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50 Self-Help Classics: 50 Inspirational Books to Transform Your Life from Timeless Sages to Contemporary Gurus

Thousands of books have been written offering the secrets to personal fulfillment and happiness, but which ones can really change your life? In 50 Self-Help Classics: 50 Inspirational Books to Transform Your Life, Tom Butler-Bowdon has sorted through the bewildering array of self-help books to bring together fifty of the most important works on personal development and self-motivation. Representing the very best of the genre and appreciating that each of us is inspired by different underlying philosophies, Butler-Bowdon summarizes each writer’s background, the book’s primary concepts, and who benefits by reading it. Time-strapped readers can easily compare ideas to enrich their understanding of self-awareness and self-improvement with the likes of: Marcus Aurelius; The Bhagavad-Gita; The Bible; Robert Bly; Joseph Campbell with Bill Moyers; Deepak Chopra; Paulo y Coelho; Stephen Covey; The Dalai Lama & Howard C. Cutler; Ralph Waldo Emerson; Viktor Frankl; Benjamin Franklin; Thomas Moore; M. Scott Peck; Ayn Rand; Henry David Thoreau The classics examined here represent the very best of self-help-works that have captured the imagination of millions and inspired readers everywhere to follow their dreams.

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Sayings of the Buddha: New Translations from the Pali Nikayas (Oxford World’s Classics)

As more and more westerners study and practice Buddhism, reliable modern translations of the Buddha’s teachings are increasingly in demand. One of the main sources for knowledge of the Buddhadharma is the four Pali Nikayas or “collections” of his sayings. Written in Pali, an ancient Indian language closely related to Sanskrit, the Nikayas are among the oldest Buddhist texts and consist of more than one and a half million words. This new translation offers a selection of the Buddha’s most important sayings, reflecting the full variety of material contained in the Nikayas: the central themes of the Buddha’s teaching (his biography, philosophical discourse, instruction on morality, meditation, and the spiritual life) and the range of literary style (myth, dialogue, narrative, short sayings, verse). This edition is the most critically up-to-date and For anyone seeking a more direct encounter with the Buddha’s words and teaching, this new translation will prove to be essential reading, rewarding scholars and practitioners alike.

About the Series: For over 100 years Oxford World’s Classics has made available the broadest spectrum of literature from around the globe. Each affordable volume reflects Oxford’s commitment to scholarship, providing the most accurate text plus a wealth of other valuable features, including expert introductions by leading authorities, voluminous notes to clarify the text, up-to-date bibliographies for further study, and much more.

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Sayings and Anecdotes: With Other Popular Moralists (Oxford World’s Classics)

Diogenes the Cynic is famed for walking the streets with a lamp in daylight, looking for an honest man. His biting wit and eccentric behavior were legendary, and it was by means of his renowned aphorisms that his moral teachings were transmitted. He scorned the conventions of civilized life, and his ascetic lifestyle and caustic opinions informed the Cynic philosophy and later influenced Stoicism. This unique edition also covers his immediate successors, such as Crates, his wife Hipparchia, and the witty moral preacher Bion. The contrasting teachings of the Cyrenaic school, founded by Aristippos, a pleasure-loving friend of Socrates, complete the volume, together with a selection of apocryphal letters.

About the Series: For over 100 years Oxford World’s Classics has made available the broadest spectrum of literature from around the globe. Each affordable volume reflects Oxford’s commitment to scholarship, providing the most accurate text plus a wealth of other valuable features, including expert introductions by leading authorities, voluminous notes to clarify the text, up-to-date bibliographies for further study, and much more.

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Inspirations: Selections from Classic Literature (Penguin Classics)

From the author of The Alchemist, a unique and edifying literary journey inspired by the four elements.

One of the world’s best-loved storytellers, Paulo Coelho has brought joy and wisdom to millions. In Inspirations, his arrangement of his personal favorite literary classics is as selective as a bouquet of flowers, a gift to his readers. This compendium of works will becomes a perennial gift and perfect companion to Coelho’s own bestselling classic, The Alchemist.

Coelho’s inspiration draws from each work’ affinity to the four elements.
Earth includes Oscar Wilde and D.H. Lawrence
Air includes Nelson Mandela and Gabriel Garcia Marquez
Fire includes Rumi and Mary Shelley
Water includes Hans Christian Andersen and Niccolo Machiavelli