Psychology & Sociology

59 SECONDS: THINK A LITTLE, CHANGE A LOT

by Richard Wiseman

read by Jonathan Cowley

running time 8hrs 30mins

A useful look at some diverse scientific advice that can help you change your life in under a minute, and guides you toward becoming more decisive, more imaginative, more engaged, and altogether more happy.

ACCOMPLISHMENT

by Michael Barber

read by Rupert Farley

running time 11hrs 43mins

Michael Barber has spent many years advising governments, businesses and major sporting teams around the world on how to achieve ambitious goals on time. In this book he applies the wisdom he has gained from dealing with large, complex organizations and elite athletes to help anyone tackle their most challenging goals. Drawing on the stories of historic visionaries and modern heroes - from Galileo to Rosa Parks, Harold Macmillan to Paula Radcliffe - Barber uses personal anecdote and proven strategy to map the route to success and navigate the difficulties that arise along the way. Whatever it is that you aspire to do - run a marathon, transform a school or provide a business of public service to millions - this book will inspire you to get going and to bridge the gap between hope and reality.

BEFORE HAPPINESS

by Shawn Achor

read by Mike Chamberlain

running time 8hrs 14mins

Do you want to achieve success in your personal and professional endeavours? The first step is to see a reality where success is possible. Only when we choose to believe we live in a world in which challenges can be overcome, in which our behaviour matters, and in which change is possible can we summon all our drive, energy, and emotional and intellectual resources to make that change possible. In Before Happiness, Shawn Achor, former Harvard professor, and bestselling author of The Happiness Advantage introduces a groundbreaking new theory about success and human potential. Achor shows how a positive mindset is the best predictor of motivation, engagement and performance in the workplace and in your personal life and offers five practical, actionable strategies for creating this mindset that will make us more successful at work and at home: 1)Add vantage points - how to select the most valuable reality. 2)Map to success - mapping success greatly increases the chance you will get there. 3)Finding the X Spot - proven techniques for harnessing your cognitive abilities. 4)Boost the signal by cancelling the noise - how to cancel negative noise. 5)Positive Inception - how to spread positive reality to others. Backed by science, great stories, and research-based strategies, by the time you finish this book, you will have a complete understanding of exactly how to create a better reality and magnify the volume of happiness and success in your life, and equally important, transfer that positive reality to others.

CHANGING YOUR STORY

by Bill Beswick

read by Bill Beswick

running time 2hrs 57mins

We all love stories. They make us feel, help us connect, relate to one another, and make sense of our lives. Bill Beswick is a storyteller who has 20 powerful life lessons to share from his work with his clients at the top of their fields to help us all overcome our fears, boost our performance and achieve success. Leading sports and performance psychologist, Bill Beswick, sees sport as a story of human connection. When faced with physical challenges, pressure and fatigue, the mind is the athlete and the body is simply the means. Changing Your Story explores how the way we think and feel is vital for releasing positive energy and improving our performance. Beswick's 20 lessons will bestow resilience and guide you through the process of harnessing the full power of your physical abilities.This is a book about change. Bill Beswick's advice is guaranteed to equip you with new, more efficient ways to think. Through his powerful storytelling, he will help you let go of a negative mind-set and embrace a much stronger, positive and determined one. Anything is possible when you realise it's never too late to switch direction and change your story.

DARE TO CHANGE YOUR LIFE

by Lawrence Okolie

read by Lawrence Okolie

running time 3hrs 2mins

'If I can go from obesity to the Olympics in four years, and then become a professional boxer, then anything is possible in your life.' DREAM BIG. FOCUS. CHANGE YOUR LIFE. Lawrence shares 40 short life lessons and explains what you should do to focus your mind on your goals, however ambitious they are, so you can make your pipe dreams real too.

EMBRACE THE CHAOS

by Jason Fox

read by Jason Fox

running time 6hrs 57mins

Challenge your limits, change your habits and transform your life. In Embrace the Chaos, Special Forces veteran Jason Fox sets out a revolutionary programme of personal challenges designed to help you reboot, disrupt your thinking and grow your capabilities. Across 52 short chapters of practical advice - battle-tested on elite military operations and extreme expeditions - Foxy mentors you through a series of tasks that will enhance your life. Exercises range from micro-adventures and small habit changes to addressing your routine, cleansing your relationships, setting personal goals and learning new skills. Whether you are looking for adventure, in need of mental clarity, or seeking military grade productivity, Embrace the Chaos will push you physically and mentally to become the best version of yourself.

THE FEAR BUBBLE

by Ant Middleton

read by Ant Middleton

running time 8hrs

Ant Middleton thrillingly retells the story of his death-defying climb of Everest and reveals the concept of the Fear Bubble, showing how it can be used in our lives to help us break through our limits. An inspirational call to action, The Fear Bubble is essential listening for anyone who wants to harness their fears and conquer their own personal Everest.

GET THAT JOB: CVS AND RESUMES: HOW TO MAKE SURE YOU STAND OUT FROM THE CROWD

by Bloomsbury Publishing

read by Mark Meadows

running time 1hr 58mins

The job market has never been more competitive, and marketing yourself can be tricky. And nothing raises a red flag for an employer than a poorly-written or badly-presented CV or resume. This handy guide offers practical, step-by-step advice on preparing, writing, and presenting an impressive document - either on paper or online - that will help you to 'get your foot in the door' with prospective employers. Covering essential issues such as identifying your goals, creating different types of CV, or coming up with a fantastic and persuasive letter to go with them, this is a must-read for job hunters at any stage of their career.

A HANDFUL OF EARTH: A YEAR OF HEALING AND GROWING

by Barney Bardsley

read by Ruth Sillers

running time 9hrs 30mins

When Barney Bardsley’s husband died of cancer, she steeled herself to cope by taking one day at a time. During this dark time she took to tending her small, scruffy allotment and she slowly began to find comfort in nature. As the seasons unfold, she charts how her own life is slowly restored under the garden’s healing influence.

I'LL NEVER GIVE UP ON YOU (X Rated)

by Becky Hope

read by Ann Stutz

running time 9hrs 10mins

Becky Hope works on the front line of child protection, a job which takes her into the lives of some of the most vulnerable children. Although some days are very tough, her dedication to the fight against abuse, and her determination to give all children the safety they deserve, shines through. X rated, contains graphic violence.

JOINED-UP THINKING: THE POWER OF COLLECTIVE INTELLIGENCE TO CHANGE OUR LIVES

by Hannah Critchlow

read by Hannah Critchlow

running time 8hrs 43mins

At a time of existential global challenges we need our best brainpower to solve them. We can no longer rely on the myth of the lone genius to create a breakthrough. As neuroscientist and bestselling author of The Science of Fate Hannah Critchlow shows, two heads have always been better than one. Almost everything we've ever achieved has been done by groups of people working together, sometimes across time and space. Like a hive of bees, or a flock of birds, our naturally social, interconnected brains are designed to function best collectively. New technology is helping us share our wisdom and knowledge much more diversely across race, class, gender and borders. And AI is sparking a revolution in our approach to intelligent thinking - linking us into fast-working brainnets for problem solving. Hannah Critchlow brings us an enlightening, invaluable guide to our future through the evolving new science of collective intelligence. She reveals what it says about us as human beings, shares compelling examples and stories, and shows us how best we can work collectively at work, in families, in any team situation to improve our outcomes, our wellbeing, and our prospects.

THE KARMA OF SUCCESS

by Liz Tran

read by Liz Tran

running time 5hrs 26mins

Executive coach Liz Tran asks you to train yourself to listen to and be guided by your innermost voice. From tech to spiritual leadership and executive coaching, Tran has charted her own path by learning how to tune into her intuition and be true to her Inner Genius. Informed by ancient sources of wisdom like Zen, Reiki, astrology, and Stoicism, The Karma of Success invites you to validate the unique goals and ambitions you set for yourself and ultimately, are destined to achieve.You'll learn the Four Pillars of Spiritual Strategy - inquiring inward, manifesting mindfully, enriching your energy, and becoming brilliant - and be guided by the stories of people who have looked inward to find meaning and success. So whether you're trying to start your own business, heal your inner child, or just figure out how to get through the next Mercury in retrograde, The Karma of Success will help you find your way.

THE LANGUAGE GAME: HOW IMPROVISATION CREATED LANGUAGE AND CHANGED THE WORLD

by Nick Chater & Morten H Christiansen

read by Peter Noble

running time 9hrs 30mins

What is language? Why do we have it? Where does it come from? Why does that matter? Upending centuries of scholarship (including, most recently, Chomsky and Pinker) The Language Game shows how people learn to talk not by acquiring fixed meanings and rules, but by picking up, reusing and recombining countless linguistic fragments in novel ways.

MAKING IT HAPPEN

by Mark Pollock

read by Fred Parker

running time 4hrs

Mark Pollock lost his sight at the age of twenty-two. This is the story of how he overcame the odds to rebuild his life and put into practice the axiom that the key to happiness lies in taking control of your own life.

NEVER EAT ALONE

by Tahl Raz & Keith Ferrazzi

read by Richard Harries

running time 14hrs

Do you want to get ahead in life? Climb the ladder to success? Master networker Keith Ferrazzi says the secret is in reaching out to others. As he discovered early in life, what distinguishes highly successful people is the way they use the power of relationships—so that everyone wins. In this classic, global best seller, you'll discover the timeless strategies used by the world's most connected people, from Bill Clinton to the Dalai Lama. And you'll learn how to transform your own network, career and life.

OLIVER BURKEMAN: EPIDEMICS OF MODERN LIFE: A BBC RADIO 4 COLLECTION

by Oliver Burkeman

read by Miscellaneous

running time 5hrs 30mins

Journalist and author Oliver Burkeman is well-known for his long-running Guardian column, 'How to Change Your Life', and has written three bestselling books on happiness, productivity and time management. In this radio collection, he looks at four central ills of modernity - busyness, anger, the insistence on positivity and the decline of nuance. Talking to a range of experts, he discovers how these problems became so widespread, and how we can go about tackling them.

PARTNERING: FORGE THE DEEP CONNECTIONS THAT MAKES GREAT THINGS HAPPEN

by Jean Oelwang

read by Jean Oelwang

running time 7hrs 30mins

Our individualistic society has created a cult of self-sufficiency. The result: fear, division and domination, which has crushed our ability to relate meaningfully to each other in the workplace and diminished our ability to innovate and collaborate. Jean Oelwang, president of Virgin Unite, has interviewed over 60 business and life partnerships - including Desmond and Leah Tutu, and Ben and Jerry - revealing how to nurture relationships with depth and purpose. Packed with wisdom to nourish the relationships that give us strength and meaning, Partnering is a call-to-action for individuals resisting individualism to lead with purpose and impact.

QUIT: THE POWER OF KNOWING WHEN TO WALK AWAY

by Annie Duke

read by Annie Duke

running time 7hrs 30mins

We are often told that the secret to success is hard work, determination, and hours of practice. But in a fast-changing world, what if the really crucial skill is knowing when to stick at something and when to change track and walk away?Quit makes the under-appreciated case for quitting and also shows you how to get really good at it. Drawing on stories from elite athletes to Everest climbers, comedians to musicians, Annie Duke (who left a successful poker career) explains why learning to quit well is often crucial to success. She provides clear strategies for working out when to cut your losses from a business product that isn't working, a relationship turned toxic, or a career that won't take you where you want to go.

RAISING A HAPPIER MOTHER

by Anna Mathur

read by Anna Mathur

running time 6hrs 44mins

We can only anchor, nurture, nourish and instill confidence in our children when we extend the same support to ourselves. After all, how can we effectively tend to our children's needs when our energy reserves are depleted? How can we lead by example and teach our children the importance of healthy self-esteem if we are struggling with these things ourselves? There are a thousand and one ways to parent, and only one way that's authentic for you.Drawing on her work as a psychotherapist, alongside her own experiences as a mother, Anna shows that caring with our children begins with caring for ourselves, and it's time to replace exhaustion with empowerment. Far from being selfish, self-care is an essential quality of a happier mother good parent. The greatest gift you can give to to yourself and your children, is to give yourself permission to thrive.

SAINT PATRICK'S PEOPLE: A NEW LOOK AT THE IRISH

by Tony Gray

read by Paul Connell

running time 8hrs

An exploration of the Irish identity, looking at the institutions and influences which have defined national character. Examining the influence of island geography and the country's natural resources, the author looks at the missionary days of Saint Patrick. He also examines Celtic myths and legends, and asks whether the 'little people' survive today.

TALKING HEADS

by Shane O'Mara

read by Shane O'Mara

running time 7hrs 38mins

Language and talking is part of what makes us human. It forms the basis of all our lives. Every day we speak to ourselves and to each other, about ourselves and about others. Whether ruminating on a past event alone or gossiping with a group of friends, we move through life in a state of near-constant chatter - even during those moments we profess to wanting nothing more than some peace and quiet. So, why do we do it, and what purpose does talking serve? In this paean to conversation, neuroscientist Shane O'Mara encourages us to marvel at our brains distinct mechanisms for communicating. In the process, he reveals how our unique ability to remember and, critically, our instinct to share memories fashions the world as we know it: a complex social world born out of thoughts and feelings, modified by the stories we tell about ourselves and others, divided by constructed borders and shared cultures, and propelled forward by our longing for a better, alternative tomorrow. Talking Heads is a deep dive into the science of how we talk, why we speak to each other, and what happens when we do. From neurons to nations, this is the story of how conversation shapes us and builds the world around us.

UNATTACHED: ESSAYS ON SINGLEHOOD

by Angelica Malin

read by Miscellaneous

running time 5hrs

Curated by journalist and author Angelica Malin, Unattached explores the nuances of being single today through the voices of 30 women, with personal essays from a multitude of game-changing voices, reflecting both the unique challenges of being single (hello, going to a wedding alone) and the glorious benefits of singlehood in a light-hearted way (goodbye, joint bank account). Unattached shines a light on brilliant women stepping into their power, shrugging off the shackles of traditional labels, owning being alone and reveals the true depth of female potential when we choose to go against what society expects of us and revel in our own strength.

VISUAL THINKING: THE HIDDEN GIFTS OF PEOPLE WHO THINK IN PICTURES, PATTERNS AND ABSTRACTIONS

by Temple Grandin

read by Temple Grandin

running time 12hrs 30mins

Do you think in pictures, patterns or words? In a world engineered for the verbal thinker, those of us with a visual brain can often be overlooked and underestimated. In this landmark book, international bestselling author and activist Temple Grandin transforms our understanding of how our brains are wired differently. Bringing together cutting-edge research and her own experience as a visual thinker, Grandin reveals a ground-breaking new approach to revolutionizing modern structures such as education, health and media so that they equally serve people with all kinds of minds.

WAKE UP!: ESCAPING A LIFE ON AUTOPILOT

by Chris Barez-Brown

read by Chris Barez-Brown

running time 4hrs 30mins

We all know the feeling of driving a long distance and arriving at our destination with little memory of the journey. That's because when we are doing routine activities our subconscious takes over to save energy: we are on autopilot. This doesn't just happen when we drive. It happens every day when we are at work, with our loved ones, or simply living our lives. Wake Up! is a series of experiments designed to help you break free from this trap. From climbing a tree to writing a letter, here are a year's worth of balanced, playful experiences that will engage your imagination and stimulate your senses. By escaping autopilot more often you'll feel tuned in, tap in to who you really are, and make every day count.

YOU ARE NOT ALONE

by Ken Duckworth

read by Ako Mitchell

running time 15hrs 6mins

Millions of people across the world are affected by mental illness every year. Yet the mental healthcare industry remains chaotic underfunded and often inaccessible with many people asking themselves the same questions: What does it mean when different doctors give me different diagnoses? Will I be on medication my whole life? Will I ever feel better? Too many of us are confused afraid and overwhelmed. Families and friends are often left in the dark about how best to help their loved ones from dealing with logistical issues to handling the emotional challenges of loving someone who is suffering. You Are Not Alone is here to offer help and compassion. Written by Dr Ken Duckworth whose own entry into psychiatry and journey to become the Chief Medical Officer for the National Alliance on Mental Illness was inspired by his father's lifelong battle with bipolar disorder this comprehensive guide pairs medical expertise with the empathy of someone who gets it. This book shares: Relatable first-person stories that illustrate the diversity of mental health journeys Practical guidance on dealing with mental health conditions and navigating care Research-based evidence on what treatments and approaches work Insight and advice from renowned clinical experts and practitioners This singular book is a powerful reminder that help is here and you are never alone.