Books for Wellbeing - from our South Tees Colleagues
I think its fair to say that the number and popularity of books dedicated to self help and development has really exploded over the last 20 years. Some are great, some are mediocre and some are dreadful. But one thing is for sure, we all walk different paths in life and we all need different advice at different times. There certainly isn’t one book that does it all for everyone.
To help navigate through the myriad before us in Waterstones (other good book retailers are available!) we have started to curate a list from you, our members, of books you have found helpful and inspirational. Thank you so much to everyone who contributed to this, its been fascinating for me to read up on everyone’s recommendations. We will definitely do a second list maybe after Christmas when we have all got through our holiday reading!
Browse through and if you have any you would like to add please send a message to sharon.chappell@redcar-cleveland.gov.uk
Non—Fiction
The Power of Habit (Charles Duhigg ). Achieving success in what you set (for me it was exercise, diet & healthy lifestyle) and understanding how habits work.
The Little Book of Mindfulness: 10 minutes a day to less stress, more peace (Dr Patricia Collard)
Underland (Robert MacFarlane ). An exploration of what exists underground – catacombs, underground rivers, arctic sea caves and the “wood wide web” (which took my breath away). I found it a way to escape into nature through beautiful writing into worlds I’m unlikely to ever actually experience and to consider “deep time” and space and our tiny place in it
The Untethered Soul: the journey beyond yourself (Michael A Singer). This was a #1 New York Times Bestseller. It looks at how you see yourself and the world around you giving you a better perspective and boost in self-esteem
The Surrender Experiment (Michael A Singer)– Looks at surrendering to life and to stop worrying and trying to control things we cant change or have influence over.
A Year of Mindfulness (Jennifer Raye). Mindfulness journal with exercises to carry out
Unwinding Anxiety by (Judson Brewer). I worked with a lot of people who suffered with anxiety in various different forms. This book is good to address this
The subtle art of not giving a F*ck (Mark Manson).
Good vibes, Good Life (Vex King).
Manifest: 7 steps to living your best life (Roxie Nafousi).
Make your Bed (William H. McRaven).
Shadowlands (Matthew Green). A wonderful walk through Lost Britain showing us what we have lost, and how it has changed the landscape of Britain for better and worse.
The Power of Now (Eckhart Tolle). For people who struggle with anxiety, or just anyone wanting to get into mindfulness. It’s a short read and easy to understand but has been very impactful for me.
The Chimp Paradox (Steve Peters). Amazing mind management tool!
Happy, Fearne Cotton (practical tips about finding YOUR happy!)
The boy, the mole, the fox and the horse, Charlie Mackesy (reminds us all we are just human and to be kind!)
Fiction
The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo (Taylor Jenkins Reid) . Fictional but represents the personality, determination and background of many celebrities, past and present.
Girl, Woman, Other (Bernadine Evaristo). All types of women and all their types of relationships. A grand view over the last 100 years of race, gender and womanhood.
A Prisoner of Birth (Geoffrey Archer). A tale of mistaken identity, fate, love and friendship.
And Away... (Bob Mortimer). Very funny, very sad, very relatable story of a shy Boro lad becoming our most beloved funnyman.
Casino Royale (Ian Fleming). A glimpse into an attitude and lifestyle you shouldn't approve of, but secretly wish was yours.
A Gentleman in Moscow (Amor Towels). Preserving the joys of order, homeliness, and companionship - by the smallest of actions - in a place with no time for charm. Creating the grandest tastes out of the simplest pleasures.
Danny Champion of the World (Roald Dahl). Simple heartwarming tale of boyhood, fatherhood, trickery, community, and a robin hood adventure.
Piranesi (Susannah Clarke ). More about insight than helping with wellbeing (it has been described as describing a breakdown from the perspective of the person having the breakdown and is set in a labyrinthine house of Piranesi’s imagination). It’s a great book, but possibly more thought provoking than helping
A Rising Man (Abir Mukherjee). A historical crime that captures 1920’s India perfectly showing a side to the British Raj that is rarely discussed.
On the Beach (Neville Shute). An apocalyptic genre novel about a nuclear war (or maybe it was atomic war given the date) in the northern hemisphere. It is a very powerful story. Set in Melbourne Australia. Wonderful descriptions of people from a bygone era. The characters demonstrate incredible integrity to duty when all facing imminent death from radioactive fallout heading south to Australia. This is pure fiction of course but one of those books that stays with you and a definite re-read (many times) over the years! It has such an uplifting end (despite the subject matter).
Who moved my cheese? (Dr Spencer Johnson). Dealing with change – you get something new out of it each time you read it
A Monster Calls (Patrick Ness). A glorious exploration of grief, pain, and loss through the eyes of a young boy.
Recommended Reading Lists
As well as those recommended by colleagues above there are also national resources that list some of the best books around.
Reading well book list for mental health
Uplifting resources; for the NHS from the NHS
