50 Psychology Classics 1 Alfred Adler Understanding Human Nature (1927) 2 Gavin de Becker The Gift of Fear: Survival Signals that Protect Us from Violence(1997) 3 Eric Berne Games People Play: The Psychology of Human Relationships (1964) 4 Robert Bolton People Skills: How to Assert Yourself, Listen to Others, and Resolve Conflicts(1979) 5 Edward de Bono Lateral Thinking: Creativity Step by Step (1970) 6 Nathaniel Branden The Psychology of Self-Esteem(1969) 7 Isabel Briggs Myers Gifts Differing: Understanding Personality Type (1980) 8 Louann Brizendine The Female Brain (2006) 9 David D. Burns Feeling Good: The New Mood Therapy (1980) 10 Robert Cialdini Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion (1984) 11 Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi Creativity: Flow and the Psychology of Discovery and Invention (1996) 12 Albert Ellis & Robert A. Harper A Guide to Rational Living (1961) 13 Milton Erickson (by Sidney Rosen) My Voice Will Go With You: The Teaching Tales of Milton H. Erickson, M.D. (1982) 14 Erik Erikson Young Man Luther: A Study in Psychoanalysis and History (1958) 15 Hans Eysenck Dimensions of Personality (1947) 16 Susan Forward Emotional Blackmail: When the People in Your Life Use Fear, Obligation, and Guilt to Manipulate You (1997) 17 Viktor Frankl The Will to Meaning: Foundations and Applications of Logotherapy (1969) 18 Anna Freud The Ego and the Mechanisms of Defence (1936) 19 Sigmund Freud The Interpretation of Dreams (1900) 20 Howard Gardner Frames of Mind: The Theory of Multiple Intelligences (1983) 21 Daniel Gilbert Stumbling on Happiness (2006) 22 Malcolm Gladwell Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking (2005) 23 Daniel Goleman Working with Emotional Intelligence (1998) 24 John M. Gottman The Seven Principles for Making Marriage Work (1999) 25 Harry Harlow The Nature of Love (1958) 26 Thomas A. Harris Im OKYoure OK (1967) 27.Eric Hoffer The True Believer: Thoughts on the Nature of Mass Movements (1951) 28 Karen Horney Our Inner Conflicts: A Constructive Theory of Neurosis (1945) 29 William James The Principles of Psychology (1890) 30 Carl Jung The Archetypes and the Collective Unconscious (1968) 31 Alfred Kinsey Sexual Behavior in the Human Female (1953) 32 Melanie Klein Envy and Gratitude (1957) 33 R. D. Laing The Divided Self: A Study of Sanity and Madness (1960) 34 Abraham Maslow The Farther Reaches of Human Nature (1971) 35 Stanley Milgram Obedience to Authority: An Experimental View(1974) 36 Anne Moir & David Jessel Brainsex: The Real Difference Between Men and Women (1989) 37 Ivan Pavlov Conditioned Reflexes: An Investigation of the Physiological Activity of the Cerebral Cortex (1927) 38 Fritz Perls Gestalt Therapy: Excitement and Growth in the Human Personality (1951) 39 Jean Piaget The Language and Thought of the Child (1923) 40 Steven Pinker The Blank Slate: The Modern Denial of Human Nature (2002) 41 V. S. Ramachandran Phantoms in the Brain: Probing the Mysteries of the Human Mind (1998) 42 Carl Rogers On Becoming a Person: A Therapists View of Psychotherapy (1961) 43 Oliver Sacks The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat: And Other Clinical Tales (1970) 44 Barry Schwartz The Paradox of Choice: Why More Is Less (2004)

45 Martin Seligman Authentic Happiness: Using the New Positive Psychology to Realize Your Potential for Lasting Fulfilment (2002) 46 Gail Sheehy Passages: Predictable Crises of Adult Life (1976) 47 B. F. Skinner Beyond Freedom and Dignity (1971) 48 Douglas Stone, Bruce Patton, & Sheila Heen Difficult Conversations: How to Discuss What Matters Most (1999) 49 William Styron Darkness Visible: A Memoir of Madness (1990) 50 Robert E. Thayer The Origin of Everyday Moods: Managing Energy,Tension, and Stress (1996) 50 More Classics 1 Gordon Allport The Nature of Prejudice (1954):-Standard work on the roots of discrimination that inspired Martin Luther King and Malcom X. 2 Virginia Axline Dibs in Search of Self (1964):-Bestselling classic of child therapy about a withdrawn boys slow journeytoward normal relations with the world. 3 Albert Bandura Self-Efficacy: The Exercise of Control (1997):-How expectations of what we can achieve influence what we actually do achieve, by a leading contemporary psychologist. 4 Aaron T. Beck Cognitive Therapy and the Emotional Disorders (1979):-Landmark work on how erroneous thinking can lead to depression, from the founder of cognitive therapy. 5 Ernest Becker The Denial of Death (1973):-Pulitzer Prize-winning discussion of the lengths that people go to to deny their own mortality. Very Freudian but still a superb read. 6 Bruno Bettelheim The Uses of Enchantment:The Meaning and Importance of Fairy Tales (1976):-Popular and insightful work into the psychology of fairy tales. 7 Alfred Binet & Theodore Simon The Development of Intelligence in Children (1916):-Key work from the pioneers of intelligence testing. 8 John Bradshaw Homecoming: Reclaiming and Championing Your Inner Child (1990):-Practical application of Eriksons stages of human development, showing how adult hang-ups have their roots in earlier turning points not being properly brought to a conclusion. By reclaiming your inner child, you can move on as an adult. 9 John Bowlby Attachment (1969):-The first in a trilogy exploring the motherchild relationship that establishedattachment behavior as an area of psychology. 10 Joseph Breuer & Sigmund Freud Studies on Hysteria (1895):-A book of case studies that was a precursor to psychoanalysis. Its theorythat bizarre hysterical symptoms often result from suppressed painful memories was later disowned by Freud. 11 Jerome Bruner Acts of Meaning: Four Lectures on Mind and Culture(1990):-A founder of cognitive psychology argues for a model of the mind based on the creation of meaning rather than computational processing. 12 Mary Whiton Calkins An Introduction to Psychology (1901):-Worked with William James and was the first female president of the American Psychological Association (1905), yet was denied a PhD by Harvard University. Considered psychology to be the science of the self. 13 Antonio Damasio Descartes Error: Emotion, Reason, and the Human Brain (1994):-Prominent brain researchers theory that debunks the separation of mind and body and shows how emotions form a vital part of rational judgment and decision making. 14 Hermann Ebbinghaus Memory: A Contribution to Experimental Psychology (1885):-Account of first ever experimental lab work into learning and memory,setting a high standard for future research.

15 Leon Festinger Theory of Cognitive Dissonance (1957):-Famous theory of how people try to maintain consistency in their beliefs,even when what they believe has been shown to be wrong. 16 Eric Fromm Escape from Freedom (1941):-Influential study on peoples willingness to submit to fascist regimes,written before the full horror of Nazism became apparent. 17 William Glasser Reality Therapy: A New Approach to Psychiatry (1965):-Alternative approach to mental illness, resting on the idea that mental health means an acceptance of responsibility for ones life. 18 Dennis Greenberger & Christine Padesky Mind Over Mood: Change How You Feel by Changing the Way You Think (1995):-Popular work of powerful cognitive therapy techniques, not just fordepressives. 19 Robert D. Hare Without Conscience: The Disturbing World of the Psychopaths Among Us (1993):- By the worlds foremost sociopathic researcher, showing how sociopathsare aware of the difference between right and wrong yet have no guilt or remorse. 20 Richard Herrnstein & Charles Murray The Bell Curve: Intelligence and Class Structure in American Life (1994):-Caused storm of controversy in its contention that IQ differs according torace. Was wrapped within a broader theory that intelligence, rather thanclass background, has become the new predictor of economic success. 21 Eric Kandel In Search of Memory: The Emergence of a New Science of Mind (2006):-Nobel Prize- winning neuroscientists compelling account of his 30 years work to discover how nerve cells in the brain store memories. Interwoven with personal memories of Vienna under the Nazis and his familys escape to America. 22 David Keirsey & Marilyn Bates Please Understand Me: Character and Temperament Types (1978):-Bestselling personality typing work in the Jung/Briggs Myers tradition, which includes a temperament sorter to determine your type. 23 Joseph Le Doux The Emotional Brain: The Mysterious Underpinnings of Emotional Life (1996):- Leading neuroscientists overview of how the emotional centers and circuits in the brain evolved to ensure our survival. 24 Harriet Lerner The Dance of Anger: A Womans Guide to Changing the Patterns of Intimate Relationships (1985):-Popular work from an expert in female psychology that addresses thetaboo of womens anger, its real sources, and its role in relationships. 25 Daniel J. Levinson The Seasons of a Mans Life (1978):-In its day, groundbreaking work on the male adult life cycle that further developed Erik Eriksons theories. Levinson was a strong influence on Gail Sheehy (see p 260). 26 Kurt Lewin Field Theory in Social Science (1951):-Known as the father of social psychology, Lewins field theory held tha human behavior was the result of a combination between interactions with others (group dynamics) and inner characteristics. 27 Elizabeth Loftus Eyewitness Testimony (1979):-Forensic psychologists attack on the reliability of eyewitness accounts in criminal trials. Also well known for her challenge to the validity of repressed memory syndrome. 28 Konrad Lorenz On Aggression (1963) :-Nobel Prize winners famous study of the killer instinct in humans, and the devastating results of our combination of irrationality and intelligence. 29 Rollo May Love and Will (1969):- Existential psychologists powerful bestseller on the idea that love (orEros) and sex are two different drives. Love motivates our highest achievements, and the opposite of love is not hate but apathy. 30 Douglas McGregor The Human Side of Enterprise (1960):-Psychologist McGregor became a business guru through his categories of management styles into Theory X (directive control by bosses) and Theory Y (employees left to motivate themselves). Inspired by Abraham Maslows humanistic psychologyccess.

31 Hugo Munsterberg Psychology and Crime (1908):-German-born founder of experimental psychology invited to work at Harvard with William James. Was a pioneer in industrial psychology (the behavior of people in the work environment), criminal behavior, and film theory. 32 Richard Nesbitt The Geography of Thought: How Asians and Westerners Think Differently and Why (2003):-Leading psychologists surprising contention that Asian and Western people think differently, challenging assumptions of universal behavior. 33 Sylvia Plath The Bell Jar (1963):-Plaths brilliant fictional (and autobiographical) account of a youngwomans mental breakdown remains compelling reading. 34 Otto Rank The Trauma of Birth (1924):-By one of Freuds original inner circle, describes the separation anxiety felt after birth and how people spend their life trying to recreate the original maternal connection. 35 Wilhelm Reich Character Analysis (1933):-Controversial Austrian psychoanalysts theory that a persons overall character could be analyzed as opposed to specific neuroses, dreams, or mental associations. Also contended that repressed psychosexual energy could take on physical expression in the muscles and organs (body armor). 36 Flora Rheta Schreiber Sybil (1973):-Compelling true story of a woman with 16 personalities and her fight to become an integrated person. Sold millions of copies and scored a mention on television show Frasier. 37 Hermann Rorschach Psychodiagnostics: A Diagnostic Text Based on Perception (1921):-Presents the results of the Swiss psychiatrists psychoanalysis of 400 mental patients and normal subjects, based on his famous ink blot test. 38 Thomas Szasz The Myth of Mental Illness (1960)Famous critique of psychiatry, suggesting that mental illness is in fact usuallyproblems in living. Linking modern psychiatric diagnoses to the Inquisition, Szasz argued against any type of coercive treatment. 39 Virginia Satir Peoplemaking (1972) Family systems therapists influential exploration of family dynamics. 40 Andrew Solomon The Noonday Demon: An Atlas of Depression (2001)Award-winning journey into all facets of depressive illness. Suggests depression will never be eradicated but rather is part of the human condition. 41 Harry Stack Sullivan Interpersonal Theory of Psychiatry (1953)Maverick American psychiatrists explanation of how the self-system or personality is formed by our interpersonal relationships, as opposed to the Freudian inner self. 42 Deborah Tannen You Just Dont Understand: Women and Men in Conversation (1990) No. 1 bestseller by a linguistics professor on why communication can be so difficult between the genders. The first book to bring the subject to a wide audience. 43 Lewis Terman The Measurement of Intelligence (1916) Pioneering cognitive psychologist and inventor of the Stanford-Binet IQ Test (an adaptation of the Binet-Simon test), who believed intelligence was inherited. Also did early work on gifted children. 44 Edward Lee Thorndike Animal Intelligence (1911) American psychological pioneer who demonstrated how all animals learn,using his famous cats in puzzle boxes. 45 Edward B. Titchener Experimental Psychology (four volumes, 190105)Major work of a student of Wilhelm Wundt who helped found the first psychology laboratory in America(cornell university) 46 John B. Watson Behaviorism (1924) A readable book that established the behaviorist school of psychology. 47 Max Wertheimer Productive Thinking (1945)German-American Gestalt psychologists contribution to the art of thinking;specifically, seeing the underlying structure of the problem and taking account of anomalies. 48 Robert Wright The Moral Animal: Why We Are the Way We Are (1995)Influential work of evolutionary psychology that reveals the genetic strategies behind human behaviors, including monogamy, altruism, sibling rivalry, and office politics.

49 Wilhelm Wundt Principles of Physiological Psychology (187374) The book that made Wundt the dominant figure in the new science of psychology. Translated into English by Edward Titchener in 1904. 50 Irvin D Yalom Loves Executioner: and Other Tales of Psychotherapy (1989) Frank exploration of the relationship between psychotherapist and patient, with fascinating case histories. Achint Jaiswal 50 Self-Help Classics 1 James Allen As a Man Thinketh (1902) 2 Steve Andreas & Charles Faulkner (NLP Comprehensive Team)NLP: The New Technology of Achievement(1994) 3 Marcus Aurelius Meditations (2nd century) 4 Martha Beck Finding Your Own North Star: How to Claim the Life You Were Meant to Live (2001) 5 The Bhagavad-Gita 6 The Bible 7 Robert Bly Iron John (1990) 8 Boethius The Consolation of Philosophy (6th century) 9 Alain de Botton How Proust Can Change Your Life (1997) 10 William Bridges Transitions: Making Sense of Lifes Changes(1980) 11 David D. Burns Feeling Good: The New Mood Therapy (1980) 12 Joseph Campbell with Bill Moyers The Power of Myth (1987) 13 Richard Carlson Dont Sweat the Small Stuff And Its All Small Stuff (1997) 14 Dale Carnegie How to Win Friends and Influence People (1936) 15 Deepak Chopra The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success (1994) 16 Paulo Coelho The Alchemist (1993) 17 Stephen Covey The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People (1989) 18 Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience (1990) 19 The Dalai Lama & Howard C. Cutler The Art of Happiness:A Handbook for Living (1998) 20 The Dhammapada (Buddhas teachings) 21 Wayne Dyer Real Magic: Creating Miracles in Everyday Life(1992) 22 Ralph Waldo Emerson Self-Reliance (1841) 23 Clarissa Pinkola Ests Women Who Run with the Wolves(1992) 24 Viktor Frankl Mans Search for Meaning(1959) 25 Benjamin Franklin Autobiography (1790) 26 Shakti Gawain Creative Visualization (1978) 27 Daniel Goleman Emotional Intelligence: Why It Can Matter More than IQ (1995) 28 John Gray Men Are from Mars,Women Are from Venus (1992) 29 Louise Hay You Can Heal Your Life (1984) 30 James Hillman The Souls Code: In Search of Character and Calling (1996) 31 Susan Jeffers Feel the Fear and Do It Anyway (1987) 32 Richard Koch The 80/20 Principle: The Secret of Achieving More with Less (1998) 33 Ellen J. Langer Mindfulness: Choice and Control in Everyday Life (1989) 34 Lao Tzu Tao Te Ching (5th3rd century BC) 35 Maxwell Maltz Psycho-Cybernetics (1960) 36 Abraham Maslow Motivation and Personality (1954)

37 Philip C. McGraw Life Strategies: Doing What Works, Doing What Matters (1999) 38 Thomas Moore Care of the Soul: A Guide for Cultivating Depth and Sacredness in Everyday Life (1992) 39 Joseph Murphy The Power of Your Subconscious Mind (1963) 40 Norman Vincent Peale The Power of Positive Thinking (1952) 41 Carol S. Pearson The Hero Within: Six Archetypes We Live By (1986) 42 M. Scott Peck The Road Less Traveled (1978) 43 Ayn Rand Atlas Shrugged (1957) 44 Anthony Robbins Awaken the Giant Within (1991) 45 Florence Scovell Shinn The Game of Life and How to Play It(1925) 46 Martin Seligman Learned Optimism (1991) 47 Samuel Smiles Self-Help (1859) 48 Pierre Teilhard de Chardin The Phenomenon of Man (1955) 49 Henry David Thoreau Walden (1854) 50 Marianne Williamson A Return to Love(1994) 50 More Classics 1 Alfred Adler, What Life Could Mean to You (1931):-Adler formed an entire new branch of psychology (individual) but with this book brought his insights to a popular audience. It covers adolescence, feelings of superiority and inferiority, the importance of cooperation, work, friendship, love, and marriage. 2 Horatio Alger, Ragged Dick (1867):-Probably the most famous of Algers poor-boy-makes-good stories that made the American dream come alive for millions. Set in the cityscapes of nineteenth- century America, they carry an earnest message of ethical striving for success, but are still great fun to read. 3 Muhummad Al-Ghazali, The Alchemy of Happiness (11th century)Al-Ghazali was an esteemed philosopher in medieval Persia who became a wandering Sufi mystic. The Alchemy of Happiness is a superb expression of the self-help ethic in Islam, and an abridgment of his masterwork The Revival of Religious Sciences, in which readers have delighted for centuries. Its basic premise is that that selfknowledge comes from knowledge of God. 4 Roberto Assagioli, Psychosynthesis (1965)Assagioli, an Italian humanistic psychologist, believed that Freuds focus on the libido, complexes, and instincts was incomplete. In Psychosynthesis he set about integrating the soul and imagination into psychology. Somewhat of a heavy read but influential. 5 Eric Berne, Games People Play (1964)This was written for an academic audience but became a bestseller.The major influence on Harriss Im OKYoure OK, it presented the idea that we all have life scripts that determine our actions. The good news is that we can change them. 6 Frank Bettger, How I Raised Myself from Failure to Success in Selling (1950)Bettger was a salesman in the America of the 1920s and 1930s and a friend of Dale Carnegie. His book has remained popular because everyone needs selling skillsand it tells a good story. 7 John Bradshaw, Homecoming: Reclaiming and Championing Your Inner Child (1992)The inner child concept has been ridiculed as a feeble expression of a victim culture. Bradshaws bestseller is in fact a serious work showing why knowledge and acceptance of the past are crucial in making us responsible adults. 8 Nathaniel Branden, The Power of Self-Esteem (1969) An apostle and lover of Ayn Rand, Branden helped kick off the selfesteem movement with this book.

9 Claude M. Bristol, The Magic of Believing (1948)Its references are dated, it may be repetitive, and its ideas on visualization and affirmation may seem old hat today, but many in the last 50 years have attested to this books power to change. 10 Leo Buscaglia, Love (1972)Buscaglia is a popular self-help figure. This is one of his earlier works on a subject that we take for granted and is probably his most appreciated. 11 Jack Canfield & Mark Victor Hansen, Chicken Soup for the Soul(1993) Not a self-help philosophy but a collection of heart-warming inspirational stories that has enjoyed vast sales, the formula endlessly repeated in Chicken Soup books for the teen soul, pet soul, global soul, etc. 12 Chin-ning Chu, Thick Face, Black Heart (1994) Promoting a warrior philosophy with eastern overtones, this has been a success with both business and personal development readers who see regular self-help as wimpish. 13 Confucius, Analects (6th century BC) This collection of 2,500 aphorisms, anecdotes, and dialogs came from one of the most influential sages in history. Published after the authors death, the Analects guided Chinese civilization for 2,000 years and can still have a profound impact on readers. 14 Russell H. Conwell, Acres of Diamonds (1921) Originally an inspirational lecture, this book was so much in demand that the proceeds funded a university. Stories and anecdotes illustrate the idea that people go looking for their fortunes elsewhere when acres of diamonds are to be found in their own backyard (literally and metaphorically). 15 Emile Cou, Self-Mastery through Conscious Autosuggestion (1922) Contains the famous autosuggestion mantra, Every day in every way I am becoming better and better, which started the ball rolling for personal success affirmations. Influential but not widely read now. 16 Edward De Bono, The Use of Lateral Thinking (1967) De Bono did not invent lateral thinking, but the term only entered the public vocabulary with this book. In offering an alternative to the starched logic of conventional vertical thinking, this and De Bonos later books have taught us to think about thinking itself. 17 Stephanie Dowrick, Intimacy and Solitude (1996) A work showing how the abilities to be intimate and happily alone are related. Dowrick is an Australian-based psychotherapist whose Forgiveness has also been popular. 18 Albert Ellis, A Guide to Rational Living (1975) Elliss rational emotive approach showed how to control our emotional life through altering our beliefs. This book continues to find devoted new readers who appreciate its transformative effect on relationships. 19 Marsilio Ficino, The Book of Life (15th century) A Renaissance life guide applying spiritual ideas to everyday matters.Harder to read than a modern classic, but strongly influenced Care of the Souls Thomas Moore. 20 Eric Fromm, To Have or to Be (1976) A great social philosopher, Fromm made the distinction between thehaving approach to life (materialistic, ironically fostering scarcity and misery) and being (the basis of satisfaction and peace). Still gets rave reviews as societal commentary and self-help. 21 Les Giblin, How to Have Confidence and Power in Dealing with People (1956) An enduring people skills manual from a former top salesman. In focusing on how people actually respond and why, its aim is friction reduction and the creation of goodwill. 22 Kahlil Gibran, The Prophet (1923) Gibran was a Syrian who emigrated to the US. Though an artist in several media, it was this 20 million-copy seller that made himfamous. Beautiful and profound verses on love, loss, marriage, etc.

23William Glasser, Reality Therapy (1965) This surprising bestseller put forward the idea that mental illness comes from a persons unwillingness to face reality and make commitments.Based on clinical work. 24 Thomas A. Harris, Im OKYoure OK (1967) Many peoples idea of a self-help classic. Popularized the transactional analysis model of seeing our actions and words as expressing either a Parent, Adult, or Child mentality. 25 Brian Hopkins, Official Guide to Success (1982) A modest but powerful work by one of Americas most respected personal development speakers and authors. 26 Elbert Hubbard, Message to Garcia (1899) In 1895 Hubbard founded a community based on self-sufficiency and positive thinking in New York State. Its press published A Message to Garcia, a pamphlet (estimated printing 40 million copies) recounting a tale of heroism during the Spanish-American war. Still popular with army officers and employers for its message of getting the job done no matter what. 27 The I-Ching The Chinese Book of Changes has been around for 3,000 years but is still a compelling tool of self- understanding. Its ability to make the reader aware of other possibilities in times of great change makes it relevant in the twenty-first century. 28 Harold Kushner, When Bad Things Happen to Good People (1984) Kushner, a rabbi, wrote this as a response to his childs fatal illness.About the things you cant control and how to deal with them, it is intellectually sound and practical, and has remained popular. 29 Muriel James and Dorothy Jongeward, Born to Win (1971) Transactional analysis bestseller (four million copies), analyzing communication styles and providing Gestalt exercises in order to reveal ego states standing in the way of full mental health. 30William James, The Will to Believe (1907) James may be the father of American psychology, but as a practical philosopher he has been very influential in self-help. The Will to Believe gets to the heart of personal questions about motivation and belief, and essays such as Is Life Worth Living? provide some of his finest and most life- expanding thoughts. 31 Orison Swett Marden, Pushing to the Front (1894) Considered the founder of the success movement in America, Marden(18501924) published numerous books inspired by the character and hard work ethic of Samuel Smiles. This was his huge bestseller. 32 Rollo May, Freedom and Destiny (1981) May argues that attaching ourselves to a particular end (destiny),instead of tying us down, provides the right amount of freedom to create and prosper. The theme of personal responsibility has influenced Stephen Covey and others. 33 Og Mandino, The Greatest Success in the World (1981) Familiar self-help themes of goal setting and self-realization put into the form of a story set in New Testament times. Mandino was a friend of Norman Vincent Peale and delivers a similar have-faith- inyourself message. 34 Earl Nightingale, The Strangest Secret (1955) The late Earl Nightingale was known as the Dean of Self-Development. This is his classic inspirational recording that sold over a million copies and made the audiotape central to the motivational industry. 35 Robin Norwood, Women Who Love Too Much (1988) Talk-show bestseller that still enjoys readership with its useful distinctions about self-love and dependency, and the traps into which people fall when choosing partners.

36 Fritz Perls, Gestalt Therapy: Excitement and Growth in the Human Personality (1951) Perls was a key figure in the Human Potential movement of the 1960s and this was his key work. Influenced by psychoanalysis and existentialism, Gestalt therapy emphasized the need for people to see outside the box, focusing on the present moment. 37 Robert J. Ringer, Looking Out for No. 1 (1977) A 1970s bestseller. Not as bad as it sounds, it shows readers how to avoid needless sacrifice and pursue what they want without guilt. 38 Carl Rogers, On Becoming a Person (1961) Rogers helped revolutionize psychotherapy by replacing psychoanalytic interpretation with empathic listening by the therapist.Though an emblematic work of the self-discovery ethic of the 1960s,On Becoming a Person is still popular. 39 Bertrand Russell, The Conquest of Happiness (1930) This famous Oxford philosophers venture into self-help territory.While dated, Russells wit and insights still make it an enjoyable read. The first part discusses what makes people miserable, the second what makes them happy. 40 Robert H. Schuller, Tough Times Never Last, But Tough People Do!(1984) Tool for creating a rock-hard self-image from the Minister of the Crystal Cathedral, California. Schuller coined the phrase possibility thinking. 41 Gail Sheehy, Passages (1976) Garish 1970s bestseller that navigates the reader through the stages of adult life. Translated into 28 languages,it has featured on Libraryof Congress lists as one of the most influential books of all time. 42 Jos Silva and Joseph Miele, The Silva Mind Control Method (1977) Former audio repairman Silva became interested in mind-control techniques and developed a famous course involving theta brainwaves.This was the bestselling book on the method. 43 W. Clement Stone and Napoleon Hill, Success Through a Positive Mental Attitude (1960) Stone was Hills mentor and business partner, and this book was a combination of Hills Science of Success and Stones Horatio Algerstyle American optimism. Selling well even after 40 years. 44 Deborah Tannen, You Just Dont Understand (1991) An examination of mens and womens communication styles that came out of Tannens work as a linguist. An alternative to John Gray. 45 Brian Tracy, Maximum Achievement (1995) Many connoisseurs of self-help put Tracy at the top of their list. A good synthesis of the genres ideas and techniques but in Tracys own style. 46 Kevin Trudeau, Mega Memory (1995) Simple steps for impressing friends and yourself through memory power. Trudeau is one of the original infomercial kings, but his techniques actually go back to the seventeenth century. 47 Theodore Zeldin, An Intimate History of Humanity (1994) Panoramic view of the human condition by an Oxford historian,spliced with fascinating profiles of contemporary women. Its theme is that the quality of your life is vastly improved by appreciating it within the context of all of human history. 48 Zig Ziglar, See You at the Top (1975) Old-school motivational work based on the belief that You can get everything you want if you help others to get what they want.Enjoyable, but its Christian values wont appeal to everyone. 49 Danah Zohar, The Quantum Self (1990) An application of quantum physics to how we see ourselves and our connection with the universe. Ahead of its time and will remain influential. 50 Gary Zukav, The Seat of the Soul (1990)Perhaps more New Age than self-help, this presents a schema for understanding human evolution in terms of the shift from sensual awareness to soul awareness. Millions attest to its life-changing ideas. ACHINT KUMAR

50 Spiritual Classics 1 Muhammad Asad The Road to Mecca (1954) 2 St. Augustine Confessions(400) 3 Richard Bach Jonathan Livingston Seagull (1970) 4 Black Elk Black Elk Speaks (1932) 5 Richard Maurice Bucke Cosmic Consciousness(1901) 6 Fritjof Capra The Tao of Physics: An Exploration of the Parallels between Modern Physics and Eastern Mysticism(1976) 7 Carlos Castaneda Journey to Ixtlan (1972) 8 G. K. Chesterton St Francis of Assisi (1922) 9 Pema Chdrn The Places That Scare You: A Guide to Fearlessness in Difficult Times (2001) 10 Chuang Tzu The Book of Chuang Tzu (4th century) 11 Ram Dass Be Here Now (1971) 12 Epictetus Enchiridion (1st century) 13 Mohandas Gandhi An Autobiography: The Story of My Experiments with Truth (1927) 14 Ghazzali The Alchemy of Happiness (1097) 15 Kahlil Gibran The Prophet (1923) 16 G. I. Gurdjieff Meetings with Remarkable Men (1960) 17 Dag Hammarskjld Markings (1963) 18 Abraham Joshua Heschel The Sabbath: Its Meaning for Modern Man (1951) 19 Hermann Hesse Siddartha (1922) 20 Aldous Huxley The Doors of Perception(1954) 21 William James The Varieties of Religious Experience (1902) 22 Carl Gustav Jung Memories, Dreams, Reflections (1955) 23 Margery Kempe The Book of Margery Kempe (1436) 24 J. Krishnamurti Think on These Things(1964) 25 C. S. Lewis The Screwtape Letters (1942) 26 Malcolm X The Autobiography of Malcolm X (1964) 27 Daniel C. Matt The Essential Kabbalah: The Heart of Jewish Mysticism (1994) 28 W. Somerset Maugham The Razors Edge (1944) 29 Dan Millman The Way of the Peaceful Warrior: A Book that Changes Lives (1989) 30 Michael Newton Journey of Souls: Case Studies of Life between Lives (1994) 31 Thich Nhat Hanh The Miracle of Mindfulness: An Introduction to the Practice of Meditation (1975) 32 John ODonohue Anam Cara: Spiritual Wisdom from the Celtic World (1998) 33 Robert M. Pirsig Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance (1974) 34 James Redfield The Celestine Prophecy: An Adventure (1994) 35 Miguel Ruiz The Four Agreements: A Practical Guide to Personal Freedom (1997) 36 Helen Schucman & William Thetford A Course in Miracles (1976) 37 Idries Shah The Way of the Sufi (1968) 38 Starhawk The Spiral Dance: A Rebirth of the Ancient Religion of the Great Goddess (1979) 39 Shunryu Suzuki Zen Mind, Beginners Mind: Informal Talks on Zen Meditation and Practice (1970) 40 Emanuel Swedenborg Heaven and Hell (1758) 41 Teresa of Avila Interior Castle (1570) 42 Mother Teresa A Simple Path (1994) 43 Eckhart Tolle The Power of Now: A Guide to Spiritual Enlightenment (1998) 44 Chgyam Trungpa Cutting through Spiritual Materialism (1973)

45 Neale Donald Walsch Conversations with God: An Uncommon Dialogue (1998) 46 Rick Warren The Purpose-Driven Life (2002) 47 Simone Weil Waiting for God (1979) 48 Ken Wilber A Theory of Everything: An Integral Vision for Business, Politics, Science and Spirituality (2000) 49 Paramahansa Yogananda Autobiography of a Yogi (1946) 50 Gary Zukav The Seat of the Soul: An Inspiring Vision of Humanitys Spiritual Destiny(1990) 50 More Spiritual Classics 1 Adomnan of Iona Life of St Columba (7th century)Celebrated biography with descriptions of early monastic life on the Scottish island of Iona. 2 St. Anselm Proslogion (1077)Medieval philosophers famous presentation of arguments to prove the existence of God. 3 Ibn El-Arabi Bezels of Wisdom (12th century)Known as Sheikh Akbar (the Greatest Master) in the Islamic world and Doctor Maximus in the West, El-Arabi remains one of the great mystical philosophers. Written late in his life, this book reveals divine truths through the lives of the prophets. 4 Edwin Arnold The Light of Asia (1879)An Englishmans poetic masterpiece on the life of Buddha. 5 Farid Ud-Din Attar The Conference of the Birds (12th century)A Sufi masters beautiful allegorical poem based around a bird that can lead others to salvation. 6 Mary Baker Eddy Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures (1875)A landmark work on healing from the founder of the Christian Science Church. 7 Benedict of Nursia Rule of St Benedict (515)With this book Benedict formalized the daily life of monks, including spiritual exercises and physical work, creating the template for western monastic life for centuries to come. 8 Helena Petrova Blavatsky Isis Unveiled (1877)Huge work of esoteric wisdom by the Russian-born founder of the Theosophical Society. 9 Jakob Boehme Aurora (1612)German mystics influential meditations on the nature of humans and God. 10 Dietrich Bonhoeffer Letters and Papers from Prison (1953)Covering the German pastors arrest by the Gestapo in 1943 to his execution in 1945. Here he first raised his idea of religionless Christianity. 11 Paul Brunton In Search of Secret India (1935)Fascinating account of Indian travels by the English traveler and spiritual teacher, including his meeting with Ramana Maharishi at Arunachala. 12 Martin Buber I and Thou (1923)Highly influential work of theology that inspires a new level of communication with God and other people. 13 John Bunyan Grace Abounding (1666)Classic account of personal spiritual experience by the author of The Pilgrims Progress. 14 The Cloud of Unknowing (14th century)A foundational work of Christian contemplative prayer and achieving unity with the divine. The medieval author is still unknown. 15 Lama Surya Das Awakening the Buddha Within (1997)A perfect introduction to Tibetan Buddhism by an American who spent years as a monk. Enlightenment for the real world. 16 John Donne Devotions upon Emergent Occasions (1624)Devotional work by the English metaphysical poet written in the midst of illness and following the deaths of close family. 17 Meister Eckhart Selected Writings (13th-14th centuries)The mystical pantheistic writings of this German Dominican priest were too expansive for the Church of his time, but are loved by modern readers.

18 T. S. Eliot The Four Quartets (1944)Four poems that reveal the depth of Eliots spiritual understanding. He considered this his masterpiece. 19 Ralph Waldo Emerson Spiritual Laws (1841)An essay from the great Transcendentalist on being in tune with the forces that move the universe. 20 Richard Foster Celebration of Discipline (1978)A modern Christian classic that rediscovers the power of spiritual disciplines,e.g. fasting, prayer, solitude, worship. 21 Graham Greene The Power and the Glory (1940)A whiskey priest is on the run from a Mexican state that has outlawed religion. One of the great spiritual novels of the twentieth century. 22 Mahendranath Gupta Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna (1942)A 1,000-page record of conversations with the great sage, considered by Indians to be a continuation of the line of Krishna and Buddha. 23 Michael Harner The Way of the Shaman (1980)The book that created a wave of new interest in shamanistic religion,with the author both an anthropologist and a practicing shaman himself. 24 Hildegard of Bingen Scivias (1151)The first work of German Benedictine nun, composer, poet, artist, naturalist,preacher and mystic visionary, who in a male-dominated age advised kings and influenced popes. 25 Ernest Holmes Science of Mind (1938)A science of spirituality discussed in terms of mental and spiritual laws. 26 John of the Cross Dark Night of the Soul (16th century)Famous work charting the loss of spiritual connection, by a Spanish Catholic mystic and friend of Teresa of Avila. 27 Julian of Norwich Showings (14th century)An English anchoresss beautiful expression of divine communion, also known as Revelations of Divine Love. 28 Thomas Kempis The Imitation of Christ (15th century)Much-loved Christian devotional work by a German cleric. 29 Jack Kerouac The Dharma Bums (1958)Result of the beat writers exploration into Zen Buddhism, published a year after On the Road. 30 Gopi Krishna Kundalini: The Evolutionary Energy in Man (1970)Fascinating account of a householders experience of the awakening of the serpent power, or kundalini energy, and its effects on his life. 31 Ramana Maharishi The Spiritual Teachings of Ramana Maharishi (various dates, 20th century)This famed South Indian holy man (d. 1950) emphasized self-knowledge as the means to enlightenment. 32 Abraham Maslow Religions, Values and Peak Experiences (1964)A great psychologists insightful foray into spiritual experience, in the tradition of William James. 33 Thomas Merton The Seven Storey Mountain (1946)Bestselling autobiography of Mertons transformation from American campus intellectual to Trappist monk, with a growing interest in eastern spirituality. 34 P. D. Ouspensky In Search of the Miraculous (1950)Russian mathematicians popularization of the thinking of G. I. Gurdjieff. 35 Pirkei Avot (Ethics of the Fathers)Ancient Jewish wisdom and sayings included as a part of the Mishnah, or body of oral law. 36 Plotinus Enneads (3rd century)One of the great minds of the classical era, Plotinus combined Platonic ideas with the primeval notion of the oneness of the universe. Appreciated by early Christians and Renaissance thinkers. 37 Paul Reps and Nyogen Senzaki Zen Flesh, Zen Bones (1957)The spirit of Zen in a small book, including stories, koans, pictures; influential in the 1960s and still treasured. 38 Sogyal Rinpoche The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying (1992)Elaboration on the original Tibetan Book of the Dead that provides an inspiringly positive understanding of death. 39 Jalaludin Rumi Mathnavi (Couplets of Inner Meaning) (13th century)A Persian poets masterpiece; literature designed for spiritual awakening.

40 Anne-Marie Schimmel Mystical Dimensions of Islam (1975)Schimmel, who died in 2003 aged 80, devoted her life to furthering understanding of Islam; this book confirmed her as an authority on Islamic mysticism and poetry. 41 Gershom Scholem Major Trends in Jewish Mysticism (1941)The first real scholarly study of Kabbalah from an academic perspective,which sparked the revival of public interest in the field. 42 Rudolf Steiner How to Know Higher Worlds (190405) A handbook for the spiritual journey by the Austrian philosopher and founder of anthroposophy, or the science of the spirit. 43 Rabindranath Tagore Gitanjali (1913) Beautiful spiritual verse by a Nobel prize-winning Bengali mystic and polymath. 44 Pierre Teilhard de Chardin The Phenomenon of Man (1955) French Jesuit and paleontologists sweeping view of the spiritual evolution of humankind. See 50 Self-Help Classics. 45 St Therese of Lisieux The Story of a Soul (1898) Popular self-told account of a French saints life with its theme of simple trust in God. 46 Paul Tillich The Courage to Be (1952)Landmark philosophical work dealing with existential questions of finding meaning in modern life. Tillich was a German-born theologian who emigrated to the US after opposing the Nazis. 47 J. R. R. Tolkien The Lord of the Rings (195455)Good and evil do battle in Tolkiens alternative universe. 48 Evelyn Underhill Mysticism (1911)Classic study of the subject by an English poet and mystic. 49 Alan Watts The Wisdom of Insecurity (1951)How to live with full acceptance of the absence of security in life, from a western master of eastern religion. 50 The Way of a Pilgrim (19th century):-Classic of Russian spirituality that follows the path of a pilgrim who has lost his family and learns the art of constant prayer. Achint Jaiswal 50 Success Classics 1 Horatio Alger Ragged Dick, or Street Life in New York with the Boot-Blacks (1867) 2 Warren Bennis On Becoming a Leader(1989) 3 Frank Bettger How I Raised Myself from Failure to Success in Selling(1947) 4 Kenneth Blanchard & Spencer Johnson The One Minute Manager (1981) 5 Edward Bok The Americanization of Edward Bok: The Autobiography of a Dutch Boy Fifty Years After(1921) 6 Claude M. Bristol The Magic of Believing(1948) 7 Warren Buffett (by Roger Lowenstein) Buffett: The Making of an American Capitalist (1995) 8 Andrew Carnegie The Autobiography of Andrew Carnegie (1920) 9 Chin-Ning Chu Thick Face, Black Heart: The Asian Path to Thriving, Winning and Succeeding (1992) 10 George S. Clason The Richest Man in Babylon (1926) 11 Robert Collier The Secret of the Ages (1926) 12 Jim Collins Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the LeapAnd Others Dont (2001) 13 Russell H. Conwell Acres of Diamonds (1921) 14 Stephen R. Covey The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People (1989) 15 Michael Dell Direct from Dell: Strategies that Revolutionized an Industry (1999) 16 Henry Ford My Life and Work (1922) 17 Benjamin Franklin The Way to Wealth (1758) 18 W. Timothy Gallwey The Inner Game of Tennis (1974) 19 John Paul Getty How to Be Rich (1961)

20 Les Giblin How to Have Confidence and Power in Dealing with People(1956) 21 Baltasar Gracian The Art of Worldly Wisdom (1647) 22 Earl G. Graves How to Succeed in Business without Being White:Straight Talk on Making It in America (1997) 23 Napoleon Hill Think and Grow Rich (1937) 24 Napoleon Hill & W. Clement Stone Success through a Positive Mental Attitude(1960) 25 Tom Hopkins The Official Guide to Success (1982) 26 Muriel James & Dorothy Jongeward Born to Win: Transactional Analysis with Gestalt Experiments (1971) 27 Spencer Johnson Who Moved My Cheese? An Amazing Way to Deal with Change in Your Work and in Your Life (1998) 28 Robert Kiyosaki Rich Dad, Poor Dad: What the Rich Teach Their Kids about Money That the Poor and Middle Class Do Not! (1997) 29 David S. Landes The Wealth and Poverty of Nations: Why Some Are So Rich and Some So Poor (1998) 30 Abraham Lincoln (by Donald T. Phillips) Lincoln on Leadership:Executive Strategies for Tough Times (1992) 31 Jim Loehr & Tony Schwartz The Power of Full Engagement:Managing Energy, not Time, Is the Key to High Performance and Personal Renewal (2003) 32 Nelson Mandela Long Walk to Freedom: The Autobiography of Nelson Mandela (1994) 33 Orison Swett Marden Pushing to the Front, or Success under Difficulties (1894) 34 J. W. Marriott Jr. The Spirit to Serve: Marriotts Way (1997) 35 Catherine Ponder The Dynamic Laws of Prosperity (1962) 36 Cheryl Richardson Take Time for Your Life: A Seven-Step Program for Creating the Life You Want (1998) 37 Anthony Robbins Unlimited Power: The New Science of Personal Achievement (1986) 38 Eleanor Roosevelt (by Robin Gerber) Leadership the Eleanor Roosevelt Way: Timeless Strategies from the First Lady of Courage (2002) 39 David J. Schwartz The Magic of Thinking Big (1959) 40 Florence Scovel Shinn The Secret Door to Success (1940) 41 Ernest Shackleton (by Margot Morrell & Stephanie Capparell)Shackletons Way: Leadership Lessons from the Great Antarctic Explorer(2001) 42 Thomas J. Stanley The Millionaire Mind (2000) 43 Brian Tracy Maximum Achievement: Strategies and Skills that Will Unlock Your Hidden Powers to Succeed (1993) 44 Sun Tzu The Art of War (4th century BCE) 45 Sam Walton Made in America: My Story (1992) 46 Wallace D.Wattles The Science of Getting Rich (1910) 47 Jack Welch Jack: Straight from the Gut (2001) 48 John Whitmore Coaching for Performance: GROWing People,Performance, and Purpose (1992) 49 Richard Wiseman The Luck Factor: Change Your Luck And Change Your Life (2003) 50 Zig Ziglar See You at the Top(1975) Achint Kumar Jaiswal