts on the power of ... (Goodreads)

  10. The Happiness Project: Or Why I Spent a Year Trying to Sing in the Morning, Clean My Closets, Fight Right, Read Aristotle, and Generally Have More Fun

    by Gretchen Rubin
    A memoir of a woman's year-long journey to find happiness by making small changes in her daily life.

    #1 New York Times Bestseller “An enlightening, laugh-aloud read. . . . Filled with open, honest glimpses into [Rubin’s] real life, woven together with constant doses of humor.” —,Christian Science ... (Barnes & Noble)

  11. Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear

    by Elizabeth Gilbert
    Overcoming the fear of creativity and living an inspired life.

    Readers of all ages and walks of life have drawn inspiration and empowerment from Elizabeth Gilbert’s books for years. Gilbert offers insights into the mysterious nature of inspiration. She asks us ... (Goodreads)

  12. The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down: A Hmong Child, Her American Doctors, and the Collision of Two Cultures

    by Anne Fadiman
    Exploring the cultural divide between the Hmong people and the medical establishment.

    Lia Lee was born in 1982 to a family of recent Hmong immigrants, and soon developed symptoms of epilepsy. By 1988 she was living at home but was brain dead after a tragic cycle of misunderstanding, ... (Goodreads)

  13. Naturally Tan

    by Tan France
    Memoir of Tan France's journey from a small town in England to becoming a fashion icon and Queer Eye star.

    A, USA Today, Hottest Book of the Summer for 2019! A Best Nonfiction Book for 2019 in, Women's Day,! One of Hello Giggles's "Most Anticipated Books of 2019 to Add to Your Reading List"! “Just when I ... (Barnes & Noble)

  14. How to Murder Your Life

    by Cat Marnell
    A memoir of a young woman's descent into addiction and self-destruction while working in the fashion industry.

    At the age of 15, Cat Marnell unknowingly set out to murder her life. After a privileged yet emotionally-starved childhood in Washington, she became hooked on ADHD medication provided by her ... (Goodreads)

  15. Deep Work: Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World

    by Cal Newport
    Strategies and techniques to help readers stay focused on tasks and achieve greater success.

    One of the most valuable skills in our economy is becoming increasingly rare. If you master this skill, you'll achieve extraordinary results. Deep work is the ability to focus without distraction on ... (Goodreads)

  16. Wild Game: My Mother, Her Lover, and Me

    by Adrienne Brodeur
    A memoir of a daughter's complicated relationship with her mother, who involved her in a decades-long affair.

    A NATIONAL BESTSELLER, “Exquisite and harrowing.” —, New York Times Book Review, “This electrifying, gorgeously written memoir will hold you captive until the last word.” —, People,, NAMED A BEST ... (Barnes & Noble)

  17. A Thousand Naked Strangers: A Paramedic's Wild Ride to the Edge and Back

    by Kevin Hazzard
    A memoir of a paramedic's experiences in Atlanta, Georgia, dealing with life and death situations on a daily basis.

    A former paramedic’s visceral, poignant, and mordantly funny account of a decade spent on Atlanta’s mean streets saving lives and connecting with the drama and occasional beauty that lies inside ... (Barnes & Noble)

  18. Sex Object: A Memoir

    by Jessica Valenti
    A candid memoir about the author's experiences with sexism, objectification, and harassment as a woman in modern society.

    Author and Guardian US columnist Jessica Valenti has been leading the national conversation on gender and politics for over a decade. Now, in a darkly funny and bracing memoir, Valenti explores the ... (Goodreads)

  19. Who Thought This Was a Good Idea?: And Other Questions You Should Have Answers to When You Work in the White House

    by Alyssa Mastromonaco
    A memoir of Alyssa Mastromonaco's time as Deputy Chief of Staff under President Obama, offering insights into the inner workings of the White House.

    If your funny older sister were the former deputy chief of staff to President Barack Obama, her behind-the-scenes political memoir would look something like this . . . Alyssa Mastromonaco worked for ... (Barnes & Noble)

  20. The Fact of a Body: A Murder and a Memoir

    by Alexandria Marzano-Lesnevich
    An exploration of the intersection between personal experience and a murder case, delving into questions of morality and justice.

    Before Alex Marzano-Lesnevich begins a summer job at a law firm in Louisiana, working to help defend men accused of murder, they think their position is clear. The child of two lawyers, they are ... (Goodreads)

  21. The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business

    by Charles Duhigg
    Uncovering the science of habit formation and how to use it to achieve success.

    A young woman walks into a laboratory. Over the past two years, she has transformed almost every aspect of her life. She has quit smoking, run a marathon, and been promoted at work. The patterns ... (Goodreads)

  22. Breaking Night: A Memoir of Forgiveness, Survival, and My Journey from Homeless to Harvard

    by Liz Murray
    A remarkable story of redemption and hope, tracing a young woman's journey from poverty and homelessness to Harvard.

    In the vein of, The Glass Castle, Breaking Night is the stunning memoir of a young woman who at age fifteen was living on the streets, and who eventually made it into Harvard. Liz Murray was born to ... (Barnes & Noble)

  23. Simplicity Parenting: Using the Extraordinary Power of Less to Raise Calmer, Happier, and More Secure Kids

    by Kim John Payne
    A guide to parenting with less stress and fewer material possessions, while creating more meaningful relationships with children.

    Today’s busier, faster, supersized society is waging an undeclared war . . . on childhood. As the pace of life accelerates to hyperspeed–with too much stuff, too many choices, and too little ... (Goodreads)

  24. Drop Dead Healthy: One Man's Humble Quest for Bodily Perfection

    by A.J. Jacobs
    A humorous and informative journey of a man's quest for perfect health, trying out various diets, exercise routines, and health practices.

    New York Times bestselling author and king of “immersion journalism” A.J. Jacobs tackles his most challenging experiment yet: a yearlong mission to radically improve every element of his body and ... (Goodreads)

  25. Imagine: How Creativity Works

    by Jonah Lehrer
    Exploring the science and psychology of creativity to understand how ideas are born and flourish.

    Did you know that the most creative companies have centralized bathrooms? That brainstorming meetings are a terrible idea? That the color blue can help you double your creative output? From the New ... (Goodreads)

  26. The Bedwetter: Stories of Courage, Redemption, and Pee

    by Sarah Silverman
    A comedic account of a woman's journey to overcome her childhood bedwetting.

    From the outrageously filthy and oddly innocent comedienne Sarah Silverman comes a memoir—her first book—that is at once shockingly personal, surprisingly poignant, and still pee-in-your-pants funny. ... (Goodreads)

  27. The Things You Can See Only When You Slow Down: Guidance on the Path to Mindfulness from a Spiritual Leader

    by Haemin Sunim
    A guide to mindfulness and finding inner peace through slowing down and appreciating the present moment.

    "Is it the world that's busy, or is it my mind?" The world moves fast, but that doesn't mean we have to. In this best-selling mindfulness guide - it has sold more than three million copies in Korea, ... (Goodreads)

  28. 101 Essays That Will Change the Way You Think

    by Brianna Wiest
    A collection of thought-provoking essays that challenge readers to question their beliefs and perspectives on life, love, and the world around them.

    Over the past few years, Brianna Wiest has gained renown for her deeply moving, philosophical writing. This new compilation of her published work features pieces on why you should pursue purpose over ... (Goodreads)

  29. The Opposite of Loneliness: Essays and Stories

    by Marina Keegan
    Collection of essays and stories exploring love, loss, and the complexities of life.

    An affecting and hope-filled posthumous collection of essays and stories from the talented young Yale graduate whose title essay captured the world’s attention in 2012 and turned her into an icon for ... (Goodreads)

  30. Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones

    by James Clear
    A practical guide to creating and maintaining good habits, and breaking bad ones, using small, incremental changes.

    No matter your goals, Atomic Habits offers a proven framework for improving–every day. James Clear, one of the world's leading experts on habit formation, reveals practical strategies that will teach ... (Goodreads)