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Wellbeing Collection Guide

Introduction

Come and find our newly refurbished Wellbeing Area on the ground floor of the library, next to the Accessible Entrance (north side, adjacent to the Institute of Development Studies).

Here you will find a calm space where you can switch off from your studies and relax.

We have a Wellbeing Collection has over 500 print books to support your mental and physical health, plus a Leisure Reading Collection of books and graphic novels to read for pleasure.

There are comfy sofas, chairs and pods with dimmable lighting, with plenty of plants and natural light.

This guide lists these titles and details a few of the highlights, as well as providing links to relevant resources and services. We're keen for the collection to be shaped by its users, so if you do have any suggestions or feedback, please do contact us at library.collections@sussex.ac.uk.

Book Reviews by Library Staff

The Chimp Paradox: The Mind Management Programme for Confidence, Success and Happiness

 by Steve Peters

 ISBN: 978-0091935580

 Publication date: 2011

An incredibly powerful mind management model that can help a person become happier, more confident, and a healthier more successful person.

 "A clear guide to how our emotions impacts our behaviours and how to influence and work with them, moving on from the idea we should just try harder or be more disciplined" - Library Staff Member

 

Mad Girl

  by Bryony Gordon

  ISBN: 978-1472232090

  Publication date: 2016

"What a book! I read this like a thriller, I was so gripped. I feel comforted by this book; by the honesty, insight, compassion, and the beautiful writing. Mad Girl is going to be seismic" ― Marian Keyes

" Chatty, frank, and funny. A personal account of OCD, burn out, hormones, sobriety, depression and getting by" - Library Staff Member.

 

Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking

  by Susan Cain

ISBN: 978-0141029191

Publication date: 2013

"I can't get Quiet out of my head. It is an important book - so persuasive and timely and heartfelt it should inevitably effect change in schools and offices" Jon Ronson, The Guardian

"An in-depth, insightful look at why introverts are underappreciated and the value they bring. A helpful undoing of the dominant beliefs that introversion is a weakness" - Library Staff Member.

 

Self-Compassion: the Proven Power of Being Kind to Yourself

  by Kristin Neff

  ISBN: 978-0141029191

  Publication date: July 2022

"Kristin Neff offers practical, wise guidance on the path of emotional healing and deep inner transformation" - Tara Brach, PhD, author of Radical Acceptance.

"Kristen Neff’s book is revolutionary in its illumination of the ways we habitually and unconsciously criticise, abandon and sabotage ourselves. She offers simple and practical exercises to plant the seed of self-compassion in your own back garden, and to tend to it until it becomes second nature" - Library Staff Member.

 

Flawless

  by Elsie Silver

  ISBN: 978-0008172480

  Publication date: 2023

"Elsie Silver's writing is a true revelation!" ALI HAZELWOOD

This is the 1st book in the Chestnut Springs series, which follows the stories of 5 brothers and their families. A fun & easy read, which is Super spicy if heterosexual is your thing! Flawless features the story of Rhett who is a bull rider. Silvers writes the female characters well & they are strong & relatable. I would highly recommend - Library Staff Member.

 

How to keep house while drowning: A gentle approach to cleaning and organising

  by KC Davis

  ISBN: 978-1529159417

  Publication date: 2022

"A kind and understanding book to help us all feel a little better about ourselves and how we live" - Helen Russell, bestselling author of The Year of Living Danishly.

"I thought this might be a light comedy, but I was wrong, and some parts nearly made me cry" - Library Staff Member.

 

Mindfulness for Dummies

  by Shamash Alidina

  ISBN: 978-1119641568

  Publication date: 2020

This book offers a practical collection of exercises and meditations designed to help readers manage their emotions and live more meaningfully. The techniques provided can help regulate challenging emotional states like anger and depression, while also fostering a deeper, more fulfilling approach to daily life.

"The book is too big to handle to be mindfulness and evolves you making too many lists (just look at the table of contents) If you want to use the book, I would look at the inside of the cover page, and use the recommended 'Cheat Sheets etc." - Library Staff Member.

 

Long Island

  by Colm Tóibín

  ISBN: 978-1035029464

  Publication date: 2024

"Heartbreak, wistfulness, cracking dialogue . . . This is Tóibín at his best' - The Times

"I recommend this for anyone who enjoyed Brooklyn. Twenty years later the sequel is poignant and moving" - Library Staff Member.

The Future

  by Naomi Alderman

  ISBN: 978-0008309138

  Publication date: 2023

"A little Atwood, a little Gibson, all Alderman, it’s brilliant and I loved it" - LAUREN BEUKES

"This book is set in the not-so-distant future, in a not so fictional dystopian world, where Armageddon is imminent. Only a few powerful mega-rich companies have the power to get out alive. The themes covered in this book are cults, AI, billionaires and global warming to name a few, it may sound dark, and it is in places, but it is also funny, & you care about the characters, it may make you think the next time you log onto Facebook" - Library Staff Member.

 

None of this is true

  by Lisa Jewell

  ISBN: 978-1804940204

  Publication date: 2024

* VOTED CRIME NOVEL OF THE YEAR 2024 *
* VOTED NOVEL OF THE YEAR @ TIKTOK 24 AWARDS *

"Utterly addictive" - Claire Douglas

"The narrative centres on two women whose paths intertwine: Alix Summer navigates the contemporary world of digital storytelling as a rising podcast host, while Josie Fair carries the weight of a complex past that she's finally ready to share with the world. When these two characters meet, their intersection sets in motion a story about truth-telling, healing, and the power of giving voice to long-buried secrets. This is a fast-paced psychological thriller with lots of twists, perfect for escapism or beach reading" - Library Staff Member.

 

Greta & Valdin

  by Rebecca K. Reilly

  ISBN: 978-1804940204

  Publication date: 2025

"Lovable and joyful" - NEW YORK TIMES

"Set in New Zealand, this follows the lives of two twenty-something queer siblings both struggling in various way with modern life. This is a quirky, and heart warming book that covers the subjects of immigration, mental illness, queerness and family in an engaging and funny way"- Library Staff Member