That shelf is no more. Self-help books are books. I read them, I catalog them on goodreads, and I go about my life, hopefully with a new skillset or understanding of something. I think we have this idea that self-help is some mushy gushy thing that are only for A Certain Type of Person and that to read them is to admit that you—gasp!—need help on something. I don’t think somebody would be embarrassed to admit they needed to watch a YouTube video to make sure they were putting on their spare tire correctly, or to call a financial manager before making a choice about their IRA, so why is it that as soon as we call it self-help or bind it in a book instead of a blog that we feel squicky about it? Self-help is, ironically, associated with failure. Reading a self-help book means you weren’t able to…help yourself before? Means you needed help? But that seeking out that help in the form of a book makes you…weak? Better to keep a stiff upper lip and hope for the best, I guess. In a society where working overtime at your white collar job is a badge of success, admitting you’re unhappy at your job or that you want to pivot your career elsewhere can be scary. If you can’t talk to your boss about it without worrying about losing your job, pick up a book on how to begin to make steps to change your career. If you don’t fit in a socially acceptable aesthetic—whether that’s your weight, your hair, your wardrobe, or something else—you might feel the impulse to get guidance on how to get closer to that ideal, and there are books for all of that. If you’re making a big life change, such as graduation, marriage, travel, or having children, it can be pretty overwhelming to undertake it on your own, but asking friends and family for advice may be an invitation you’re not willing to extend (what does great aunt Sally know about student loans? College was a dollar when she was young). When you live in a country that views healthcare as a privilege, not a right, sometimes the closest you can get to mental or physical health support is a well researched book. Snobbery about self-help books really doesn’t hold up to scrutiny when you think about it. Can’t get more bootstrap-y than helping yourself, right? And sure, some of them might be cheesy, or preachy, or out of date, but just…don’t read those ones. Not every book is for every person.
How to Find the Best New Self-Help Books
Get ready to say goodbye to 2020, the year that lasted a century, by putting these new self-help books on reserve at your library or in your digital shopping cart. Then stick around for my best tips for finding more new self-help books all year long. Protest all you like, but not one of us got through 2020 fully unscathed, so I’m certain there is something you could use help with.
Personal Development
While you wait, pick up the already published The French Art of Not Trying Too Hard by Ollivier Pourriol; The Likeability Trap: How to Break Free and Succeed As You Are by Alicia Menendez; or What Would Frida Do? A Guide to Living Boldly by Arianna Davis. Bonus tip: check Dewey 158 in your local library for more books in this genre, or check out our list on self-care books.
Interpersonal Relationships
While you’re reading, make sure to click PREORDER NOW or REQUEST HOLD for these other titles: Making Space: How to Live Happier by Setting Boundaries That Work for You by Jayne Hardy (January 5); Better Boys, Better Men: The New Masculinity That Creates Greater Courage and Emotional Resiliency by Andrew Reiner (December 1); or Spite: The Upside of Your Dark Side by Simon McCarthy-Jones (April 13). Browsing the library? Dewey 305 and 306.
Productivity and Organization
Style and Beauty
There’s a lot to unpack in this area. You might also take a look at You Have the Right to Remain Fat by Virgie Tovar; The Breakup Hair Handbook by Jenna Luecke (January 26); or How to Date Your Wardrobe: And Other Ways to Revive, Revitalize, and Reinvigorate Your Style by Heather Newberger (February 9). Also take a look at Dewey Decimal 391, 613, and 646. Relaxing sounds great, but sometimes you still need some help staying organized so you remember to do your taxes and do the dishes. Try Rethink the Bins: Your Guide to Smart Recycling and Less Household Waste by Julia L F Goldstein; The Illustrated Book of Mindful Meditations for Mindless Moments by Courtney E. Ackerman (December 22); or Real Help: An Honest Guide to Self-Improvement by Ayodeji Awosika. Also take a walk through the 600 section of the library.
Writing, Journaling, and Creativity
While you wait for the mail carrier to drop that book off in March, you can already get your hands on one of these: Nobody Knows What They’re Doing: The 10 Secrets All Artists Should Know by Lee Crutchley (February 9); What’s Your Story? A Journal for Everyday Evolution by Rebecca Walker and Lily Diamond (December 8); or Find Your Voice: A Guided Poetry Journal for Your Heart and Your Art by Noor Unnahar.
Business and Finance
I think of all categories, this genre of self-help comes up with the catchiest or most bananas titles. Take a look at How to Build a Goddamn Empire: Advice on Creating Your Brand with High-Tech Smarts, Elbow Grease, Infinite Hustle, and a Whole Lotta Heart by Ali Kriegsman (April 6); Rethink: Smashing the Myths of Women in Business by Andi Simon (January 5); Quantum Marketing: Mastering the New Marketing Mindset for Tomorrow’s Consumers by Raja Rajamannar (February 9); or Blowing My Way to the Top: How to Break the Rules, Find Your Purpose, and Create the Life and Career You Deserve by Jen Atkin. Cruising the library? Hit up the stacks around 332 and 658.
Keep Up With All the New Self-Help Books
TBR not full enough yet? More books are released every day, and we’re here for you at Book Riot Insiders. When you’re a member of this Cool Kids Club, one of the perks is access to our New Releases Index. That means you have nearly up-to-the-minute news on the latest books to hit shelves and websites. What could be more useful than that? Insiders access to that index starts at $5 a month, and that’s just one of many incredible perks.
