Self help Archives - Bookishnerd

The 7 Best Rachel Hollis Books You Need to Read Right Now

Sam — Wed, 05 Feb 2025 14:04:00 +0000

Author Rachel Hollis is one of the biggest names in self-help books. Her most famous book, Girl, Wash Your Face has been a bestseller for months and it’s easy to see why. It covers topics from her personal life experiences which makes it relatable to so many women out there.

In this blog post we will list some of the best Rachel Hollis books that you can read right now!

Who is Rachel Hollis?

Rachel Hollis is a motivational speaker and the author of several best-selling books. She has helped millions of women live their lives to the fullest!

She’s from Texas, is married to her husband, Dave Hollis, and has not one, not two, but FOUR children. And that’s all in addition to her incredible career as a writer, coach, and mommy blogger.

In other words, she’s the living epitome of “having it all.” And, like many others in my space, she has been a huge inspiration on me.

Her Non-fiction Books

Rachel Hollis is probably best known for her non-fiction. Her bestselling book, Girl, Wash Your Face, quickly became a sensation, and she is now known all over the world.

But she also has a few that you might not have heard about. So let’s dive in.

1. Girl, Wash Your Face

Girl, Wash Your Face: Stop Believing the Lies About Who You Are so You Can Become Who You Were Meant to Be (Girl, Wash Your Face Series)

Amazon Kindle Edition
Hollis, Rachel (Author)
English (Publication Language)
240 Pages - 02/06/2018 (Publication Date) - Thomas Nelson (Publisher)

This book has been on the bestsellers list for months, in fact it was the second highest bestseller in all of 2018, and it’s not hard to see why. It covers topics from her personal life experiences which makes it relatable to so many women out there.

The book covers the various lies that many of us women tell ourselves and our told throughout our lives. Each of these lies is torn apart, cross-examined, and uncovered until she examines the truth beneath them.

What makes it better, is that her writing style is hilarious, and she doesn’t pull any punches when it comes to the life advice that she gives. It is exactly what you need to get motivated, find your path, and never look away.

2. Girl, Stop Apologizing

Girl, Stop Apologizing: A Shame-Free Plan for Embracing and Achieving Your Goals (Girl, Wash Your Face)

Amazon Kindle Edition
Hollis, Rachel (Author)
English (Publication Language)
240 Pages - 03/05/2019 (Publication Date) - HarperCollins Leadership (Publisher)

In 2019, Hollis released another bestseller entitled, Girl, Stop Apologizing. It was the follow-up to her first mega bestseller.

Have you ever heard the phrase, “live your truth”? This phrase has become almost a cliché, and the sort of thing people roll their eyes about when you are you talking about it.

But Rachel Hollis really goes into detail about what this means, and what happens when we fail to live our truth. This includes letting things like perfectionism, feelings of inadequacy, grief, and embarrassment keep us from doing those things that we want to do, or the things that would help us thrive in our own fields.

This book is perfect for women who are interested in living a more vibrant, fulfilling life. It’s the go-to book for those looking to stop apologizing and really live their truth.

3. Didn’t See That Coming

Didn't See That Coming: Putting Life Back Together When Your World Falls Apart

Amazon Kindle Edition
Hollis, Rachel (Author)
English (Publication Language)
227 Pages - 09/29/2020 (Publication Date) - Dey Street Books (Publisher)

Hollis wrote this book during the 2020 pandemic, and it’s exactly what I think most of us need during a time like that.

But what she writes isn’t just for recovering from the pandemic, but for recovering from any huge upset in our lives. Because let’s face it, stuff happens. We can’t always predict the horrible things that are going to happen to us, so how do we prepare for that, how do we deal with it, and how do we recover from it?

These are all questions that are answered in Rachel Hollis’s book, Didn’t See That Coming.

This book is perfect for women who are looking to get a better handle on their emotions, and learn how to process them in a healthy way that doesn’t lead us down the path of self-destruction.

4. Real Life Dinners

Real Life Dinners: Fun, Fresh, Fast Dinners from the Creator of The Chic Site

Amazon Kindle Edition
Hollis, Rachel (Author)
English (Publication Language)
506 Pages - 03/26/2024 (Publication Date) - St. Martin's Griffin (Publisher)

If all of that wasn’t enough, you may be surprised to know that Rachel Hollis also has a cookbook!

It’s called Real Life Dinners, and focuses specifically on crafting realistic meals for the family, especially when you’re a busy mom like she is.

This isn’t exactly a health book, it’s not keto, paleo, whole foods, or anything like that. But the recipes are balanced, and great for the average family.

If you’re one of those people that feels like they just don’t have any time to cook, or don’t know how to make meals that are balanced, this is the book for you.

Her Fiction Books

I didn’t know this until I started researching this post, but Rachel Hollis actually has some fiction as well. Each book complements her nonfiction, cross-examining certain underlying assumptions that we all have, and exposing them for what they really are. So let’s take a look at her trilogy of books.

5. Party Girl

Party Girl (The Girls Book 1)

Amazon Kindle Edition
Hollis, Rachel (Author)
English (Publication Language)
365 Pages - 10/01/2019 (Publication Date) - Lake Union Publishing (Publisher)

The first of the trilogy is called Party Girl. It’s an interesting look at what happens when we get what we want, and the potential underbelly of the things that look so glamorous to us.

The story follows a young girl named Landon Brinkley who is from a small town in Texas. She’s given a glamorous internship with an event planner for the rich and famous.

But as she begins to work with these Hollywood A-listers, she begins to realize that not everything she dreamed about is really all that fantastic.

She’s faced with the decision to follow her truth, or continue in the shallow world. It’s a perfect example of the type of situations faced by her nonfiction readers, a demonstration of her principles at work.

6. Sweet Girl

Sweet Girl (The Girls Book 2)

Amazon Kindle Edition
Hollis, Rachel (Author)
English (Publication Language)
284 Pages - 05/05/2015 (Publication Date) - Lake Union Publishing (Publisher)

Hollis’s second fictional book is called Sweet Girl. It’s a bit more intense, because this time there’s romance in it!

This book follows a different woman, named Maz Jennings, who really wants to become a high-end pastry chef. When she gets a chance to study at the feet of a world-renowned master, she simply can’t refuse the offer.

But then she finds herself falling for a man that she once hated, trying to deal with the high demands of her job, all while struggling with some difficult secrets from her past.

This book is a perfect example of the chaotic lives that Rachel Hollis books are trying to help us navigate. It’s an action-packed, romantic adventure that readers can really sink their teeth into.

7. Smart Girl

Smart Girl (The Girls Book 3)

Amazon Kindle Edition
Hollis, Rachel (Author)
English (Publication Language)
266 Pages - 01/26/2016 (Publication Date) - Lake Union Publishing (Publisher)

Lastly, the third book in her trilogy is called Smart Girl. This is the one that’s probably my favorite, because it follows a young girl named Miko Jin, who is an extremely intelligent but also very sheltered young woman.

She’s never fallen in love, never had the opportunity, but has read countless books on the subject. When she finally meets someone, she decides to put all of her theoretical knowledge to work, to try and make him love her back.

Unfortunately, this does not work out so well for her, and she is faced with a number of tough facts of life.

Once again, this book is a perfect example of the types of problems that Rachel Hollis’s nonfiction readers are facing in their own lives.

Will You Read the Fiction or Nonfiction Books First?

The choice is up to you! I would recommend that if you’re feeling overwhelmed in your life, go for the nonfiction books first. They will probably give you some comfort and show examples of how the principles can be applied in real life.

But the fictional trilogy is also fantastic as well, especially since it’s an easy read with romance and quirky characters.

Whatever you decide to do, you’re going to have a fantastic time reading.

The post The 7 Best Rachel Hollis Books You Need to Read Right Now appeared first on Bookishnerd.

17 Best James Baldwin Books: Your Next Read

Sam — Sun, 02 Feb 2025 13:10:00 +0000

So I’ll admit, until the last few years, I knew very little about James Baldwin. But as I started to get into his books, I realized just how important this man was to our society in the 20th century.

James Baldwin was a prolific and beautiful writer, who was also black and gay. And he was most active from 1947 to his death in 1987, when national issues of race, gender identity, and the like were at the forefront of political turmoil.

His unique perspective gave us some of the most poignant commentary on America and our prejudices.

Another thing I love about him was that he wrote in several mediums. He’s perhaps most famous for his essays that uncovered the underbelly of society. But he also wrote novels, short stories, plays, poems, and even a children’s book called Little Man, Little Man.

In this article, I’ll highlight each of his novels, as well as several of the most important pieces of Baldwin’s other writings. I’ll start each section off with a list of his major works in each area, and then break down what I consider to be the best James Baldwin books in each category.

Let’s get into it.

The Novels

If you look up other lists of Baldwin’s books, you’ll almost inevitably find each and every one of his novels on the list. So I thought I’d highlight all of them. There are six primary novels written by Baldwin:

1. Another Country

Another Country (Vintage International)

Amazon Kindle Edition
Baldwin, James (Author)
English (Publication Language)
450 Pages - 09/17/2013 (Publication Date) - Vintage (Publisher)

This book explores interracial relationships, something that was highly frowned on in mainstream society when it was first written, and it features various characters from a wide variety of sexual identities.

2. Giovanni’s Room

Giovanni's Room (Vintage International)

Amazon Kindle Edition
Baldwin, James (Author)
English (Publication Language)
178 Pages - 09/17/2013 (Publication Date) - Vintage (Publisher)

In the 1950s when this was written, Giovanni’s Room really raised some eyebrows as being one of the premiere books to features erotic homosexulaity, as well as openly gay characters.

3. Go Tell it on the Mountain

Go Tell It on the Mountain (Vintage International)

Amazon Kindle Edition
Baldwin, James (Author)
English (Publication Language)
242 Pages - 09/17/2013 (Publication Date) - Vintage (Publisher)

Go Tell it on the Mountain was a novel written as a semi-biographical story of Baldwin’s life in Harlem. It goes over elements of his life, like living with a highly religious family member, and what that was like when he was trying to find his own identity.

4. If Beale Street Could Talk

If Beale Street Could Talk (Vintage International)

Amazon Kindle Edition
Baldwin, James (Author)
English (Publication Language)
210 Pages - 09/17/2013 (Publication Date) - Vintage (Publisher)

This book was eventually adapted into an award-winning film in 2018, and tells the story of a family who have to struggle to keep their love life going when one is accused falsely of rape.

5. Just Above My Head

Sale

Just Above My Head: A Novel

Baldwin, James (Author)
English (Publication Language)
592 Pages - 06/13/2000 (Publication Date) - Delta (Publisher)

A story of a gospel singer who, with his family, attempt to make history with the struggles of Black America. It was one of the last books that Baldwin wrote, and definitely one that I recommend. In addition to its moving plot, it’s also known for its openly gay characters.

6. Tell Me How Long the Train’s Been Gone

Tell Me How Long the Train's Been Gone (Vintage International)

Amazon Kindle Edition
Baldwin, James (Author)
English (Publication Language)
386 Pages - 09/17/2013 (Publication Date) - Vintage (Publisher)

Baldwin wrote this based on the life of an actor named Leo Proudhammer who had a heart attack while performing on stage. It covers the choices that led that actor that moment, and is a moving piece of first-person fiction.

The Essays

Despite his novels being absolutely amazing and thought provoking, it’s probably Baldwin’s essays that are the most memorable.

James Baldwin was highly outspoken on matters of race, interracial relations, gender identity, and income inequality in the United States, and he was brilliantly eloquent in how he expressed these ideas in these essays.

There are a number of essays/essay collections that he wrote, and I’m only going to highlight five. But if you want to know more about them, here is a more complete list:

7. Notes of a Native Son

Notes of a Native Son

Amazon Kindle Edition
Baldwin, James (Author)
English (Publication Language)
209 Pages - 11/20/2012 (Publication Date) - Beacon Press (Publisher)

These ten essays were the first that James Baldwin put together, and they (like most of the essays he would go on to write) tackled the ever-glaring issue of racial inequality in America and Europe. It primarily relates his experiences as a gay African American in a world that had no regard for either identity.

8. Nobody Knows My Name

Nobody Knows My Name (Vintage International)

Amazon Kindle Edition
Baldwin, James (Author)
English (Publication Language)
204 Pages - 09/17/2013 (Publication Date) - Vintage (Publisher)

Nobody Knows My Name is a collection of essays that was published in 1961 and was a finalist for the National Book Award in the nonfiction category for the following year. It covers topics of racial associations during the 60s and 70s.

9. No Name in the Street

No Name in the Street (Vintage International)

Amazon Kindle Edition
Baldwin, James (Author)
English (Publication Language)
210 Pages - 09/17/2013 (Publication Date) - Vintage (Publisher)

By the early 1970s when this was written, Baldwin had been through a lot, including the death of Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X. During this time Baldwin felt a lot of anger and despair at the situations for any Black American. This is evident in No Name in the Street.

10. The Devil Finds Work

The Devil Finds Work: An Essay (Vintage International)

Amazon Kindle Edition
Baldwin, James (Author)
English (Publication Language)
146 Pages - 09/17/2013 (Publication Date) - Vintage (Publisher)

Movie buffs will find this work enlightening. The Devil Finds Work was a commentary and critique of Hollywood from a racial perspective. It uncovers a lot of the racism inherent in the Hollywood system.

11. The Fire Next Time

The Fire Next Time (Vintage International)

Amazon Kindle Edition
Baldwin, James (Author)
English (Publication Language)
104 Pages - 09/17/2013 (Publication Date) - Vintage (Publisher)

The Fire Next Time is probably the most popular essay collection that Baldwin ever wrote. It has two primary essays that targeted segregation and the role that Christianity had played in Black America.

Plays

One of the cools things about James Baldwin is that he dabbled in many different mediums. One of these was theatre. He’s got two prominent plays that I’d like to highlight here:

12. Blues for Mister Charlie

Blues for Mister Charlie: A Play (Vintage International)

Amazon Kindle Edition
Baldwin, James (Author)
English (Publication Language)
147 Pages - 09/17/2013 (Publication Date) - Vintage (Publisher)

Blues for Mister Charlie debuted on freakin’ Broadway in 1964, and told the story of the tragic murder of Emmett Till, a young African-American boy in 1955 before the onset of the Civil Rights Movement, and event that would still have been fresh in contemporary minds.

13. The Amen Corner

The Amen Corner: A Play (Vintage International)

Amazon Kindle Edition
Baldwin, James (Author)
English (Publication Language)
114 Pages - 09/17/2013 (Publication Date) - Vintage (Publisher)

The Amen Corner was Baldwin’s first play, and it tackled the issues of religion and the effect it has on prejudice and on racial tensions, inspired by Baldwin’s own experiences as a child.

Poems

Jimmy's Blues and Other Poems

Amazon Kindle Edition
Baldwin, James (Author)
English (Publication Language)
117 Pages - 04/01/2014 (Publication Date) - Beacon Press (Publisher)

Though not one of the works he was known for, a posthumous collection was published first in 1989. It was called Jimmy’s Blues and Other Poems, and contains several thoughtful insights into the issues that plagued Baldwin during his lifetime. I highly recommend giving them a read.

Short Stories

James Baldwin wrote several short stories/collections of short stories during his lifetime, and I have two to highlight here. But if you’re interested in reading more of his work, feel free to check out the rest.

Coming Out the Wilderness
Going to Meet the Man
Previous Condition
Sonny’s Blues
This Morning, This Evening, So Soon
The Man Child
The Outing
The Rockpile

14. Going to Meet the Man

Going to Meet the Man: Stories (Vintage International)

Amazon Kindle Edition
Baldwin, James (Author)
English (Publication Language)
258 Pages - 09/17/2013 (Publication Date) - Vintage (Publisher)

This is actually a collection of short stories that focuses on cultural and racial themes just like most of his other work. It covers a lot of different topics and characters, all with their unique circumstances that really make you think.

15. Sonny’s Blues

Sonny's Blues (Penguin 60s)

James Baldwin (Author)
English (Publication Language)
90 Pages - 07/19/1995 (Publication Date) - Penguin Books Ltd (Publisher)

Sonny’s Blues is a specific short story that tells the story of a black algebra teacher who is considering his brother’s problems with drug addiction, arrest, and recovery through music. It was eventually republished in the above short story collection Going to Meet the Man.

Other

Lastly, I wanted to cover two publications that didn’t quite fit into the categories above, but definitely deserved a mention.

16. I Am Not Your Negro

I Am Not Your Negro: A Companion Edition to the Documentary Film Directed by Raoul Peck (Vintage International)

Amazon Kindle Edition
Baldwin, James (Author)
English (Publication Language)
141 Pages - 02/07/2017 (Publication Date) - Vintage (Publisher)

This is an edited collection of various unpublished pieces of Baldwin’s manuscripts and other works. It is meant to represent a book that Baldwin wanted to write, but didn’t have the chance before his death, based on his friends Martin Luther King Jr., Malcolm X, and Medgar Evers. It was also turned into a documentary of the same name.

17. Little Man, Little Man

Little Man, Little Man: A Story of Childhood

Amazon Kindle Edition
Baldwin, James (Author)
English (Publication Language)
120 Pages - 08/24/2018 (Publication Date) - Duke University Press Books (Publisher)

Believe it or not, James Baldwin even created a children’s book, though this is meant for a slightly more middle-grade audience. It tells the story of a young boy growing up in Harlem, dealing with the joys, but also challenges of growing up with hopes and dreams as a young black child.

Final Thoughts

James Baldwin is a black person that has had and will have a huge influence on America. The essayist has inspired countless other writers and activists in western society to really reach out and challenge the status quo.

I think those of us that identify as white Americans should take heed and really read if we want to better understand this situation.

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