Best Relationship Books, Grouped by the Problem You Want to Fix
Relationship books split into very different jobs. Some help a couple talk, some help you untangle a family you grew up in, and some are about making friends as an adult. Below, Sumizeit's relationship book summaries are grouped by who the relationship is with and what's going wrong. Every title links to a full summary you can read, listen to, or watch in minutes.
Romance and long term partnership
The 5 Love Languages is the most widely read book on this list. The Art of Loving and The Mastery of Love are more philosophical takes. Getting the Love You Want is the classic couples therapy book. Mating in Captivity is about desire in long relationships, and Come as You Are is the science of female sexuality. How to Be an Adult in Relationships and How to Love Better are practical guides. Marriage Be Hard, Things I Wish I'd Known Before We Got Married, and A Marriage at Sea are honest looks at marriage under pressure.
Dating and finding someone
Eight Dates walks through the conversations couples should have early. How to Not Die Alone is about why modern dating goes wrong. Everything I Know About Love is a memoir style take on love in your twenties.
Family and the way you were raised
Adult Children of Emotionally Immature Parents gives words to a lot of readers' childhoods. Codependent No More is about stopping the habit of managing other people's problems. The Book You Wish Your Parents Had Read, Hunt, Gather, Parent, and Raising Good Humans are for parents.
Friendship and everyday conversation
How to Talk to Anyone, The Fine Art of Small Talk, and Better Small Talk are about starting conversations. You're Not Listening and Tell Me More are about the harder skill, listening. Never Eat Alone is about building a network by building real relationships. Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? and Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing are funny and honest takes on friendship.
Hard conversations and difficult people
Nonviolent Communication is a method for saying difficult things without starting a fight. The Next Conversation is about repairing a talk that went badly. How to Work with Complicated People and Powerful Phrases for Dealing with Difficult People are for the people you can't avoid.
Want the ideas from any of these without reading the full book? Every title above has a complete Sumizeit summary in text, audio, video, and infographic format.
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