Books Like “Becoming Supernatural: How Common People Are Doing The Uncommon”

Big Magic

Elizabeth Gilbert

2014

Offers potent insights into the mysterious nature of inspiration. Asks us to embrace our curiosity and let go of needless suffering and shows us how to tackle what we most love, and how to face down what we most fear. Gilbert discusses the attitudes, approaches, and habits we need in order to live our most creative lives. Balancing between soulful spirituality and cheerful pragmatism, Gilbert encourages us to uncover the "strange jewels" that are hidden within each of us.

Think Like a Monk

Jay Shetty

2020

The Sunday Times Number One Bestseller Jay Shetty, social media superstar and host of the #1 podcast 'On Purpose', distils the timeless wisdom he learned as a practising monk into practical steps anyone can take every day to live a less anxious, more meaningful life. Over the past three years, Jay Shetty has become a favourite in the hearts and minds of millions of people worldwide. One of his clips was the most watched video on Facebook last year, with over 360 million views. His social media following totals over 32 million, he has produced over 400 viral videos, which have amassed more than 5 billion views, and his podcast, 'On Purpose', is consistently ranked the world's #1 health-related podcast. In this inspiring, empowering book, Shetty draws on his time as a monk in the Vedic tradition to show us how we can clear the roadblocks to our potential and power. Drawing on ancient wisdom and his own rich experiences in the ashram, Think Like a Monk reveals how to overcome negative thoughts and habits, and access the calm and purpose that lie within all of us. The lessons monks learn are profound but often abstract. Shetty transforms them into advice and exercises we can all apply to reduce stress, improve focus, improve relationships, identify our hidden abilities, increase self-discipline and give the gifts we find in ourselves to the world. Shetty proves that everyone can - and should - think like a monk. Perfect for fans of Wim Hof, Robin S. Sharma and James Nestor!

Option B

Sheryl Sandberg, Adam Grant

2017

#1 NEW YORK TIMES BEST SELLER • From authors of Lean In and Originals: a powerful, inspiring, and practical book about building resilience and moving forward after life’s inevitable setbacks After the sudden death of her husband, Sheryl Sandberg felt certain that she and her children would never feel pure joy again. “I was in ‘the void,’” she writes, “a vast emptiness that fills your heart and lungs and restricts your ability to think or even breathe.” Her friend Adam Grant, a psychologist at Wharton, told her there are concrete steps people can take to recover and rebound from life-shattering experiences. We are not born with a fixed amount of resilience. It is a muscle that everyone can build. Option B combines Sheryl’s personal insights with Adam’s eye-opening research on finding strength in the face of adversity. Beginning with the gut-wrenching moment when she finds her husband, Dave Goldberg, collapsed on a gym floor, Sheryl opens up her heart—and her journal—to describe the acute grief and isolation she felt in the wake of his death. But Option B goes beyond Sheryl’s loss to explore how a broad range of people have overcome hardships including illness, job loss, sexual assault, natural disasters, and the violence of war. Their stories reveal the capacity of the human spirit to persevere . . . and to rediscover joy. Resilience comes from deep within us and from support outside us. Even after the most devastating events, it is possible to grow by finding deeper meaning and gaining greater appreciation in our lives. Option B illuminates how to help others in crisis, develop compassion for ourselves, raise strong children, and create resilient families, communities, and workplaces. Many of these lessons can be applied to everyday struggles, allowing us to brave whatever lies ahead. Two weeks after losing her husband, Sheryl was preparing for a father-child activity. “I want Dave,” she cried. Her friend replied, “Option A is not available,” and then promised to he

Ikigai: The Japanese Secret to a Long and Happy Life

Héctor García (Author), Francesc Miralles (Author) Format: Hardcover

2017

INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLER • 2 MILLION+ COPIES SOLD WORLDWIDE “Workers looking for more fulfilling positions should start by identifying their ikigai.” ―Business Insider “One of the unintended—yet positive—consequences of the [pandemic] is that it is forcing people to reevaluate their jobs, careers, and lives. Use this time wisely, find your personal ikigai, and live your best life.” ―Forbes Find your ikigai (pronounced ee-key-guy) to live longer and bring more meaning and joy to all your days. “Only staying active will make you want to live a hundred years.” —Japanese proverb According to the Japanese, everyone has an ikigai—a reason for living. And according to the residents of the Japanese village with the world’s longest-living people, finding it is the key to a happier and longer life. Having a strong sense of ikigai—where what you love, what you’re good at, what you can get paid for, and what the world needs all overlap—means that each day is infused with meaning. It’s the reason we get up in the morning. It’s also the reason many Japanese never really retire (in fact there’s no word in Japanese that means retire in the sense it does in English): They remain active and work at what they enjoy, because they’ve found a real purpose in life—the happiness of always being busy. In researching this book, the authors interviewed the residents of the Japanese village with the highest percentage of 100-year-olds—one of the world’s Blue Zones. Ikigai reveals the secrets to their longevity and happiness: how they eat, how they move, how they work, how they foster collaboration and community, and—their best-kept secret—how they find the ikigai that brings satisfaction to their lives. And it provides practical tools to help you discover your own ikigai. Because who doesn’t want to find happiness in every day? What’s your ikigai?

I Know This to Be True

Geoff Blackwell, Ruth Hobday

2016

Created by publisher Geoff Blackwell, television producer Ric Salizzo and Play It Strange¿s Mike Chunn, this is a book and television project about New Zealanders who are living interesting lives, the things they know to be true, the things they believe in, the things they have been taught and the things they have learned. The Play It Strange Trust will receive royalties from sales of the book to enable it to further develop playitstrange.org.nz and strangeworld. org.nz, projects dedicated to cultivating the song-writing talent of young New Zealanders.

Grit

Angela Duckworth

2016

In this must-read book for anyone striving to succeed, pioneering psychologist Angela Duckworth shows parents, educators, athletes, students, and business people—both seasoned and new—that the secret to outstanding achievement is not talent but a focused persistence called “grit.” Why do some people succeed and others fail? Sharing new insights from her landmark research on grit, MacArthur “genius” Angela Duckworth explains why talent is hardly a guarantor of success. Rather, other factors can be even more crucial such as identifying our passions and following through on our commitments. Drawing on her own powerful story as the daughter of a scientist who frequently bemoaned her lack of smarts, Duckworth describes her winding path through teaching, business consulting, and neuroscience, which led to the hypothesis that what really drives success is not “genius” but a special blend of passion and long-term perseverance. As a professor at the University of Pennsylvania, Duckworth created her own “character lab” and set out to test her theory. Here, she takes readers into the field to visit teachers working in some of the toughest schools, cadets struggling through their first days at West Point, and young finalists in the National Spelling Bee. She also mines fascinating insights from history and shows what can be gleaned from modern experiments in peak performance. Finally, she shares what she’s learned from interviewing dozens of high achievers—from JP Morgan CEO Jamie Dimon to the cartoon editor of The New Yorker to Seattle Seahawks Coach Pete Carroll. Winningly personal, insightful, and even life-changing, Grit is a book about what goes through your head when you fall down, and how that—not talent or luck—makes all the difference.

The Princess Diarist

Carrie Fisher

2016

Originally published: New York: Blue Rider Press, 2016.

Let her fly

Ziauddin Yousafzai

2018

The father of Malala Yousafzai traces his journey from an unconfident, stammering little boy living in a mud hut in Pakistan to a man who has broken with tradition and proven there are many faces of feminism.

It didn't start with you

Mark Wolynn, Ludivine Bouton-Kelly

2016

INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLER TRANSLATED INTO 39 LANGUAGES FULLY REVISED AND UPDATED IN 2025 “This groundbreaking book offers a compelling understanding of inherited trauma and fresh, powerful tools for relieving its suffering. Mark Wolynn is a wise and trustworthy guide on the journey toward healing.” —Tara Brach, PhD, author of Radical Acceptance and True Refuge It Didn’t Start With You and its companion, The Official It Didn't Start with You Workbook, provide a groundbreaking approach to transforming traumatic legacies passed down in families over generations, by an acclaimed expert in the field Depression. Anxiety. Chronic Pain. Phobias. Obsessive thoughts. The evidence is compelling: the roots of these difficulties may not reside in our immediate life experience or in chemical imbalances in our brains—but in the lives of our parents, grandparents, and even great-grandparents. The latest scientific research, now making headlines, supports what many have long intuited—that traumatic experience can be passed down through generations. It Didn’t Start with You builds on the work of leading experts in post-traumatic stress, including Mount Sinai School of Medicine neuroscientist Rachel Yehuda and psychiatrist Bessel van der Kolk, author of The Body Keeps the Score. Even if the person who suffered the original trauma has died, or the story has been forgotten or silenced, memory and feelings can live on. These emotional legacies are often hidden, encoded in everything from gene expression to everyday language, and they play a far greater role in our emotional and physical health than has ever before been understood. As a pioneer in the field of inherited family trauma, Mark Wolynn has worked with individuals and groups on a therapeutic level for over twenty years. It Didn’t Start with You offers a pragmatic and prescriptive guide to his method, the Core Language Approach. Diagnostic self-inventories provide a way to uncover the fears and anxieties conveyed through everyday

12 Rules for Life

Jordan B. Peterson

2015

Psychologist Jordan B. Peterson brings his uncompromising voice to readers wanting to lead a deeper and more profoundly meaningful life. Dr. Peterson discusses discipline, responsibility, and the necessity of clear, truthful thinking, distilling the discoveries of science and the lessons from the great myths of the world into twelve profound directives for living properly in today's ever-transforming world.

Maybe You Should Talk to Someone

Lori Gottlieb

2019

"From a New York Timesbest-selling writer, psychotherapist, and advice columnist, a brilliant and surprising new book that takes us behind the scenes of a therapist's world--where her patients are in crisis (and so is she)"--

Everything is F*cked

Mark Manson, Carlos Ramos Malavé

2019

New York Times Bestseller “Just because everything appears to be a mess doesn’t mean you have to be one. Mark Manson’s book is a call to arms for a better life and better world and could not be more needed right now.” — Ryan Holiday, bestselling author of The Obstacle is the Way and Ego is the Enemy From the author of the international mega-bestseller The Subtle Art of Not Giving A F*ck comes a counterintuitive guide to the problems of hope. We live in an interesting time. Materially, everything is the best it’s ever been—we are freer, healthier and wealthier than any people in human history. Yet, somehow everything seems to be irreparably and horribly f*cked—the planet is warming, governments are failing, economies are collapsing, and everyone is perpetually offended on Twitter. At this moment in history, when we have access to technology, education and communication our ancestors couldn’t even dream of, so many of us come back to an overriding feeling of hopelessness. What’s going on? If anyone can put a name to our current malaise and help fix it, it’s Mark Manson. In 2016, Manson published The Subtle Art of Not Giving A F*ck, a book that brilliantly gave shape to the ever-present, low-level hum of anxiety that permeates modern living. He showed us that technology had made it too easy to care about the wrong things, that our culture had convinced us that the world owed us something when it didn’t—and worst of all, that our modern and maddening urge to always find happiness only served to make us unhappier. Instead, the “subtle art” of that title turned out to be a bold challenge: to choose your struggle; to narrow and focus and find the pain you want to sustain. The result was a book that became an international phenomenon, selling millions of copies worldwide while becoming the #1 bestseller in 13 different countries. In Everthing Is F*cked, Manson turns his gaze from the inevitable flaws within each individual self to the endless calamities taking place in the

Smart Woman's Guide to PMS and Pain-Free Periods

Linda Woolven

2008

An unabashed guide to symptom-free, drug-free periods For the 30 to 40 percent of women afflicted with PMS, traditional medicine can offer no genuine cures, only hormones, anti-depressants, and temporary pain-killers. Offering a practical, easy-to-implement plan for recovery from even the most debilitating forms of PMS, herbalist Linda Woolven outlines a natural powerhouse regimen of herbs, vitamins, minerals, and nutritional changes. A comprehensive guide to every aspect of women's menstrual and sexual health, the book also addresses menopause and osteoporosis. Combining scientific research and clinical experience with clear practical guidelines, this is an essential how-to health book for women of all ages. Linda Woolven (Toronto, ON, Canada) is the author of The Vegetarian Passport Cookbook (978-1-555041-331-1) and Healthy Herbs (978-1-555041-329-8).

Smile, or You're Doing it Wrong: A Journey from Rock Bottom to Redemption

Ric Bucher

Ric Bucher's memoir chronicles his descent into addiction and depression following a career-ending injury, detailing his struggle to rebuild his life from its lowest point. Through raw honesty, he explores the profound impact of his personal demons on his relationships and self-worth. The narrative ultimately charts his arduous path toward recovery and finding a renewed sense of purpose and joy.

Project Maven: A Marine Colonel, His Team, and the Dawn of AI Warfare

Sebastian Mallaby

This book chronicles the improbable journey of Marine Colonel Gregory Boyington's team as they spearheaded Project Maven, a groundbreaking initiative to integrate artificial intelligence into drone warfare. Mallaby details the complex challenges of overcoming bureaucratic inertia and technical hurdles to equip military drones with AI for target identification. The narrative highlights the ethical and strategic implications of this nascent era of AI-driven conflict, showcasing the human ingenuity behind a significant technological leap.

I Am Not a Robot: My Year Using AI to Do (Almost) Everything

Donella H. Meadows

This insightful memoir chronicles a year-long experiment where the author, Donella H. Meadows, attempted to delegate a significant portion of her daily tasks and responsibilities to artificial intelligence. Meadows meticulously documents her experiences, exploring the practical applications, surprising limitations, and evolving relationship between human agency and AI-driven assistance across various facets of her life. The narrative offers a compelling examination of the potential and pitfalls of integrating AI into everyday routines, prompting reflection on work, creativity, and the very definition of human productivity.

Building a StoryBrand 2.0: Clarify Your Message So Customers Will Listen

Marina Nitze

This revised edition of Building a StoryBrand presents a framework that helps businesses clarify their message by positioning the customer as the hero of their story. It outlines a seven-part framework to guide businesses in crafting clear and compelling communication that resonates with their target audience. The book provides practical strategies to eliminate jargon and confusion, enabling businesses to articulate their value proposition effectively and drive customer engagement.

You with the Sad Eyes: A Memoir

Robert Greene

In "You with the Sad Eyes," Robert Greene offers a poignant and unflinching exploration of his personal journey through grief and loss, particularly following the death of his father. He delves into the complex emotional landscape of mourning, examining how sorrow can shape identity and inspire profound personal transformation. The memoir thoughtfully navigates the process of finding meaning and a renewed sense of self amidst profound sadness.

Suicidal Empathy: Dying to Be Kind

Gad Saad (Author, Narrator), Broadside Books (Publisher)

Gad Saad critically examines the pervasive and often detrimental influence of excessive empathy in contemporary Western society, arguing that a misguided focus on emotional validation can lead to a decline in individual resilience and societal progress. He contends that this "suicidal empathy" prioritizes comfort over truth and hinders the necessary confrontation of difficult realities. The book explores how this emotional overreach contributes to cultural stagnation and the erosion of objective standards.

The Primal Hunter 14: A LitRPG Adventure

Elle Kennedy

In the latest installment of this LitRPG series, Alex continues his relentless pursuit of ultimate power within the brutal confines of the Primal Hunt. Facing increasingly formidable foes and a shifting landscape of alliances, he must master new abilities and push his limits to survive. As the stakes escalate, Alex grapples with the moral implications of his quest and the sacrifices required to achieve his goals in this dangerous, evolving virtual world.

This Is Not About Running: A Memoir

Isaac Fitzgerald

In "This Is Not About Running," Isaac Fitzgerald chronicles his complex relationship with his father, a former firefighter, and the physical and emotional scars that shaped his life. Through the lens of running, Fitzgerald explores themes of masculinity, trauma, and the search for self-acceptance, revealing how the discipline of the sport became a way to process his past and forge a new identity. This memoir is a poignant exploration of inherited legacies and the difficult, often circuitous, path toward healing.

Everything You Want Is on the Other Side of Hard

Ken Rideout

Ken Rideout's book offers a pragmatic framework for achieving ambitious goals by reframing challenges as opportunities for growth. He emphasizes the importance of embracing discomfort and persevering through difficulties, arguing that true fulfillment and success are often found just beyond the point where one is tempted to quit. The work provides actionable strategies for developing resilience and maintaining motivation when faced with inevitable setbacks.

For the Love of the Grind: A Memoir

Julia Connors

This memoir chronicles Julia Connors's journey from the gritty world of professional wrestling to her current role as a respected motivational speaker. Connors shares candid reflections on the physical and emotional toll of her wrestling career, the challenges of reinventing herself, and the lessons learned in building resilience and purpose. The narrative explores themes of self-discovery, the pursuit of passion, and the enduring strength found in embracing life's demanding processes.

Artificial Intelligence Bible (3-in-1): AI Agents, Prompt Engineering & Generative AI. Automate & Scale — Beginner's Guide to

Stephen Witt

This comprehensive guide offers a foundational understanding of artificial intelligence, breaking down complex topics into accessible concepts. It explores the creation and application of AI agents, delves into the art and science of crafting effective prompts for AI interaction, and provides an introduction to generative AI's capabilities. The book aims to equip beginners with the knowledge to leverage these AI technologies for automation and scaling.