Since its inception in 1996, Books for a Better Life has recognized more than 600 self-improvement authors and has now raised more than $1.8 million for the New York City - Southern New York Chapter’s comprehensive support services and educational programs for people living with MS, their friends and families. The Awards recognize self-improvement authors whose messages are aligned with the chapter’s mission of inspiring people to live their best lives.

On March 12, 2012, the Southern New York Chapter of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society presented the winners of the 16th Annual Books for a Better Life Awards tonight during a ceremony at The Times Center in Manhattan. Winners were chosen from five nominees in each of the ten self-improvement categories

To learn more about the Books for a Better Life Awards or the Multiple Sclerosis Society, please visit: http://www.nationalmssociety.org/chapters/nyn/fundraising/books-for-a-better-life/index.aspx.

2011 Winners

Left to Right: Donna M. Johnson, Annia Ciezaldo, Jenny Anderson, Robin Einbinder, Paula Szuchman, Scott Manning, Lee Woodruff, David Sloan Wilson, David Prichard, Kathy Chang (for Lee Lipsenthal, M.D.), Ann Patchett, David Kessler
Center Seated: Shelley Peterman Schwarz

Childcare/Parenting
Message from an Unknown Chinese Mother by Xinran (Scribner)

First Book
Day of Honey by Annia Ciezadlo (Free Press)

Green
The Neighborhood Project by David Sloan Wilson (Little, Brown and Company)

Inspirational Memoir
Enjoy Every Sandwich by Lee Lipsenthal, M.D. (The Crown Publishing Group)

Motivational
Who's Afraid of Post-Blackness? What It Means to be Black Now by Touré (Free Press)

Personal Finance
Clark Howard's Living Large in Lean Times by Clark Howard with Mark Meltzer and Theo Thimou (Avery Books)

Psychology
The Geeks Shall Inherit the Earth by Alexandra Robbins (Hyperion Books)

Relationships
Spousonomics by Paula Szuchman and Jenny Anderson (Random House)

Spiritual
Holy Ghost Girl by Donna M. Johnson (GothamBooks)

Wellness
The Longevity Project by Howard S. Friedman, Ph.D. and Leslie R. Martin, Ph.D. (Hudson StreetPress)

2011 Finalists

Childcare/Parenting
10 Mindful Minutes by Goldie Hawn with Wendy Holden (Penguin Group USA)
Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother by Amy Chua (The Penguin Press)
Cinderella Ate My Daughter by Peggy Orenstein (HarperCollins Publishers)
Message from an Unknown Chinese Mother by Xinran (Scribner)
The Whole-Brain Child by Daniel J. Siegel, M.D. and Tina Payne Bryson, Ph.D. (Delacorte Press)

First Book
Day of Honey by Annia Ciezadlo (Free Press)
In Stitches by Anthony Youn, M.D. with Alan Eisenstock (Gallery Books)
Moonwalking with Einstein by Joshua Foer (The Penguin Press)
The Anti-Romantic Child by Priscilla Gilman (HarperCollins Publishers)
The Long Goodbye by Meghan O'Rourke (Riverhead Books)

Green
Oceana by Ted Danson (Rodale Inc.)
The Nature Principle by Richard Louv (Algonquin Books)
The Neighborhood Project by David Sloan Wilson (Little, Brown and Company)
The Ripple Effect by Alex Prud'Homme (Scribner)
World Without Fish by Mark Kurlansky (Workman Publishing)

Inspirational Memoir
Enjoy Every Sandwich by Lee Lipsenthal, M.D. (The Crown Publishing Group)
History of a Suicide by Jill Bialosky (Atria)
How to Get Out of Your Own Way by Tyrese Gibson (Grand Central Publishing)
Learning to Breathe by Priscilla Warner (Free Press)
One Hundred Names for Love by Diane Ackerman (W.W. Norton and Company)

Motivational
Better By Mistake by Alina Tugend (Riverhead Books)
Life Gets Better by Wendy Lustbader (Tarcher / Penguin)
The Art of Uncertainty by Dennis Merritt Jones (Tarcher / Penguin)
The Four Desires by Rod Stryker (Delacorte Press)
Who's Afraid of Post-Blackness? What It Means to be Black Now by Touré (Free Press)

Personal Finance
Clark Howard's Living Large in Lean Times by Clark Howard with Mark Meltzer and Theo Thimou (Avery Books)
Financial Recovery by Karen McCall (New World Library)
Lost and Found by Geneen Roth (The Viking Press)
The Laws of Prosperity by E. Bernard Jordan (Beyond Words Publishing)
The Smartest Portfolio You'll Ever Own by Daniel R. Solin (Perigee)

Psychology
Psychopath Test by Jon Ronson (Riverhead Books)
The Geeks Shall Inherit the Earth by Alexandra Robbins (Hyperion Books)
The Secret Life of Pronouns by James W. Pennebaker (BloomsburyPress)
The Sibling Effect by Jeffrey Kluger (Riverhead Books)
Willpower by Roy F. Baumeister and John Tierney (The Penguin Press)

Relationships
A Bittersweet Season by Jane Gross (Alfred A. Knopf)
How to Talk to an Autistic Kid by Daniel Stefanski (Free Spirit Publishing)
Missed Connections by Sophie Blackall (Workman Publishing)
Spousonomics by Paula Szuchman and Jenny Anderson (Random House)
The Secret Lives of Wives by Iris Krasnow (GothamBooks)

Spiritual
Finding Your Way in a Wild New World by Martha Beck (Free Press)
Holy Ghost Girl by Donna M. Johnson (GothamBooks)
Real Happiness by Sharon Salzberg (Workman Publishing)
Waiting by Marya Hornbacher (Hazelden Publishing)
Zen Mind, Zen Horse by Allan J. Hamilton, M.D. (Storey Publishing)

Wellness
Better Each Day by Jessica Cassity (Chronicle Books)
Healing Spices by Bharat B. Aggarwal, Ph.D. with Debora Yost (Sterling Publishing)
Lunch Wars by Amy Kalafa (Tarcher / Penguin)
The Happiness Diet by Tyler Graham and Drew Ramsey, M.D. (Rodale Inc. )
The Longevity Project by Howard S. Friedman, Ph.D. and Leslie R. Martin, Ph.D. (Hudson StreetPress)