2025 Self-Help Reading Guide

A revised and updated edition of the acclaimed Wall Street Journal bestseller that explores why some leaders drain capability and intelligence from their teams while others amplify it to produce better results.

We’ve all had experience with two dramatically different types of leaders. The first type drains intelligence, energy, and capability from the people around them and always needs to be the smartest person in the room. These are the idea killers, the energy sappers, the diminishers of talent and commitment. On the other side of the spectrum are leaders who use their intelligence to amplify the smarts and capabilities of the people around them.

When these leaders walk into a room, light bulbs go off over people’s heads; ideas flow and problems get solved. These are the leaders who inspire employees to stretch themselves to deliver results that surpass expectations. These are the Multipliers. And the world needs more of them, especially now when leaders are expected to do more with less.

If we do what is right, everything else will follow: happiness, success, meaning, reputation, love. This is central to Stoic wisdom. The path isn’t always easy, but it is essential, and the alternative – taking the easy route – leads only to cowardice and folly.

In the third book in his bestselling Stoic Virtues series, Ryan Holiday explores the crucial role that integrity plays in every good life. From pillars of upright living like Ulysses S. Grant and Marcus Aurelius, to the cautionary tales of Napoleon and F. Scott Fitzgerald, this book shows us the power of owning our convictions and acting in accordance with our beliefs – and the perils of an ill-formed conscience.

Our conscience, our sense of justice, is our first and our last strength: we can train it, hone it and fortify it, but above all, we must never lose it. This book shows us how

Twenty-five years after the publication of his groundbreaking first book, Malcolm Gladwell returns with a brand new volume that reframes the lessons of The Tipping Point in a startling and revealing light

Why in the late 1980s and early ’90s did Los Angeles become the bank robbery capital of the world? What is the magic third and what does it have to do with racial equity? What do big cats and clusters of teen suicide have in common? These are just some of the questions Malcolm Gladwell addresses in this new work, which revisits the phenomenon of epidemics and examines when, how, and above all where ideas, viruses, and trends spread.

Gladwell shows that – whether in neighbourhoods, schools, zoos, or conference rooms – today’s epidemics are no longer singular occurrences, but turbocharged versions of their earlier counterparts. Tipping points, he explains, play a much bigger role in our lives now than ever before. With this provocative and fascinating new book, we can meet them in novel and innovative ways.

The brand new book from million-selling author Paul McKenna, looking at how, through the power of manifesting, you can create the life you want.

Manifesting changed my life beyond what I thought was possible.

Now, I will share the incredible new science behind manifestation and let you in on the techniques that I and many others have used to build a life we could only dream of.

This formula has been used by some of the world’s most successful entrepreneurs, stars, sports personalities and leading coaches. In this new book, I have collected decades of wisdom from my and others’ experiences to distil down the formula to transform your life.

While manifesting may sound like spiritual wish-making, it is, in fact, largely grounded in science, and by digging into this new science and using a simple three-step process, I will show you how to pave the way to your goals.

So what are you waiting for? Begin power manifesting now and achieve everything you’ve ever wanted to.

Available February 2025

Award-winning science journalist and author of The Expectation Effect David Robson explores why social connection matters even more than we thought, how to build better relationships and improve our lives.

In the early 1960s scientists at the University of California, Berkeley set out to establish the key factors affecting health and longevity. Their results, known as the ‘Alameda 7’, you already know: don’t smoke, drink in moderation, sleep seven to eight hours a night, exercise, eat regular meals, maintain a moderate weight, eat breakfast. Years later, however, the same team discovered an eighth factor, one that proved more important than all the others: social connection.

When we form meaningful bonds with others, our wounds heal faster, we shake off infections more quickly and our blood pressure drops. We are less likely to have Alzheimer’s, heart attacks or strokes. When people feel that they have strong social support, they perform better on tests of mental focus, memory and problem solving. Greater connection can fuel creativity, increase our financial stability and enhance our work productivity. But making friends can also be daunting.

In The Laws of Connection, David Robson does two important things: he takes us through the fascinating science behind the effects of social connection and he unpacks the research that shows that we are all better at being social than we might think. We meet ideas such as ‘the liking gap’ and ‘the gratitude gap’, learn to recognise ‘frenemies’ and discover a powerful conversational strategy known as the ‘fast-friends procedure’ that promotes instant rapport. Being social doesn’t have to mean having dozens of friends, it can also mean having one true, deep connection with another person. As Robson shows, we can all benefit from the laws of connection.

Diving Doctor on the Thai Cave Rescue (now a Netflix series) and former joint Australian of the Year explores the stories of other people who regularly risk their lives and what we can learn from their expertise.

‘Harry’ Harris – Thai Cave Rescuer, joint Australian of the Year – does something for fun that for the rest of us would trigger about four phobias. In near darkness and tight spaces, underwater and deep underground, he crawls through unexplored caves in what’s often described as the most dangerous sport in the world.

To us, that’s a nightmare. To him, it’s recreation. He’s highly experienced, has done his research, controlled for all conceivable risks, and he’s completely focused. Flooded underground caves are his safe space. And the discipline involved – even the danger – leaves him better prepared to manage the day-to-day stresses of life in the twenty-first century. Is he the only one who feels that way?

Come on the ultimate armchair adventure with Harris while he talks with other ‘risk-takers’ about why they do what they do, how they prepare, and how they’ve handled things going wrong. Harry talks with people like climber Alex Honnold (of ‘Free Solo’), sailor Jessica Watson, mountaineer James Scott, and film director, and deep-sea diver James Cameron, amongst many less familiar world-beaters, each of whom has a fascinating story. We meet base jumpers, drag-racers, snipers, surfers, and people adventuring from the highest of skies to the deepest of oceans.

Harry’s conversations give us insights into what motivates these people and why a life without risk is no life at all. He believes that by doing ‘the hard things’ in life you can push yourself a little further and become stronger, more courageous, and more resilient.

75th Anniversary Edition

The classic work on investing, filled with sound and safe principles that are as reliable as ever, now revised with an introduction and appendix by financial legend Warren Buffett—one of the author’s most famous students—and newly updated commentaries on each chapter from distinguished Wall Street Journal writer Jason Zweig.

“By far the best book about investing ever written.”—Warren Buffett

Since its original publication in 1949, Benjamin Graham’s revered classic, The Intelligent Investor, has taught and inspired millions of people worldwide and remains the most respected guide to investing. Graham’s timeless philosophy of “value investing” helps protect investors against common mistakes and teaches them to develop sensible strategies that will serve them throughout their lifetime.

Market developments over the past seven decades have borne out the wisdom of Graham’s basic policies, and in today’s volatile market, The Intelligent Investor remains essential. It is the most important book you will ever read on making the right decisions to protect your investments and make them grow.

Featuring updated commentaries which accompany every chapter of Graham’s book—leaving his original text untouched—from noted financial journalist Jason Zweig, this newly revised edition offers readers an even clearer understanding of Graham’s wisdom and how it should be applied by investors today.

From bestselling author, life coach, and sociologist Martha Beck comes a new path to overcoming anxiety by awakening the creativity within.

Most of us assume that the key to overcoming anxiety is to think our way out of it. And for a while, it works. Meditation and mental exercises offer us relief, but there is always something – a work deadline, a family emergency, a particularly distressing newsbreak – that disrupts our sense of peace and sends us right back inside the same anxious spiral we’ve been trying to climb out of.

Is there a way to reduce our anxiety, not just in the moment, but in every moment after that?

After a lifetime of struggling with anxiety, Martha Beck studied just about everything there was to know about how to calm down. What she realised is that the analytical part of our brain – so valued in Western culture – is the same structure responsible for amping up anxiety. In other words, we cannot logic our way to relief. In Beyond Anxiety, she reveals that to find calm, we must activate an entirely different part of our brain, one responsible for curiosity, wonder, and, most of all, creativity.

Drawing on social science, Eastern wisdom, and the latest research in neuroscience and psychology, Beck shows how to move from anxiety into purpose through the power of creativity. Using techniques tested first-hand on hundreds of clients, she teaches us how to activate the creativity spiral by approaching problems with a sense of curiosity, making pleasure a priority, and inviting play and spontaneity into our every day.

Anxiety does not have to keep us from finding our life’s purpose. Beyond Anxiety invites us into a new way of being, one filled with greater abundance, joy and possibility.

How can body awareness help you change your mind and experience of life?

How does your mind live in your body? How can body awareness help you change your mind and experience of life? Successful author and practicing psychotherapist Noa Belling offers a practical, personal way to use your body as a direct path to mindfulness and mindful living. By waking up to how we hold life experience in our bodies, we have the power and choice to improve physical, mental and emotional health, promote vitality, build emotional resilience and generally improve quality of life. Supported with psychological and neuroscientific studies, this book provides you with many opportunities to practice body mindfulness and experience your physical being as an empowering and intelligent resource.

Discover how to rethink your relationship with stress and overcome burnout, depression, and anxiety with this accessible health-meets-self-help guide.

Drawing on years of experience as a renowned Harvard doctor and nationally recognised stress expert, Dr. Aditi Nerurkar has developed a science-backed approach to help us change our relationship with everyday stress. This book teaches a mindset shift about stress through five simple yet powerful resets – pillars of wisdom that bring together physiological and psychological coping skills and enable you to cope when things get hard.

For Dr. Nerurkar, the first step toward a healthier mind and body is overcoming a common misperception about stress: that it’s ‘bad’. Stress is actually good for us, she argues, because it is a driving biological force and an adaptive response to life’s many demands. We run into problems, however, when our stress is maladaptive and out of tune with the frequency of our lives, manifesting in burnout, fatigue, meltdowns, and depression. To keep stress at healthy levels, Dr. Nerurkar offers her five science-backed resets to help us in our challenging moments:

• Get Clear on What Matters Most
• Find Quiet in a Noisy World
• Sync Your Brain and Your Body
• Come Up for Air
• Bring Your Best Self Forward

Like any good doctor, she prescribes real solutions. Some of her bite-size techniques include adopting the rule of two (research shows that making more than two large decisions at a time is overwhelming), rejecting the myth of multitasking (it just doesn’t work!) and experimenting with her Bookend Method (find a ritual to start and end each workday to create boundaries between your professional life and everything else). With these small, smart adjustments, we can change our relationship with stress, nurture our mental health, and live better every day.

Legendary leadership and elite performance expert Robin Sharma introduced The 5am Club concept over twenty years ago, based on a revolutionary morning routine that has helped his clients maximize their productivity, activate their best health and bulletproof their serenity in this age of overwhelming complexity.

Now, in this life-changing book, handcrafted by the author over a rigorous four-year period, you will discover the early-rising habit that has helped so many accomplish epic results while upgrading their happiness, helpfulness and feelings of aliveness.

Through an enchanting—and often amusing—story about two struggling strangers who meet an eccentric tycoon who becomes their secret mentor, The 5am Club will walk you through:

• How great geniuses, business titans and the world’s wisest people start their mornings to produce astonishing achievements
• A little-known formula you can use instantly to wake up early feeling inspired, focused and flooded with a fiery drive to get the most out of each day
• A step-by-step method to protect the quietest hours of daybreak so you have time for exercise, self renewal and personal growth
• A neuroscience-based practice proven to help make it easy to rise while most people are sleeping, giving you precious time for yourself to think, express your creativity and begin the day peacefully instead of being rushed
• ‘Insider-only’ tactics to defend your gifts, talents and dreams against digital distraction and trivial diversions so you enjoy fortune, influence and a magnificent impact on the world

Part manifesto for mastery, part playbook for genius-grade productivity and part companion for a life lived beautifully, The 5am Club is a work that will transform your life. Forever.

The instant number one bestseller. Reflections on hope, survival and the messy miracle of being alive from the bestselling author of The Midnight Library

The Comfort Book is a collection of consolations learned in hard times and suggestions for making the bad days better. Drawing on maxims, memoir and the inspirational lives of others, these meditations offer new ways of seeing ourselves and the world.

This is the book to pick up when you need the wisdom of a friend, the comfort of a hug or a reminder that hope comes from unexpected places.

Learn how to recognise and resist the daily attempts to control and manipulate your mind.

There is a war on for your mind. You may not notice, but you are surrounded by manipulators: advertisers, politicians, big tech, even the humble waiter who asks, ‘Still or sparkling?’

Free Your Mind is your field manual to surviving the information battlefield. In this indispensable book, Laura Dodsworth and Patrick Fagan draw on interviews with mind-control experts ranging from monks to magicians, infiltrate cults and forums to uncover their most deceptive techniques and expose the hidden tactics used to influence you, from social media to subliminal messages.

Learn how to recognise the nudges, dispel efforts to brainwash you and always question those who say the choice is yours. If you don’t control your mind, someone else will.

The life-changing international bestseller from the master of power, Robert Greene.

Drawn from 3,000 years of the history of power, this is the definitive guide to help readers achieve for themselves what Queen Elizabeth I, Henry Kissinger, Louis XIV and Machiavelli learnt the hard way. Law 1: Never outshine the master Law 2: Never put too much trust in friends; learn how to use enemies Law 3: Conceal your intentions Law 4: Always say less than necessary.

The text is bold and elegant, laid out in black and red throughout and replete with fables and unique word sculptures.

The 48 laws are illustrated through the tactics, triumphs and failures of great figures from the past who have wielded – or been victimised by – power.

Our culture is obsessed with positivity. From “good vibes only” memes, to “life is good” bumper stickers to endless advice to “look on the bright side,” we’re constantly told that the key to happiness is to silence negativity wherever it crops up, in ourselves and others. But if positive thinking is the answer, why are so many of us anxious, depressed, and burnt out?

In Toxic Positivity, sought-after therapist and relationship expert Whitney Goodman sheds light on the pervasive harm of dismissive positivity, and explains how we can learn to welcome a range of feelings and experiences in order to more authentically support ourselves and each other.

Empowering, relatable, and timely, this life-changing book shows why the happiest and healthiest people are those who can hold space for all feelings and experiences – not just positive ones.

Stoic in Love uses the ancient wisdom of Stoic philosophy to help find love, build relationships and determine whether to stay or go when things become predictable or go pear-shaped.

How can a philosophy not normally associated with matters of the heart help us make our relationships more fulfilling, fire up partnerships that are treading water, get the best from dating online and in real life, and gracefully exit when things turn sour? Stoicism provides a framework for focusing on what matters, providing space before you react and making a decision when confronted with difficulty. Whether it’s dating a person wearing horns and a kaftan, navigating a relationship where blobs of toothpaste are left smeared in the bathroom sink or being dumped via text with just one word – ‘enough’.

This book encompasses anecdotes from the dating, relationship and separation frontlines. From practical wisdom on how to navigate the world of dating, to insights to making relationships better and more enduring, to strategies for breaking up well. Stoicism reminds us that the world is all about change and to focus on things we can control such as our thoughts, behaviours and actions. And to not worry so much about things we cannot control.