Self-Discovery Books

Self-discovery books follow characters in the process of figuring out who they are -- their values, desires, and place in the world. These narratives often involve periods of upheaval, travel, or personal crisis that force the protagonist to confront long-held assumptions about themselves.

42 books
Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer book cover
Non-Fiction

Into the Wild

Jon Krakauer, 1996
Jonathan Livingston Seagull by Richard Bach book cover
Fantasy

Jonathan Livingston Seagull

Richard Bach, 2006
Queenie by Candice Carty-Williams book cover
Literary Fiction

Queenie

Candice Carty-Williams, 2019
Quiet by Susan Cain book cover
Non-Fiction

Quiet

Susan Cain, 2012
Shantaram by Gregory David Roberts book cover
Crime

Shantaram

Gregory David Roberts, 2004
Siddhartha by Hermann Hesse book cover
Fantasy

Siddhartha

Hermann Hesse, 1922
Song of Solomon by Toni Morrison book cover
Literary Fiction

Song of Solomon

Toni Morrison, 1977
Steppenwolf by Hermann Hesse book cover
Horror

Steppenwolf

Hermann Hesse, 1927
Tao Te Ching by 老子 book cover
Non-Fiction

Tao Te Ching

老子, 1842
The 4-Hour Workweek by Timothy Ferriss book cover
Non-Fiction

The 4-Hour Workweek

Timothy Ferriss, 2006
The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho book cover
Literary Fiction

The Alchemist

Paulo Coelho, 2014
The Algebra of Happiness by Scott Galloway book cover

The Algebra of Happiness

Scott Galloway, 2019
The Autobiography of an Ex-Colored Man by James Weldon Johnson book cover

The Autobiography of an Ex-Colored Man

James Weldon Johnson, 2017
The Burnout by Sophie Kinsella book cover
Romance

The Burnout

Sophie Kinsella, 2023
The Castle by Franz Kafka book cover
Romance

The Castle

Franz Kafka, 2008
The Courage to Be Disliked by Ichirō Kishimi book cover
Philosophy

The Courage to Be Disliked

Ichirō Kishimi, 2013
The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz book cover
Self-Help

The Four Agreements

Don Miguel Ruiz, 1997
The Gifts of Imperfection by Brené Brown book cover

The Gifts of Imperfection

Brené Brown, 2010
The Laws of Human Nature by Robert Greene book cover
Non-Fiction

The Laws of Human Nature

Robert Greene, 2018
The Lean Startup by Eric Ries book cover
Non-Fiction

The Lean Startup

Eric Ries, 2011
The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo book cover
Non-Fiction

The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up

Marie Kondo, 2014
The Little Book of Hygge book cover
Self-Help

The Little Book of Hygge

The Long Run by Mishka Shubaly book cover
Horror

The Long Run

Mishka Shubaly, 2011
The Midnight Library by Matt Haig book cover
Contemporary Fiction

The Midnight Library

Matt Haig, 2020
The Millionaire Next Door by Thomas J. Stanley book cover
Non-Fiction

The Millionaire Next Door

Thomas J. Stanley, 1996
The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari by Robin S. Sharma book cover
Non-Fiction

The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari

Robin S. Sharma, 1996
The Myth of Normal book cover
Non-Fiction

The Myth of Normal

The Nature Fix by Florence Williams book cover
Non-Fiction

The Nature Fix

Florence Williams, 2017
The Obstacle Is the Way by Ryan Holiday book cover
Non-Fiction

The Obstacle Is the Way

Ryan Holiday, 2014
The One Thing by Gary Keller book cover

The One Thing

Gary Keller, 2001
The Oxygen Advantage by Patrick McKeown book cover

The Oxygen Advantage

Patrick McKeown, 2015
The Paradox of Choice by Barry Schwartz book cover
Non-Fiction

The Paradox of Choice

Barry Schwartz, 2004
The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg book cover
Non-Fiction

The Power of Habit

Charles Duhigg, 2016
The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle book cover
Self-Help

The Power of Now

Eckhart Tolle, 1997
The Prophet by Kahlil Gibran book cover
Philosophy

The Prophet

Kahlil Gibran, 2007
The Psychology of Money by Morgan Housel book cover
Non-Fiction

The Psychology of Money

Morgan Housel, 2020
Traveling with Pomegranates by Sue Monk Kidd book cover
Memoir

Traveling with Pomegranates

Sue Monk Kidd, 2009
Under the Tuscan Sun by Frances Mayes book cover
Non-Fiction

Under the Tuscan Sun

Frances Mayes, 1996
Unfollow by Megan Phelps-Roper book cover
Memoir

Unfollow

Megan Phelps-Roper, 2019
Untamed by Glennon Doyle book cover
Memoir

Untamed

Glennon Doyle, 2020
Walk Two Moons by Sharon Creech book cover
Young Adult

Walk Two Moons

Sharon Creech, 1994
We Came Here to Forget

We Came Here to Forget

Andrea Dunlop, 2019
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