Barry Neil Kaufman, Happiness is a Choice, 1977, Fawcett Crest, New York.

Barry Neil Kaufman, To Love is to Be Happy With, 1991, Fawcett Columbine, New York.

Ray Dodd, BeliefWorks: The Art of Living Your Dream, 2006, Hampton Roads Publishing Company, Charlottesville, VA.

Stephan M. Pollan and Mark Levine, It’s All in Your Head: Thinking Your Way to Happiness (The 8 Essential Secrets to Living a Life Without Regrets), 2005, Collins.

Cheryl Richardson, Take Time for Your Life, 1998, Broadway Books, New York.  A life coach who has written a terrific book that gives lots of practical action steps and links to resources to go with the wisdom.

Byron Katie, Loving What Is, 2002, Harmony Books, New York.  Katie uses a different technique called “the Work” to free people from thoughts that perpetuate our unhappiness, and allows us to love what is, just as it is.

Arnold A. Lazarus, Ph.D., Clifford N. Lazarus, Allen Fay, M.D., Don’t Believe It For a Minute! Forty Toxic Ideas that are Driving You Crazy, 1993, Impact Publishers, Inc.

Arnold A. Lazarus and Clifford N. Lazarus, The 60-Second Shrink: 101 Strategies for Staying Sane in a Crazy World, 2000, Impact Publishers, Inc., Atascadero, CA.

David D. Burns, M.D., The Feeling Good Handbook: Using the New Mood Therapy in Everyday Life, 1989, William Morrow and Company, Inc.

Dan Baker, Ph.D. and Cameron Stauth, What Happy People Know: How the New Science of Happiness Can Change Your Life for the Better, 2003, Rodale Press.

The Dalai Lama and Howard C. Cutler, The Art of Happiness: A Handbook for Living, 1998, Riverhead Books

Willa A. Young, Happiness Instruction Kit: No Assembly Necessary, 2002, The Williams Group, P.O. Box 3692, Santa Barbara, CA 93103.

David Nevin, The 100 Simple Secrets of Happy People: What Scientists Have Learned and How You Can Use It, 2000, Harper, San Francisco, New York. 
Nevin’s books (he also published The 100 Simple Secrets of Successful People and The 100 Simple Secrets of Happy Families) are based on psychological research.  Each book offers 2 pages on each “secret” with the advice, an example in story form, and a reference to the research.

Tom Rath and Donald O. Clifton, Ph.D., How Full Is Your Bucket?: Positive Strategies for Work and Life, 2004, Gallup Press, New York.

Philip H. Friedman, Ph.D., Creating Well-Being: The Healing Path to Love, Peace, Self-Esteem and Happiness, 1989, R& E Publishers, Inc., Saratoga, CA.

Aaron T. Beck, M.D., Love Is Never Enough: How Couples Can Overcome Misunderstandings, Resolve Conflicts, and Solve Relationship Problems Through Cognitive Therapy, 1988, Harper & Row Publishers, New York, NY.

David D. Burns, M.D., Intimate Connections, 1985, Signet, New York, NY.

Arnold A. Lazarus, Ph.D., Marital Myths Revisited: A Fresh Look at Two Dozen Mistaken Beliefs About Marriage, 2001, Impact Publishers, Inc., Atascadero, CA.

Marshall Rosenberg, Ph.D., Nonviolent Communication: A Language of Compassion, 1999, Puddle Dancer Press.

Contemplation of and dealing with dying and death (return to top)

Morrie Schwartz, Letting Go: Morrie’s Reflections on Living While Dying. 1996, a Delta Book published by Bantam Doubleday Dell.

Ted Menten, Gentle Closings: How to Say Goodbye to Someone You Love. 1991. Running Press Publishers, Philadelphia, PA.

Ted Menten, After Goodbye: How to Begin Again After the Death of Someone You Love, 1994. Running Press Publishers, Philadelphia, PA.

Wise books for the kid in each of us (return to top)

Dr. Seuss, Oh, the Places You’ll Go!, 1990, Random House.

Nancy Carlson, I Like Me!, 1988, Viking.

Bradley Trevor Greive, Tomorrow: Adventures in an Uncertain World, 2003, Andrews McMeel Publishing, Kansas City, MO.