Tag: good reading’

5 Best Self-Development Books To Read This Month

Need some help finding motivation, ambition, or a more positive outlook on life? Check out our list of the 5 best self-development books to add to your reading list this year.

I think it’s safe to say that we all get down on ourselves from time to time.

Whether it’s due to the weather getting colder; troubles in our family lives; or simply because things just don’t seem to be going right in any way shape or form, we could all use a boost of confidence and inspiration from time to time.

With that said, I’d thought it might be a great idea to create this month’s book round-up on the best self-help, motivational, or inspirational authors and books.

While none of these books are going to do any of the work involved in your own self-improvement, their authors are world-famous for knowing how to inspire people, how to communicate properly, and simply how to live happier, more wholesome lives, with better relationships.

Dale Carnegie – How To Win Friends And Influence People

I’ve personally read this book multiple times, so I might be biased in saying it, but How To Win Friends And Influence People is an absolute must-read for anyone looking to improve their intrapersonal relations and learn to be a more effective speaker.

This book has been around for well-on 100 years and today, it continues to inspire and improve the lives of millions of people around the world.

In the book, Carnegie discusses the many common communication flaws found in the way that most of us communicate with one another. He then addresses them by imposing powerful, yet extremely simple, principles that we can implement into our lives.

Paulo Coelho – The Alchemist

As an eccentric wanderer for most of his life, Paulo Coelho didn’t sit down to write his first book, The Alchemist until he was nearly 40 years old.

In fact, it took him years of not knowing what he was meant to do with his life to find the courage to author his novel. But eventually, a pilgrimage in Spain led him to the realization that he’d always wanted to write a book. And that’s exactly what he set out to do.

After its initially released, the book completely flopped.

But, determined to market and sell it himself, Coelho went door to door, trying to persuade people to read his story.

Eventually, he stumbled upon a publisher who was really to take a chance on him, and today’s Paulo Coelho’s first book, The Alchemist is known as one of the most fundamental books there is about finding yourself and your true purpose in life.

Although it’s a completely fictional story, the book follows its main character, Santiago, as he leads his way through his own journey to find his Personal Legend.

The Power of Positive Thinking by Dr. Norman Vincent Peale

To date, the Power of Positive Thinking has helped countless people achieve happiness by fostering a positive mindset.

This bestseller by Dr. Norman Vincent Peale is filled with practical advice and techniques aimed at helping the reader lead a life of fulfillment. Since its publication in 1952, it has helped show a person needs only the right mindset to achieve both success and happiness.

Throughout its pages, Peale expresses an unequivocal belief in the human spirit’s ability to overcome adversity.

The lessons in this book help one to control their “inner voice” that plays an important role in determining our moods and overall disposition. The more one is able to control their “inner voice” the more they are able to bring about the results they want and the life they desire.

You will learn how to be energized, how to follow-through on your ambitions, and most importantly, how to believe in yourself.

The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen R. Covey

The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People caused a big stir upon its publication in 1989. It helped people see they are actually in far more control of their lives than it seems.

Even better, author Stephen R. Covey was able to show simple and effective techniques that anyone can use to put their lives back on the right track.

Covey’s lessons are based on timeless and universal principles that stay static even as the world around us changes.

The book presents seven habits and fundamental principles adhered to by the world’s most successful and entrepreneurial people. When put into practice, these habits help foster happiness and a more balanced life.

This book won’t automatically transport you to a life of wealth and success but it will teach lessons on communication and personal development that can take you there.

The lessons learned here must be practiced every day, however, or else success will not be achieved. Happiness, success, and well-being are all habits we must form after all and failure is the habit we must break.

Awaken the Giant Within by Tony Robbins

Tony Robbins is a master at helping people reach their peak performance.

His work has helped countless individuals learn the importance of self-mastery and taking control of their own lives. When Awaken the Giant Within was published in 1991, it was so successful that it launched its author to superstardom.

In fact, many consider Tony Robbins to be the most well-known and revered life coach on the planet. He has been sought out by celebrities, world leaders, and the world’s most successful people for his teachings.

The lessons in Awaken the Giant Within can help anyone learn to take pleasure from actions that will benefit them and pain from those that will not.

This conditioning then provides the foundation needed to go out and achieve the life you want by doing the things you need to in order to foster it.

They apply to finance, physical health, and emotional well-being. Your ideal life is there for you to have and this book provides the step-by-step techniques necessary to achieve it.

Best Self-Development Books To Read 2020

Whether you’ve simply been feeling a bit low lately, or you’ve felt stuck in a rut for some time, there’s no doubt in my mind that the words in these books can help set you straight.

The one thing all of these books have in common is that they’re specifically designed to help you improve your own personal well-being, which in turn, will help improve your interpersonal relations, as well as your overal outlook on life.

So what are you waiting for?

Pick up one of these awesome inspirational books from your local book store or check out www.textbooknova.com to browse cheap, affordable books today.

September 5, 2020
Top 6 Best Books To Read This Summer 2020

Are you wondering what books you should add to your reading list for this summer? Make sure to check out these Best Books To Read This Summer 2020.

As a student, summer break can be a ton of fun.

But for some students, the summer can be long, and it can be hard to find ways to stay productive.

So with that in mind, I’ve put together the following blog post on the best books to add to your reading list this summer 2020.

Not only are these books from some of the best, up-and-coming authors of the year. But by reading them, you’ll be able to use your summer vacation in a way that’s meaningful and productive.

Florida Man By Tom Cooper

Tom Cooper, the author of The Marauders is back at it again with his new, dark thriller, Florida Man.

Set in the 1980s, Florida Man follows an aging beachgoer. As he untangles a mind-boggling plot that involves underwater artifacts, deadly assassins, and even a couple of sea monsters.

If you’re into darker-themed thriller novels, then Florida Man is definitely worth checking out this summer.

All Adults Here By Emma Straub

As the follow-up to her bestselling novel, Modern Lovers, All Adults Here is about the problems that we all face in life. And the ways that we can go about becoming the people we’ve always been meant to be.

The novel follows 68-year old, Astrid Strick, and her three adult children through their issues. It’s about all the problems they face that prevent them from becoming the people they’re meant to be.

According to Emma Straub’s All Adults Here, the solutions aren’t always as farfetched as you might think.

How Much Of These Hills Is Gold By C Pam Zhang

According to critics, this novel is one of the absolute best literary debuts of 2020.

The author, C Pam Zhang, spins a tale of immigration so vivid, raw, and bold, that it’s guaranteed to stay with readers for years to come.

The story follows two newly orphaned children, Lucy and Sam, as their father slowly dies.

With their mother absent from their lives, Lucy and Sam desperately seek to bury their father. But in order to do so, they must cross through a foreign land where they end up encountering all sorts of terror.

As they make their journey, both children are put under intense mental and physical strain. They also wind up encountering a sense of racism they’d never experienced before.

For anyone who’s ever felt out of place in the world, How Much Of These Hills Is Gold is a must-read for summer 2020.

Deacon King Kong By James McBride

Known for his National Book Award-winning novel, The Good Lord Bird, James McBride is back at it again. And with his new work, Deacon King Kong, he certainly does not disappoint.

Set in 1969, the book starts out with a shooting committed by a miserable preacher in South Brooklyn. It then follows somewhat of a free-wheeling, bittersweet, yet comical story of the City of New York lost in its own turmoil.

Coming at a time when most people around the world are unsure if it’s safe to venture outside, Deacon King Kong is like a wry, witty, and poignant look at New York during an eerily similar era.

Full of moral clarity and plenty of sharp humor, this novel is another must-read for summer 2020.

If It Bleeds By Stephen King

Whether you’re a Stephen King fan or not, If It Bleeds is definitely one of the best books to have on your reading list this summer.

Composed of 4 short novellas, each with its own characters, settings, and moods, If It Bleeds is yet another awe-inspiring work from the world-famous author, Stephen King.

And as per usual, King made sure to weave a connective trail of breadcrumbs throughout his stories. This includes the character of Holly Gibney, the paranormal investigator from the HBO series, The Outsider.

So if you’re up for a few good horror shorts, make sure to add If It Bleeds to your list.

Pizza Girl By Jean Kyoung Frazier

As Jean Kyoung Frazier’s literary debut, Pizza Girl has been described as a subversive and darkly funny look into suburban Los Angeles. A place where well-kempt front yards and white picket fences disguise new and radical forms of love.

Pizza Girl follows an eighteen-year-old delivery girl, who’s pregnant and grieving the loss of her father. As the story unfolds, the novel’s protagonist becomes obsessed with one of her customers. This catch is that the customer is a middle-aged mother who routinely orders a pickle pizza for her precocious son.

For a semi-dark story about love in strange places, make sure to check out Pizza Girl this summer. At the very least, you might end up with a craving to try a pickle-topped pizza.

Top Books To Read Summer 2020

If summertime boredom is getting you down, why not check out some of the books we’ve talked about today to fill your time in a fun, and productive way.

From tales of personal growth and overcoming one’s challenges to dark thrillers and the Wild West, these 6 awesome novels are sure to keep you entertained in a productive way during the hotter months of the year.

July 20, 2020
5 Books To Read During Self-Quarantine

If you’re having trouble getting your mind off the decade’s biggest news story, then you’re sure to love the following list of the absolute best books to read during self-quarantine.

No matter where you are in the world, I’m sure you’ve felt the same stress and anxiety as we all have. We’ve all been wide-eyed surrounding the recent outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic.

And while there’s still so much uncertainty in the air, there’s always a silver lining to be found. For instance, there are fewer cars on the road. Fewer crowds in shopping malls and stores. And less pollution is being generated than we’ve seen in decades.

Plus, many of us are finding that we have more time on our hands than ever before. So, what better way is there to spend some of this time than reading?

Today, we’re going over 5 of the best books to read during self-quarantine.

How To Do Nothing By Jenny Odell

There’s no doubt that many of us have trouble sitting still and doing nothing. Especially when we’re being told to stay at home and not going anywhere. So for those of you who are having trouble sitting still, check out Jenny Odell’s How To Do Nothing.

According to Odell, our attention is one of the most important resources we have as human beings.

And by learning how to focus this attention properly, we’re able to take one of the boldest forms of action. How To Do Nothing helps redefine our role in the environment. And leads to a better understanding of progress and happiness.

The Splendid And The Vile: A Saga Of Churchill, Family, And Defiance During The Blitz By Erik Larson

Looking for a bit of inspiration during these hard times? Then look no further than this exciting novel, based on real events, written by award-winning indie author, Erik Larson.

The book follows Winston Churchill through his early years as British prime minister, taking you into his personal family life. All while he’s dealing with the London Blitz at the onset of the Second World War.

The Splendid And The Vile is an epic saga, filled with fascinating facts and details of a different time than today. But still, it was a time when people were looking for a tinge of hope in some of the darkest days.

The Fifth Season By N.K. Jemisin

As the first installment of a Hugo award-winning trilogy, The Fifth Season is an insightful look at a doomsday, apocalyptical situation.

The novel starts with a “great red rift across the heart of the world’s sole continent, spewing ash that blots out the sun”. Then, the story follows three women trying to survive during the end of the world.

It is both a tragic and thrilling story of people being at odds with the limitations of the natural world. Not to mention the sometimes daring ways that we’re willing to escape it by.

Anagrams By Lorrie Moore

Praised as being “a revelatory tale of love gained and lost, from a master of contemporary American fiction”. Anagrams is a must-read for anyone finding themselves confined to their home in recent times.

The story starts out with Gerard, sitting fully-clothed in his bathtub, as he listens attentively for his neighbor, Benna, to flush the toilet. He’s in love with Benna, and as the story progresses, Benna starts to love him back, at least, until she doesn’t.

In the novel Anagrams, Moore takes you into the real and imaginative lives of Gerard and Benna as their relationship gradually intertwines. According to McNally Jackson Booksellers, it’s a “captivating, innovative portrait of men and women in love and not in love.

Station Eleven By Emily St. John Mandel

I should warn you that this next read isn’t for the faint of heart. And it’s eerily similar to what’s currently happening in the world. But, I’m sure that some of you are horror lovers, so I felt this would be the perfect book to top off this month’s list.

In the award-winning Station Eleven, Mandel takes us into a world devastated by the “Georgia Flu”, a fictional pandemic, which has killed most of the world’s population.

Although the book might be a bit too realistic for some people, upon publication in 2014, it was well-received by critics everywhere and has since won the Arthur C. Clarke award. It’s also been featured on many end-of-year reading lists.

Best Books To Read During Self-Isolation

Being alone during self-isolation can be challenging to deal with for anyone. However, there are important lessons we can learn. For example, during these trying times, even though we may be isolated, we’re all isolated together.

And when times get tough, it’s important to always find the positives in life.

So if you’ve found yourself confined to your home in the past couple of months, it’s crucial to find beneficial ways to spend your time. Instead of staring at a TV screen or wasting your time on social media.

And with that said, these 5 books by the millennium’s brightest up-and-coming authors are sure to keep you entertained during all the extra time you might be finding yourself with lately.

May 5, 2020