Gratitude has been a hot topic in the world of positive psychology research for many years.
in fact, if you type “gratitude” into google scholar, you’ll get around 1.32 million results!
You are reading: Best books on gratitude
gratitude is a popular area of research not only because it is an inherently “positive” topic, but also because of the surprising potential benefits of gratitude.
Before we continue, we thought you might like to download our three gratitude exercises for free. these detailed, science-based exercises will help you or your clients connect with more positive emotions and enjoy the benefits of gratitude.
A regular practice of gratitude, or “attitude of gratitude” as some call it, can improve your life in many ways, including:
- improved well-being and life satisfaction
- higher quality relationships with loved ones
- improved physical health
- reduced symptoms of depression
This is just a sample of the many positive results of a regular practice of gratitude. To learn more, see our article on the possible benefits of gratitude.
If our recent gratitude obsession has piqued your interest in the subject and left you wanting more, you’re in luck! there are several books on gratitude that range in tone from the academic to the intimate. Some of these books are fantastic resources for the latest research on gratitude, while others provide a window into a personal journey of gratitude.
Whatever the basis of your interest in gratitude, you should find at least one or two of these books helpful, informative, and engaging.
top 5 books on gratitude
It’s hard to narrow down such a long list of books, but we did our best!
This list includes our 5 favorite books on gratitude, in no particular order.
1. words of thanks for mind, body and soul – robert emmons and joanna hill
You’ll see the name robert emmons several times in this list, and that’s not an error. dr emmons is a true force of nature in gratitude research, with a multitude of books and articles published on the subject.
The words of thanks are written in the sweet spot of tones, comfortably between the academic and the intimate. While the authors describe some of the leading research on gratitude, it is described with minimal jargon in clean, simple prose.
If you’re looking for a book that will do double duty, teaching you a few new things while also inspiring you to a life full of gratitude, then this is the book for you!
you can find it to buy it on amazon.
2. the psychology of gratitude – robert emmons and michael mcullough
Another favorite of Robert Emmons and fellow researcher the extraordinary Michael McCullough, this book is perfect for students, professionals, or anyone interested in a stronger grounding in the theory, philosophy, and evidence surrounding gratitude as a a psychological construct.
The psychology of gratitude draws on multiple perspectives and borrows from multiple fields to piece together a comprehensive backstory for this hot research topic. You’ll learn about the theories behind gratitude, including from an evolutionary perspective, from a moral point of view, and even with a focus on physiology.
This book can be described as a “must have” for any current or future student of positive psychology, although readers with less experience in positive psychology may want to start with the first book on our list.
you can find the psychology of gratitude on amazon to read reviews or browse purchase options.
3. Thank you! how the new science of gratitude can make you happier – robert emmons
emmons final entry on our list is thank you! how the new science of gratitude can make you happier. this is another book that aims to teach and inspire, and judging by the positive reviews, it has.
The author weaves in a bit of research on gratitude, some perspective from literature, psychology, religion, and anthropology, and ends it all with a call to action to cultivate gratitude.
This is a fantastic read for anyone looking to learn more about why gratitude can be a life-changing addition and how they can apply gratitude to their own life.
thank you! is available for purchase on amazon.
4. a simple act of gratitude: how learning to say thank you changed my life – john kralik
In this moving and personal memoir, John Kralik describes how he went from an all-time low to a happy and flourishing life through the simple act of writing thank you notes. During a particularly difficult time in his life, Kralik had an epiphany:
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You might find life more manageable if you focused on what you had rather than what you didn’t have.
She began her gratitude journey by setting a goal: Over the next year, she would write 365 thank you notes, one per day. As he produced each handwritten note, he noted profound changes in his life. In a simple act of gratitude, Kralik outlines a roadmap for anyone struggling to make similar changes in his life.
as the amazon description says, “to read a simple act of gratitude is to change.”
look for this book on amazon.
5. gratitude journals: how a year of looking on the bright side can transform your life – janice kaplan
This New York Times bestselling book details one woman’s efforts to fulfill her New Year’s resolution to be more grateful and optimistic.
janice kaplan, journalist and former editor-in-chief of parade magazine, weaves together academic research and evidence-based findings with her own personal journey to present readers with a great reason to give gratitude a try.
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This book is a great choice for more casual readers interested in gratitude, as the tone is casual and approachable, but it also presents a message that everyone can benefit from receiving.
if you’d like to join kaplan on his gratitude journey, you can find the book on amazon.
gratitude for oliver sacks – a brief summary
no list of books on gratitude would be complete without including oliver sacks.
oliver sacks was an extraordinary man, for many reasons. Not only was he a prolific author and respected neurologist, he was also a thoughtful and generous person who exuded wonder and gratitude for life.
left his mark with books like awakenings (1983), the man who mistook his wife for a hat (1985) and musicophilia (2007), but these may be his final essays, crafted with both scientific pragmatism and enthusiastic enthusiasm for life, which many of his admirers and supporters will remember for years to come.
sacks announced that he had been diagnosed with terminal cancer in January 2015 with a moving and emotional essay in the new york times. Towards the end, Sacks shares his current state with the following words:
I can’t pretend I’m not afraid. but my predominant feeling is one of gratitude.
this sentiment is fitting for dr. sacks and captures the essence of his latest book. Gratitude is an ode to life, love, mortality, and the unique pleasures and challenges that come with being human.
The book is comprised of four essays originally published in the New York Times, including the essay announcing her illness, supplemented with words from her long-time partner and collaborator, as well as photographs from the last years of her life. .
gratitude is a heartbreaking, thought-provoking look at life, death, and everything in between, with a message that encourages the reader to be grateful for every second.
you can find the book on amazon.
oliver sacks was not a big name in gratitude research. he did not publish dozens of articles on gratitude or conduct randomized controlled experiments on gratitude. he didn’t make startling new discoveries or come up with new academic theories about gratitude.
sacks contribution to our understanding of gratitude was a result of how he lived his life: grateful for every moment. you can see it in his books, his essays and in the photographs he left behind.
You can read about it in the book his partner published after his death, Insomniac City: New York, Oliver, and Me.
you can hear it when you read his words aloud, words written with care and compassion for each patient turned subject.
sacks didn’t just think or write about gratitude, he lived it. she permeated her work with gratitude, and that gratitude shines through.
I wholeheartedly recommend any of Oliver Sacks’s books or essays. his writing is accessible, clear, and pleasingly free of jargon, considering his career in neuroscience.
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This atlantic article provides an excellent reading list for those curious about his work.
another 6 suggested readings on gratitude
If each of these books is already on your shelf or if you’re looking for an even more comprehensive reading list on gratitude, we recommend you give these books and articles a try:
1. the little book of gratitude – robert emmons
This book discusses the benefits of gratitude and provides easy ways to enhance and promote gratitude every day by doing simple techniques.
also includes an 8-week gratitude plan.
available on amazon.
2. choosing gratitude: your journey to joy – nancy leigh demoss
This book comes from a religious point of view.
Taken from the popular “Revive Our Hearts” radio series, it challenges readers to live a life of intent and appreciation for God and the blessings of others to discover true joy.
available on amazon.
3. 365 thanks: the year a simple act of daily gratitude changed my life – john kralik
This follows the journey of the author who, inspired by a simple but beautiful thank you note he received, set himself the goal of writing 365 thank you notes in one year.
available on amazon.
4. everyday gratitude: inspiration to live life as a gift
This is a beautiful collection of quotes and reflections that set out to help readers discover gratefulness as the key to happiness.
It’s a perfect gift.
available on amazon.
5. attitudes of gratitude: how to give and receive joy every day of your life – m. J. ryan
This is a collection of thought-provoking essays, teaching readers how to discover and distill a sense of gratitude in every aspect of our lives.
includes practical suggestions to enable readers to discover the fullness of life.
available on amazon.
6. living in gratitude: a journey that will change your life – angeles arrien
Angeles Arrien asks readers to think about making gratitude their focal point for a whole year.
Putting together the teachings of the social sciences, it presents a 12-month “gratitude plan”.
available on amazon.
even more recommendations
- gratitude works! a 21-day program for creating emotional prosperity by robert emmons
- the culture of complaining – reader’s suggestion
- the gratitude workbook – reader’s suggestion
- bedtime: i say thank you, pauline books and media, 2015 – reader’s suggestion as a children’s book
- ted’s best talks and videos on the power of gratitude
- gratitude meditation: a simple but powerful happiness intervention
Enjoy your reading and let us know if there are other books on gratitude you recommend!
We hope you enjoyed reading this article. Don’t forget to download our three free gratitude exercises.
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