Since its inception in 1996, Books for a Better Life has recognized more than 700 self-improvement authors and has now raised more than $2.1 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.

The New York City - Southern New York Chapter of the National MS Society has announced the finalists for the 18th Annual Books for a Better Life Awards. The winners will be announced during an awards ceremony at The TimesCenter in New York City on Monday, March 10, 2014.

To learn more about the Books for a Better Life Awards or the Multiple Sclerosis Society, please visit: http://www.nationalmssociety.org/Chapters/NYN/Join-An-Event/Books-for-a-Better-Life
 

2013 Winners

Childcare/Parenting
MASTERMINDS & WINGMEN by Rosalind Wiseman (Harmony Books)

Cookbook
ISA DOES IT by Isa Chandra Moskowitz (Little, Brown and Company)

First Book
KNOCKING ON HEAVEN'S DOOR by Katy Butler (Scribner)

Green
TOMS RIVER by Dan Fagin (Bantam)

Inspirational Memoir
TAYLOR'S GIFT by Todd and Tara Storch with Jennifer Schuchmann (Revell)

Motivational
HANDLING THE TRUTH by Beth Kephart (Gotham Books)

Psychology
OUTSMARTING ANGER by Joseph Shrand, M.D. and Leigh Devine, MS (Josey-Bass)

Relationships
CARRY ON WARRIOR by Glennon Doyle Melton (Scribner)

Spiritual
WHAT WE TALK ABOUT WHEN WE TALK ABOUT GOD by Rob Bell (HarperOne)

Wellness
BOUNCING BACK by Linda Graham, MFT (New World Library)

2013 Finalists

Childcare/Parenting

• BRAINSTORM by Daniel J. Siegel M.D. (Tarcher Penguin)
• THE BIG DISCONNECT by Catherine Steiner-Adair, Ed.D. with Teresa H. Barker (Harper)
• THE BUSINESS OF BABY by Jennifer Margulis (Scribner)
• MASTERMINDS & WINGMEN by Rosalind Wiseman (Harmony Books)
• THE SHAPE OF THE EYE by George Estreich (Tarcher Penguin)

Cookbook

• THE BLOOD SUGAR SOLUTION COOKBOOK by Mark Hyman, M.D. (Little Brown and Company)
• CHLOE'S VEGAN DESSERTS by Chloe Coscarelli (Atria Paperbacks)
• HEART OF THE PLATE by Mollie Katzen (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt)
• ISA DOES IT by Isa Chandra Moskowitz (Little, Brown and Company)
• VEGATABLE LITERACY by Deborah Maclison (Ten Speed Press)

First Book

• KNOCKING ON HEAVEN'S DOOR by Katy Butler (Scribner)
• THE REASON I JUMP by Naoki Higashida (Random House)
• SALT SUGAR FAT by Michael Moss (Random House)
• SOME NERVE by Patty Chang Anker (Riverhead Books)
• WITH OR WITHOUT YOU by Domenica Ruta (Spiegel & Grau)

Green

• COUNTDOWN by Alan Weisman (Little, Brown and Company)
• THE IMPERFECT ENVIRONMENTALIST by Sara Gilbert (Ballantine Books)
• OIL AND HONEY by Bill McKibben (Times Books)
• TOMS RIVER by Dan Fagin (Bantam)
• WILD ONES by Jon Mooallem (The Penguin Press)

Inspirational Memoir

• A HOUSE IN THE SKY by Amanda Lindhout and Sara Corbett (Scribner)
• BUCK by MK Asante (Spiegel & Grau)
• TAYLOR'S GIFT by Todd and Tara Storch with Jennifer Schuchmann (Revell)
• UNTIL I SAY GOOD-BYE by Susan Spencer-Wendel with Brett Witter (Harper)
• THE WORLD'S STRONGEST LIBRARIAN by Josh Hanagarne (Gotham Books)

Motivational

• HANDLING THE TRUTH by Beth Kephart (Gotham Books)
• THE NOVEL CURE by Ella Berthoud and Susan Elderkin (The Penguin Press)
• ON THESE COURTS by Wayne B. Drash (Touchstone)
• SATURDAY NIGHT WIDOWS by Becky Aikman (Crown)
• SURVIVAL LESSONS by Alice Hoffman (Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill)

Psychology

• THE AUTUSTIC BRAIN by Temple Grandin and Richard Panek (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt)
• BLINDSPOT by Mahzarin R. Banaji and Anthony G. Greenwald (Delacorte Press)
• CLEAN by David Sheff (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt)
• HARDWIRING HAPPINESS by Rick Hanson, Ph.D. (Harmony Books)
• OUTSMARTING ANGER by Joseph Shrand, M.D. and Leigh Devine, MS (Josey-Bass)

Relationships

• CARRY ON WARRIOR by Glennon Doyle Melton (Scribner)
• HER by Christa Parravani (Henry Holt)
• MOTHER DAUGHTER ME by Katie Hafner (Random House)
• STICKS AND STONES by Emily Bazelon (Random House)
• THE REMARRIAGE BLUEPRINT by Maggie Scarf (Scribner)

Spiritual

• THE ANCESTRAL CONTINUUM by Natalia O'Sullivan and Nicola Graydon (Atria Books)
• THE ART OF HEALING by Bernie S. Siegel, M.D. (New World Library)
• LOVE YOUR ENEMIES by Sharon Salzberg and Robert Thurman (Hay House, Inc)
• STITCHES by Anne Lamott (Riverhead Books)
• WHAT WE TALK ABOUT WHEN WE TALK ABOUT GOD by Rob Bell (HarperOne)

Wellness

• BOUNCING BACK by Linda Graham, MFT (New World Library)
• THE DETOX PRESCRIPTION by Woodson Merrell, M.D. with Mary Beth Augustine, MS, RDN and Hillari Dowdle (Rodale Books)
• THE MELT METHOD by Sue Hitzmann (HarperOne)
• EATING ON THE WILD SIDE by Jo Robinson (Little, Brown and Company)
• GRAIN BRAIN by David Perlmutter, M.D. with Kristin Loberg (Little, Brown and Company)