The Seasonal Reading Challenge discussion

5.9 - Help Yourself
September is Self-Improvement Month. Read a book with a main page genre that includes “Self Help”.

Self help genre noted:
Deep Work: Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World
Grit
Happier at Home: Kiss More, Jump More, Abandon a Project, Read Samuel Johnson, and My Other Experiments in the Practice of Everyday Life
Meditations
MWF Seeking BFF: My Yearlong Search For A New Best Friend
Self-Help
The Introvert's Way: Living a Quiet Life in a Noisy World
The Little Book of Hygge: The Danish Way to Live Well
The Memory Bible: An Innovative Strategy for Keeping Your Brain Young
The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck: A Counterintuitive Approach to Living a Good Life
Tiny Beautiful Things: Advice on Love and Life from Dear Sugar
Up the Duff: The Real Guide to Pregnancy
Year of Yes: How to Dance It Out, Stand In the Sun and Be Your Own Person

Reserved

This thread is now open.

Oh 'eck! I generally regard self help books with loathing (we all have our personal likes!) and after a few challenges where they were a requirement for certain tasks I'm at the end of my short list of books which I can read without intense emotional trauma :-)

So, does anyone have any interesting 'self help' books which aren't really?

I don't really have any recommendations, but that's because I agree with you completely. I tend to back slowly away from self help sections in bookshops, and avoid making eye contact! Hopefully other people will have good recs...

Please can i have this approved for this task
Self-Help

Nicola wrote: "Oh 'eck! I generally regard self help books with loathing (we all have our personal likes!) and after a few challenges where they were a requirement for certain tasks I'm at the end of my short lis..."

I agree with you but i found the one above if it is approved

Marie (UK) wrote: "Please can i have this approved for this task
Self-Help"

genre noted

Nicola wrote: "Oh 'eck! I generally regard self help books with loathing (we all have our personal likes!) and after a few challenges where they were a requirement for certain tasks I'm at the end of my short lis..."

I'm a business owner, so this may not work for you but I'm planning to read personal development/productivity books. A few I've read and liked: The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: Powerful Lessons in Personal Change, The One Thing: The Surprisingly Simple Truth Behind Extraordinary Results, Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking, The 12 Week Year, Outliers: The Story of Success

There are lots more on the Personal Development page.

Please could you note self-help genre for Happier at Home: Kiss More, Jump More, Abandon a Project, Read Samuel Johnson, and My Other Experiments in the Practice of Everyday Life. Thank you!

Margaret wrote: "Could you lock this one in for having the self-help genre on the main page:

The Memory Bible: An Innovative Strategy for Keeping Your Brain Young by Gary Small

(I l..."

noted

Bryony wrote: "Please could you note self-help genre for Happier at Home: Kiss More, Jump More, Abandon a Project, Read Samuel Johnson, and My Other Experiments in the Practice of Everyday Life. T..."

noted

Marie (UK) wrote: "Nicola wrote: "Oh 'eck! I generally regard self help books with loathing (we all have our personal likes!) and after a few challenges where they were a requirement for certain tasks I'm at the end ..."

That is exactly the sort of book I'm looking for! If anyone has anymore like that... :-)

Kristina Simon wrote: "Nicola wrote: "Oh 'eck! I generally regard self help books with loathing (we all have our personal likes!) and after a few challenges where they were a requirement for certain tasks I'm at the end ..."

Thanks Kristina but those are exactly the sort of books that I was saying I would almost prefer to gouge my eyes out with a rusty spoon than read :-)

Except for maybe Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking which might be more of a psychological study of peoples brains than a 'Read This Book!! All Your Problems Will Be Solved!! Be More Sucessful!! Be More Productive!! Be More Intelligent!! Be A Better Person!!' type of thing.

No offence meant to anyone who likes these sorts of books! As I said in my first post we all have our personal hates :-) I'm just hoping for some options.

I've come across a few self help books published as part of the Quick Reads programme. They're all short and easy reads so although they are fairly standard self help subject matter and may make you wish for one of those rusty spoons, at least your suffering will be over quickly!

How to Change Your Life in 7 Steps
The 10 Keys to Success
Feel The Fear And Do It Anyway (How To Be More Confident)

Edited to add:
I just noticed the first two on that list are less than 100 pages so you'd have to use your one 80-99 page book allowance if you did read one.

Since it is last on the main book page, please confirm Self Help genre for The Introvert's Way: Living a Quiet Life in a Noisy World.

Bea wrote: "Since it is last on the main book page, please confirm Self Help genre for The Introvert's Way: Living a Quiet Life in a Noisy World."

genre noted

The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck: A Counterintuitive Approach to Living a Good Life - has 466 shelved as self help so far

Deep Work: Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World - 290ppl

Year of Yes: How to Dance It Out, Stand In the Sun and Be Your Own Person - 179ppl

Grit - 233ppl

Judy wrote: "Please verify The Little Book of Hygge: The Danish Way to Live Well for self help.

Thanks!"

noted

Dee wrote: "The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck: A Counterintuitive Approach to Living a Good Life - has 466 shelved as self help so far

[book:Deep Work: Rules for Focused Success in a Distrac..."

all noted

Nicola wrote: "Oh 'eck! I generally regard self help books with loathing (we all have our personal likes!) and after a few challenges where they were a requirement for certain tasks I'm at the end of my short lis..."

Suze Orman's books on financial health are not the "typical" self-help books, yet most of them carry the self-help genre.

Meditations
Currently has Self Help as a main page genre, can I lock it in?

Lavender wrote: "Meditations
Currently has Self Help as a main page genre, can I lock it in?"

genre noted

Please confirm The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck: A Counterintuitive Approach to Living a Good Life for Self-Help

Melanie wrote: "Please confirm The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck: A Counterintuitive Approach to Living a Good Life for Self-Help"

genre noted

Marie (UK) wrote: "Nicola wrote: "Oh 'eck! I generally regard self help books with loathing (we all have our personal likes!) and after a few challenges where they were a requirement for certain tasks I'm at the end ..."

You are my hero! I thought I would have to leave this task blank because I agree with all of those comments as well, but, love Lorrie Moore, so, glad this sneaked on the approved books!

Wayne wrote: "I'm with you Marie, I detest self-help books too! I've decided to read The Secret..."

If you really want a laugh ... listen to the audio!

You can read My review HERE

Can I lock in Tiny Beautiful Things: Advice on Love and Life from Dear Sugarfor Self-Help?

Can you please verify self help genre for
Up the Duff: The Real Guide to Pregnancy
cheers

Diana wrote: "Can I lock in Tiny Beautiful Things: Advice on Love and Life from Dear Sugarfor Self-Help?"

noted

Meg wrote: "Can you please verify self help genre for
Up the Duff: The Real Guide to Pregnancy
cheers"

noted

Could you confirm MWF Seeking BFF: My Yearlong Search For A New Best Friend for self help?

Marscha wrote: "Could you confirm MWF Seeking BFF: My Yearlong Search For A New Best Friend for self help?"

genre noted

Could you confirm Thanks for the Feedback: The Science and Art of Receiving Feedback Well for genre?

I also hate self-help books, but this one was quite useful:



And a friend recommended:



which has already been approved, so I might give it a try.

Katy wrote: "Could you confirm Thanks for the Feedback: The Science and Art of Receiving Feedback Well for genre?"

genre noted

Could I please get self-help mpg confirmation for When Things Fall Apart: Heart Advice for Difficult Times? Thank you.

Connie (Ava Catherine) wrote: "Could I please get self-help mpg confirmation for When Things Fall Apart: Heart Advice for Difficult Times? Thank you."

noted

Nicola wrote: "Oh 'eck! I generally regard self help books with loathing (we all have our personal likes!) and after a few challenges where they were a requirement for certain tasks I'm at the end of my short list of books which I can read without intense emotional trauma :-)

I know exactly what you mean. In fact I probably wouldn't ever read them if there wasn't something like the SRC or a book club to prompt me! :-) But at least they force me out of my comfort zone.

However, if it helps, I will go on record as saying that I enjoyed Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking when I read it as a group read a few challenges ago.

I have found one possible that I did actually enjoy (having read it in about an hour this afternoon), but I have no idea if it's officially long enough for the SRC: Spencer Johnson's Who Moved My Cheese?

It's 96 pages and this is a 5pt task, so technically, it could be used under the "one book of 80-99 pages for one 5pt task" exemption, but its pretty big print and some of the pages just have pictures of cheese with slogans on.

So the questions for the mods are: has this book come up in self-help tasks before? and if so, is it allowable on length, or is it just too short?

Could you please confirm Lean In: Women, Work, and the Will to Lead for self-help? Thanks!

Trish wrote: "Nicola wrote: "Oh 'eck! I generally regard self help books with loathing (we all have our personal likes!) and after a few challenges where they were a requirement for certain tasks I'm at the end ..."

Yes, Who Moved My Cheese? is allowable with the one-time page number exemption

Sara wrote: "Could you please confirm Lean In: Women, Work, and the Will to Lead for self-help? Thanks!"

noted

Dlmrose wrote: "Yes, Who Moved My Cheese? is allowable with the one-time page number exemption"

Thank you!!

The Art of Asking; or, How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Let People Help for verification? It's on the bottom of the genres right now. Thanks!

Morgan wrote: "The Art of Asking; or, How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Let People Help for verification? It's on the bottom of the genres right now. Thanks!"

genre noted

Can I please get this verified for genre :-) Eat. Stop. Eat.

I'll verify it for length as well seeing as it's an ebook.

Nicola wrote: "Can I please get this verified for genre :-) Eat. Stop. Eat.

I'll verify it for length as well seeing as it's an ebook."

Genre noted. And if you look at "all editions," there is a paperback listed.

Sandy wrote: "Nicola wrote: "Can I please get this verified for genre :-) Eat. Stop. Eat.

I'll verify it for length as well seeing as it's an ebook."

Genre noted. And if you look at "all edition..."

I was concerned that because it was in a foreign language that it 'wouldn't count'. But if you say it does then that's great!

Nicola wrote: "I was concerned that because it was in a foreign language that it 'wouldn't count'. But if you say it does then that's great!
..."

See the Rules of the Challenge re determining page counts: "If the sort results in an edition in a language other than English the edition SHOULD be used to establish length."

You're good to go with this one.