Fans pick 100 books like Sorry I'm Late, I Didn't Want to Come

By Jessica Pan,

Here are 100 books that Sorry I'm Late, I Didn't Want to Come fans have personally recommended if you like Sorry I'm Late, I Didn't Want to Come. Shepherd is a community of 12,000+ authors and super readers sharing their favorite books with the world.

When you buy books, we may earn a commission that helps keep our lights on (or join the rebellion as a member).

Book cover of Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones

Mindy Vail Author Of The MindShift Effect: Where Change Management is Redefined and Leadership is Refined

From my list on being authentic and empowered.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’m Mindy Vail, and with over 25 years in education and change management, I’ve spent my career as a leadership consultant and keynote speaker. My passion for the book list I’ve put together comes from my work in guiding individuals and organizations through transformation and my dedication to helping others find their joy. Each book reflects my commitment to embracing change, nurturing leadership, and unlocking potential. My insights come from hands-on experience and a deep understanding of psychology, leadership, and personal growth, and I believe we are all ever-evolving in our journeys.

Mindy's book list on being authentic and empowered

Mindy Vail Why did Mindy love this book?

This one resonates with me because James Clear’s insights on the power of small, consistent changes align seamlessly with my approach to personal and professional growth. The book’s emphasis on how tiny adjustments can lead to significant, lasting transformation struck a powerful chord.

Clear’s focus on habit formation and mindset shifts reinforced my belief that incremental progress and intentional practices are essential for achieving meaningful change. Reading Atomic Habits inspires me to fully embrace the idea that even minor adjustments in behavior and thinking can have a profound impact on overall success and personal development. This has helped me in almost every aspect of my life.


By James Clear,

Why should I read it?

29 authors picked Atomic Habits as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

The #1 New York Times bestseller. Over 4 million copies sold!

Tiny Changes, Remarkable Results

No matter your goals, Atomic Habits offers a proven framework for improving--every day. James Clear, one of the world's leading experts on habit formation, reveals practical strategies that will teach you exactly how to form good habits, break bad ones, and master the tiny behaviors that lead to remarkable results.

If you're having trouble changing your habits, the problem isn't you. The problem is your system. Bad habits repeat themselves again and again not because you don't want to change, but because you have the…


Book cover of Greenlights

Nicole Vignola Author Of Rewire: Break the Cycle, Alter Your Thoughts and Create Lasting Change

From my list on teach you how to tell your own story.

Why am I passionate about this?

I am a neuroscientist and author who wants to help people break the mold and become the best possible versions of themselves. While working with people, I noticed that many repeated things like "I could never," "I am just wired this way," and “I am not good enough.” Even worse, they're holding onto a statement that was said to them in their formative years, which has dictated their trajectory as peopleI want you to know that your brains can change…at any age! You can exhume your best traits and break the cycle of the habits and behaviors holding you back.

Nicole's book list on teach you how to tell your own story

Nicole Vignola Why did Nicole love this book?

This might seem like a random suggestion, but I read this book in two days. It opened my eyes to living a joyful life full of greenlights. A greenlight is being kind to our future selves. Seeing the things in our lives confirms we’re on the right path.

I loved it because it really helps you listen to your intuition and connect your heart and your head without fear of judgment.

By Matthew McConaughey,

Why should I read it?

6 authors picked Greenlights as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

From the Academy Award (R)-winning actor, an unconventional memoir filled with raucous stories, outlaw wisdom, and lessons learned the hard way about living with greater satisfaction.

I've been in this life for fifty years, been trying to work out its riddle for forty-two, and been keeping diaries of clues to that riddle for the last thirty-five. Notes about successes and failures, joys and sorrows, things that made me marvel, and things that made me laugh out loud. How to be fair. How to have less stress. How to have fun. How to hurt people less. How to get hurt less.…


Book cover of Change: What Really Leads to Lasting Personal Transformation

Christian Jarrett Author Of Be Who You Want: Unlocking the Science of Personality Change

From my list on achieving lasting personal change.

Why am I passionate about this?

I'm a psychologist and neuroscientist and I've been writing for the public about all things mind and behaviour for more than two decades. Something I've noticed in that time is that the question people want to know the answer to, perhaps more than any other, is how much we can ever truly change, deep down. After all, self-help advice is seemingly endless, but does any of it really work, or are we ultimately destined to always revert to type? That's what motivated me to begin delving into the latest science of personality – defined by psychology as the habits of emotion, behaviour, and thought that make us who we are.

Christian's book list on achieving lasting personal change

Christian Jarrett Why did Christian love this book?

Week in, week out, therapists meet people who are trying to change. Kottler is a highly experienced psychotherapist and in this book you will discover all that he has learned about the process of personal transformation through his career – including the obstacles to change (such as procrastination and lack of self-monitoring) and also the factors that make it easier, such as through fostering hope. I particularly enjoyed the passages on what's known as post-traumatic growth - that is, our ability to turn frightening or stressful experiences into catalysts for positive personal development.

By Jeffrey A Kottler,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Change as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Think of a time in your life when you overcame a significant, chronic, intractable problem that had challenged you for years, until somehow you managed to completely turn things around in such a way that the change has persisted to this day. How did this happen, and what was it that made the greatest difference?

Jeffrey Kottler has often explored this question-interviewing hundreds of people about their change experiences and synthesizing all the research around the globe-and he poses it in the opening pages of Change: What Really Leads to Lasting Personal Transformation. This fundamental query-how do we (or don't…


If you love Sorry I'm Late, I Didn't Want to Come...

Ad

Book cover of Tap Dancing on Everest: A Young Doctor's Unlikely Adventure

Tap Dancing on Everest By Mimi Zieman,

Tap Dancing on Everest, part coming-of-age memoir, part true-survival adventure story, is about a young medical student, the daughter of a Holocaust survivor raised in N.Y.C., who battles self-doubt to serve as the doctor—and only woman—on a remote Everest climb in Tibet.

The team attempts a new route up…

Book cover of Personality Isn't Permanent: Break Free from Self-Limiting Beliefs and Rewrite Your Story

Christian Jarrett Author Of Be Who You Want: Unlocking the Science of Personality Change

From my list on achieving lasting personal change.

Why am I passionate about this?

I'm a psychologist and neuroscientist and I've been writing for the public about all things mind and behaviour for more than two decades. Something I've noticed in that time is that the question people want to know the answer to, perhaps more than any other, is how much we can ever truly change, deep down. After all, self-help advice is seemingly endless, but does any of it really work, or are we ultimately destined to always revert to type? That's what motivated me to begin delving into the latest science of personality – defined by psychology as the habits of emotion, behaviour, and thought that make us who we are.

Christian's book list on achieving lasting personal change

Christian Jarrett Why did Christian love this book?

There's a theory in psychology that alongside our basic traits, our personalities are also defined in part by the stories we tell about our lives – what's known as your narrative identity. In this inspirational book, Hardy shows how you can change who you are by reinterpreting your own past and, in effect, retelling your own story. As part of this process, you can think of past events as happening 'for you' instead of 'to you'. What's especially compelling about this book is that Hardy has made these changes in his own life and personality. You get to hear how he left behind his difficult youth, transformed into a dramatically more conscientious person, built a successful career as a psychologist, and became a loving husband and father.

By Benjamin Hardy,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Personality Isn't Permanent as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Psychologist and bestselling author Benjamin Hardy, PhD, debunks the pervasive myths about personality that prevent us from learning—and provides bold strategies for personal transformation
 
In Personality Isn’t Permanent, Dr. Benjamin Hardy draws on psychological research to demolish the popular misconception that personality—a person’s consistent attitudes and behaviors—is innate and unchanging. Hardy liberates us from the limiting belief that our “true selves” are to be discovered, and shows how we can intentionally create our desired selves and achieve amazing goals instead. He offers practical, science-based advice to for personal-reinvention, including:
     

   • Why personality tests such as Myers-Briggs and Enneagram are not…


Book cover of Me, Myself, and Us: The Science of Personality and the Art of Well-Being

Christian Jarrett Author Of Be Who You Want: Unlocking the Science of Personality Change

From my list on achieving lasting personal change.

Why am I passionate about this?

I'm a psychologist and neuroscientist and I've been writing for the public about all things mind and behaviour for more than two decades. Something I've noticed in that time is that the question people want to know the answer to, perhaps more than any other, is how much we can ever truly change, deep down. After all, self-help advice is seemingly endless, but does any of it really work, or are we ultimately destined to always revert to type? That's what motivated me to begin delving into the latest science of personality – defined by psychology as the habits of emotion, behaviour, and thought that make us who we are.

Christian's book list on achieving lasting personal change

Christian Jarrett Why did Christian love this book?

The author is a psychology professor and a leading populariser of personality psychology. His book will give you a great overview of the most widely endorsed model of personality, which is based on the so-called Big Five traits, including extraversion, conscientiousness, and openness. Little is also renowned for his research into 'personal projects' – the goals you have that are meaningful to you. What I particularly took away from this book is how these projects feedback and shape your personality. So, if you want to have more control over who you are and will become, it is worth thinking about the goals that you are pursuing in life – whether they are satisfying and how they might be influencing you.

By Brian R. Little,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Me, Myself, and Us as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

How does your personality shape your life , and what, if anything, can you do about it?Are you hardwired for happiness, or born to brood? Do you think you're in charge of your future, or do you surf the waves of unknowable fate? Would you be happier, or just less socially adept, if you were less concerned about what other people thought of you? And what about your Type A" spouse: is he or she destined to have a heart attack, or just drive you to drink?In the past few decades, new scientific research has transformed old ideas about the…


Book cover of The Five Love Languages

Khadijah Butler Author Of Laying the Foundation: Brick by Brick

From my list on self-help that stretches you and inspire change.

Why am I passionate about this?

As a child and even as an adult, I’ve always been curious and stopped at nothing to seek out answers. Fast forward, I’ve been a clinical research professional for over 17 years so it’s no surprise that writing a How-To Book would come naturally. Having a passion for others took me on an altruistic journey of addressing my pain points and helping others address theirs. I hope at least one of these books will help you in becoming the best version of yourself!

Khadijah's book list on self-help that stretches you and inspire change

Khadijah Butler Why did Khadijah love this book?

Becoming a manager at an early age and now a nonprofit founder, I realize how important the statement ‘Relationship before Task’ is. While this book is used to sustain relationships of love, the lessons on how we invest emotionally in other areas of our life, including the workplace and friendships, is just as impactful. This book encourages me to give guidance, not ultimatums when making my needs known. Overall, this book is a reminder that being relationship-focused will bring us the love and/or significance that we’re looking for. 

By Gary Chapman,

Why should I read it?

5 authors picked The Five Love Languages as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Through fun-filled presentations before a live audience, Gary Chapman helps you identify your personal love language. He also helps you understand the love language of your spouse.


If you love Jessica Pan...

Ad

Book cover of Traumatization and Its Aftermath: A Systemic Approach to Understanding and Treating Trauma Disorders

Traumatization and Its Aftermath By Antonieta Contreras,

A fresh take on the difference between trauma and hardship in order to help accurately spot the difference and avoid over-generalizations.

The book integrates the latest findings in brain science, child development, psycho-social context, theory, and clinical experiences to make the case that trauma is much more than a cluster…

Book cover of When God Winks on Love

Lauren Peacock Author Of Female. Likes Cheese. Comes with Dog.: Stories About Divorce, Dating, and Saying “I Do”

From my list on if you’re going through a divorce.

Why am I passionate about this?

During my divorce, I became fascinated with the psychology behind divorce and the pathology behind personalities. I started doing a lot of research for my memoir that I was writing. Working professionally in the entertainment industry, I was fortunate enough to publish my book and get some publicity behind it. Because of my research and experience, I’ve been a guest on ABC, FOX, and have been in publications like HelloGiggles, Woman's Day, Authority Magazine, and more. I truly love understanding why a relationship works and why it doesn’t sometimes. Humor can’t cure a divorce, but I do believe it can help and if I can contribute to that, well then I think that’s fabulous. ☺ 

Lauren's book list on if you’re going through a divorce

Lauren Peacock Why did Lauren love this book?

I’m not an overly religious person and you don’t have to be either to enjoy this book. No matter what your denomination is, this book, like Matthews, is filled with positivity. The short stories of true people (including Denzel Washington and his wife) continued to give me hope that I’d find love again at the right time. This book made me laugh, cry, and also opened my eyes to a new way of thinking about relationships. It is another I frequently re-read and am reminded that divorce doesn’t mean game over.

By Squire Rushnell,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked When God Winks on Love as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

When God Winks on Love affirms a belief held by most readers: there is something more to coincidences than meets the eye, especially in affairs of the heart. Like winks from a loving parent or grandparent, coincidences are messages from a higher power that you are not alone and everything will be okay. This book demonstrates that you can retrace crossroads (an unexpected conversation in a restaurant or starting a new job) that took you into a whole new direction, showing you how to map the coincidences that have guided you to finding the love of your life.


Book cover of Real Life: Preparing for the 7 Most Challenging Days of Your Life

Lauren Peacock Author Of Female. Likes Cheese. Comes with Dog.: Stories About Divorce, Dating, and Saying “I Do”

From my list on if you’re going through a divorce.

Why am I passionate about this?

During my divorce, I became fascinated with the psychology behind divorce and the pathology behind personalities. I started doing a lot of research for my memoir that I was writing. Working professionally in the entertainment industry, I was fortunate enough to publish my book and get some publicity behind it. Because of my research and experience, I’ve been a guest on ABC, FOX, and have been in publications like HelloGiggles, Woman's Day, Authority Magazine, and more. I truly love understanding why a relationship works and why it doesn’t sometimes. Humor can’t cure a divorce, but I do believe it can help and if I can contribute to that, well then I think that’s fabulous. ☺ 

Lauren's book list on if you’re going through a divorce

Lauren Peacock Why did Lauren love this book?

One of my lines in my book was, “Dr. Phil, It’s Your Girl” when I was sarcastically calling out for help. And hey, it’s true, sometimes we just need to bask in some form of self-help. If you can’t afford therapy or reading is an addition, this book can help you address feelings you may have parallel to Dr. Phil and the specific days he talks about. Some you may have experienced (like divorce) and others may not have occurred yet. This was a mini therapeutic dive for me and helped me with perspective in various situations.

By Phil McGraw,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Real Life as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

The #1 New York Times bestselling advice guru, Dr. Phil McGraw, presents a practical and inspiring guide to overcoming life’s seven biggest crises.

Sooner or later, every adult faces a potentially devastating situation. Dealing with the stress of a traumatic event—whether it’s the loss of a loved one or a sudden illness—requires skills and insights very different to those used to manage day-to-day turbulence. And no author is as equipped as Dr. Phil to guide readers in navigating their most trying moments.

With his trademark calm and prescriptive approach, Dr. Phil divides these life-altering events into seven categories—including loss, fear,…


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

Elaine Lin Hering Author Of Unlearning Silence: How to Speak Your Mind, Unleash Talent, and Live More Fully

From my list on helping you realize you’re not the problem.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’ve finally realized that you can’t outwork yourself out of systemic problems and that so many of the messages we receive have got the problem wrong. Growing up, I was taught to respect my elders. To defer to those who know what they are talking about. But just because someone says something with conviction doesn’t mean they are right. What we’ve been told is imposter syndrome could actually be imposter treatment, and it messes deeply with our sense of self. So even if I’ve taught at brand name institutions, at corporate heavyweights, and on six continents, I’m always seeking to learn.

Elaine's book list on helping you realize you’re not the problem

Elaine Lin Hering Why did Elaine love this book?

This book opened my eyes to see introversion as a strength rather than a weakness. But more so, it gave me the permission to question how things that we took as “just the way things are” might have been positioned incorrectly from the start.

If it wasn’t true that introversion is inherently worse than extroversion, what else might popular culture and mainstream workplace practices have gotten wrong? I felt seen by the book and hopeful of what more honest conversations about how people are wired might both reveal and help heal. 

By Susan Cain,

Why should I read it?

12 authors picked Quiet as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

SUSAN CAIN'S NEW BOOK, BITTERSWEET, IS AVAILABLE TO PRE-ORDER NOW

A SUNDAY TIMES AND NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER, THIS BOOK WILL CHANGE HOW YOU SEE INTROVERTS - AND YOURSELF - FOREVER.

Our lives are driven by a fact that most of us can't name and don't understand. It defines who our friends and lovers are, which careers we choose, and whether we blush when we're embarrassed.

That fact is whether we're an introvert or an extrovert.

The most fundamental dimension of personality, at least a third of us are introverts, and yet shyness, sensitivity and seriousness are often seen as…


If you love Sorry I'm Late, I Didn't Want to Come...

Ad

Book cover of Currently Away: How Two Disenchanted People Traveled the Great Loop for Nine Months and Returned to the Start, Energized and Optimistic

Currently Away By Bruce Tate,

The plan was insane. The trap seemed to snap shut on Bruce and Maggie Tate, an isolation forced on them by the pandemic and America's growing political factionalism. Something had to change.

Maggie's surprising answer: buy a boat, learn to pilot it, and embark on the Great Loop. With no…

Book cover of The Cactus and Snowflake at Work: How the Logical and Sensitive Can Thrive Side by Side

Jennifer B. Kahnweiler Author Of The Genius of Opposites: How Introverts and Extroverts Achieve Extraordinary Results Together

From my list on for partners of opposite personalities.

Why am I passionate about this?

I grew up in a talkative family in an extroverted culture near NYC. I discovered I also liked the quiet and found a man to marry who was very introverted. After the “opposites attract” phase we needed to learn ways to make our differences work and we've been doing that for almost 50 years. I took this knowledge to the workplace where, as a career coach and learning and development professional, I became a champion for introverts. I've written 4 books on harnessing the talents of both introverts and extroverts at work and speak about this topic around the world. I believe we are all better off when we work through our differences to achieve magic.

Jennifer's book list on for partners of opposite personalities

Jennifer B. Kahnweiler Why did Jennifer love this book?

The author is well versed in the Myers-Briggs and uses her knowledge of that instrument and years of consulting in this practical and funny book. 

The author focuses on thinking types and feeling types and describes how they can clash and achieve sweet harmony. Thinkers lead with their heads and Feelers lead with their hearts.

This is helpful for me as a “feeler.” I have a roadmap to guide me in the land of thinkers. The “CakFlake” instrument (this gives you a sense of the author’s sense of humor) is a great way to determine when I might fall into a trap like expecting everyone to process information like I do. It is a quick and fun read and you will leave with some actions to take right away.

By Devora Zack,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Cactus and Snowflake at Work as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

This hilarious and profound workplace guide proves the rigorously rational and the supremely sympathetic can meet in the middle and merge their strengths. Readers will discover how blending with their opposite opens the pathway to being their truest selves.

Carl Jung's personality typology introduced the distinction that Feelers (who lead with their hearts) put more weight on personal concerns and the people involved, and Thinkers (who lead with their heads) are guided by objective principles and impartial facts. This book calls them Cacti and Snowflakes—each singularly transcendent. But can people with such fundamentally different ways of making sense of and…


Book cover of Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones
Book cover of Greenlights
Book cover of Change: What Really Leads to Lasting Personal Transformation

Share your top 3 reads of 2024!

And get a beautiful page showing off your 3 favorite reads.

1,588

readers submitted
so far, will you?

5 book lists we think you will like!

Interested in extraversion and introversion, humour books, and funny?

Humour Books 2,100 books
Funny 2,100 books