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From Oprah To Chopra


Self-Help On The Shelves


If you’ve visited a book store lately and tried to navigate your way through the self-help isles then you might feel the need to take a meditation break from the dizzying number of categories and subject matter available to choose from. You can find anything from daily affirmations to the kama sutra to help spice up your sex life!

If you like to follow along with popular culture then I’ve included a few Oprah Book Club picks. I have to admit that Oprah is the go-to -gal for guru interviews and good reads! Read on for a list of current, still relevant or soon to be released books in the self-help section.


Eckhart Tolle’s A New Earth: Awakening to Your Life’s Purpose is a profound read that tells the reader how to shift consciousness and deal with power of the ego. If you got anything out of The Secret then you might enjoy this book but you do need to be in the right frame of mind to let the ideas sink in and be open to the messages. Eckhart tells the reader up front “this book is about you” so you need to be ready for self reflection.


Mitch Albom’s book For One More Day is a story about second chances and the importance of family. After his mother’s death the main character Charley goes through a period of drinking and depression. His family is torn apart and he eventually commits suicide. Charley goes through a “rebirth” and gets a chance to spend a day with his mother. He gets to ask her questions, tell her how he feels and have the much needed closure that he longed for since her passing. If you recently lost a loved one or just want to have a good cry then this book is for you.


The Last Lecture by Randy Pausch is the inspirational true story told by the terminally ill professor and author. The book is especially poignant in lieu of his recent death. Through his stories and memories the author leads the reader to question his or her legacy asking what life lessons would you have to hand down to your children? Living life to the fullest and appreciating the little things in life is the author’s perspective and recommendation.


If you are a fan of the popular Chicken Soup For the Soul series of books then you would be pleased to know about this month’s release of Woman To Woman: Women Sharing Their Stories Of Hope, Humor, and Inspiration by Jack Canfield and Mark Victor Hansen. This collection promises to be full of inspiring stories, advice and tips for women. The strength of the book is women supporting each other through sharing. The book is full of laughs and tears and sure to be a good bedtime read.


If you are looking for a book with a more of psychological slant then What Happy Women Know: How New Findings In Positive Psychology Can Change Women’s Lives For The Better by Dan Barker PhD. and Cathy Greenberg PhD. might be more your cup of tea. Happiness is the goal in this book and it concentrates on using the newest research and discoveries in psychology, stressing that women’s brains are wired to “feel more” so to speak. The focus is for women to draw on their own strengths to take control, avoid the self sabotaging traps and ultimately achieve a healthier and happier life.


In the book Me to We: Finding Meaning in a Material World written by Craig Kielburger and Marc Kielburger, the Toronto brothers try to motivate the reader to live a less materialistic life. They give practical advice on how to change the world around you and live a communal life. Their message is self-help through helping others. The Kielburger brothers share a great philosophy and their outlook can be an eye opener.


If you like the writings of Deepak Chopra then I can suggest his new book Why Is God Laughing? The Path to Joy and Spiritual Optimism. The fictional tale of a comedian on the road to recovery appears to be loosely based on Canadian comedian Mike Myers. You can read it just for the laughs or look for the deeper meaning in the story. This book is a good mixture of both entertainment and enlightenment.


There is one thing that all these books have in common. Either the book or the author has been endorsed in some way by Oprah. The mighty Oprah might just be the Dalai Lama of pop culture!