Self-Help

How to Choose Good Self-Help Books

Most self-help books suck. Here’s how to find good ones.

Most self-help books are nearly worthless or even harmful. I know. I’ve read hundreds of them.

How can readers select good self-help books?

The authors of The Best Self-Help and Self-Awareness Books, The Authoritative Guide to Self-Help Resources in Mental Health and Psychology Applied to Modern Life recommend 8 questions:

1. Does the book make too-good-to-be-true claims? If it seems too good to be true, it probably is. A book will not fix all your problems overnight.
2. Is the book’s purpose clearly stated up front? If not, the writer may just want to lead you down a rabbit hole of grand promises and false hopes.
3. Is the author a mental health professional? Fellow sufferers are usually not qualified.
4. Does the author show the science behind the book’s methods? If there’s no science, then the advice is no more reliable than what a bum on the street stays. Try to recognize the difference between science and psuedoscience, for example the difference between Aaron Beck and Paul Pearsall.
5. Does the book give specific strategies? Vague musings about life and personal philosophy don’t get things done. Look for specific actions that are suggested.
6. Does the author admit that different things may work for different people? Humans are complex. Life is complex. Honest writers admit complexity.
7. Is the writing clear and coherant? Do you understand what the writer is saying, or does the writer use psychobabble like Deepak Chopra?
8. Does the book have a bibliography? An extensive bibliography is a mark of a serious writer who wants to help people.
9. Does the author dismiss science and research? If so, they’re looking for an excuse to say anything that pops into their head. Avoid them.

These simple questions can help you avoid self-help garbage.