Here are 100 books that Eat Like a Human fans have personally recommended if you like Eat Like a Human. Shepherd is a community of 12,000+ authors and super readers sharing their favorite books with the world.

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Book cover of The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma

Bella St. Patrick Author Of Broken but Healing

From my list on quiet strength and emotional recovery for men.

Why am I passionate about this?

As the co-author of Broken But Healing, I know firsthand what it means to survive emotional, physical, and psychological trauma—and to slowly piece yourself back together. Books were a lifeline during my healing journey. They offered comfort, clarity, and the reminder that I wasn’t alone. These five books helped shape my own recovery and inspired me to share my story so others could find the strength to rebuild, too.

Bella's book list on quiet strength and emotional recovery for men

Bella St. Patrick Why Bella loves this book

This book reveals how the body stores emotional and traumatic memories long after the mind tries to forget them.

Van der Kolk explains why symptoms like anxiety, emotional numbness, anger, or disconnection can surface years later.

Many men who “push through” or never talk about their trauma find clarity in this book’s explanation of how stress affects the brain and nervous system. It helps readers understand themselves physically and emotionally, while giving hope that healing is possible through therapy, mindfulness, and self-awareness.

By Bessel Van Der Kolk ,

Why should I read it?

25 authors picked The Body Keeps the Score as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

#1 New York Times bestseller

"Essential reading for anyone interested in understanding and treating traumatic stress and the scope of its impact on society." -Alexander McFarlane, Director of the Centre for Traumatic Stress Studies

A pioneering researcher transforms our understanding of trauma and offers a bold new paradigm for healing in this New York Times bestseller

Trauma is a fact of life. Veterans and their families deal with the painful aftermath of combat; one in five Americans has been molested; one in four grew up with alcoholics; one in three couples have engaged in physical violence. Dr. Bessel van der…


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Book cover of The High House

The High House by James Stoddard,

The Victorian mansion, Evenmere, is the mechanism that runs the universe.

The lamps must be lit, or the stars die. The clocks must be wound, or Time ceases. The Balance between Order and Chaos must be preserved, or Existence crumbles.

Appointed the Steward of Evenmere, Carter Anderson must learn the…

Book cover of Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones

Bianca D’Alessio Author Of Mastering Intentions

From my list on rebuilding, rising, and redefining your power after adversity.

Why am I passionate about this?

Every person faces moments that test their strength, their identity, and their belief in what is possible. For me, those moments became the foundation of Mastering Intentions. These five books reflect the power of mindset, discipline, and self-awareness to transform challenge into clarity. They each carry a truth I live by: that you can rebuild from anything when you move with intention. Each of these authors has, in their own way, taught me how to align thought with action, faith with focus, and purpose with power. If you are navigating transition, rebuilding after loss, or simply ready to step into a new chapter, these books will help you rise stronger and more grounded than before.

Bianca's book list on rebuilding, rising, and redefining your power after adversity

Bianca D’Alessio Why Bianca loves this book

This book is one of the most effective guides to meaningful, lasting change.

James Clear explains how transformation happens through small adjustments practiced consistently over time. His philosophy aligns with a core belief in my own life and work: growth is created by what you do daily, not occasionally.

Clear breaks down the power of systems, discipline, and identity-based habit building. The book proves that success is rarely about dramatic breakthroughs. It is the result of steady, intentional actions that accumulate into extraordinary impact.

Mastering the next right step is the foundation of personal and professional excellence.

By James Clear ,

Why should I read it?

39 authors picked Atomic Habits as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

The #1 New York Times bestseller. Over 4 million copies sold!

Tiny Changes, Remarkable Results

No matter your goals, Atomic Habits offers a proven framework for improving--every day. James Clear, one of the world's leading experts on habit formation, reveals practical strategies that will teach you exactly how to form good habits, break bad ones, and master the tiny behaviors that lead to remarkable results.

If you're having trouble changing your habits, the problem isn't you. The problem is your system. Bad habits repeat themselves again and again not because you don't want to change, but because you have the…


Book cover of The Body: A Guide for Occupants

Daniel M. Davis Author Of Self Defence

From my list on immune health from a prof of immunology.

Why am I passionate about this?

Writing is a big part of my life. One of the great joys of writing my first books was interviewing many of the inspiring scientists who were involved in the discoveries, some of whom are no longer with us. Writing helps me take stock of the big picture of this vast human endeavor. I want to explain to everyone what we know and what we don’t know about immune health. I am the Head of Life Sciences and Professor of Immunology at Imperial College London. 

Daniel's book list on immune health from a prof of immunology

Daniel M. Davis Why Daniel loves this book

Bill Bryson is, to me, one of the greatest all-time nonfiction authors, and it’s just wonderful that he wrote this book about the human body. It is inspiring, surprising, and laugh-out-loud funny.

There’s even a short bit in this book about him visiting my own University research lab! 

By Bill Bryson ,

Why should I read it?

8 authors picked The Body as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • Bill Bryson, bestselling author of A Short History of Nearly Everything, takes us on a head-to-toe tour of the marvel that is the human body—with a new afterword for this edition.

Bill Bryson once again proves himself to be an incomparable companion as he guides us through the human body—how it functions, its remarkable ability to heal itself, and (unfortunately) the ways it can fail. Full of extraordinary facts (your body made a million red blood cells since you started reading this) and irresistible Brysonesque anecdotes, The Body will lead you to a deeper understanding…


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Book cover of The Guardian of the Palace

The Guardian of the Palace by Steven J. Morris,

The Guardian of the Palace is the first novel in a modern fantasy series set in a New York City where magic is real—but hidden, suppressed, and dangerous when exposed.

When an ancient magic begins to leak into the world, a small group of unlikely allies is forced to act…

Book cover of Love Your Gut: Supercharge Your Digestive Health and Transform Your Well-Being from the Inside Out

Sharad P. Paul Author Of The Genetics of Health: Understand Your Genes for Better Health

From my list on help you understand and take charge of your health.

Why am I passionate about this?

I am a skin MD, family physician, and an adjunct professor at the Auckland University of Technology. My peers awarded me the Ko Awatea International Excellence Award for Leading Health on a Global Scale for “improving management, education and patient-centered care internationally, across several countries.” I have often said, “One cannot have bad health and good skin” and therefore my interests are using skin, our only universal organ, to help us understand not only human health and wellness, but also issues that affect humanity such as the changing climate, pollution, aging, and skin color. I am a global citizen as I was born in England, grew up in India, and I now live in New Zealand.

Sharad's book list on help you understand and take charge of your health

Sharad P. Paul Why Sharad loves this book

This is the only “How to” book in this selection that literally spoon-feeds us. Love Your Gut has over 50 recipes: from banana and fig breakfast loaves to chickpea crêpes, spinach pesto pasta to tofu satay skewers—there’s something for everyone. However, at the guts of it, this book deals with how our gastrointestinal tract is also inherently linked to our immunity. Taking charge of what we place in our guts, Rossi feels, is one of the best ways we can take control of our health and wellbeing.

By Megan Rossi ,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Love Your Gut as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Support your immunity and fuel your metabolism with this revolutionary guide to gut health, including 50 fiber-packed recipes to nourish your microbiome—from the award-winning Gut Health Doctor (@TheGutHealthDoctor) and author of the forthcoming How to Eat More Plants

Publisher’s Note: Love Your Gut was previously published in the UK under the title Eat Yourself Healthy.

The path to health and happiness is inside you—literally. It’s your gut! When you eat well, you feed the helpful gut microbes that nourish your metabolism, your immunity, and even your mood. But your microbiome is as unique as you are, so how to eat…


Book cover of Catching Fire: How Cooking Made Us Human

Guy Crosby Ph.D Author Of Cook, Taste, Learn: How the Evolution of Science Transformed the Art of Cooking

From my list on history and future of agriculture, food, and cooking.

Why am I passionate about this?

Since childhood I've been fascinated with the beauty of organic molecules. I pursued this passion in graduate school at Brown University and through a postdoctoral position at Stanford University. My professional career began at a startup pharmaceutical company in California, which evolved into research positions in agriculture and food ingredients. After 30 years I retired as a vice-president of research and development for a food ingredients company. I developed a passion for food and cooking and subsequently acquired a position as the science editor for America’s Test Kitchen, which I held for over 12 years. Today at the age of 80 I still write and publish scientific papers and books about food, cooking, and nutrition.

Guy's book list on history and future of agriculture, food, and cooking

Guy Crosby Ph.D Why Guy loves this book

This book was the inspiration for my book and was written by a professor of Biological Anthropology at Harvard University. It sets out a convincing argument that cooking may have been started by the earliest humans about 2 million years ago, which is far earlier than most anthropologists believe. Much of Wrangham’s arguments are based on his own research that illustrates how cooking provided better nutrition resulting in the expansion of the human brain by 60% over thousands of years giving humans a head-start over all other living species. 

By Richard Wrangham ,

Why should I read it?

5 authors picked Catching Fire as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

In this stunningly original book, Richard Wrangham argues that it was cooking that caused the extraordinary transformation of our ancestors from apelike beings to Homo erectus. At the heart of Catching Fire lies an explosive new idea: The habit of eating cooked rather than raw food permitted the digestive tract to shrink and the human brain to grow, helped structure human society, and created the male-female division of labour. As our ancestors adapted to using fire, humans emerged as "the cooking apes".

Covering everything from food-labelling and overweight pets to raw-food faddists, Catching Fire offers a startlingly original argument about…


Book cover of Nourishing Traditions: The Cookbook That Challenges Politically Correct Nutrition and the Diet Dictocrats

Mary Bryant Shrader Author Of The Modern Pioneer Cookbook: Nourishing Recipes From a Traditional Foods Kitchen

From my list on becoming a modern pioneer in the kitchen.

Why am I passionate about this?

My name is Mary Bryant Shrader, and I'm the creator of Mary's Nest, a YouTube channel and corresponding website devoted to teaching approachable traditional cooking techniques using whole ingredients to help everyone become a Modern Pioneer in the kitchen. I take a simple step-by-step approach to help home cooks of all abilities cook simple, healthy meals using every last scrap of food to work towards creating a no-waste kitchen. I live in the Texas Hill Country with my sweet husband, Ted, and our lovable yellow lab, Indy. Our son Ben is just a drive away, and he frequently joins us for cozy home-cooked meals by the fireplace, followed by an evening of rousing board games.

Mary's book list on becoming a modern pioneer in the kitchen

Mary Bryant Shrader Why Mary loves this book

In the late 1990s, Sally Fallon (now Sally Fallon Morell) and Mary Enig ignited the modern-day traditional foods movement by publishing the now immensely popular Nourishing Traditions.

This book taught us that it was okay to eat butter, lard made the best pie crusts, and if you were going to fry food, frying was best done in tallow. And that was just the beginning! The subtitle of the book says it all: The Cookbook that Challenges Politically Correct Nutrition and Diet Dictocrats.

This book vindicated everything my mother had taught me. Eat real food—not just vegetables—but all real food, including animal foods, and make sure that you eat from the nose to the tail and everything in between. Additionally, don't forget that you must always properly prepare food through slow cooking, culturing, fermenting, or souring to aid in proper digestion.

Oh, and while you're at it, make sure you use…

By Sally Fallon ,

Why should I read it?

3 authors picked Nourishing Traditions as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

This well-researched, thought-provoking guide to traditional foods contains a startling message: Animal fats and cholesterol are not villains but vital factors in the diet, necessary for normal growth, proper function of the brain and nervous system, protection from disease and optimum energy levels. Sally Fallon dispels the myths of the current low-fat fad in this practical, entertaining guide to a can-do diet that is both nutritious and delicious.
Nourishing Traditions will tell you: *Why your body needs old fashioned animal fats *Why butter is a health food *How high-cholesterol diets promote good health *How saturated fats protect the heart *How…


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Book cover of Oaky With a Hint of Murder

Oaky With a Hint of Murder by Dawn Brotherton,

Aury and Scott travel to the Finger Lakes in New York’s wine country to get to the bottom of the mysterious happenings at the Songscape Winery. Disturbed furniture and curious noises are one thing, but when a customer winds up dead, it’s time to dig into the details and see…

Book cover of High-Performance Nutrition for Masters Athletes

John Eric Goff Author Of Gold Medal Physics: The Science of Sports

From my list on combine sports and Science.

Why am I passionate about this?

As a boy, I wanted to play baseball professionally. But, alas, talent was not within me, and I became one of the few people in the world who chose physics as a career because something else was too hard. Part of my career as a scientist is learning new things; another part is teaching and, hopefully, imbuing students with a love of science. The sports science books here all taught me a great deal, and I have recommended them to several of my students. Sports can be an excellent vehicle for learning some science, and such learning about a sport one loves can make watching the sport even more fun.

John's book list on combine sports and Science

John Eric Goff Why John loves this book

As a quinquagenarian, I needed this book! Our bodies change so much as we age, and those changes obviously affect how well we perform athletically. Nutrition science has made great strides over the past several decades.

Antonucci’s book incorporates the latest that nutrition science has to offer so that those of us who are not professional athletes can strategically fuel ourselves, avoid dehydration, and eat healthier. I work out better, and I recover faster using Antonucci’s book. I was not looking for a slew of biochemistry when I picked up her book. I could get right to the scientific results and implement them into my own life.

By Lauren A. Antonucci ,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked High-Performance Nutrition for Masters Athletes as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

It's an undisputed fact that the body's physiological needs change as you age. But that doesn't mean you can't continue to compete and perform at your best. In High-Performance Nutrition for Masters Athletes, you'll find practical advice for fueling your active lifestyle-now and for decades to come.

The key to effectively adapting your nutrition plans is first understanding how needs change over time and how expected results shift through the decades. Explore the science behind proper fueling for training and competition with the current guidelines for carbohydrate, protein, and fat intake plus advice on proper hydration, avoiding the dangers of…


Book cover of Run Fast. Eat Slow.: Nourishing Recipes for Athletes: A Cookbook

Dean Karnazes Author Of A Runner's High: My Life in Motion

From my list on running from an ultrarunner.

Why am I passionate about this?

An internationally recognized endurance athlete and New York Times bestselling author, Dean Karnazes has pushed his body and mind to inconceivable limits. Among his many accomplishments, he has run 350 continuous miles, foregoing sleep for three nights. He's run across Death Valley in 120-degree temperatures, and run a marathon to the South Pole in negative 40 degrees. On ten different occasions, he's run a 200-mile relay race solo, racing alongside teams of twelve. His long list of competitive achievements include winning the world's toughest footrace, the Badwater Ultramarathon, running 135 miles nonstop across Death Valley during the middle of summer. His most recent endeavor was running 50 marathons, in all 50 US states, in 50 consecutive days, finishing with the NYC Marathon, which he ran in three hours flat.

Dean's book list on running from an ultrarunner

Dean Karnazes Why Dean loves this book

Part recipe book, part training plan, and entirely inspirational, Shalane Flanagan is a 4-time Olympian and the winner of the NYC Marathon.

By Shalane Flanagan , Elyse Kopecky ,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Run Fast. Eat Slow. as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

From world-class marathoner and three-time Olympian Shalane Flanagan and culinary nutritionist Elyse Kopecky comes a whole foods, flavour-forward cookbook that proves food can be indulgent and nourishing at the same time. Finally here's a cookbook for runners that shows fat is essential for flavour and performance and that counting calories, obsessing over protein, and restrictive dieting does more harm than good. Packed with more than 100 recipes for every part of yourday, nutritional wisdom, and inspiring stories, Run Fast, Eat Slow has all the bases covered. Fitness-minded readers will find delicious meals, satisfying snacks, thirst- quenching drinks, and wholesome treats.…


Book cover of Nourishment: What Animals Can Teach Us about Rediscovering Our Nutritional Wisdom

Anne Biklé Author Of The Hidden Half of Nature: The Microbial Roots of Life and Health

From my list on microbiomes, gut health, food, and farming.

Why am I passionate about this?

I have always been enamored with the natural world and how it works. This trait, among others, led me into the fields of biology, natural history, and environmental planning. Even as I witness our species chiseling away at the planet, I find hope and solace. Working alongside the tenacity and resiliency of plants, animals, and soil microbes, I've helped landscapes as large as a river basin and as small as a garden come to life and flourish. Give nature half a chance and she can do wonders.  

Anne's book list on microbiomes, gut health, food, and farming

Anne Biklé Why Anne loves this book

This book unfolds a long and brilliant argument drawn from Provenza's decades of academic research and experience with domesticated ruminants—cows, sheep, and goats. Turns out these animals are not dumb. 

In healthy pastures and rangelands Provenza illustrates their ability to select a diet of plants that provide sufficient calories, balanced nutrients, and perhaps most important, a mix of plant-made compounds that underpin normal immunity. Provenza calls this "body wisdom." 

Like ruminants, we too have body wisdom. But, the steady infiltration of ultra-processed foods into the human diet challenges body wisdom with mixed messages. While our brains get high, our cells remain malnourished. This book is a rich and extensive immersion that will transform your thinking. It's eye-opening and mind-expanding in all the best ways.  

By Fred Provenza ,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked Nourishment as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

"Nourishment will change the way you eat and the way you think."-Mark Schatzker, author of The Dorito Effect

"[Provenza is] a wise observer of the land and the animals [and] becomes transformed to learn the meaning of life."-Temple Grandin

Reflections on feeding body and spirit in a world of change

Animal scientists have long considered domestic livestock to be too dumb to know how to eat right, but the lifetime research of animal behaviorist Fred Provenza and his colleagues has debunked this myth. Their work shows that when given a choice of natural foods, livestock have an astoundingly refined palate,…


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Book cover of December on 5C4

December on 5C4 by Adam Strassberg,

Magical realism meets the magic of Christmas in this mix of Jewish, New Testament, and Santa stories–all reenacted in an urban psychiatric hospital!

On locked ward 5C4, Josh, a patient with many similarities to Jesus, is hospitalized concurrently with Nick, a patient with many similarities to Santa. The two argue…

Book cover of Food and Healing: How What You Eat Determines Your Health, Your Well-Being, and the Quality of Your Life

Rena Greenberg Author Of CBD for Health and Wellness: Questions You Should Be Asking

From my list on how to eat healthy and live healthy for life.

Why am I passionate about this?

Facing death at the age of 26, I was determined to turn my health and my life around. Grateful for a second chance, I studied everything I could about health and wellness. I learned about herbs and healthy eating, but my real turn-around happened when I started to study the power of the mind through hypnosis and biofeedback. I founded a wellness & weight loss program sponsored by over 100 corporations, such as Disney and Home Depot. My own books teach not only healthy eating but how to change your mindset. My recommended books were a lifesaver as they helped me learn about how to eat for my body type when I needed it most.

Rena's book list on how to eat healthy and live healthy for life

Rena Greenberg Why Rena loves this book

This book was life-changing for me. Annemarie Colbin shares so much wisdom about eating whole foods as opposed to being on any kind of diet. She is a big advocate of “listening to your body.” She even asserts that if you “forget” to take your supplements, it could be because your body doesn’t need them at this time. In that case, she encourages taking a short break. This book inspired in me the idea of trusting your body to let you know what foods are best for you.

By Annemarie Colbin ,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Food and Healing as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Yes, you are what you eat. For everyone who wonders why, in this era of advanced medicine, we still suffer so much serious illness, Food and Healing is essential reading.

“An eminently practical, authoritative, and supportive guide to making everyday decisions about eating that can transform our lives. Food and Healing is a remarkable achievement.”—Richard Grossman, Director, The Health in Medicine Project, Montefiore Medical Center

Annemarie Colbin, founder of New York's renowned Natural Gourmet Cookery School and author of The Book of Whole Meals, argues passionately that we must take responsibility for our own health and rely less on modern…


Book cover of The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma
Book cover of Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones
Book cover of The Body: A Guide for Occupants

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5 book lists we think you will like!

Interested in cooking, diet, and archaeology?

Cooking 111 books
Diet 21 books
Archaeology 140 books