Suggested Books

Brad Paul, founder of Solotopia, Guru Habits, Propel Publications, and Webscape Productions, recommends these books.

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Topic Categories

1. Perfect Partner, Love of Your Life, Soul Mate
2. Dating Skills, Dating Strategies, Online Dating
3. Love, Intimacy, Romance, Sex
4. Couple’s Communication, Art of Listening
5. Breakup, Divorce, Loss of a Love
6. Singlehood, Being Single, Singles Lifestyle
7. Relationship Skills, Social Skills, Friendship Skills
8. Self Image, End Shyness, Confidence, Courage
9. Life Skills, Wisdom, Motivation, Self Love
10. Law of Attraction, Thought Power, Awareness
11. Personal Development, Self Improvement, Success
12. Mindfulness, Personal Exploration, New Perspective
13. Nutrition, Plant-Based, Vegan
14. Supplements, Weight Loss, Exercise
15. Addiction Cures, Stop Bad Habit, Self Mastery
16. Career, Money Management, Financial Freedom
17. Renewable Energy, Energy Efficiency, Green Living

1. Perfect Partner, Love of Your Life, Soul Mate

• Finding the One Who’s Right by Brad Paul
• Finding Your Perfect Match by Pepper Schwartz, Ph.D., relationship expert.
• The Right One – How to Successfully Date and Marry the Right Person by Jimmy Evans
• Calling in The One – 7 Weeks to Attract the Love of Your Life by Katherine Woodward Thomas
• Are You the One for Me? – Knowing Who’s Right and Avoiding Who’s Wrong by Barbara De Angelis, Ph.D. (As seen on Oprah.)
• What to Do Until Love Finds You: The Bestselling Guide to Preparing Yourself for Your Perfect Mate by Michelle McKinney Hammond

2. Dating Skills, Dating Strategies, Online Dating

• Mars and Venus on a Date: A Guide for Navigating the 5 Stages of Dating to Create a Loving and Lasting Relationship by John Gray, Ph.D.
• Chicken Soup for the Soul Love Stories: Stories of First Dates, Soul Mates, and Everlasting Love by Jack Canfield, Mark Victor Hansen, & Peter Vegso
• He’s Just Not That Into You: The No-Excuses Truth to Understanding Guys (The Newly Expanded Edition) by Greg Behrendt & Liz Tuccillo
• Love at First Site – Tips and Tales for Online Dating Success by Erika Ettin
• 121 First Dates – How to Succeed at Online Dating by Wendy Newman
• The Do’s and Don’ts of Successful Online Dating by Chuck Miller

3. Love, Intimacy, Romance, Sex

• Mars and Venus in the Bedroom: A Guide to Lasting Romance and Passion by John Gray, Ph.D.
• The Art of Loving by Erich Fromm (Popular classic)
• Love Letters of Great Men by John Kirkland
• Chicken Soup for the Couple’s Soul by Jack Canfield, Mark Victor Hansen, Mark Donnelly, Chrissy Donnelly, & Barbara De Angelis, Ph.D.
• Women Men Love, Women Men Leave: What Makes Men Want to Commit? by Dr. Connell Cowan & Dr. Melvyn Kinder
• Love Worth Making – How to Have Ridiculously Great Sex in a Long-Lasting Relationship by Stephen Snyder M.D.

4. Couple’s Communication, Art of Listening

• The Couple’s Review by Brad Paul
• Men Are from Mars, Women Are from Venus: The Classic Guide to Understanding the Opposite Sex by John Gray, Ph.D. (Male-female communication.)
• Communication Miracles for Couples: Easy and Effective Tools to Create More Love and Less Conflict by Jonathan Robinson
• Love Is Never Enough: How Couples Can Overcome Misunderstandings, Resolve Conflicts, and Solve by Aaron Beck, M.D.
• The Lost Art of Listening, Second Edition: How Learning to Listen Can Improve Relationships by Michael P Nichols, Ph.D.
• Listening: The Forgotten Skill by Madelyn Burley-Allen

5. Breakup, Divorce, Loss of a Love

• Too Good to Leave, Too Bad to Stay: A Step-by-Step Guide to Help You Decide Whether to Stay In or Get Out of Your Relationship by Mira Kirshenbaum
• How to Survive the Loss of a Love by Melba Colgrove, Ph.D; Harold H. Bloomfield, M.D.; and Peter McWilliams (If you’re in pain, get this book! B.P.)
• Mars and Venus Starting Over: A Practical Guide for Finding Love Again After a Painful Breakup, Divorce, or the Loss of a Loved One by John Gray, Ph.D.
• How to Heal a Broken Heart in 30 Days: A Day-by-Day Guide to Saying Good-bye and Getting On With Your Life by Howard Bronson and Mike Riley
• Letting Go: A 12-Week Personal Action Program to Overcome a Broken Heart by Zev Wanderer
• A Woman’s Guide to Living Alone: 10 Ways to Survive Grief and Be Happy by Pamela Stone

6. Singlehood, Being Single, Singles Lifestyle

• Singled Out: How Singles Are Stereotyped, Stigmatized, and Ignored, and Still Live Happily Ever After by Bella DePaulo, Ph.D.
• Being Single in a Couple’s World: How to Be Happily Single While Looking for Love by Xavier Amador, Ph.D. and Judith Kiersky, Ph.D.
• Happily Single: (Before Happily Married!) by Diane Wigstone
• Single: The Art of Being Satisfied, Fulfilled and Independent by Judy Ford
• Living Alone and Loving It: A Guide to Relishing the Solo Life by Barbara Feldon
• Going Solo: The Extraordinary Rise and Surprising Appeal of Living Alone by Eric Klinenberg
• Adventures in Singlehood by Susie Shellenberger and Michael Ross

7. Relationship Skills, Social Skills, Friendship Skills

• Feeling Good Together: The Secret to Making Troubled Relationships Work by David D. Burns, M.D. (A favorite author of mine. B.P.)
• Mars and Venus Together Forever: Relationship Skills for Lasting Love by John Gray, Ph.D.
• How to Create a Magical Relationship by Ariel & Shya Kane
• How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie
• Making Friends by Andrew Matthews (Wisdom in a nutshell. A favorite author of mine. Concise and to the point writing style. B.P.)
• Intimate Connections by David D. Burns, M.D. (Making close friends & finding a loving partner. A favorite author of mine. B.P.)
• How to Talk to Anyone: 92 Little Tricks for Big Success in Relationships by Leil Lowndes

8. Self Image, End Shyness, Confidence, Courage

• New Psycho-Cybernetics by Maxwell Maltz, M.D. (Opened my eyes. B.P.)
• How to Develop Self-Confidence And Influence People By Public Speaking by Dale Carnegie
• Dare to Be Yourself by Alan Cohen
• Living Fully with Shyness and Social Anxiety: A Comprehensive Guide to Gaining Social Confidence by Erika B. Hilliard
• The Shyness & Social Anxiety Workbook: Proven, Step-by-Step Techniques for Overcoming Your Fear by Martin Antony, Ph.D. & Richard Swinson, M.D.
• The Ultimate Secrets of Total Self-Confidence (Revised) by Dr. Robert Anthony (A favorite author of mine. Concise and to the point style. B.P.)
• Feel the Fear… and Do It Anyway by Susan Jeffers, Ph.D.
• Courage: Overcoming Fear and Igniting Self-Confidence by Debbie Ford & Wayne Dyer
• Courage: The Joy of Living Dangerously by Osho

9. Life Skills, Wisdom, Motivation, Self Love

• The Blue Zones of Happiness – Lessons From the World’s Happiest People by Dan Buettner
• How Life Works – Why Happy People are More Successful. How You Can Be Like Them. by Andrew Matthews (Wisdom in a nutshell. A favorite author of mine. Concise and to the point writing style. B.P.)
• Life’s Operating Manual by Tom Shadyac
• Being Happy! by Andrew Matthews (Wisdom in a nutshell. A favorite author of mine. Concise and to the point writing style. B.P.)
• Happiness in a Nutshell by Andrew Matthews (All his wisdom in nutshells. A favorite author of mine. Concise and to the point writing style. B.P.)
• 50 Ideas That Can Change Your Life by Dr. Robert Anthony (A favorite author of mine. Concise and to the point style. B.P.)
• Learned Optimism: How to Change Your Mind and Your Life by Martin E. P. Seligman, Ph.D.  (Outstanding! B.P.)
• Real Life: Preparing for the 7 Most Challenging Days of Your Life by Dr. Phil McGraw
• The Art of Exceptional Living (Audio) by Jim Rohn (Discusses the principles for truly successful living. B.P.)
• How to Stop Worrying and Start Living by Dale Carnegie
• Tao Te Ching, 25th-Anniversary Edition by Lao Tsu (Ultimate Wisdom.)
• Solitude a Return to the Self by Anthony Storr
• Love Yourself Like Your Life Depends On It by Kamal Ravikant
• How to Be Your Own Best Friend by Mildred Newman and Bernard Berkowitz. (A life changing favorite. Here’s my story. B.P.)
• I Ain’t Much, Baby– But I’m All I’ve Got by Jess Lair Ph.D.  (Classic favorite. BP)

10. Law of Attraction, Thought Power, Awareness

• The Secret (Video) by Rhonda Byrne (As seen on Oprah. The movie version is absolutely the best way to learn “The Secret.” B.P.)
• The Secret (Audio) by Rhonda Byrne (As seen on Oprah. The audio version is the second best way to learn “The Secret.” B.P.)
• The Secret (Book) by Rhonda Byrne (Life changing insights. B.P. As seen on Oprah.)
• The Master Key System by Charles F. Haanel (“The Secret” is based on this book.)
• Thoughts Are Things and The God In You by Prentice Mulford
• Ask and It Is Given: Learning to Manifest Your Desires by Jerry & Esther Hicks
• Key to Living the Law of Attraction: A Simple Guide to Creating the Life of Your Dreams by Jack Canfield & D.D. Watkins
• Having It All: Achieving Your Life’s Goals and Dreams by John Assaraf
• Leveraging the Universe and Engaging the Magic (Audio) by Mike Dooley (Easy to understand. B.P.)
• The Power of Intention by Dr. Wayne W. Dyer
• Power of Positive Thinking by Norman Vincent Peale
• You Can If You Think You Can by by Norman Vincent Peale
• As a Man Thinketh by James Allen
• Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill
• The Magic of Believing (Book) or (Audio) by Claude M. Bristol
• The Strangest Secret by Earl Nightingale
• Excuse Me, Your Life Is Waiting: The Astonishing Power of Feelings by Lynn Grabhorn
• You Can Heal Your Life by Louise Hay
• A New Earth: Awakening to Your Life’s Purpose by Eckhart Tolle (As seen on Oprah.)
• The Power of Now: A Guide to Spiritual Enlightenment by Eckhart Tolle (As seen on Oprah.)

11. Personal Development, Self Improvement, Success

• Live Your Truth by Kamal Ravikant
• Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain by John J. Ratey, M.D.
• The Success Principles: How to Get from Where You Are to Where You Want to Be by Jack Canfield with Janet Switzer
• Beyond Positive Thinking: A No-Nonsense Formula for Getting the Results You Want by Dr. Robert Anthony (A favorite author of mine. Concise and to the point style. B.P.)
• Feeling Good: The New Mood Therapy by David D. Burns, M.D. (Life changing. B.P.)
• The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen R. Covey
• The Psychology of Winning by Dr. Denis Waitley
• Maximum Achievement: Strategies and Skills That Will Unlock Your Hidden Powers to Succeed by Brian Tracy
• The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success: A Pocketbook Guide to Fulfilling Your Dreams (One Hour of Wisdom) by Deepak Chopra, M.D.
• Unlimited Power: The New Science Of Personal Achievement by Tony Robbins

12. Mindfulness, Personal Exploration, New Perspective

• The Untethered Soul – The Journey Beyond Yourself by Michael A Singer
• The Surrender Experiment – My Journey into Life’s Perfection by Michael A Singer
• If I Could Tell You Just One Thing – Encounters with Remarkable People and Their Most Valuable Advice by Richard Reed
• Black Box Thinking – Why Most People Never Learn from Their Mistakes — But Some Do by Matthew Syed
• The Traveler’s Gift: Seven Decisions that Determine Personal Success by Andy Andrews
• The Noticer: Sometimes, all a person needs is a little perspective by Andy Andrews

13. Nutrition, Plant-Based, Vegan

• How Not To Die – Discover the Foods Scientifically Proven to Prevent and Reverse Disease by Michael Greger, M.D.
• Undo It – How Simple Lifestyle Changes Can Reverse Most Chronic Diseases by Dean Ornish, M.D.
• Whole – Rethinking the Science of Nutrition by T. Colin Campbell, PhD
• Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease – The Revolutionary, Scientifically Proven, Nutrition-Based Cure by Caldwell B. Esselstyn Jr., M.D.
• The Vegan Starter Kit – Everything You Need to Know About Plant-Based Eating by Neal D. Barnard, M.D.
• The Plant-Based Journey – A Step-by-Step Guide for Transitioning to a Healthy Lifestyle and Achieving Your Ideal Weight by Lani Muelrath
• Becoming Vegan: The Complete Guide to Adopting a Healthy Plant-Based Diet by Brenda Davis

14. Supplements, Weight Loss, Exercise

• The New Encyclopedia of Vitamins, Minerals, Supplements, and Herbs: How They Are Best Used to Promote Health and Well Being by Nicola Reavley
• Vitamins, Herbs, Minerals, & Supplements: The Complete Guide by H. Winter Griffith, M.D.
• Super Supplements for Skin, Body & Mind: How vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and herbs can make you look, feel and think young by Dalia Santina, Ph.D.
• Nutrients A – Z: A User’s Guide to Foods, Herbs, Vitamins, Minerals and Supplements by Dr. Michael Sharon
• Lose Weight Now The Easy Way by Allen Carr
• Eat To Live – The Amazing Nutrient-Rich Program for Fast and Sustained Weight Loss by Joel Fuhrman, M.D.
• The Complete Guide to Walking: For Health, Weight Loss, and Fitness by Mark Fenton
• The One-Minute Workout – Science Shows a Way to Get Fit That’s Smarter, Faster, Shorter by Martin Gibala, PhD
• The Complete Guide to Training with Free Weights by Graeme Marsh
• Men’s Health Ultimate Dumbbell Guide by Myatt Murphy
• The Great Dumbbell Handbook by Andre Noel Potvin
• 101 Ways to Work Out with Weights (For Women) Cindy Whitmarsh
• Smart Girls Do Dumbbells by Judith Sherman-Wolin

15. Addiction Cures, Stop Bad Habit, Self Mastery

• Quit Smoking Without Willpower – Be a happy nonsmoker by Allen Carr (I would have quit a lot sooner had I found this brilliant book. B.P.)
• Quit Drinking Without Willpower – Be a happy nondrinker by Allen Carr (An inspiring message that does NOT sentence you to a lifetime of AA meetings. B.P.)
• How to Stop Drinking Alcohol – A Simple Path from Alcohol Misery to Alcohol Mastery by Kevin O’Hara (A simple message that does NOT sentence you to a lifetime of recovery and AA meetings. B.P.)
• The 30-Day Sobriety Solution – How to Cut Back or Quit Drinking in the Privacy of Your Own Home by Jack Canfield and Dave Andrews
• See all books on this topic.

16. Career, Money Management, Financial Freedom

• The 4-Hour Workweek: Escape 9-5, Live Anywhere, and Join the New Rich by Timothy Ferris (Audio CD) (Very inspiring! B.P.)
• Follow Your Heart by Andrew Matthews (Wisdom in a nutshell. A favorite author of mine. Concise and to the point writing style. B.P.)
• WordPress To Go – How To Build A WordPress Website On Your Own Domain, From Scratch, Even If You Are A Complete Beginner by Sarah McHarry
• Make Money Online: Start A Business. Discover How to Make Money Online & Create a Passive Income by Michael Greene
• Think and Grow Rich: 70th Anniversary Edition (Updated) by Napoleon Hill
• The Magic of Thinking Big by David J. Schwartz, Ph.D.
• The Millionaire Next Door by Thomas Stanley, Ph.D. & William Danko, Ph.D.  (Stanley was inspired to write this book by David J. Schwartz’s book The Magic of Thinking Big. B.P.)
• The Total Money Makeover: A Proven Plan for Financial Fitness by Dave Ramsey
• Your Money or Your Life: Transforming Your Relationship with Money and Achieving Financial Independence by Joe Dominguez & Vicki Robin
• You’re Broke Because You Want to Be: How to Stop Getting By and Start Getting Ahead by Larry Winget
• The Simple Living Guide: A Sourcebook for Less Stressful, More Joyful Living by Janet Luhrs
• Rich Dad, Poor Dad: What the Rich Teach Their Kids About Money–That the Poor and Middle Class Do Not! by Robert Kiyosaki

17. Renewable Energy, Energy Efficiency, Green Living

• The Homeowner’s Handbook to Energy Efficiency: A Guide to Big and Small Improvements by John Krigger & Chris Dorsi
• Consumer Guide to Home Energy Savings, 9th Edition: Save Money, Save the Earth (Consumer Guide to Home Energy Savings) by Jennifer Thorne Amann
• The Simply Solar House: Green Building on a Budget by Richard Crume & Yoko Crume
• The Homeowner’s Guide to Renewable Energy: Achieving Energy Independence through Solar, Wind, Biomass and Hydropower (Mother Earth News Wiser Living) by Dan Chiras
• Green Goes with Everything: Simple Steps to a Healthier Life and a Cleaner Planet by Sloan Barnett
• Easy Green Living: The Ultimate Guide to Simple, Eco-Friendly Choices for You and Your Home by Renee Loux
• Living Green: A Practical Guide to Simple Sustainability by Greg Horn

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