Author Augusten Burroughs may be best known for memoirs depicting his roller-coaster childhood (punctuated by psychological and sexual abuse) and his struggle with alcoholism, but these challenging experiences have left him as "prepared" as anyone could be to provide self-help advice. In his usual no-holds-barred style and with his typical black humor, Burroughs offers his thoughts on surviving everything from riding elevators and gaining weight to finishing drinks and finding love. Though unconventional, perhaps -- Burroughs pulls no punches -- his advice is also authentic and honest in its acceptance that sometimes life sucks, but that you can choose how to move forward.

In this "persuasive argument for compassionate care" (Kirkus Reviews), palliative care physician Ira Byock proclaims that end-of-life medical practices have become a crisis in America that will only get worse as Baby Boomers age. Sharing poignant true stories while outlining a plan for optimal end-of-life care, Byock discusses the need to improve the way medical facilities handle the treatment of seriously ill and dying patients by expanding palliative care, which not only helps in alleviating pain but also helps patients say goodbye to friends and family. For another physician's take on dying with dignity, try Sherwin Nuland's How We Die.

Despite the increasing frequency of autism diagnoses, research on treatment hasn't really kept up. In The Autism Revolution, Harvard neurologist Martha Herbert shares her observations from years of research and treating kids with autism and makes a startling, hopeful statement: little changes (in diet, attitude, and the avoidance of stressors) really can make a difference in autism severity. She believes that autism is actually a reaction to a trigger; discovering these triggers and reducing their impact can be as simple as changing to a gluten-free, casein-free diet or removing toxic elements from a child's environment. Using the stories of real people, Herbert emphasizes the importance of treating the entire body, not just the brain, and offers "commonsense advice and compassion" (Booklist).

A.J. Jacobs followed all the rules of the bible for Living Biblically, read the entire Encyclopaedia Britannica for The Know-It-All, and underwent all sorts of experiments for The Guinea Pig Diaries. In his continued quest for self-improvement he's moved on to bodily perfection -- for Drop Dead Healthy, his goal is to be as healthy as possible. This means exercise, proper nutrition, avoiding germs, and trying out such seemingly daft ideas as wearing a bicycle helmet while walking around the city and squatting when using the toilet. While his ultimately sound advice (eat less, exercise more) may echo what you've heard countless times before, his sometimes absurd, frequently entertaining journey might provide some inspiration.

A cancer survivor himself, author Greg Anderson believes very strongly in his six-part program to dealing with a breast cancer diagnosis. But it's just as useful for any patient with a serious illness. While there's plenty of information about breast cancer itself (including answers to all those questions you may have forgotten -- or didn't know -- to ask your doctor), Anderson's approach to dealing with the diagnosis itself has wide application. Patients, in addition to getting medical treatment, will need to get control of their nutrition and attitude, get exercise, and have adequate support from friends and family. Anderson's tips will help new patients find their way in a confusing, scary time.

When she was only 19, British travel journalist Sarah Gabriel lost her mother to ovarian cancer most likely associated with a mutant inherited gene. To circumvent the same cancer, Gabriel chose to preemptively remove her own ovaries at 42, but she was nevertheless diagnosed with breast cancer at the age of 44. Alternating between memories of her own mother's death, her fear for her own two young daughters, and descriptions of her treatments, Gabriel offers up a painful, honest memoir of dealing with cancer. For the memoir of another woman who sought to preempt an inherited cancer diagnosis -- this time through a double mastectomy -- try Jessica Queller's Pretty Is What Changes.

Clearly written and easy to follow, this fitness book is for breast cancer patients who believe that an exercise regimen is an important part of fighting cancer. With goals of increasing bone strength, muscle tone, and balance, author Carolyn Kaelin -- a surgeon and breast cancer survivor -- offers a series of workouts that increase in intensity and discusses the importance of proper nutrition and getting enough rest. Stress reduction is also a key element. For more from Kaelin, try her authoritative Living Through Breast Cancer.

Dr. Love published her first breast book in 1990 -- since then, it has undergone much editing and rewriting as breast health research continues. In this fully revised and updated 5th edition, published in 2010, Dr. Love covers everything from breast development and genetics to nursing and sexuality. In addition to debunking myths, she includes a plethora of other resources and spends a considerable amount of time discussing breast cancer and the issues surrounding it, including breast cancer in men and recent developments in breast cancer treatments. Considered the go-to source for information on breast health, Dr. Susan Love's Breast Book is a wide-ranging and well-written resource.

In this "blackly humorous" (Kirkus Reviews) memoir, author Meredith Norton dispenses with self-pity and instead applies her razor-sharp wit to chronicling her bout with breast cancer. Diagnosed while living in Paris with her husband and small son, the 30-something Norton returns to her native California to undergo treatment -- and moves in with her eccentric parents. While the tone of the book is decidedly irreverent (she complains about the multiple copies of Lance Armstrong's book she receives from well-meaning friends), Norton never shies away from the depicting the harsh realities of battling cancer. The result is a life-affirming work that gives equal scope to the comic and tragic aspects of life.

"No one hands you an instruction manual" when you transition from being a breast cancer patient to being a breast cancer survivor, says author Marisa Weiss, an oncologist and the founder of breastcancer.org. In fact, that's why she and her mother, Ellen -- who survived breast cancer -- originally wrote this book. In this updated and expanded 2nd edition, they include information on the latest diagnostic technologies and treatments as well as chapters on such topics as sex and fertility, bone health, and the ever-present fear of cancer's return. And while it was written for survivors, those still grappling with the diagnosis will find help here too.