WE

A series of practical steps for women to self-improve and help each other.

In this collaboration, actress Anderson (co-author: The Sound of Seas: The EarthEnd Saga #3, 2016, etc.) and journalist Nadel (Pretty Thing, 2015, etc.) combine elements of self-help techniques, behavior therapy, meditation, and friendly conversations with a best friend or therapist. “WE is a journey based on a set of nine principles that have been taught by sages and saints throughout the ages and which have the power to transform your life and the world around you,” write the authors. “It isn’t a lifestyle choice to be bolted onto ego-driven living; it’s a path of radical transformation that puts compassion for the world at its core.” The authors claim that by following the numerous exercises included under each guiding principle—honesty, acceptance, courage, trust, humility, peace, love, joy, and kindness—women will notice a shift in their attitudes toward others and how others treat them. The assignments, which can be accomplished in small increments, require the use of a journal or notebook. Since they build on one another, readers should start at the beginning rather than jump to a particular principle. Personal comments by both authors help readers understand how the nine beliefs have affected their lives, and they include a useful summary of each of the values as well as relevant affirmations from a variety of historical figures, including Helen Keller, Anne Frank, and Rosa Parks. Though the authors don’t provide much new or groundbreaking information, the way they have grouped it together, distilled the essence of each practice, and provided a road map of tasks will enable readers to actually set a plan in motion. “You have nothing to lose but your unhappiness,” they write, “and the world has everything to gain.”

Sunny, easy-to-follow self-help principles.