Books like She Who Remembers — picked by fans

There’s something grounding about reading the contemplations of a self-aware woman talking to herself while imparting truths to us all.

And so, I’ve read this little book twice in 2026, and it’s only June. Solitude, stillness, writing, nature, and wisdom that resonates across generations—that’s the gift. Think profound exhale, paired with escaping the competing tugs of responsibility to honour moments for ourselves. Relevant.

The elegant undulation of thought flowed in rhythm with the ocean swells of the author’s place of retreat (her quiet beach); the shell metaphor providing another gorgeous touch. This sacred read that grapples with the stages and dilemmas of womanhood, motherhood, and life reconfirmed that I’m on the right track—that giving to myself to better give to others isn’t selfish; it’s required.

I picked up this book in 2024 at Denpasar airport with the last of my local currency ahead of my flight home, unaware it would expand my world. It’s my most valuable purchase.

I highlighted, folded corners, re-read, and carried it with me for months. Just weeks prior to discovering my favourite author/sage, whose voice carries the philosophical poise of literature’s greats, I’d walked away from my career, ready for a softer existence.

Deep, conversational, and insightful, a tribute to courage, simple things, and small moments, my heart connected. Brianna’s essays changed the way I think. They also inspired the personal work and self-love required to curate the life I desired. 

A smart, strategic way forward—what a relief!

After awaiting its release, I absorbed Slow Productivity at the apex of burnout, overload, and overwhelm, often with tears streaking my cheeks. It had a lasting impact on me. I’d abandoned the art of doing anything slowly, and my life wasn’t working.

This book became my aspirational goalpost for nurturing sustainable productivity while also living. It challenged and changed my perspective and approach to work because it backed everything I craved: focus, reduced noise, protected time, a natural pace, boundaries, quality, and achievement without constant rush or interruption.

The diverse examples within further proved the case for turning away from being eternally busy. Oh, the rewards, validation, and freedoms that ensued as I did fewer things well to achieve more. Transformational.

This book felt like an immersive adult fairy tale, a tender classic for modern times that transported me to the English countryside. Quite the experience.

I missed this story when I finished it and would happily read Chloe Dalton muse about Hare forever. Moving, descriptive, lyrical writing about the intricacies of nature is always a drawcard for me. I kept running my hand over the illustrations throughout, too exquisite not to touch; the peace and beauty in the prose just as palpable.

This life pivot, where less truly is more, reassured me that we can change and still be successful. The close-to-home themes of slower living, embracing nature while healing, simplicity, and presence have etched this soulful work of art into my memory. I’m grateful.

I resisted the enneagram, thinking that it wasn’t scientific enough, but now that I understand it, I haven’t looked back.

Knowing how understanding yourself is an essential part of avoiding burnout, I was looking for a personality typology that didn’t just put me in a box but gave me a path to growth and development. This book does just that for me, with tailored development areas for each personality type.

This book changed my life when one of my first holistic healers/life coaches I ever worked with recommended it to me. The practices blew me away and helped me to start cultivating an awareness of my sensitivities and subtle energetic perceptions. I can’t recommend this enough especially for someone just starting out on their path of empath empowerment. The simplicity in exercises is incredible – reminds me that the most simple practices can lead to the most potent transformation.

For many years the Science and Nonduality (SANDs) conferences have been bringing together scientists and mystics to discuss where science and spirituality meet.

This beautifully arranged collection of essays and insights highlight SANDs topics on the convergence of spirituality and science, weaving scientific theory and spiritual wisdom from some of the most influential thinkers of our time, with pieces that get straight to the heart of the matter. This volume offers timeless wisdom and new insight into humanity’s age-old questions that encourage our spirit and challenge our mind.

This is part of an anthology of collected talks by the beloved Yogi, Paramahansa Yogananda, which also includes Man's Eternal Quest and Journey to Self-Realization. They are what I keep in my own nightstand and what I open during times of trouble. And this one is my favorite of the three.

Paramahansa Yogananda is direct and loving in tone. This is the kind of book that doesn’t need to be read at once—you can open up to any page and find solace for any plight. The theme revolves around the importance of dropping the self-sabotaging bad habits that keep us from true joy.

I loved this book for the sheer joy of reading it.

The Flip is when the penny drops, and you suddenly see the world in a whole new light. This is an exploration, a quest, and a call to arms for a bridge to be built between the humanities and the sciences and a serious exploration of the non-physical realms to begin.

This is also a hopeful book that makes me think I might just be living in an age when change is possible. I felt compelled to tell friends and family about this one, frequently stopping and reading passages out loud for either the sheer joy of Jeff's chosen words or the clarity of his thoughts. Be warned: this book may induce "Flips" in readers.

I read this book when it first came out in 1995 and have kept a copy of it for all those years, re-reading it again and again. This book is the journal and letters of Maura O'Halloran, a young Irish-American who went to Japan and joined a Zen Buddhist temple for monks at a time (the early 1980s) when few western women were admitted to such extremely arduous training. It tells of her three years in the temple in a heart-warming, honest way, with an abundance of humor. This book gives a brilliant look into life in a Zen temple, and Maura’s detailed observations and humble descriptions of her breakthroughs are a heartfelt reminder that no matter where we are on our spiritual path, we're human and there’s always hope.