Non-Fiction Archives - BestSellers World

Deadly Dilemma: Suicide, Faith, and the Search for Identity and Purpose by Anthony Gurley

August 5, 2026

Reviewed by Christine Kinori

It takes a lot of courage to write a deeply personal memoir about the darkest moments of your life. Anthony Gurley’s Deadly Dilemma: Suicide, Faith, and the Search for Identity and Purpose is an incredibly raw and intimate memoir that does not shy away from a struggle most people are constantly battling. Purchase Here.

The book opens with a profoundly poignant suicide letter that Anthony never sent. In that moment, he had decided to end it all. However, he chose not to act on his plans but rather to examine his entire life with unfiltered honesty.

What follows is a gripping memoir that emotionally dives into his poverty-ridden childhood in a North Carolina housing project. His first brush with abandonment which came when his father left, followed by academic failures and years spent navigating the complexities of faith, marriage, and career.

From the start, Gurley approaches this memoir with a radical vulnerability that will surprise you. As one reads through the chapters, the book starts to feel like a late-night conversation where there is room to safely discuss traumas—a safe space of sorts.

The balanced retrospective, as Anthony exposes every emotional and traumatic wound, feels authentic. Thanks to this, even the dark themes of the book don’t feel completely overwhelming or hopeless. Instead, we get a sense of hope as the book becomes an impactful testament to his daily mental health struggles and his endurance through faith—a reminder that we can weather life’s worst storms and that sometimes our greatest victories are silent but powerful.

Don’t get us wrong, this is a heavy book to read. The raw confrontation with psychological, intergenerational trauma and the weight of silenced depression in this book is not easy to read. However, by grounding the book in reality, the intentional pacing keeps the heavy themes from dragging the reader down. Nonetheless, this is one reason to read the book. Uniquely, it provides a realistic blueprint for others walking through the dark.

The book also does a perfect job of destigmatizing faith and mental health. It bridges the gap that many who have deep faith while struggling with severe mental crises refuse to talk about. Anthony shows that these are not mutually exclusive realities and there is no shame in openly talking about it. For so long, religious communities have wrongfully treated mental crises as a spiritual failure. It is about time someone tears down this dangerous narrative to the ground. The agonizing guilt these narratives perpetuate has only made matters worse.

Anthony stresses that fighting clinical depression doesn’t diminish one’s faith. He reframes mental health as a medical reality that requires real, professional care alongside spiritual support.

Anthony’s story also proves that there really is light at the end of the tunnel. Of course, mental health is a daily struggle, but the little triumphs that come along the way help people build meaningful lives.

At the end of the day, life is a choice; one can choose to stay and anchor oneself to things that help make one better. It can be family, friends, faith, or a hobby. Whatever it is, as long as there is hope. For Anthony, his two biggest grounding anchors are his 50-year marriage and 30-year career.

Deadly Dilemma is a necessary, life-saving read for anyone navigating the quiet intersections of depression, identity crises, and faith. It is unflinching and strips away the taboo surrounding the intersection of faith and mental health.

Anthony’s story is not only beautiful because of his unabashed authenticity and honesty. It is a life-affirming reminder that even when plans change, we can discover new purposes in life. It is a celebration of a man who bravely fights and learns to tame the internal dragons in his mind.

So You Want To Be A Dinosaur Hunter (Paleontologist) by Linda Soules

July 28, 2026

Reviewed by Diana Coyle

Are you interested in hunting for dinosaurs and making a new discovery? In “So You Want To Be A Dinosaur Hunter (Paleontologist) by Linda Soules readers learn just what it takes to become a paleontologist. This nonfiction career guide is the perfect book for any reader to see exactly what a paleontologist does and just how intricate their job truly is in discovering not only dinosaurs, but other things like shark teeth, or even fossilized plants. Do you have a sense of wanting to discover something no one else has before? Then this job might be the perfect fit for you! Purchase Here.

In yet another wonderful book by Linda Soules, she meticulously shared details with her readers on just what it takes to become a paleontologist. As an adult, I must admit, when I hear the term paleontologist, I associate it with dinosaurs only. Was I so wrong in that assumption! I walked away learning that paleontologists discover so much more than just dinosaur bones. They study fossilized plants, ancient pollen, prehistoric shark teeth, insects, and even footprints left in the mud that turned into stone. Their job is more well-rounded than I give them credit for. Just the thought of discovering something that is a million years old gave me the excitement to start paying more attention to the ground that I walk on. You never know what you might find if you pay close attention to your surroundings.

This is just another well-written and wonderfully laid out book for children to learn from if they are interested in becoming a paleontologist. This is one of over 190+ nonfiction career books that Linda Soules has devoted her time and research to writing for children. I must admit, I wish there was such a wonderful series of career books back when I was a child. She has covered so many varying field choices that children are lucky to have such valuable information right at the palm of their hands. Plus, in each book, the author adds sections of Fun Facts, Glossary of Terms, and a plentiful section entitled Want To Learn More in which she lists books to read, websites to visit, things to do to prepare you for that specific career, and even organizations you should familiarize yourself with to gather more information if you truly want to be a paleontologist.

The illustrations provided by Linda Soules were also carefully chosen and perfectly tell the story to readers in picture format. The pictures are just as detailed as the storyline itself. As an adult, I found myself stopping to take in the illustrations just as much as I did the written text.

Linda Soules is an award-winning author of the So You Want To Be…series of career-exploring books. This is a continually growing series aimed at informing children of the various careers that might be available to them as they get older.

Overall, “So You Want To Be A Dinosaur Hunter (Paleontologist) is another one of the fabulous additions to the career series for children. The research she has done on this topic shines throughout the pages, and I’m sure it will spark many children into considering if they want to be a paleontologist. This series is one for your child’s at-home library and would be a wonderful addition to school and public libraries. I highly recommend it!

So You Want To Be A Zookeeper by Linda Soules

July 25, 2026

Reviewed by Diana Coyle

A zookeeper isn’t just someone who wants to play with animals. It’s a job of protecting those animals which is thoroughly explained in “So You Want To Be A Zookeeper” by Linda Soules. As the zookeeper devotes their time, knowledge, and energy into taking care of a wild animal, a strong bond of trust and respect forms between the animal and keeper. A bond that is truly unique and special between the two. In this nonfiction children’s career book, young readers will learn about some of the pros and cons of becoming a zookeeper. Do you have the desire to become a devoted zookeeper? Purchase Here.

This is another book in this delightful series, So You Want To Be…,and this one is special to me as an adult. I have a deep love for domestic and wild animals, and I was fascinated with all the amazing facts and informational tidbits Soules provided in yet another educational book children can use as a future career reference guide. I was learning right along with the young readers just how detailed a zookeeper’s job really is and how dedicated they must be to keep the zoo animals healthy and happy throughout their lifetimes. One fact that truly left an impression on me was the idea that a zookeeper’s ultimate achievement is to love and care for each individual animal to help them not become extinct in the world.

The detailed and interesting facts the author provided her readers with showed just how much time and research she had put into each book in this series so far. Children will easily walk away learning new facts, like I did, of things they didn’t know prior to reading this informative book.

The illustrations were plentiful throughout this book and fit perfectly telling the story in picture format. Each one was vibrant in color and eye-catching to the readers. You can’t help but stop to take in the complete scope of each illustration provided because it perfectly enhances the story the author has written.

Linda Soules is an award-winning author of the So You Want To Be…series of career exploring books. This is a continually growing series aimed at informing children of the various careers that might be available to them as they get older.

Overall, “So You Want To Be A Zookeeper” by Linda Soules is another career informing book that I think children will love. The information provided is meticulously detailed, allowing readers the full scope of what it takes to be a dedicated zookeeper. The illustrations are gorgeous in design and perfectly fit the written words provided. This is another winner in my eyes, and I feel readers will love it just as much as I did. I eagerly can’t wait to read more books in this educational and fun children’s series!

So You Want To Be A Marine Biologist by Linda Soules

July 21, 2026

Reviewed by Diana Coyle

In this illustrated nonfiction children’s career guide, “So You Want To Be A Marine Biologist” by Linda Soules, readers are taken on an amazing adventure learning the intricacies of what it’s like to become a marine biologist. Children and adults alike will learn many interesting facts, not only about the marine environment, but also exactly what it takes to become a marine biologist. Purchase Here.

The first thing that truly stuck out to me was how Linda Soules jam-packed this children’s book with so many interesting facts that readers of any age will walk away with knowledge they didn’t have before reading it. As an adult, I learned that the ocean covers more than seventy percent of our planet. That percentage made me stop for a moment to take it in. I truly never put this kind of intense thought into such a dynamic piece of information. Plus, another truly interesting fact I learned is that the ocean environment produces more than half the oxygen we breathe. If these two pieces of information don’t intrigue you, how about another fact that eighty percent of the ocean hasn’t even been explored yet? Those facts would make any reader in awe of just how significant our ocean is in our day-to-day environment.

Another thing I never put much thought to was how involved a marine biologist’s job truly is. They don’t just study the ocean and its inhabitants; they must devote their lives to learning about and supporting such an integral living environment for generations to come. Soules provided detailed information that will allow children to truly see just how involved the life of a marine biologist is in sustaining not only every human being, but also all the ocean’s inhabitants that we depend on for our lives. This informative book will delight readers of all ages because there is so much information for every reader to learn from.

The illustrations were AI-generated by Soules, and she fully disclosed that she worked diligently on trying to make these generated images as unique and specific as possible to help guide her readers along a marine biologist’s journey. The colors and detailed illustrations were treasures provided throughout this nonfiction guide.

Linda Soules is an award-winning author of the So You Want To Be…series, which is a children’s nonfiction series of career-exploring books. This series is continually growing to help inform children of various careers that will be available to them as they get older. This series has won many awards and continues to grow in popularity as each new book is added.

Overall, “So You Want To Be A Marine Biologist” by Linda Soules is one nonfiction career book that will entertain readers of various ages. The information is intriguing to learn, the illustrations are spot-on to the data being offered throughout, and the additional bonuses of Fun Facts, Glossary of Terms, and the Want To Learn More sections perfectly complement the entire guide offered. It comes highly recommended!

Unpacking Narcissism’s Guises: Set Boundaries and Free Yourself From Trauma Bonds (Healing After Narcissism Book 1) by Riley Ellis

May 8, 2026

How do you fall in love with a narcissist? The same way you boil a frog—slowly, and with just enough compliments.

If, like so many others before you, you sit hung up, wondering if it’s possible the problem isn’t you, that it might actually be the other person, this book is for you.

Whether you’re waking up to the red flags or already planning your great escape, this book will help you:

Understand how narcissists are made (it’s not just mommy issues)
Recognize the subtle manipulations that keep you doubting yourself
Break free without losing your mind—or your sense of humor
Get divorce ready (if that’s your plan)
Heal your soul
Protect your children from generational trauma

In this honest, insightful, and at times laugh-out-loud guide to navigating the rocky road of narcissistic relationships, Riley Ellis combines personal stories, sharp wit, and psychological insight to answer the question so many survivors ask: How did this happen to me?

From growing up with a narcissistic father to marrying one (because apparently, childhood trauma likes an encore), Riley pulls no punches while walking readers through the manipulation, emotional confusion, and trauma bonding that keep people stuck.

For anyone who’s loved a narcissist and lived to tell the tale, this book is your no-nonsense, slightly sweary support group in a book.

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Saying It Out Loud: A Young Widow’s Triumph Over Tragedy by Amy King with Jon Land

April 27, 2026

Reviewed by Russell Ilg

“SAYING IT OUT LOUD” SCREAMS TO BE READ

So many outstanding memoirs feature a backdrop in grief. “When Breath Becomes Air,” is the first that comes to mind, but I guess you could throw the likes of “Tuesdays with Morrie” into the mix as well. Purchase Here.

SAYING IT OUT LOUD belongs in that conversation. The widow in question is Amy King, and her book covering a year in the life of losing her superman husband in an Army Reserve training accident, leaving her to raise their seventeen-month-old daughter alone, still short of her 30^th birthday, is the embodiment of human resilience in general and a young woman’s triumph over tragedy (which happens to be the book’s subtitle) in particular.

“Ma’am, I’m following behind an ambulance that has your husband in the back.”

With a sledgehammer of an opening line like that, we know we’re about to board an emotional roller-coaster and had better belt ourselves in. Amy pulls no punches in taking us along for the ride, tracing her journey over the twelve months that followed getting a phone call that changed her life forever. But she’s not asking for our tears or our sympathy. Instead, she charts the new path of her life with remarkable frankness, saying out loud what we all need to hear about the aftermath of suffering an unspeakable tragedy.

You’ll never move on, but you have to move forward. I don’t get hung up with leaving all of Andy’s things exactly as he left them. Some people may, and that’s fine if it makes them feel better, but it wasn’t for me. Accepting the new life helps honor the one I lost.

Or . . .

It was so wild to me that Adalyn was having her first little picnic at her dad’s grave, not when she’s fifty, but when she’s two. It might well have been the first burial ever to feature lollipops, and that made me angry.

That’s tough stuff, the kind of life lessons ordinarily learned the hard way. In that respect, the book is a cautionary tale aimed straight for those of us who’ve never received the kind of fateful call Amy received, but know it could come anytime the phone rings. She’s not so much standing on her soapbox as sitting at her kitchen table, inviting us into her life with the knowledge that we, too, someday may have to find the strength and resilience to overcome the unthinkable.

SAYING IT OUT LOUD is a raw, revealing, and remarkable journey through the pain of loss and challenge of rebuilding. Amy King’s year-in-the-life memoir is a testament to one woman’s ability to rewrite the rules of her own story, told in bold and breathtaking fashion. An instant classic destined to take its place alongside other time-tested tales that celebrate the enduring power of the human spirit.

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Connecting Goals to Impacts and Outcomes: Harnessing Structured Conversations for Customer-Driven Value Delivery by Claude Hanhart and Rachel Collins

March 17, 2026

Reviewed by Douglas R. Cobb

Anyone who runs a local or national business or is an executive in a product-driven industry will learn a lot of great techniques to ensure the success of their products after reading Connecting Goals to Impacts and Outcomes: Harnessing Structured Conversations for Customer-Driven Value Delivery by authors Claude Hanhart and Rachel Collins. These types of people appear to be the main target audience for this book, so the audience might seem relatively niche. Nevertheless, this book is one that its target audience will likely want to check out, and, as the title implies, it is crucial that a company’s goals be connected to the impacts and outcomes desired. Purchase Here.

The target audience also has knowledge of Agile planning sessions. What are those? Well, I didn’t know what they were until I read the book, but the authors mention that, though Agile sessions can be important, they “still struggle to create real customer and business value” for a company.

That quote comes from the Preface of Connecting Goals to Impacts and Outcomes. Also, they called the development of their ideas “an ambitious product eﬀort.” They write that they were leading a project and “Despite everyone’s best intentions and genuine commitment,” a problem arose. The problem was, they continue, that they “realized the core issue wasn’t technical or strategic—it was conversational,” and that they “had no reliable way to ensure that when we talked about goals, requirements, or success, we were all talking about the same thing.”

So, the authors developed a fairly detailed way for everyone to get on the same page, and for everyone to have the same definitions for whatever sorts of “goals, requirements, or success.” Oh, yeah–and, of course, it’s also important that a company’s customers develop a long-term relationship with a company by having a favorable impression of it. As the authors write, certain broad goals, when it comes to customers, are often agreed upon, like a business should do what it can to “improve customer experience” or “increase engagement.”

But, businesses also need to have their customers interact with features about themselves and their products, and they need to impress their stockholders. The authors of Connecting Goals to Impacts and Outcomes do a much better job of explaining what their book is all about than I can, as I’ve barely touched the surface of the topics included, so here is what they write about the book:

This book shows product leaders, Agile coaches, and delivery teams how to use clear language and visual thinking to align strategy, product decisions, and day‑to‑day work around measurable outcomes.

In this book, you’ll learn how to:

Write clear, outcome‑focused goals using VERB + NOUN syntax that eliminate ambiguity
Connect customer needs to business impact using Empathy Mapping, Customer Journey Mapping, and Impact Mapping
Align product roadmaps and delivery plans with OKRs that drive accountability and learning
Validate assumptions early using Hypothesis‑Driven Development and Example Mapping
Facilitate cross‑functional Agile conversations where disagreements become productive
Turn vague requirements into clear, executable user stories that teams interpret the same way

Drawing on experience across startups, financial services, and large‑scale Agile transformations, Structured Conversations bridges the gap between product strategy and value delivery with techniques that work in real‑world environments.

This is all a process that can go on for several months, or, presumably, longer. But that seems to be all a part of the process of continuous improvement, something all companies strive for.

The way some companies utilize their Agile teams doesn’t always result in success. As the authors note, the various Agile teams involved can all be working hard, but the end result can be less than what had been hoped for. In such a scenario, when a project fails, despite the best efforts of everyone on the Agile teams, the authors write, “The gap isn’t execution. It’s how goals, assumptions, and decisions are discussed.”

I am but a simple book reviewer and an author of Westerns and a few other books, so I cannot at all make any claims about whatever is covered in Connecting Goals to Impacts and Outcomes, but I can write a few of my humble opinions about it. I’d say that success can be measured in many different ways. I’m not at all 100% certain, what definition of success is when it comes to potentially the projects of multiple companies with budgets of millions of dollars.

The techniques and strategies mentioned in this involved but entertaining read have made me realize that shared definitions for whatever is important to the individual companies can be crucial for the eventual degree of success experienced when it comes down to projects, goals, and companies. I don’t operate or own any company, but a lot of what the two authors of Connecting Goals to Impacts and Outcomes say makes sense. If this looks like something that you would like to check out, I am sure you will learn many tips and techniques to both “improve customer experience” and “increase engagement.” Check it out today!

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The Altaire Manuals: Book Awards

February 24, 2026

The Altaire Manuals: Book Awards provides the required data to the questions: ‘what book awards’, ‘which genres’, ‘how to submit’, ‘where are they’ and ‘what does it cost’. The publishing guide contains 1,277 listings for international book awards and awarding organizations, first categorized by country and then genre.

The Altaire Manuals: Book Awards directory contains the following information: the awarding company or sponsor summary, the book award information, the submission requirements including book genres accepted, the prize amounts or type granted, the cost of the application, and the contact information with website addresses. The 1,277 distinct book award entries included in the directory span American, Canadian, Australian, New Zealand, United Kingdom, Irish, Asian, South Asian, South African, African, European, Middle Eastern, Caribbean and other international English-speaking awards and prizes, including global online book awards, and awards for audiobooks.

The Altaire Manuals: International Publisher and Author Resource contains over 4,000 pages of tabled listings. The Altaire Manuals offer publishers, independent authors and book marketing and public relations professionals the precise tools, data and resources required to capitalize on all sectors of multinational marketing options for published books, with the ultimate aim of selling books. These are the sole global publishing directories designed to deliver the full spectrum of international post-production book marketing, book distribution, book review and book sales opportunities available to traditional publishers, small presses and independent authors.

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The Myth of Aging: A Prescription for Emotional and Physical Well-Being by Arnold Gilberg, M.D. with Jon Land

January 12, 2026

Reviewed by Russell Ilg

The title of renowned psychiatrist Arnold Gilberg’s debut prescriptive book for a happier and more fulfilling life is a bit of misnomer. Aging, after all, is hardly a myth. Purchase Here.

“The myth,” Gilberg writes, “lies in how we age from decade to decade, through the milestones of our lives, however we define them for ourselves. No stage of our lives comes without obstacles, setbacks, and challenges, and this book will offer some prescriptions to help you negotiate them so they don’t trip you up.”

Those prescriptions are spread over seven sections and forty-three topics, ranging from Grief and Loneliness, to Finding Love Again or being a Single Parent. A scintillating smorgasbord that smoothly and seamlessly curates an encyclopedic collection of life lessons aimed at improving our mental, physical and emotional health. For Gilberg, those are intrinsically connected which is why exercise and good eating habits show up several times in the prescriptive recommendations that close each chapter.

The amazing thing here isn’t just that Gilberg includes so many subjects, but also how expertly he covers them, often citing relevant statistics and quoting experts other than himself. THE MYTH OF AGING, after all, encapsulates more than a half century of experience treating patients. I’m not sure any reader will find all of the topics relevant to their lives, but everyone is almost sure to find any number that are. In the chapter covering “Losing a Loved One Unexpectedly,” for example, he includes prescriptions like being patient with yourself, being strong for others, and sticking to a routine, remedies culled from common sense as much as treatment protocols.

Based in Los Angeles, Gilberg cut his teeth studying under Franz Alexander, the last disciple of none other than Sigmund Freud. More than sixty years later, at the tender age of 89, he’s still seeing patients, and decided to write THE MYTH OF AGING “to give me the opportunity tohelp those I couldn’t see in a lifetime of office visits.”

Gilberg’s wise counsel proves to be a breath of fresh air in an age where many practitioners never saw a problem they couldn’t prescribe a pill for.

“Always remember,” he concludes, “that life is neither a sprint nor a marathon. It’s a roller coaster, with a mix of dips and darts, highs and lows, hits and misses, and wins that can make the losses pale by comparison. My final prescription for you is to strap yourself in and enjoy the ride.”

Just as you are certain to enjoy THE MYTH OF AGING, a seminal masterpiece of extraordinarily accessible, sage self-help sure to revisited time and time again. In an era sickened by division, dysfunction and disdain, it’s just what the doctor ordered.

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Book cover: Divorcing a Narcissist guide.

The Ultimate Guide to Divorcing a Narcissist by Riley Ellis

December 17, 2025

Reviewed byTimea Barabas

The most valuable self-help books are those grounded in lived experience and written with a genuine commitment to helping others. This book exemplifies both qualities. Riley Ellis draws on her personal experience of divorcing a narcissistic partner to thoughtfully guide readers through the process with care. The Ultimate Guide to Divorcing a Narcissist is an accessible read, offering actionable advice and structured exercises to support readers. Purchase Here.

What distinguishes a divorce from a narcissistic partner is the complexity of the emotional, psychological, and practical dynamics involved. Riley Ellis examines the intricate web that develops over years of marriage to a narcissist, helping readers understand why the process can be particularly challenging.

One of the most difficult steps is acknowledging that you deserve a healthier, more fulfilling life. Once the decision to file for divorce is made, Ellis emphasizes the importance of remaining resolute and taking deliberate steps to protect yourself (and your children, if applicable) throughout the process.

Narcissistic individuals are highly manipulative, capable of presenting themselves as the ideal spouse or, conversely, as the victim. They also tend to shift blame onto their partner for any problems within the family. Although this façade can be convincing, it is not sustainable. Over time, or under prolonged stress and scrutiny, inconsistencies begin to show.

One factor that reliably dismantles this illusion is factual evidence. The author strongly recommends gathering and preserving objective documentation, including medical records, written communications, and detailed notes of significant events and your emotional responses to them. Whenever possible, maintain communication in written or electronic form, as it allows for accurate documentation.

The book consolidates essential guidance on divorcing a narcissistic partner into a comprehensive resource. It addresses how to build an effective support team, establish and maintain firm boundaries, safeguard your well-being, and prepare strategically for mediation and trial. The guide also includes practical financial considerations.

For parents, Riley Ellis provides focused advice on protecting children’s best interests, communicating with them in an age-appropriate manner, and understanding the range of legal parenting arrangements available once the divorce is finalized.

Rooted in the author’s personal experience, the book serves as a practical self-help guide for navigating a divorce from a narcissistic spouse. The language is candid and includes profanity, making it clearly intended for an adult audience. Through her openness and willingness to share her own experiences, Riley Ellis reassures readers that they are not alone. She offers guidance to help them move forward toward a safer and more stable future.