Parenting & Relationships bestsellers

If you enjoyed Minor Feelings, then you’ll love Crying in H Mart.

“This memoir is an unflinchingly honest portrayal of grief as well as a tender look at the complex relationship between a mother and daughter bridging generational and cultural gaps through the comforting creation of food. This book had me simultaneously sobbing and starving. A perfect read.”

LeeAnna, Blue Cypress Books

A #1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER.

In this searing memoir, Congressman Jamie Raskin tells the story of the forty-five days at the start of 2021 that permanently changed his life—and his family’s—as he confronted the painful loss of his son to suicide, lived through the violent insurrection in our nation’s Capitol, and led the impeachment effort to...

An enduring account of joy and sorrow from one of the great writers of our time, The New Yorker’s Kathryn Schulz, winner of the Pulitzer Prize

“Our lives do indeed deserve and reward the kind of honest, gentle, brilliant scrutiny Schulz brings to bear on her own life. The book is profound and beautiful.”—Marilynne Robinson, author of Housekeeping... Read more »

Attachment theory has entered the mainstream, but most discussions focus on how we can cultivate secure monogamous relationships. What if, like many people, you’re striving for secure, happy attachments with more than one partner? Polyamorous psychotherapist Jessica Fern breaks new ground by extending attachment theory into the realm of... Read more »

Calypso

“We, your concerned booksellers, want to make sure you are in tip-top reading shape before David Sedaris visits Main Street Books. Much like a runner must train for a marathon, you must exercise your sense of humor, so as not to pull something in David's presence. Tune up your funny bone with Me Talk Pretty One Day, Naked, When You Are Engulfed in Flames, or any of the other great Sedaris collections on Libro.fm. ”

Eleanor, Main Street Books Davidson

"Ashley C. Ford brings listeners into her life in this outstanding coming-of-age story...Listeners will cheer as Ford attends college and weep as she visits her father in prison, and when he is finally released." -- AudioFile Magazine, Earphones Award winner

This program is read by the author, and includes a bonus conversation between the author...

In this breakthrough book, clinical psychologist Lindsay Gibson exposes the destructive nature of parents who are emotionally immature or unavailable. You will see how these parents create a sense of neglect, and discover ways to heal from the pain and confusion caused by your childhood. By freeing yourself from your parents' emotional... Read more »

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • Ali Wong’s heartfelt and hilarious letters to her daughters (the two she put to work while they were still in utero) cover everything they need to know in life, like the unpleasant details of dating, how to be a working mom in a male-dominated profession, and how she trapped their dad.

“Knife-sharp . . . a genuine... Read more »

"A groundbreaking book that redefines what it means to be in a relationship."
--John Gray, PhD., bestselling author of Men Are from Mars, Women Are from Venus

We already rely on science to tell us what to eat, when to exercise, and how long to sleep. Why not use science to help us improve our relationships? In this revolutionary book, psychiatrist... Read more »

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • The authors of No-Drama Discipline and The Yes Brain explain the new science of how a child’s brain is wired and how it matures in this pioneering, practical book.

“Simple, smart, and effective solutions to your child’s struggles.”—Harvey Karp, M.D.

In this pioneering, practical book, Daniel J. Siegel, neuropsychiatrist...

A close friendship is one of the most influential and important relationships a human life can contain. Anyone will tell you that! But for all the rosy sentiments surrounding friendship, most people don’t talk much about what it really takes to stay close for the long haul.

Now two friends, Aminatou Sow and Ann Friedman, tell the story of their... Read more »

The Best of Me

“As if there is anything greater than a new David Sedaris, it's listening to David Sedaris read the new David Sedaris. This self-edited collection of essays from his prolific 25-year career is exactly what we need to boost the morale of 2020 and remind ourselves what a crazy world we've always lived in when viewed through Sedaris's keen observational eye and told with his unique & irreverent voice. The Best of Me is perfect for both long-time fans or those reading Sedaris for the first time and the audio read by the author means no nuance is left behind.”

Jessica, Literally Speaking

A revolutionary new approach to ADD/ADHD featuring cutting-edge research and strategies to help readers thrive, by the bestselling authors of the seminal books Driven to Distraction and Delivered from Distraction

“An inspired road map for living with a distractible brain . . . If you or your child suffer from ADHD, this book should be on your... Read more »

In the Dream House

“In the Dream House is the intersection of so many things. It's the story of a poisonous relationship between two women. It creates an archive of abusive queer relationships that has been absent in the culture's conscious for far too long. It's a study of style and form. It's tactile. It's phantasmagoria. It's a completely unique reading experience. It accesses a subterranean level of unease that it belongs on the shelf next to Poe or Lovecraft. Machado has accomplished something extraordinary here, something that should be studied meticulously and relished in as it horrifies you to your very core.”

Conner, BookBar

Group

“I cannot recommend this book enough! Group reads like a novel while also being incredibly insightful. Christie Tate is able to articulate a reality that I, and I’m sure others, haven’t quite been able to express to those closest to us. This book will help people realize that there are things they haven’t let themselves face yet, but it will also show them that their feelings are normal and natural. I, for one, am going to recommend this from now on to anyone I think might benefit from Tate’s journey, which I think will be just about anyone.”

Sterling Miller, Ferguson Books & More!

A “must-read” (The Washington Post) funny and practical guide to help you find, build, and keep the relationship of your dreams.

Have you ever looked around and wondered, “Why has everyone found love except me?” You’re not the only one. Great relationships don’t just appear in our lives—they’re the culmination of a series of decisions, including... Read more »

An unprecedented exploration of polyamory, from an award-winning journalist chronicling her first open relationship with unflinching candor as she explores this fast-growing movement

“In Open, Krantz invites us into her deepest privacy as she explores her body and soul, fears and ecstasies, desires and disappointments.”—Dr. Christopher Ryan, New... Read more »

The work of the mature person is to carry grief in one hand and gratitude in the other and be stretched large by them.

Noted psychotherapist Francis Weller provides an essential guide for navigating the deep waters of sorrow and loss in this lyrical yet practical handbook for mastering the art of grieving. Describing how Western patterns of... Read more »

Nobody Will Tell You This But Me

“Bess Kalb, a writer for many comedy series and Jimmy Kimmel Live, shines in this quirky memoir of her beloved (and opinionated!) grandmother. Told in voice messages which alternately exhort and praise, she relays the love that she and her grandmother Bobby Bell share. In a more unusual style, she tells Bobby’s immigrant story and the fraught relationships with both her mother and daughter as if Bobby is speaking from the grave. It's short and oh so engaging.”

Valerie, Blue Willow Bookshop

In Pieces

“I have watched Sally Field ever since her early days as the Flying Nun. I thought I knew Sally Field, but her memoir, In Pieces, reveals a Sally Field I didn’t know. She writes bravely and eloquently about her struggles growing up and making her way in Hollywood. Field holds nothing back, and that only elevates her, in my opinion. This isn’t just another celebrity memoir; it’s a clear-eyed look at an industry and a life beset by challenges. Field emerges as likeable, strong, and inspiring—an altogether remarkable woman.”

Stephanie Hochschild, The Book Stall

A REESE'S BOOK CLUB PICK 

"A hands-on, real talk guide for navigating the hot-button issues that so many families struggle with."--Reese Witherspoon

Tired, stressed, and in need of more help from your partner? Imagine running your household (and life!) in a new way...

It started with the Sh*t I Do List. Tired of being the "shefault" parent... Read more »

Ace

“This book is an eye-opening collection of personal testimonies, research, and history about asexuality, and to a lesser extent, aromanticism. Whether you are new to learning about asexuality or are asexual yourself, by the end of the book you will have a richer and multifaceted understanding of ace identity and experience.”

Miriasha, Phoenix Books

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER

The oldest cultures in the world have mastered the art of raising happy, well-adjusted children. What can we learn from them?

“Hunt, Gather, Parent is full of smart ideas that I immediately wanted to force on my own kids.” —Pamela Druckerman, The New York Times Book Review

When Dr. Michaeleen Doucleff becomes a mother,... Read more »

Simple ideas, lasting love.

Between busy schedules and long days, expressing love can fall by the wayside. We forget to compliment, to give gifts “just because,” to linger in an embrace. The things that say “I love you” seem to either not get said or not get through. This is an audio book about saying it — and hearing it — clearly. No gimmicks....

From the author of Expecting Better and The Family Firm, an economist's guide to the early years of parenting.

“Both refreshing and useful. With so many parenting theories driving us all a bit batty, this is the type of book that we need to help calm things down.” —LA Times

“The book is jampacked with information, but it’s also a delightful read... Read more »

Part memoir and part guidebook, Share Your Stuff. I'll Go First. is the invitation you've been waiting for to show up with your whole self and discover the intimate, meaningful friendships you long for.

In spite of the hyper-connected culture we live in today, women still feel shamed for oversharing and being publicly vulnerable. And no matter...

With wry wit and touching humor, Louie Anderson, New York Times bestselling author and Emmy Award–winning comedian currently starring in Zach Galifianakis’s Baskets, shares his journey of turning life’s challenges into joy, as well as plenty of wisdom he’s still discovering from his late mother.

“I started out writing these letters to my mom,... Read more »

How to Raise Kids Who Aren't Assholes is a clear, actionable, sometimes humorous (but always science-based) guide for parents on how to shape their kids into honest, kind, generous, confident, independent, and resilient people...who just might save the world one day.

As an award-winning science journalist, Melinda Wenner Moyer was regularly asked... Read more »

#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER – OVER 3 MILLION COPIES SOLD

Do you ever suspect that everyone else has life figured out and you don’t have a clue? If so, Rachel Hollis has something to tell you: that’s a lie.

If you have ever said any of these things to yourself . . .

“If you want to know why Harriet Lerner is one of my great heroes, Why Won’t You Apologize? is the answer. This book is a game changer.” —Brené Brown, PhD, LMSW, author of the #1 New York Times bestseller Rising Strong

“Harriet Lerner is one hell of a wise woman. She draws you in with deft and engaging prose, and then changes your life with her... Read more »

“If you read only one book about democracy, The Turnaway Study should be it. Why? Because without the power to make decisions about our own bodies, there is no democracy.” —Gloria Steinem

The “remarkable” (The New Yorker) landmark study of the consequences on women’s lives—emotional, physical, financial, professional, personal, and... Read more »

Winner of the National Book Critics Circle Award, a Books for a Better Life Award, and one of The New York Times Book Review’s Ten Best Books of 2012, this masterpiece by the National Book Award–winning author of The Noonday Demon features stories of parents who not only learn to deal with their exceptional children, but also find profound... Read more »

A bold, wry, and intimate graphic memoir about American identity, interracial families, and the realities that divide us, from the acclaimed author of The Sleepwalker’s Guide to Dancing.

“By turns hilarious and heart-rending, it’s exactly the book America needs at this moment.”—Celeste Ng

“How brown is too brown?”
“Can Indians be racist?”
“What does... Read more »

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • The pioneering experts behind The Whole-Brain Child and The Yes Brain tackle the ultimate parenting challenge: discipline.
 
“A lot of fascinating insights . . . an eye-opener worth reading.”—Parents

Highlighting the fascinating link between a child’s neurological development and the way a parent reacts to misbehavior,... Read more »

It’s time to change the way we see toddlers. Using the pedagogical principles developed by Dr. Maria Montessori, Simone Davies shows how to turn life with a “terrible two” into a mutually rich and rewarding time of curiosity, learning, respect, and discovery. With hundreds of practical ideas for every aspect of living with a toddler, you’ll...

"What the heck is my partner thinking?" is a common refrain in romantic relationships, and with good reason. Every person is wired for love differently, with different habits, needs, and reactions to conflict. The good news is that most people's minds work in predictable ways and respond well to security, attachment, and rituals, making it... Read more »

He says he loves you. So...why does he do that? You've asked yourself this question again and again. Now you have the chance to see inside the minds of angry and controlling men—and to change your life. In this groundbreaking book, a counselor who specializes in working with abusive men shows you how to improve, survive, or leave an abusive... Read more »

A grieving widow discovers a most unexpected form of healing—hunting for mushrooms.

“Moving . . .  Long tells the story of finding hope after despair lightly and artfully, with self-effacement and so much gentle good nature.”—The New York Times

Long Litt Woon met Eiolf a month after arriving in Norway from Malaysia as an exchange student. They... Read more »

This program is read by the author.

The New York Times bestselling author and a central figure in the field of meditation, Sharon Salzberg, uses ancient Buddhist wisdom to redefine love and experience it in a more profound way.

You are a person worthy of love. You don’t have to do anything to deserve all the love in the world.

Real Love is a...

A journalist pieces together the mysteries surrounding her ex-husband’s descent into drug addiction while trying to rebuild a life for her family, taking readers on an intimate journey into the world of white-collar drug abuse.

“A rare combination of journalistic rigor, personal courage, and writerly grace.”—Bill Clegg, author of Portrait of an... Read more »

In this hilarious and heartfelt memoir, award-winning, multi-talented entertainer Jamie Foxx shares the story of being raised by his no-nonsense grandmother, the glamour and pitfalls of life in Hollywood, and the lessons he took from both worlds to raise his two daughters.

Jamie Foxx has won an Academy Award and a Grammy Award, laughed with... Read more »

No-nonsense, sanity-saving insights from the Washington Post on Parenting columnist--for anyone who's drowning in parental pressure and advice that doesn't work.

Ever feel overwhelmed by the stress and perfectionism of our overparenting culture--and at the same time, still look for solutions to ease the struggles of everyday family life?... Read more »

When you were a child...

—Did your parents tell you you were bad or worthless?

—Did your parents use physical pain to discipline you?

—Did you have to take care of your parents because of their problems?

—Were you often frightened of your parents?

—Did your parents do anything to you that had to be kept secret?

Now that you're an... Read more »

From the acclaimed author of Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo comes a breathtaking novel about a young woman whose fate hinges on the choice she makes after bumping into an old flame; in alternating chapters, we see two possible scenarios unfold—with stunningly different results

At the age of twenty-nine, Hannah Martin still has no idea what she... Read more »

Protect yourself from people who take undue advantage and suck the energy out of your life

Emotional Vampires will help you cope effectively with the people in your life that confound you, confuse you, and seem to sap every ounce of your energy. Bestselling author Dr. Al Bernstein shows you how to recognize each vampire type--antisocial,...

No one is immune to the byproducts of compulsory schooling and standardized testing. And while reform may be a worthy cause for some, it is not enough for countless others still trying to navigate the tyranny of what schooling has always been. Raising Free People argues that we need to build and work within systems designed for any human to... Read more »

An anthology that gives access to the voices of mothers of color and marginalized mothers.

Revolutionary Mothering: Love on the Frontlines is an anthology that centers mothers of color and marginalized mothers' voices—women who are in a world of necessary transformation. The challenges faced by movements working for antiviolence,... Read more »

From a Grammy-nominated musician comes a lyrical testament to love and resilience through the lens of parenting her young son, who has nonverbal autism.

The million-copy bestseller by “the man who remade motherhood” (Time) has now been revised, expanded, and brought thoroughly up-to-date—with the latest information on everything from diapering to day care, from midwifery to hospital birthing rooms, from postpartum nutrition to infant development.

The Searses draw from their vast experience both...

If you have a child with borderline personality disorder (BPD), you are all-too-aware of the behavioral and emotional issues that are linked to this disorder—including rages, self-harm, sexual acting out, substance abuse, suicidal behaviors, physical and emotional attacks, and more. Traditional parenting strategies that work on other kids just... Read more »