Sandy’s Recommended Non-Fiction Reading List

I am happy to share my recommended reading list with you. As an avid non-fiction reader, I update this list frequently with books I find valuable to my self-development journey.

Throughout my book, “Emotional Magnetism: How to Communicate to Ignite Connection In Your Relationships“, there are various resources that I’ve recommended with glowing words
of praise. Let’s start with the obvious: Roy Garn’s The Magic Power of Emotional Appeal. It was the inspiration that kick-started my book and I can’t praise it enough. I have interpreted much of the information I learned from Garn, but I still highly recommend you pick up the book for your own evaluation. Sadly, Garn’s book is out of print, so look for it online or at the library. One of my favourite communication mentors is John C.
Maxwell and I wouldn’t be where I am today without him. All of his books are excellent, but Everyone Communicates, Few Connect is still my go-to read of his.

Another favourite of mine in the personal development and communications space is Wayne Dyer. May he rest in peace. Remember my eureka moment in the office regarding how to approach my ex? It was partially spurred by Dyer saying, “When you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change.” A few of my favourite Dyer books are The Power of Intention, The Shift, and his children’s book Incredible You.

If you want to understand what love means to you and those around you, read Gary Chapman’s The 5 Love Languages.

Recommended Reading List:

The other books I devoured before I reached the tipping point (including The Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell) are as follows:

Aaker Jennifer & Bagdonas Naomi. Humor, Seriously. New York: Currency, 2021.
Albom, Mitch. Tuesdays with Morrie: An Old Man, a Young Man, and Life’s Greatest Lesson. New York: Broadway Books, 2017.
Bishop, Gary John. Unfu*k Yourself: Get Out of Your Head and into Your Life (Unfu*k Yourself series)  HarperOne, 2017
Brown, Brené. Daring Greatly: How the Courage to Be Vulnerable Transforms the Way We Live, Love, Parent, and Lead. New York: Avery, 2015.
Burkeman, Oliver. Four Thousand Weeks. New York: Penguin Canada, 2021.
Byrne, Rhonda. The Secret. New York: Atria Books, 2006.
Carnegie, Dale. How to Win Friends and Influence People. New York: Gallery Books, 1998.
Chapman, Gary. The 5 Love Languages. Chicago: Northfield Publishing, 2015.
Cialdini, Robert B. Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion. New York: Harper Business, 2006.
Coelho, Paulo. The Alchemist. New York: HarperOne, 2006.
Covey, Stephen R. The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. New York: Simon & Schuster, 2020.
Dispenza, Joe, Dr. Becoming Supernatural: How Common People are Doing the Uncommon  Hay House, 2017.
Doty, James R. Into the Magic Shop: A Neurosurgeon’s Quest to Discover the Mysteries of the Brain and the Secrets of the Heart. New York: Avery, 2016.
Doyle, Glennon. Untamed. New York: Dial Press, 2020.
Faber, Adele, and Elaine Mazlich. How to Talk So Kids Will Listen & Listen So Kids Will Talk. New York: Scribner, 2012.
Foroux, Darius. Think Straight. 2017
Goulston, Mark. Just Listen: Discover the Secret to Getting Through to Absolutely Anyone. New York: HarperCollins, 2015.
Grant, Adam. Think Again: The Power of Knowing What You Don’t Know. Penguin Books, 2023
Grant, Adam. Hidden Potential: The Science of Achieving Greater Things. Random House, 2023.
Gray, John. Men Are from Mars, Women Are from Venus. New York: HarperCollins, 2012.
Hanson, Rick. Buddha’s Brain: The Practical Neuroscience of Happiness, Love & Wisdom. Oakland, CA: New Harbinger Publications, 2009.
Hay, Louise L. You Can Heal Your Life. Carlsbad, CA: Hay House, 1995.
Hicks, Esther, and Jerry. The Law of Attraction. Carlsbad, CA: Hay House, 2006.
Hill, Napoleon. How to Own Your Own Mind. New York: TarcherPerigee, 2017.
Hill, Napoleon. Success Through a Positive Mental Attitude. New York: Gallery Books, 2007.
Hill, Napoleon. Think and Grow Rich. New York: Penguin Publishing Group, 2005.
Hillman, James. The Force of Character Ballantine Books, 2000.
Housel, Morgan, The Psychology of Money: Timeless Lessons on Wealth, Greed, and Happiness Harriman House, 2020.
Kahneman, Daniel. Thinking Fast and Slow. New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2011.
Levine, Amir, and Rachel Heller. Attached: The New Science of Adult Attachment and How It Can Help You Find and Keep Love. New York: TarcherPerigee, 2011.
Losier, Michael J. Law of Attraction: The Science of Attracting More of What You Want and Less of What You Don’t. New York: Grand Central Publishing, 2019.
Losier, Michael J. Law of Connection: The Science of Using NLP to Create Ideal Personal and Professional Relationships. New York: Hachette Book Group, 2009.
Manson, Mark. The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck. New York: HarperOne, 2016.
Munsch, Robert. Love You Forever. Richmond Hill, ON: Firefly Books, 2011.
Port, Michael & Davis, Andrew The Referrable Speaker Page Two Press 2021
Rath, Tom. StrengthsFinder 2.0. Washington, D.C.: Gallup Press, 2007.
Ruiz, Don Miguel Jr. The Four Agreements. San Rafael, CA: Amber-Allen Publishing, 1997.
Ruiz, Don Miguel Jr. The Mastery of Self. Boerne, TX: Hierophant Publishing, 2016.
Sincero, Jen. You Are a Badass: How to Stop Doubting Your Greatness and Start Living an Awesome Life. Philadelphia: Running Press, 2013.
Singer, Michael A. The Untethered Soul: The Journey Beyond Yourself. Oakland, CA: New Harbinger Publications, 2007.
Singer, Michael A. Living Untethered. Oakland, CA: New Harbinger Publications, 2022.
Sullivan, Jay. Simply Said: Communicating Better at Work and Beyond. Hoboken: Wiley, 2017.
Tolle, Eckhart. The Power of Now: A Guide to Spiritual Enlightenment. Novato, CA: New World Library, 2004.
Vitale, Anil. Buying Trances: A New Psychology of Sales and Marketing. Hoboken: Wiley, 2007.

I’ve mentioned the famous mentalist, Derren Brown, in my book. If you want an insight into how people think and how to change their minds, you might want to check out his books. (This is coming from my story editor. I’m still getting around to reading them!) If you want insight into the minds of top achievers, check out Amazon’s World’s Toughest Race: Eco-Challenge Fiji (filmed in 2019) or The Path Made Clear by Oprah Winfrey. If you want to get up close and personal with someone who is driven by Experience, read an autobiography by Richard Branson. For more entrepreneurial ventures, but by someone driven by Value, read Sam Walton: Made in America. For those of you driven by Safety, who need evidence-based research and six easy and universal principles of influence, Robert B. Cialdini’s Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion will appeal to you.

I also recommend reading Mandy Len Catron’s article “To Fall in Love with Anyone, Do This” in the New York Times. I had the privilege of taking Professor Catron’s creative writing
course at the University of British Columbia. She’s a wonderful TEDx speaker and the author of How to Fall in Love with Anyone: A Memoir in Essays. You might also want to try out Catron’s questionnaire “The 36 Questions That Lead to Love” in the New York Times.

Well, that’s it, folks. I hope you find what you need in these invaluable resources. As an avid learner, I am constantly adding to my bookshelves and adding to this list. So, as my mother used to say, “Run yourself a  bath, grab some wine and your book, and get to it!”

Make time and space for you to grow. Enjoy!

xo Sandy