Based on a reading of more than three hundred self-help books, Sandra K. Dolby examines this remarkably popular genre to define ''self-help'' in a way that's compelling to academics and lay readers alike. Self-Help Books also offers an interpretation of why these books are so popular, arguing that they continue the well-established American penchant for self-education, they articulate problems of daily life and their supposed solutions, and that they present their content in a form and style that is accessible rather than arcane. Using tools associated with folklore studies, Dolby then examines how the genre makes use of stories, aphorisms, and a worldview that is at once traditional and contemporary. The overarching premise of the study is that self-help books, much like fairy tales, take traditional materials, especially stories and ideas, and recast them into extended essays that people happily read, think about, try to apply, and then set aside when a new embodiment of the genre comes along.
Based on a reading of more than three hundred self-help books, Sandra K. Dolby examines this remarkably popular genre to define ''self-help'' in a way that's compelling to academics and lay readers alike. Self-Help Books also offers an interpretation of why these books are so popular, arguing that they continue the well-established American penchant for self-education, they articulate problems of daily life and their supposed solutions, and that they present their content in a form and style that is accessible rather than arcane. Using tools associated with folklore studies, Dolby then examines how the genre makes use of stories, aphorisms, and a worldview that is at once traditional and contemporary. The overarching premise of the study is that self-help books, much like fairy tales, take traditional materials, especially stories and ideas, and recast them into extended essays that people happily read, think about, try to apply, and then set aside when a new embodiment of the genre comes along.
Based on a reading of more than three hundred self-help books, Sandra K. Dolby examines this remarkably popular genre to define ''self-help'' in a way that's compelling to academics and lay readers...
In The Self Help Book: 6 Practical Ways to Never Stop Growing, author and coach Jared Graybeal outlines six practical ways to live a life of constant growth while avoiding stagnation or burnout...
Book synopsis:This book is about changing your mind or maybe just changing the way you see yourself interacting in your world. It uses humor to get you to see your participation in the outcomes that...
"I have read 211 self-help books, yet this one has taught me the most." - Sarah, avid self-help reader."I wish I could un-read it and experience the joy of reading it for the first time...
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