More than a firsthand account of depression, this book is a tour through the haunted thoughts of a person wracked by the disease. Borchard, a blogger on Beliefnet.com and self-described whackjob, provides a blow-by-blow account of her descent into the throes of depression and anxiety attacks and the devastating effects on her life and, ultimately, her survival. At times, she leans on the wisdom of philosophers, historians, and politicians and weaves them into her narrative. Borchard's book could serve as a welcome companion for anyone enduring the disease, but it may not provide help or treatment options for those sufferers. Her illness spills across the pages in a stream-of-consciousness style that's at best not for everyone.

Editor in chief of Unclutterer.com, Doland, at the urging of her husband, decided to tackle her cluttered apartment and cluttered life. Here, she shares some useful approaches she came up with as well as ideas you could find in Real Simple magazine. From home to bedtime routine, Doland offers practical tips on how to simplify your life. While the tips seem doable, there are so many that some readers, especially those with a serious clutter issue, might get overwhelmed. A better starting place may be Leo Babauta's The Power of Less or Gail Blanke's Throw Out Fifty Things.

MTV producer Jefferson was given a book titled Everything Men Understand About Women. There was a detailed table of contents, but the other pages were blank. Jefferson got the joke but also took the book to nightclubs to ask women what men need to know, eventually expanding his pool outside of drinking arenas and to more women over the age of 30. There was no topic guidance—women simply wrote what they thought men don't know but should. Jefferson has broken the book into themes that he says came about naturally. Both funny and sometimes crass, this is an original take on a dating guide. With no shocking revelations, it reiterates what should be common knowledge in dating.

The authors' premise is that if you are feeling sad and have completed the pages of this workbook, you can pick it up, read a page, and feel good again. Quotes and anecdotes fill the top and bottom of the pages, leaving the center blank for you to fill in your happiness thoughts, draw a picture of something that makes you happy, or journal about what you did on summer vacation. This is nothing more than a notebook filled with doodles and aspirations. The premise that people need to be reminded of reasons to be happy when they are feeling down is solid, but this is borderline ridiculous.

In his 15th book, Lee (The Flying Boy: Healing the Wounded Man) sets forth a syllabus for improving relationships through a step-by-step program to deal with long-buried anger and rage. By differentiating between the two, readers can identify troublesome and defining events from their own histories that unseated their well-being. Perhaps the most insightful portion of the book is Lee's chapter on passivity, which he describes as one of the most toxic and overlooked traits often found in unhealthy relationships. Reading this book would be a pragmatic first step for someone seeking to manage his or her anger and forge deeper connections with others. Although it appeals to men and women, men may particularly find Lee's exploration of cultural implications of masculinity valuable.

According to McCarty (philosophy, Piedmont Virginia Community Coll.; Little Big Minds: Sharing Philosophy with Kids), philosophy is the art of clear thinking, a skill that promotes quiet introspection, good conversation, and high-quality living. She divides her book into chapters on, e.g., the ideas of simplicity, flexibility, and belonging. McCarty explains the significance of each topic and supplies relevant writings from two philosophers along with discussion questions and ideas for delving further into the topic. She opens up a whole new world to those who have never explored philosophy in detail. Her concept of philosophy clubs is particularly appealing and practical for public libraries and neighborhood groups.

There's no shortage of dating manuals that put sassy before substance, and neither of these books is an exception. First-time author Scholfield emboldens women to make the first move on their "hot guy" prospects and provides conversational and pragmatic road maps. Manara shoots from the hip, offering such rotgut advice for men as "Does she go to Las Vegas just to shop with her girlfriends? If yes, run." At times, Scholfield tries too hard to be hip and irreverent, but it is refreshing to visit successes and failures with someone who admits she was not a "genetic lottery" winner. She produces enjoyable, practical, light fare. The same cannot be said for Manara, who has produced a collection of mostly misogynistic clichés printed in large type.

A 26-year veteran of The New Yorker, Menaker here probes the origin and subtexts of everyday human interactions, exploring how conversations take shape and progress. At their best, they're a form of art, but conversation is not always smooth and charming. For people who often find their way into conversational pitfalls, Menaker packs an entire chapter full of advice. He differentiates between conversation that's aimless and purposeless and, among other topics, takes aim at name-droppers. In the hands of a less-skilled writer, this topic could have drowned in textbook-style overanalysis, but Menaker's book is filled with ample doses of humor and should be especially welcomed by wordsmiths and conversationalists.

Most women enter pregnancy worried about how their body will change, and Mysko (Girls Inc. Presents: You're Amazing! A No-Pressure Guide to Being Your Best Self) and Amadei, a model and mom who has battled bulimia, spell out those changes. Their own anecdotes are helpful, but the stories they include from a range of women will ring true to the reader. Though the authors' efforts to try to connect with the "average" woman sometimes fall flat, this is a good read that pregnant women will find comforting as they watch their bodies change.

Although this guide could be used to treat all sorts of relationship pitfalls, family counselor M. Gary Neuman (The Truth About Cheating) and his wife, Melisa Neuman, focus on helping couples have civil, constructive conversations about money. Instead of offering investing advice or tips on trimming the family budget, they teach couples how to discuss their finances without accusatory itemizations of credit card bills. Anyone, especially one who has been in a relationship, will likely benefit from at least some of the advice parceled out. Money matters are one of the more mundane and oft-avoided relationship topics, but the Neumans make a strong case that it's vital that couples resolve issues. Given the state of the current economy, their caution is valuable.

Noel (The Change Your Life Challenge) presents another inspiring tool kit for managing time, saving money, regaining energy, and more. Each chapter covers a particular aspect of change and offers evaluation tools, concrete steps to improve the current situation, and a commitment statement to make three changes. As in her previous books, Noel explains succinct strategies for change that even the busiest person can digest and enact. The fill-in-the-blank analyses and work sheets are more conducive to purchasers than library patrons, but this book is a gem for all adult readers.

For those self-help readers who turned Rhonda Byrne's The Secret into a best seller, Postma has some news: the law of attraction is merely the first step toward self-understanding. Postma offers 12 laws of creation as an additional guide to the complex patterns that shape our desires and needs. She believes that it is only after introspective self-analysis that people can truly offer the best of themselves to the universe and in return receive fulfillment. Postma accomplishes little beyond churning the waters first stirred by Byrne. The laws, such as "Learn To Let Go," and the commentary that distills them are riddled with clichés. This is little but shallow babble.

Raynor's firsthand experience as a hospice chaplain and cancer survivor provides an original perspective on a well-worn topic. She uses a collection of personal anecdotes and warm vignettes to remind readers that grief is a human condition. It is through recognizing the inevitability of sorrow that people can relate and connect in meaningful ways to their faith and the everyday world. Far from being heavy-handed, Raynor refuses to rely on simple religious platitudes to make her case. In fact, it is her willingness to explore doubt and the concept of God as something more than a "just in case" insurance policy that builds trust with readers. Although the book is sometimes long-winded, Raynor's real-life examples and tender touch make this an appealing and accessible read.

Walker presents a story that gets to the core of the emotional pain and loneliness that people feel when suffering from a serious disease like multiple sclerosis (MS), which she was diagnosed with at age 35. Readers will instantly connect with this narrative of her journey to find an alternative to withering away in her apartment. Through the help of a spiritual leader, Walker begins to heal herself emotionally by giving away 29 gifts in 29 days. Her story unfolds nicely, and the reader is left with a good picture of what it's like to live with MS. Walker turns what could have been a book about self-pity into a great read about pain and a creative way to get on with life.