To have a successful year. 9 self-development books worth reading over the vacations

A long weekend is a great excuse not only to have fun, but also to spend time in a useful way. If all the New Year’s movies have already been watched and salads eaten, then devote the evening to a fascinating book. To make the holidays productive, collected nine books for self-development.

“Air. Unexpected facts about what you can not live without”, Natalia Golubeva

The author of the book is a ventilation design engineer, so she knows everything about air. Here you will find answers to the questions: why should not dry laundry in the apartment? Why you should not use thermal water on the airplane? How to remove anxiety with the help of breathing? Natalia explains how the Earth’s atmosphere was formed, how the composition of the air affects our health and what carbon dioxide is needed for. After reading this book you will not only learn a lot of new things, but you will also be able to apply the knowledge in your life, improving its quality.

“Air.”

“The Japanese Art of Harmonious Living”, Mari Fujimoto

Japan has a high standard of living, but people still keep searching for harmony. It’s a kind of philosophy. They learn to accept the imperfections of the world, aging and even death. Linguist Mari Fujimoto in her book writes about 43 basic values of Japanese culture, which help the inhabitants of this country to feel happy and improve relations with others. The book additionally contains haiku (traditional poetry) by Matsuo Basho, poetic essays by South African David Buckler and photographs by Michael Kenna. The work will help you react properly to external irritants, live a stress-free life, and most importantly, learn to notice the beauty of the world.

“The Japanese Art of Harmonious Living.”

“Antivigorance: a diary for those who are tired”, Becks Spiller

Modern rhythm of life, frantic pace, a large flow of information and workaholism lead a person to burnout. Often, even after returning from vacation, we still feel tired. To avoid this, a special diary has been developed. It is a set of exercises for reflection, they will help to unload the brain, relieve anxiety and reduce stress levels. Author Becks Spiller, who went through burnout after 10 years of running a successful marketing agency, studied various aspects of mindfulness and then created this diary.

“Antiburnout.”

“On the Meaning of Life,” Viktor Frankl

The Austrian psychologist, who survived the Holocaust during World War II, developed logotherapy, a new direction in existential psychology. The idea came while still in a concentration camp, secretly from the SS he helped prisoners to keep the will to live. After his release, Frankl decided to systematize his practical knowledge. These lectures were translated into different languages. They formed the basis of this book. The author will teach you to look for meaning even in the most difficult manifestations of life.

“On the meaning of life”

“It’s Just Me,” Jen Martin

The author is a scientist from the University of Melbourne, she analyzed data from modern scientific research on human behavior and the influence of the brain. The book is written in easy, clear language, also has vivid illustrations by artist Holly Jolly. You will learn why it is inherent in humans to complete their memories, what is emotional memory. Also after reading it you will understand how our oddities are explained from the point of view of science.

“It’s Just Me.”

“Laws of Life for Every Day,” Robert Greene

The book raises philosophical and ethical questions that people ask themselves every day. For example, how do you deal with your own emotions? What motivates other people? Is it possible to manipulate those around you? To deal with all this, Robert Green has compiled a special calendar – one piece of advice for each day of the year, supporting them with experience from the lives of outstanding people. With the help of the book you will understand how to do the right thing in difficult life situations.

“Laws of life for every day”

“An Icon by Chance,” Iris Apfel

Collector and designer Iris Apfel celebrated her 101st birthday this year. After gathering all her rich life and professional experience, she wrote a book. The long-lived woman talks about her life principles, recalls incidents from her childhood and stories from the present. She also couldn’t help mentioning her style and how the historical events Iris was a part of influenced her. The book is complemented with photos from her personal archive, as well as the works of the best photographers and artists of the fashion world.

“An Icon by Chance.”

“By yourself or helped?”, Stephen Kohler, Pete Moore, David Owen

Professional criminalists told how to find and unravel the traces of criminals, what techniques they use for this purpose, how to bring out even the most cunning offenders. The book presents 50 “ideal” crimes that were covered in the media. Using them as examples, you will learn how fingerprinting is done, how DNA is used, what blood spatter can tell you, and how handwriting and voice analysis is done. The book describes a typical day as a forensic scientist. It reads like a gripping detective story.

“Did you do it yourself or did you have help?”

“Secrets of Cats”, Sasha Rausch

The book is written about some of the most popular pets in the world – cats. This is a kind of guide to the world of our favorite pets. The author – a zoopsychologist – answers popular children’s questions about cats, their anatomy and behavior. How to understand when a furry is bad and when it’s good? Why do cats like to sit in boxes? There are a lot of interesting facts, for example, that cats smell odors not only with their nose, but also with their mouths. It will be useful to read for those who already have pets and those who only dream of having them.

“Secrets of Cats”