"For every minute you are angry, you lose sixty seconds of happiness" —Ralph Waldo Emerson

It's January—a perfect time to create a positive mindset and focus on good thoughts for the upcoming year. Feel-good books can help you start the new year with an uplifting attitude. These below are a mix of fiction and nonfiction and most are available from home as digital e-books. If you are a New York State resident and don't yet have a NYPL card, you can apply for a digital card here.
 

The Lido by Libby Page tells the story of an unlikely pair—86-year-old Rosemary and 26-year-old Kate. Despite their 60-year age difference, the two women unite to save their local swimming pool and discover the importance of community and friendship along the way. 

 

 

 

 

 

The Ayurvedic Self Care Handbook: Holistic Healing Rituals for Every Day and Season by Sarah Kucera shows you how to reflect, relax, and de-stress using ancient ayurvedic techniques. This will help you feel more at peace with yourself and the world around you.

 

 

 

 

The Midnight Library by Matt Haig is about Nora Seed, who, after going through a difficult time, finds herself in a library where each book tells the story of different paths she could have taken in life. Nora eventually  discovers what it truly means to live her best life. 

 

 

 

 

 

The Happiness Formula: Everyday Habits for a More Joyful Life by Alyssa Shaffer focuses on the "positive psychology"notion that focusing on others makes us happier than if we focus on ourselves. The fitness coach uses scientific studies to show how you can improve your happiness in areas such as personal relationships, money, and parenting. 

 

 

 

The Wedding Date by Jasmine Guillory is a fun romantic comedy about thirty-somethings Alexa and Drew who meet in an elevator and Alexa agrees to be Drew's date to his ex's wedding.  Can a chance meeting turn into true love?

 

 

 

 

 

The Book of Joy by His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama and Desmond Mpilo Tutu brings together two world renowned spiritual guides as they tell their personal stories and teachings on how to be happy even while facing great challenges.  

 

 

 

 

 

Professor Chandra Follows His Bliss by Rajeev Balasubramanyam. A well-respected economics professor at Cambridge, Professor Chandra deals with professional and personal disappointments. After an accident, his doctor tells him he needs to work and stress less, which leads him on a life changing journey to California.  

 

 

 

 

Uplifting Stories: True Tales to Inspire You to Take Action by Ione Butler. Ione Butler, the founder of Uplifting Content, shares stories of everyday heroes doing extraordinary things.  These stories of overcoming adversity, activism, and acts of service proves the power of good deeds. 

 

 

 

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Have trouble reading standard print? Many of these titles are available in formats for patrons with print disabilities.

Staff picks are chosen by NYPL staff members and are not intended to be comprehensive lists. We'd love to hear your ideas too, so leave a comment and tell us what you’d recommend. And check out our Staff Picks browse tool for more recommendations!