The term ‘self help book’ can often have negative connotations of being dreary and self indulgent literature – but this isn’t always true. The best self help books can help us navigate tough life events, a nebula of complex emotions and other personal problems.
Of course, when you think of self help books, your mind probably jumps to How To Win Friends and Influence People or Atomic Habits. Whilst these are classics in the realm of ‘self help’, there’s a growing plethora of great self help books that you need to be adding to your to-read list.
Here’s a selection of some of the best self help books to help you navigate whatever life throws at you.
The best self help books 2024
01
Never Split the Difference: Negotiating As If Your Life Depended On It by Chris Voss and Tahl Raz (2016)
from $21 at Booktopia
Best for: Those who struggle to say ‘no’.
Penned by a former FBI hostage, Never Split the Difference is your guide to learning to negotiate in any facet of life. Chris Voss defines the art of negotiation through nine key principles that will give you an ultra-competitive edge when you’re faced with a tough stand-off.
Available at:
- $29 from Amazon
- $25 from Dymocks
- $24 from Catch of the Day
02
Maybe You Should Talk To Someone: A Therapist, HER Therapist, and Our Lives by Lori Gottlieb
from $26.95 at Booktopia
Best for: Someone after a non-conventional self help book.
What happens when a therapist needs a therapist? Lori Gottlieb’s world was turned upside down when her long-term boyfriend broke up with her out of the blue. In her book, Maybe You Should Talk To Someone, Lori depicts the experience of going through a universally awful experience as a therapist herself.
Though it’s not your conventional self-help read, the book has received a number of impressive accolades including book of the year by O, the Oprah Magazine, People and TIME Magazine.
Available at:
- $33 from Dymocks
- $30 from Abbey’s Bookshop
- $ from Amazon
03
Burnout: The Secret to Unlocking the Stress Cycle by Emily Nagoski and Amelia Nagoski (2019)
from $19.25 at Amazon
Best for: If you’re chronically burned out.
Did you know there’s a huge gender gap when it comes to burnout? According to the 2021 Women in the Workplace report, the burnout gap between men and women has nearly doubled since 2020. The gender burnout gap is even more prevalent in couples who are parents. Research shows that on average, working mums are 28 per cent more likely to experience burnout than working dads.
Emily Nagoski and Amelia Nagoski’s book, Burnout, gives women practical tools and lessons to help end the cycle of feeling overwhelmed and exhausted.
Available at:
- $34 from Booktopia
- $25 from Dymocks
- $21.75 from Angus & Robertson
04
Break the Cycle: A Guide to Healing Intergenerational Trauma by Mariel Buqué (2024)
from $29.75 at Booktopia
Break the Cycle is part research-based, part anecdotes from the therapist’s office and part extrapolatable lessons on how to cease the cycle of trauma for generations to come.
Available at:
05
She’s on the Money: Take charge of your financial future by Victoria Devine (2021)
$32.99 at Dymocks
Victoria Devine has built a dedicated fan base with her down-to-earth, non-judgemental approach to women’s financial literacy. Using her experience as a financial adviser, Victoria’s book, She’s on the Money, teaches women real-world hard skills to learning about money.
Available at:
06
Fake Love: Understanding and Healing from Narcissistic Abuse by Nova Gibson (2023)
$27.50 at Booktopia
Being in a relationship with a narcissist who inflicted abuse on you can be beyond traumatic. Nova Gibson’s book Fake Love was one of the best-selling self help books of 2023. In the book, Nova shares lived experience of victim of narcissistic abuse to help people identify the behaviours and heal from their traumatic experiences.
Available at:
