Carer Mentor's 2026 Top Ten 'Annual Re-Reads'
and the current twenty-five books competing for a top-ten spot.
Hello, Dear Reader! Welcome to our new Carer Mentor community members!I’m Victoria. You can read why I’m publishing Carer Mentor here: Who Started Carer Mentor and Why?
Connecting with empathy and inspiration is at the heart of Carer Mentor’s mission.
Table of Contents
I hope this offers you some new ideas and inspiration, for your reading in 2026!
1. An Introduction to My 2026 List of ‘Annual ReReads’
These are my Top Ten books I read each year. I started the list in 2017. I review and revise it every December based on what I’ve read that year. Many books compete for a spot in the top ten.
So this list is based on what I’ve read in 2025. But this is more than just a list.
Some books have stayed in my Top Ten since I first read them. Every year, I learn something new with each read, because my mindset and personal lens change. I may concentrate on a different part or draw different interpretations from the text.
The list marks a shift in my journey. Before 2015, ninety percent of my reading focused on advancing my business knowledge and leadership skills. I’ve kept a reference list of all those books, but they’re no longer my priority.
The Top Ten books now have a broader life context.
Re-accessing insights and checking out what I learnt before requires an organised system. I use Notion to interlink book references and lists.
Music, songs, and classical pieces serve as the vertebrae that keep me upright or moving.1
Books, scientific evidence, and articles help me stretch my mindset and expand my views. It’s how I build the mental-muscle strength I need to be agile and creative in my responses to life.
Between stimulus and response there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and our freedom.
Viktor E. Frankl
These are some of the reasons why I value my Top Ten list so much. It’s helped me navigate some of the most challenging times of caregiving, especially the shift from my ‘big’ corporate job to being a caregiver. Curiosity and creativity are life skills!
Do you have a Top Ten list?
Do you re-read any books?
What’s shifted the second or third time?
2. CarerMentor’s Ten Annual Re-Reads
Caregiving is still my highest priority, but I also thrive from learning and growing my ideas. My 2026 Top 10 Reread list is for comfort, validation, motivation, and new inspiration.
The top two books have remained the same for several years. New additions are highlighted in bold.
There are three new books in the Top Ten, a significant change compared to previous years.
Man’s Search for Meaning: An introduction to logotherapy. The classic tribute to hope from the Holocaust. Viktor E Frankl. Published 1946.
Viktor E. Frankl was a professor of neurology and psychiatry at the University of Vienna Medical School until his death in 1997. He was the founder of what has come to be called the Third Viennese School of Psychotherapy (after Freud's psychoanalysis and Adler's individual psychology)—the school of logotherapy.
Emotional Agility: Get Unstuck, Embrace Change and Thrive in Work and Life. Susan David. Published August 3, 2017
I wrote a series of articles about Emotional Agility in 2024
No Mud, No Lotus: The Art of Transforming Suffering, Thich Nhat Hanh. Published March 2, 2015
Life Is in the Transitions: Mastering Change at Any Age. Bruce Feiler. Published July 14, 2020. Here’s the article I wrote.
It's OK That You're Not OK: Meeting Grief and Loss in a Culture That Doesn't Understand. Megan Devine.
Resource: Megan Devine's 'How do you help a grieving friend?' Refuge in Grief Website & Book
Who Cares: The Hidden Crisis of Caregiving, and How We Solve It. Emily Kenway. Published April 27, 2023. Forensically referenced, this book was a cathartic read.
*FINALIST FOR THE ORWELL PRIZE FOR POLITICAL WRITING 2023*
Introduction to Emily Kenway’s Book and her interview with Amanpour & Co (CNN)
A Manual for Being Human. Sophie Mort. Published July 8, 2021
I wrote about Dr Sophie Mort’s book here
Strong Ground: The Lessons of Daring Leadership, the Tenacity of Paradox and the Wisdom of the Human Spirit. By Brené Brown. Published 23 September, 2025
How Emotions are Made. The Secret Life of the Brain. Lisa Feldman Barrett. Published March 23, 2017. I wrote several articles about Lisa Feldman Barrett’s work.
Awe: The Transformative Power of Everyday Wonder. Dacher Keltner. Published January 4, 2024
3. The Current Twenty-Five books competing for a Top Ten spot in 2026
The last six books on this list may be recategorised to my ‘Reference’ list. They used to be in more active use, but not anymore.
In addition, waiting in the wings is a long list of books, ‘To Be Read (TBR).’ I’ve added five new books to this list (and I've also extended it!).
Braving The Wilderness. The quest for true belonging and the courage to stand alone. Brené Brown. Published September 12, 2017
The Choice: A true story of hope. Edith Eger Published August 16 2018
In 1944, sixteen-year-old ballerina Edith Eger was sent to Auschwitz. Separated from her parents on arrival, she endures unimaginable experiences, including being made to dance for the infamous Josef Mengele. When the camp is finally liberated, she is pulled from a pile of bodies, barely alive.
The horrors of the Holocaust didn't break Edith. In fact, they helped her learn to live again with a life-affirming strength and a truly remarkable resilience.The Happiness Trap: Stop Struggling, Start Living. Russ Harris. Published January 1, 2007
I wrote a couple of articles and linked to Russ Harris’ website here.
How Will You Measure Your Life? Clayton M Christensen. Published May 10, 2012
Seven and a Half Lessons About the Brain. Lisa Feldman Barrett. Published March 4 2021.
In seven short chapters (plus a brief history of how the brain evolved), this slim, entertaining, and accessible book reveals mind-expanding lessons from the front lines of neuroscience research. You’ll learn where brains came from, how they’re structured (and why it matters), and how yours works in tandem with other brains to create everything you experience. Along the way, you’ll also learn to dismiss popular myths such as the idea of a 'lizard brain' and the alleged battle between thoughts and emotions, or even between nature and nurture, to determine your behaviour.
The Gifts of Imperfection. Be You. Let Go of Who You Think You're Supposed to Be and Embrace Who You Are. Brené Brown. Published November 30, 2010.
Maybe You Should Talk to Someone. Lori Gottleib Published April 2 2019
Why Has Nobody Told Me This Before? Julie Smith. January 6, 2022
The Reality Slap 2nd Edition: How to survive and thrive when life hits hard. Russ Harris. Published March 25, 2021
Hope for Cynics: The Surprising Science Of Human Goodness. Jamil Zaki. Published September 5, 2024
Shift: How to Manage Your Emotions so They Don’t Manage You. Ethan Kross. Published February 4, 2025
Whole Brain Living: The Anatomy of Choice and the Four Characters That Drive Our Life. Jill Bolte Taylor. Published May 11, 2021
Resilient Grieving, Second Edition: How to Find Your Way Through Devastating Loss (Second Edition) Lucy Hone. June 25, 2024
The Artists Way. Julia Cameron Published November 5, 2020
The Squiggly Career. Ditch the Ladder, Discover Opportunity, Design Your Career. Helen Tupper, Sarah Ellis. Published January 09, 2020
Mindset - Updated Edition: Changing The Way You think To Fulfil Your Potential. 6th edition. Carol Dweck. Published 12 Jan 2017
The Power of Geography. Ten Maps that Reveal the Future of Our World – the sequel to Prisoners of Geography. Tim Marshall New Edition April 2025
Think Again: The Power of Knowing What You Don't Know by Adam M. Grant. Published February 2, 2021
Daring Greatly. Be All In. How the Courage to Be Vulnerable Transforms the Way We Live, Love, Parent, and Lead. Brené Brown, 2013
Out of the Maze: A Simple Way to Change Your Thinking & Unlock Success. Spencer Johnson. Published November 13 2018
You Coach You: How to Overcome Challenges and Take Control of Your Career. Helen Tupper, Sarah Ellis. Published January 13, 2022
Peak Mind: Find Your Focus, Own Your Attention, Invest 12 Minutes a Day. Amishi Jha. Published October 19, 2021
Building a Second Brain: A Proven Method to Organize Your Digital Life and Unlock Your Creative Potential. Tiago Forte. Published June 14, 2022
Atomic Habits. Tiny Changes, Remarkable Results. James Clear. October 18, 2018
Unstoppable Brain: The New Neuroscience that Frees Us from Failure, Eases Our Stress, and Creates Lasting Change By Kyra Bobinet. Published 13 June 2024.
4. Caregiving Reference Books (2024)
These are the books I recommend to others.
There are a couple of care-related books in my To Be Read list.
The Complete Eldercare Planner, Revised and Updated 4th Edition: Where to Start, Which Questions to Ask, and How to Find Help. Joy Loverde. Published 24 October, 2023
The Selfish Pig's Guide To Caring: How to cope with the emotional and practical aspects of caring for someone. By Hugh Marriott. Every UK Carer I talk to recommends this book. There are many memoirs about being a Carer, but this is the go-to reference book for feeling sane, human, and seen.
The Mindful Self-Compassion Workbook: A Proven Way to Accept Yourself, Build Inner Strength, and Thrive. By Kristin Neff and Christopher Germer. Also, Self-Compassion: The Proven Power of Being Kind to Yourself. By Kristin Neff. Self Compassion By Kristin Neff. They have a wealth of resources on the website, which are offered freely. I used their guided meditations many times. There is a specific meditation and focus on caregivers here.
Palliative and End of Life Care in Nursing. By Jane Nicol and Brian Nyatanga. As we are expected to muddle through, I sought out this book. Paid carers or nurses are trained and have resources to leverage. Unpaid carers have no training and limited ‘tools’ and learn by doing through crises.
I recommend exploring the resources curated by Denise Brown Caregiving Resources for Your Library
5. Dementia Book Recommendations (2025)
6. Carer Mentor Articles about these books:
I hope this inspires you to read one of these books, especially something from the Top Ten list!
Please press your heart ‘❤️’ to like this and guide others here.
Warm wishes to you and your loved ones.
The playlists I shared in ‘#11 This Caregiver’s Music: ‘A backbone of music to stabilise this year.’ help me feel more centred, and enable my head, heart and gut to stay aligned.
Great information. I would add “Being Mortal” by Atul Gawande. I also found the series “Dementia for Dummies” helpful in its simplicity. 💜
This is incredible. A good mix of educational, reflective, and lots of fuel for the heart. Thank you for always taking the time to put these resources!