50 Self-Help Classics

50 Inspirational Books to Transform Your Life, from Timeless Sages to Contemporary Gurus

By: Tom Butler-Bowdon

Narrated by: Jack Garrett

Discover the books that have already changed the lives of millions. This award-winning, unabridged guide to the "literature of possibility" surveys 50 of the all-time classics, giving you their key ideas, insights, and applications, everything you need to know to start benefiting from these legendary works.

From the ancient teachings of Buddha and The Bhagavad-Gita, to the early American wisdom of Emerson and Thoreau, to such contemporary giants as Wayne Dyer, Joseph Campbell, Daniel Goleman, and Norman Vincent Peale, these are the most influential thinkers and motivators spanning the world's religions, cultures, philosophies, and centuries.

As you hear more about the landmark works of such blockbuster best-selling authors as Deepak Chopra, Phil McGraw, Anthony Robbins, Marianne Williamson, and more, you will learn how to:

• Change your thoughts to change your life
• Set goals and follow your dreams
• Appreciate your depth
• Transform yourself and your world

©2006 Tom Butler-Bowdon (P)2006 Gildan Media Corp

WOW all the great self help books wrapped up in one

excerpt from chapter one:

Read only the first two chapters and you will already have a few methods under your belt for instant change.

Or

Read the whole book and to the exercises And you will have a mental tool kit 2.
Change your moods behaviors and memories Shape your thoughts and actions And live according to your deepest values

Chapters include:
*getting motivated
*discovering your mission
*achieving your goals
*creating rapport and strong relationships
*persuasion strategies
*eliminating fears and phobias
*building self confidence
* creating self appreciation and self esteem
*securing a positive mental attitude
*achieving peak performance

Surprisingly Interesting

I expected this book to be a "Cliff Notes" for the big name Self Help Books, I didn't expect it to be so interesting. Not only are books and people I never expected included (the Bible, Ben Franklin, Marcus Aurelius), the historical perspectives and background into the author's lives made this a very accessable jaunt through the Philosophy of the past few millenium.

The author does give you a pretty good overview of the "Essence" of each book, as well as the points of both the critics and fans of the book. I really apreciated the historical insight - I never realized Dale Carnegy's "How to Make Friends and Influence People" was ground breaking for his time. The biographys of the authors are well done too - I'm not big into Louise Hay's "New Age" healing, but I have to admit I have more respect for her after hearing the things she's overcome in her life.

One of the most thought-provoking points of the book was in the introduction. Yes, it seems like we're swamped with self-help books these days - but the author points out that we're also facing a dizzying array of options and freedom that our ancestors never imagined. There's no shame in taking advantage of as much self-help as we can get...

Must-have for anyone interested in Self-Help Books

This one is the best purchase I've made on audible.com to this date. I enjoy reading a variety of Self-Help / Motivational books, but with as much as there is out there today, you often just don't know where to start. This audio gives you an introduction to many fascinating books I would have never thought about picking up before and lets you get past the ones you don't enjoy in minutes. There are some recurring themes in some books and some basic happiness principles suddenly become clear, others I want to explore further. Everyone will have different favorites, but I can see why some of these books have topped the best seller lists for many years running. Some are already on my bookshelf, but maybe I wasn't ready for them when I bought them years ago, after listening to this, I am ready to revisit them!!

Wonderfully insightful...

I bought 6 titles based on his refrence on them. It is uplifting, to glimpse these writers knowledge.

A decent book!

I would have to read again because there was so much information, and it did jump around just enough to help me dabble in all the greats. It is a hard task to take on, I mean 50 self help classics bundled into one ten hour session. Kudos!

a great sampler of self-help books

this book gave me some ideas of books I would like to hear in the future. a great variety of approaches is presented. so much I initially did not find impressive perhaps I will understand better and appreciate more later.

A great resource

The 50 success classics as well as the 50 self-help classics and the 50 psychology classics are all worthwhile for the reader who wants a quality overview of the subjects.

I found that Tom Butler-Bowden included a good balance of personal observations along with the core details and excerpts from the individual books covered without injecting an overt personal bias. These books have increased my reading list, but with a clarity and focus to read the books that most interest me. These books are not just a collection of excerpts from others' writings. They include background information on the authors and the times and circumstances surrounding the writings. These books are entertaining and informative by themselves; but I think anyone who truly has an interest in their subject matter will find them to be useful resources as well as shortcuts to a greater understanding of the subjects.

I highly recommend these books in both their printed and audio forms. The audio versions are read by professional narrators with engaging voices that add to the pleasure of the listening experience. I can't recommend these books enough for anyone interested in learning more of the human experience through the insight from some of the greatest minds.

Fantastic, all the way through

This book introduces a variety of concepts, from Neurolinguistic Programming, to Buddhism, to habits of effective people, and on and on. I absolutely love it. It makes me excited to read so many more books and has helped me become familiar with the main teachings of more authors. I definitely recommend it.

Great reference of references!

This a must-listen title for anyone who would like to learn the basics and fundamentals of the Self-Help movement!

Not worth the credit used

What would have made 50 Self-Help Classics better?

This seems to me like a commercial for each book. Does not actually offer insight into the books it represents.