Book picks similar to
Rules of the Game by Neil Strauss


non-fiction
self-help
psychology
relationships

The Mating Mind: How Sexual Choice Shaped the Evolution of Human Nature


Geoffrey Miller - 2000
    Psychologist Geoffrey Miller offers the most convincing-and radical-explanation for how and why the human mind evolved.Consciousness, morality, creativity, language, and art: these are the traits that make us human. Scientists have traditionally explained these qualities as merely a side effect of surplus brain size, but Miller argues that they were sexual attractors, not side effects. He bases his argument on Darwin's theory of sexual selection, which until now has played second fiddle to Darwin's theory of natural selection, and draws on ideas and research from a wide range of fields, including psychology, economics, history, and pop culture. Witty, powerfully argued, and continually thought-provoking, The Mating Mind is a landmark in our understanding of our own species.

Lost in the Cosmos: The Last Self-Help Book


Walker Percy - 1983
    This favorite of Percy fans continues to charm and beguile readers of all tastes and backgrounds. Lost in the Cosmos invites us to think about how we communicate with our world.

The Message Game: A Guide To Dating At The Touch Of A Button


Ice White - 2020
    It's not just a dating guide for men to get dates quickly and efficiently through dating apps like Tinder, or social media. It's about becoming a good communicator, knowing how to lead conversations and being able to set up genuinely fun activities that maximize your sexual results and relationships. With hundreds of analyzed screenshots collected from dedicated Message Game followers and Ice White himself, this is a visual guide with real stories of sex and adventures, and real conversations that have provided an understanding of successes and failures. All the learning has been done for you and compiled into a structured guide that can answer all your possible questions. From maximizing how many contacts and phone numbers you get to setting up dates quickly, from getting dates to getting laid, and from logistics to escalation. The book also features special sections that are especially useful, such as:The Situation Index - A table of common situations with references to every single page that has explained or showed the given situation. She isn't responding? She doesn't want anything serious? She says she is busy? She is only visiting your town or city? She thinks you just want sex? Whatever it is, we have the pages. Frequently Asked Questions - A summary of many common questions, such as how long you should wait to reply, how iften you should message someone, if you should use Tinder superlikes, if you should swipe a certain way on Tinder, and SO MUCH MORE. Without hesitation, this book is your own personal guide to getting the dates you want as frequently as possible.

How Adam Smith Can Change Your Life: An Unexpected Guide to Human Nature and Happiness


Russ Roberts - 2014
    But few people know that when it came to the behavior of individuals—the way we perceive ourselves, the way we treat others, and the decisions we make in pursuit of happiness—the Scottish philosopher had just as much to say. He developed his ideas on human nature in an epic, sprawling work titled The Theory of Moral Sentiments. Most economists have never read it, and for most of his life, Russ Roberts was no exception. But when he finally picked up the book by the founder of his field, he realized he’d stumbled upon what might be the greatest self-help book that almost no one has read.In How Adam Smith Can Change Your Life, Roberts examines Smith’s forgotten masterpiece, and finds a treasure trove of timeless, practical wisdom. Smith’s insights into human nature are just as relevant today as they were three hundred years ago. What does it takes to be truly happy? Should we pursue fame and fortune or the respect of our friends and family? How can we make the world a better place? Smith’s unexpected answers, framed within the rich context of current events, literature, history, and pop culture, are at once profound, counter-intuitive, and highly entertaining. In reinvigorating this neglected classic, this book provides us with an invaluable look at human behavior through the lens of one of history’s greatest minds.

Trust Me, I'm Lying: Confessions of a Media Manipulator


Ryan Holiday - 2012
    A malicious online rumor costs a company millions. A political sideshow derails the national news cycle and destroys a candidate. Some product or celebrity zooms from total obscurity to viral sensation. What you don't know is that someone is responsible for all this. Usually, someone like me.I'm a media manipulator. In a world where blogs control and distort the news, my job is to control blogs--as much as any one person can. In today's culture... 1) Blogs like "Gawker," "Buzzfeed" and the "Huffington Post" drive the media agenda. 2) Bloggers are slaves to money, technology, and deadlines. 3) Manipulators wield these levers to shape everything you read, see and watch--online and off.Why am I giving away these secrets? Because I'm tired of a world where blogs take indirect bribes, marketers help write the news, reckless journalists spread lies, and no one is accountable for any of it. I'm pulling back the curtain because I don't want anyone else to get blindsided. I'm going to explain exactly how the media "really" works. What you choose to do with this information is up to you.

101 Essays That Will Change the Way You Think


Brianna Wiest - 2016
    This new compilation of her published work features pieces on why you should pursue purpose over passion, embrace negative thinking, see the wisdom in daily routine, and become aware of the cognitive biases that are creating the way you see your life. Some of these pieces have never been seen; others have been read by millions of people around the world. Regardless, each will leave you thinking: this idea changed my life.

Swoon: Great Seducers and Why Women Love Them


Betsy Prioleau - 2013
    Instead of a satanic rake, slick player, or rich, handsome powerbroker, he's an unlikely, often homely Romeo who cares about women and understands what they want. Through analyses of history s legendary lovers and interviews with today s heartthrobs, Prioleau uncovers the surprising seductive secrets that really rock female hearts, from unfeigned ardor to conversational flair. In doing so, she destroys the pick-up artists advice of such books as The Game. Finally, Prioleau critiques the twenty-first-century sexual malaise, especially women s record discontent with men, and argues that it s high time to retrieve and celebrate the great seducer.

The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Families: Creating a Nurturing Family in a Turbulent World


Stephen R. Covey - 1996
    Covey presents a practical and philosophical guide to solving the problems--large and small, mundane and extraordinary―that confront all families and strong communities. By offering revealing anecdotes about ordinary people as well as helpful suggestions about changing everyday behavior, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Families shows how and why to have family meetings, the importance of keeping promises, how to balance individual and family needs, and how to move from dependence to interdependence. The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Families is an invaluable guidebook to the welfare of families everywhere.

How to Be Married: What I Learned from Real Women on Five Continents about Surviving My First (Really Hard) Year of Marriage


Jo Piazza - 2017
    But before long, Jo found herself riddled with questions. How do you make a marriage work in a world where you no longer need to be married? How does an independent, strong-willed feminist become someone’s partner—all the time?In the tradition of writers such as Nora Ephron and Elizabeth Gilbert, award-winning journalist and nationally bestselling author Jo Piazza writes a provocative memoir of a real first year of marriage that will forever change the way we look at matrimony. A travel editor constantly on the move, Jo journeys to twenty countries on five continents to figure out what modern marriage means. Throughout this stunning, funny, warm, and wise personal narrative, she gleans wisdom from matrilineal tribeswomen, French ladies who lunch, Orthodox Jewish moms, Swedish stay-at-home dads, polygamous warriors, and Dutch prostitutes.Written with refreshing candor, elegant prose, astute reporting, and hilarious insight into the human psyche, How to Be Married offers an honest portrait of an utterly charming couple. When life throws more at them than they ever expected—a terrifying health diagnosis, sick parents to care for, unemployment—they ultimately create a fresh understanding of what it means to be equal partners during the good and bad times. Through their journey, they reveal a framework that will help the rest of us keep our marriages strong, from engagement into the newlywed years and beyond.

Stumbling on Happiness


Daniel Todd Gilbert - 2006
    Vividly bringing to life the latest scientific research in psychology, cognitive neuroscience, philosophy, and behavioral economics, Gilbert reveals what scientists have discovered about the uniquely human ability to imagine the future, and about our capacity to predict how much we will like it when we get there. With penetrating insight and sparkling prose, Gilbert explains why we seem to know so little about the hearts and minds of the people we are about to become.

Plato and a Platypus Walk Into a Bar: Understanding Philosophy Through Jokes


Thomas Cathcart - 2006
    Its Philosophy 101 for everyone who knows not to take all this heavy stuff too seriously. Some of the Big Ideas are Existentialism (what do Hegel and Bette Midler have in common?), Philosophy of Language (how to express what its like being stranded on a desert island with Halle Berry), Feminist Philosophy (why, in the end, a man is always a man), and much more. Finally it all makes sense!

The Gift of Fear: Survival Signals That Protect Us from Violence


Gavin de Becker - 1996
    The new nanny gives a mother an uneasy feeling. A stranger in a deserted parking lot offers unsolicited help. The threat of violence surrounds us every day. But we can protect ourselves, by learning to trust—and act on—our gut instincts.In this empowering book, Gavin de Becker, the man Oprah Winfrey calls the nation's leading expert on violent behavior, shows you how to spot even subtle signs of danger—before it's too late. Shattering the myth that most violent acts are unpredictable, de Becker, whose clients include top Hollywood stars and government agencies, offers specific ways to protect yourself and those you love, including how to act when approached by a stranger, when you should fear someone close to you, what to do if you are being stalked, how to uncover the source of anonymous threats or phone calls, the biggest mistake you can make with a threatening person, and more. Learn to spot the danger signals others miss. It might just save your life.

The Dating Playbook For Men: A Proven 7 Step System To Go From Single To The Woman Of Your Dreams


Andrew Ferebee - 2015
     A proven strategy so effective, that Andrew was scared to unveil this strategy to the world. “When I discovered this strategy, I was initially scared to share it with the world. I didn’t want to become a dating coach and the stigma associated with that. However I knew I had to write this. I was frustrated with all the pain I saw inside men stopping them from getting the women of their dreams. I’d been there, and I wish I’d known this strategy earlier.” A strategy that will allow even the shyest of men to find and attract the woman of his dreams. You’ll learn how to turn the number one barrier stopping men from chasing the women of their dreams, fear of rejection, into your ally. You’ll completely eradicate approach anxiety from your psyche forever, and most importantly you’ll acquire the number one trait that women find attractive: A Man of Purpose. Inside this book you won’t find any fluff, or any filler. Unlike most other “dating advice” books out there, which are really just empty fluff content used by Dating Guru’s to build their Coaching Empire, Andrew packed this book full of actionable content to help any man get the woman of his dreams. Armed with this book and the desire to change your life, nothing will stop you from getting the woman of your dreams. One word of warning: If you expect a magic push button formula that will require no effort on your part then you are completely mistaken. What you will receive however is a mindset shift and a Proven 7 Step Strategy that will inspire you to take action and will give you the courage and the gumption to have a relationship which will change your life. Inside this action packed book you'll find: • How to build an awesome social life that will be the envy of your peers. • How to deepen your masculine polarity to unlock your inner animal magnetism. • How to understand what women want and desire. • How to go out and meet women, to build a mindset of abundance. • How to go from getting her number to getting her in the bedroom. Use this power wisely. In 2 months, you'll be 2 months older. Where will you be in 2 months? Will you be in the same old rut, scared of talking to women, desiring the girl you met at the train station, but being crippled by your approach anxiety... Or will you be a man of purpose. A man who doesn't hesitate when he sees a woman he desires, and has a calendar packed with dates with attractive women. Where will you be in 2 months? It's up to you. For $10 if all this book did was... Finally make you a confident grounded man who goes after what he wants in life.... Would it be worth it? Finally help you overcome your fear of approaching women... Would it be worth it? Finally have weekends packed with adventurous social activities with fun and attractive women.... Would it be worth it? Finally stop you from ever having a heart wrenching breakup that cripples your soul.... Would it be worth it? Finally allow you to take charge of your dating life and reap the joy that you deserve.... Would it be worth it? Join Andrew Ferebee now on the greatest adventure you'll ever have, and he'll see you on the other side.

Six Pillars of Self-Esteem


Nathaniel Branden - 1994
    The book demonstrates compellingly why self-esteem is basic to psychological health, achievement, personal happiness, and positive relationships.  Branden introduces the six pillars—six action-based practices for daily living that provide the foundation for self-esteem—and explores the central importance of self-esteem in five areas: the workplace, parenting, education, psychotherapy, and the culture at large.  The work provides concrete guidelines for teachers, parents, managers, and therapists who are responsible for developing the self-esteem of others.  And it shows why-in today's chaotic and competitive world-self-esteem is fundamental to our personal and professional power.

This Is Me Letting You Go


Heidi Priebe - 2016
    In a world that teaches us to cling to what we love at all costs, there is an undeniable art to moving on – and it’s one that we are constantly relearning. In this series of honest and poignant essays, Heidi Priebe explores the harsh reality of what it means to let go of the people and situations we love most - often before we are ready to – and how to embrace what comes next.