Personal Development Fiction

Here is an audiobook that transcends the limits of how-to guides and honors the act of childbirth in the 21st century. Eleanor Henderson and Anna Solomon have gathered true birth stories by women who have made self-expression their business, including Cheryl Strayed, Julia Glass, Lauren Groff, Dani Shapiro, and many other luminaries. In Labor Day, you'll hear about women determined to give birth naturally and others begging for epidurals; women who pushed for hours and women whose labors were over practically before they'd started; women giving birth to twins and to 10-pound babies.

Following the success of several recent inspirational and practical books for would-be writers, Poemcrazy is a perfect guide for everyone who ever wanted to write a poem but was afraid to try. Writing workshop leader Susan Wooldridge shows how to think, use one's senses, and practice exercises that will make poems more likely to happen.

England, 1469. As the War of the Roses rages on, Margaret Paston knows that there is only one way to survive the loss of the Paston's family seat, Caister Castle: a fortunate marriage for one of her unruly daughters. A favourable match will change the future of her family overnight but a scandal will ruin the Paston name forever.

"What is a minimalist life? It's one that is stripped of the unnecessary, to make room for that which gives you joy. It's a removal of clutter in all its forms, leaving you with peace and freedom and lightness. A minimalist values quality, not quantity, in all forms." So writes Leo Babauta, the creator of Zen Habits and author of The Simple Guide to a Minimalist Life. A joy to read, this little book will help you clear out clutter, be content with less, and simplify your life - with tips on everything from creating a minimalist workspace to going paperless. In short, it will help you enjoy a simpler, happier life!

We have just come through the worst recession many of us have ever seen, and in times like these, it's tempting to think that just having more money would solve our problems. Indeed, it is also widely believed that how wealthy you are is a result of external factors, such as job promotions or good investments. But the surprising truth is that affluence is actually based on a certain way of thinking, one which has never before been discussed. The book includes a test to determine your Affluence Intelligence Quotient (AIQ), and a step-by-step program to raise that AIQ in just three months.

Society implies you need alcohol to get through motherhood. The drinking mom culture is a dangerous trend that threatens the well-being of both parents and children. The notion of having to be the “perfect mom” causes us to feel overwhelmed, unworthy, and in constant comparison, which in turn increases the chances we’ll crack open some alcohol and have a drink. Top that off with the challenge of trying to stay sober in a pandemic! It takes a lot of courage to admit that alcohol isn’t serving you, and to make the decision to begin a sober journey.

Boy meets girl. Boy marries girl. Boy and girl enjoy the sparks in the early years, but eventually settle into a comfortable friendship, and all passion disappears from their marriage. That s just the way it goes, right? As many as one in three long-term marriages in America are sexless, and most people accept this as the inevitable course of a romantic relationship. In this groundbreaking book, Rabbi Shmuley Boteach explains why the prioritizing of love and companionship in marriage is all wrong, and why we should not go quietly into that dark night of celibate marriage.

When married couple Fern and Aiden have a windfall, their reactions could not be more different. While Fern is content to pay off their mortgage and build a nest egg before starting a family, her husband is set on travelling the world. Fern’s not much of a backpacker so, before she knows it, the idea of a ‘marriage gap year’ takes shape. And, as Aiden heads off to the wilds of Australia, Fern chooses the more restful Provence for her year out.

Unfortunately, children don’t come with operating instructions, so raising even the most compliant kids can sometimes be disconcerting. Acknowledging that some youngsters are more challenging than others, Dr. James Dobson offers real help with establishing parent-child relationships, maintaining sanity, and banishing guilt. A Doctor of Philosophy in child development and the founder of the international organization Focus on the Family, Dr. Dobson has become one of America’s most respected family therapists.

A stunning and timely creative call-to-arms combining four extraordinary written pieces by Neil Gaiman. Drawn from Gaiman’s trove of published speeches, poems, and creative manifestos, Art Matters is an embodiment of this remarkable multimedia artist’s vision - an exploration of how reading, imagining, and creating can transform the world and our lives.

Bittersweetness recognises that light and dark, birth and death—bitter and sweet—are forever paired. As Bittersweet shows, our obsession with happiness is not making us happy, healthy or whole. It's only by embracing our darker emotions—as well as the light—that we discover our deepest meaning and connection, love and joy. It can change the way we work, the way we create and the way we love—for it is the hidden source of our love stories, moonshots and masterpieces.

This motivational audiobook is a wonderful collection of short and inspirational stories and facts that have the power to evoke the leader within oneself. Be it a student or a manager, this audiobook is for everyone and for all ages.

"Writing is structure,” William Goldman said, but too often aspiring writers plunge into their work without grasping this fundamental principle. Story structure is one of the most important concepts for a writer to understand - and ironically, one of the least frequently taught. In this book, New York Times best-selling author William Bernhardt explains the elements that make stories work, using examples spanning from Gilgamesh to The Hunger Games.

Stress has become a near-universal experience as well as a rising public health concern. Therapist, wellness coach, and stress management writer Elizabeth Scott presents easy strategies for dealing with life’s stressors. According to many measures, people today are dealing with stress in greater quantity and severity than in the past several decades, and this is taking a toll on our collective wellness. Scott distills information about stress management into central ideas and strategies for anyone to use.

Internationally best-selling author Umberto Eco is a master stylist whose books, including The Name of the Rose and Baudolino, have been savored by millions around the world. Now, with The Mysterious Flame of Queen Loana, Eco crafts another of the ambitious and breathtaking novels that are his trademark.

David Cay Johnston has made a name for himself as the defender of the common man, calling out the rich and powerful for cheating the system at the expense of everyone else. Whether he's exposing unjust loopholes in the tax code that help the rich get richer or pointing out how powerful corporations pocket government subsidies at excessive taxpayer expense, Johnston is an eloquent town crier for justice and equality.

A desperate mother must grapple with impossible choices as her young son becomes too dangerous to live at home, but is only growing bigger, stronger, and more violent while in treatment. When Keri and her husband adopt Devon, he has concerning behaviors, but she's confident all he needs is the love of a forever family.

Over the course of four years, the traveling love rally called Together Live brought together diverse storytellers for epic evenings of laughter, music, and hard-won wisdom to huge audiences across the country. Well-known womxn (and the occasional man) from all walks of life shared their most vulnerable truths in a radical act of love, paving the way for healing in the face of adversity.

In The Champion's Creed, NFL star and chief culture officer Ben Utecht unveils the blueprint for forging unbeatable teams in any arena. Central to Utecht's methodology is the creation of a "Culture Creed"—a dynamic manifesto that transcends typical mission statements. This powerful tool becomes the compass guiding every decision, action, and interaction within an organization. Listeners will learn how to craft and implement their own Culture Creed, infusing their company's culture with purpose and direction.

Love Changes is an anthology of true love. Sometimes it hurts before it feels good, but for love, it is all worth it.