Recommendations based on A Short Guide to a Happy Lifeby Anna Quindlen

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

  1. Gift from the Sea

    by Anne Morrow Lindbergh
    Exploring the depths of the ocean, seeking solace and wisdom.

    In this inimitable, beloved classic—graceful, lucid and lyrical—Anne Morrow Lindbergh shares her meditations on youth and age; love and marriage; peace, solitude and contentment as she set them down ... (Goodreads)

  2. Simple Abundance: A Daybook of Comfort and Joy

    by Sarah Ban Breathnach
    A journey towards achieving a more meaningful and abundant life.

    #1, NEW YORK TIMES, BESTSELLER Over 7 million copies sold in 30 languages! Simple Abundance is a book of evocative essays - one for every day of the year - for women who wish to live by their own ... (Barnes & Noble)

  3. On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft

    by Stephen King
    A series of personal reflections on the art of writing, and the power of story-telling.

    "Long live the King" hailed Entertainment Weekly upon the publication of Stephen King's On Writing. Part memoir, part master class by one of the bestselling authors of all time, this superb volume is ... (Goodreads)

  4. Julie and Julia: 365 Days, 524 Recipes, 1 Tiny Apartment Kitchen

    by Julie Powell
    A memoir of a woman's year-long journey to cook all 524 recipes in Julia Child's "Mastering the Art of French Cooking."

    With the humor of Bridget Jones and the vitality of Augusten Burroughs, Julie Powell recounts how she conquered every recipe in Julia Child's Mastering the Art of French Cooking and saved her soul! ... (Goodreads)

  5. Writing Down the Bones: Freeing the Writer Within

    by Natalie Goldberg
    A guide to writing as a spiritual practice, encouraging writers to let go of their inhibitions and write from the heart.

    For more than twenty years Natalie Goldberg has been challenging and cheering on writers with her books and workshops. In her groundbreaking first book, she brings together Zen meditation and writing ... (Goodreads)

  6. The Millionaire Next Door: The Surprising Secrets of America's Wealthy

    by Thomas J. Stanley
    Revealing the secrets of the wealthy, and how anyone can achieve financial success.

    The incredible national bestseller that is changing people's lives – and increasing their net worth!, CAN YOU SPOT THE MILLIONAIRE NEXT DOOR?,, Who are the rich in this country?, What do they do? ... (Goodreads)

  7. Don't Sweat the Small Stuff ... and It's All Small Stuff: Simple Ways to Keep the Little Things From Taking Over Your Life

    by Richard Carlson
    A guide to help readers stop worrying about small things and focus on what really matters in life.

    Don't Sweat the Small Stuff... and it's all small stuff is a book that shows you how to keep from letting the little things in life drive you crazy. In thoughtful and insightful language, author ... (Goodreads)

  8. Lots of Candles, Plenty of Cake

    by Anna Quindlen
    Reflective musings on life, aging and the joys of growing older.

    In this irresistible memoir, the #1 New York Times bestselling author writes about her life and the lives of women today, looking back and ahead - and celebrating it all - as she considers marriage, ... (Goodreads)

  9. Marley and Me: Life and Love With the World's Worst Dog

    by John Grogan
    A heartfelt journey of a family and their beloved, but mischievous, dog.

    John and Jenny were just beginning their life together. They were young and in love, with a perfect little house and not a care in the world. Then they brought home Marley, a wiggly yellow furball of ... (Goodreads)

  10. The Four Agreements: A Practical Guide to Personal Freedom

    by Miguel Ruiz
    A guide to transforming one's life by adopting four simple agreements.

    In The Four Agreements , don Miguel Ruiz reveals the source of self-limiting beliefs that rob us of joy and create needless suffering. Based on ancient Toltec wisdom, the Four Agreements offer a ... (Goodreads)

  11. Codependent No More: How to Stop Controlling Others and Start Caring for Yourself

    by Melody Beattie
    A guide for overcoming codependency and finding a healthier, more fulfilling life.

    In a crisis, it's easy to revert to old patterns. Caring for your well-being during the coronavirus pandemic includes maintaining healthy boundaries and saying no to unhealthy relationships. The ... (Barnes & Noble)

  12. I Feel Bad About My Neck: And Other Thoughts on Being a Woman

    by Nora Ephron
    A humorous and poignant look at the struggles of aging and being a woman in modern society.

    With her disarming, intimate, completely accessible voice, and dry sense of humor, Nora Ephron shares with us her ups and downs in I Feel Bad About My Neck, a candid, hilarious look at women who are ... (Goodreads)

  13. The Richest Man in Babylon

    by George S. Clason
    A collection of parables about financial wisdom and the power of wealth.

    Beloved by millions, this timeless classic holds the key to all you desire and everything you wish to accomplish. This is the book that reveals the secret to personal wealth. The Success Secrets of ... (Goodreads)

  14. The Biology of Belief: Unleashing the Power of Consciousness, Matter and Miracles

    by Bruce H. Lipton
    Examines how the power of belief can affect our lives and environment.

    The Biology of Belief is a groundbreaking work in the field of New Biology. Author Dr. Bruce Lipton is a former medical school professor and research scientist. His experiments, and that of other ... (Goodreads)

  15. Full Catastrophe Living: Using the Wisdom of Your Body and Mind to Face Stress, Pain, and Illness

    by Jon Kabat-Zinn
    Comprehensive guide to using mindfulness meditation to manage stress, pain, and illness.

    2005 15th anniversary edition reprint Kabat-Zinn, founder of the Stress Reduction Clinic at the University of Massachusetts Medical Center, is perhaps the best-known proponent of using meditation to ... (Goodreads)

  16. My Stroke of Insight: A Brain Scientist's Personal Journey

    by Jill Bolte Taylor
    Neuroscientist's journey of recovery from a stroke, learning to rewire her brain and appreciate life.

    Jill Taylor was a 37-year-old Harvard-trained brain scientist when a blood vessel exploded in her brain. Through the eyes of a curious scientist, she watched her mind deteriorate whereby she could ... (Goodreads)

  17. Plan B: Further Thoughts on Faith

    by Anne Lamott
    An examination of faith and its role in the modern world, inspiring readers to find hope and peace.

    From the, New York Times, bestselling author of, Hallelujah Anyway, and, Help, Thanks, Wow, a spiritual antidote to anxiety and despair in increasingly fraught times. As Anne Lamott knows, the world ... (Goodreads)

  18. When Things Fall Apart: Heart Advice for Difficult Times

    by Pema Chödrön
    A guide to finding peace and strength in times of chaos and uncertainty, using Buddhist teachings and personal anecdotes.

    Pema Chödrön's perennially best-selling classic on overcoming life's difficulties cuts to the heart of spirituality and personal growth—now in a newly designed 20th-anniversary edition with a new ... (Barnes & Noble)

  19. Tao Te Ching

    by Lao Tzu
    A collection of wise sayings and reflections on the nature of existence.

    A lucid translation of the well-known Taoist classic by a leading scholar-now in a Shambhala Pocket Library edition. Written more than two thousand years ago, the Tao Teh Ching , or -The Classic of ... (Goodreads)

  20. Left to Tell: Discovering God Amidst the Rwandan Holocaust

    by Immaculée Ilibagiza
    True story of a woman's faith and resilience in the face of the Rwandan genocide.

    Immaculee Ilibagiza grew up in a country she loved, surrounded by a family she cherished. But in 1994 her idyllic world was ripped apart as Rwanda descended into a bloody genocide. Immaculee’s family ... (Goodreads)

  21. Same Kind of Different as Me: A Modern-Day Slave, an International Art Dealer, and the Unlikely Woman Who Bound Them Together

    by Ron Hall
    A story of unlikely friendship and redemption, set in the backdrop of racial and economic divides.

    A dangerous, homeless drifter who grew up picking cotton in virtual slavery. An upscale art dealer accustomed to the world of Armani and Chanel. A gutsy woman with a stubborn dream. A story so ... (Goodreads)

  22. Kitchen Confidential: Adventures in the Culinary Underbelly

    by Anthony Bourdain
    A humorous and unflinching account of life in restaurant kitchens, exploring the culture and camaraderie of the culinary world.

    A deliciously funny, delectably shocking banquet of wild-but-true tales of life in the culinary trade from Chef Anthony Bourdain, laying out his more than a quarter-century of drugs, sex, and haute ... (Goodreads)

  23. Magical Thinking: True Stories

    by Augusten Burroughs
    A collection of autobiographical essays exploring the author's experiences with magical thinking and mental illness.

    From the #1 bestselling author of Running with Scissors and Dry–a contagiously funny, heartwarming, shocking, twisted, and absolutely magical collection. True stories that give voice to the thoughts ... (Goodreads)

  24. 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)

  25. Traveling Mercies: Some Thoughts on Faith

    by Anne Lamott
    A memoir of the author's journey towards faith, filled with humor, honesty, and raw emotion.

    Despite–or because of--her irreverence, faith is a natural subject for Anne Lamott. Since Operating Instructions and Bird by Bird , her fans have been waiting for her to write the book that explained ... (Goodreads)

  26. Daring Greatly: How the Courage to Be Vulnerable Transforms the Way We Live, Love, Parent, and Lead

    by Brené Brown
    An exploration of vulnerability, courage, and the strength to embrace imperfection.

    The #1, New York Times, bestseller. More than 2, million copies sold!,Look for Brené Brown’s new podcast,, Dare to Lead, as well as her ongoing podcast, Unlocking Us,!,From thought leader Brené ... (Barnes & Noble)

  27. Isaac's Storm: A Man, a Time, and the Deadliest Hurricane in History

    by Erik Larson
    Story of the 1900 Galveston hurricane, and one man's desperate struggle to save his city.

    September 8, 1900, began innocently in the seaside town of Galveston, Texas. Even Isaac Cline, resident meteorologist for the U.S. Weather Bureau failed to grasp the true meaning of the strange ... (Goodreads)

  28. A New Earth: Awakening to Your Life's Purpose

    by Eckhart Tolle
    A spiritual guide to finding peace and purpose in life, by transcending the ego.

    The highly anticipated follow-up to the 2,000,000 copy bestselling inspirational book, "The Power of Now" With his bestselling spiritual guide "The Power of Now," Eckhart Tolle inspired millions of ... (Goodreads)

  29. The Five Dysfunctions of a Team: A Leadership Fable

    by Patrick Lencioni
    An exploration of the dynamics of team-building, and how to overcome five common pitfalls.

    In The Five Dysfunctions of a Team Patrick Lencioni once again offers a leadership fable that is as enthralling and instructive as his first two best-selling books, The Five Temptations of a CEO and ... (Goodreads)

  30. Rich Dad, Poor Dad

    by Robert T. Kiyosaki
    A financial literacy guide that explores the power of financial education and investment.

    Rich Dad Poor Dad is Robert's story of growing up with two dads — his real father and the father of his best friend, his "rich dad" — and the ways in which both men shaped his thoughts about money ... (Goodreads)