Featured Self-Help Author

A Pattern Language

Christopher Alexander

I've never been interested in interior design or architecture, but this strange, brilliant book taught me how to understand why certain spaces are pleasing -- or not. I think about it all the time. Alexander uses architecture, sociology, psychology, and anthropology to describe the most satisfying architectural environments. You don't have to read it straight through; you can look at the photographs and read the sections that capture your interest: "Cascade of roofs," "Half-hidden garden," "Something roughly in the middle," "Staircase as stage," "Garden growing wild," "Child caves." Buy Now

Out of Africa (Modern Library Series)

Isak Dinesen

A staggeringly good book, and all about happiness and home. Yes, the movie was good, but the book is even better. Just read a few pages. You won't be able to put it down. Buy Now

Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin

Benjamin Franklin

This American classic is fascinating, thought-provoking, and also quite funny. Benjamin Franklin managed not only to be one of the Founding Fathers, but also to start a public library, discover electricity, negotiate with France, and invent bifocals. He's one of the patron saints of anyone doing a happiness project, because he so deliberately set out to improve himself. Buy Now

My Life in France

Julia Child

Because I'm no foodie, I almost didn't read Julia Child's account of her adventures in French cooking and cookbook writing. But it didn't matter that I don't care about cooking. Child's enthusiasm, her love of her subject, her respect for the masters in her field, and her curiosity constantly to learn more make the book extraordinarily compelling. Buy Now

The Life of Samuel Johnson (Everyman's Library)

James Boswell

This isn't a book for everyone; it was written in the 18th century and requires some effort. That said, I love it and have read it many times. It's less a biography of Johnson than a collection of anecdotes about the funniest, wisest, and most outrageous things he said. And he said a lot. Buy Now

Little House in the Big Woods (Little House Series

Laura Ingalls Wilder

A masterpiece for a reader of any age. If you haven't picked up this novel since childhood, read it again. Buy Now

The Enchanted April

Elizabeth von Arnim

This enchanting (!) novel manages an unlikely combination: it's dreamy, sharp, and witty. Beautifully written and utterly delightful. Read it if you're feeling blue. Buy Now