What if empathy isn't just a natural trait but a skill anyone can cultivate? In a world that often feels divided and disconnected, the ability to truly understand and share the feelings of others has never been more crucial. Experts like Jack Canfield, co-author of the Chicken Soup for the Soul series, and Kasha Davis, an international performer, champion empathy as a powerful force for personal growth and meaningful connection. Canfield praises Sensitive Is the New Strong for showing how strength emerges from sensitivity — a perspective that reshaped his own understanding of emotional intelligence.
Psychologist and educator Mona Delahooke offers a neurobiological lens in Beyond Behaviors, helping parents and professionals see children's actions as expressions of unmet emotional needs rather than mere defiance. These experts, among many others, provide insights that reveal empathy's transformative potential across diverse contexts — from parenting and leadership to healing and social change.
While this collection of 20 expertly recommended books offers you proven frameworks and inspiring stories, you might also consider creating a personalized Empathy book tailored to your unique background, experience level, and specific goals. This approach can deepen your journey by blending expert wisdom with your personal context and challenges.
Jack Canfield, co-author of the Chicken Soup for the Soul series, knows the power of connection and human kindness. After exploring empathy's role in personal growth, he praises this book because Moorjani teaches you to embrace your sensitivity and see it as a strength, and she shows you how to empower yourself and become the leader of your life, while showing us all how sensitivity is a valuable and needed component in our future evolution. His endorsement highlights how the book helped him recognize sensitivity not as a burden but as a vital evolutionary trait. Alongside him, Kasha Davis echoes the enthusiasm, calling it a "FANTASTIC book," which reinforces the book's broad appeal to those seeking deeper emotional awareness and empowerment.
“Moorjani teaches you to embrace your sensitivity and see it as a strength, and she shows you how to empower yourself and become the leader of your life, while showing us all how sensitivity is a valuable and needed component in our future evolution. I highly recommend this book for all empaths and their loved ones.”
Anita Moorjani is the New York Times bestselling author of Sensitive Is the New Strong, Dying to Be Me, and What If This Is Heaven? A beloved international speaker, she lives in the United States with her husband, Danny, and has dedicated her life to empowering the minds and hearts of people with her story of courage and transformation. Anita was born in Singapore to Indian parents and grew up in Hong Kong speaking English, Cantonese, and an Indian dialect simultaneously. Prior to her near-death experience, she worked in the corporate world.
2021·224 pages·Empathy, Emotional Intelligence, Self Awareness, Energy Management, Boundaries
Anita Moorjani draws on her unique journey through a near-death experience and corporate life to reshape how empaths understand their sensitivity. This book guides you through recognizing the challenges empaths face, like sensory overload and emotional exhaustion, and offers ways to harness these traits as strengths rather than liabilities. You’ll find practical chapters on protecting your energy, setting boundaries, and embracing your intuitive gifts to live authentically in a demanding world. It’s especially suited for emerging empaths or those struggling to reconcile their empathy with everyday pressures.
Serena Wieder, Clinical Director at the Profectum Foundation, brings deep expertise in developmental challenges and endorses this book for its compassionate, science-based approach. She highlights how it reshaped her perspective on behavioral challenges by integrating brain science with relational safety, saying, "This book will embrace every parent and professional puzzling over behavioral challenges and make you question the assumptions about their meaning and re-evaluate how to help." Such insights helped Serena see beyond behaviors to the child's experience, fostering more secure relationships. Similarly, Stephen Porges, a distinguished university scientist, praises the book for overturning outdated models and introducing neurobiological understanding that leads to effective outcomes.
“This book will embrace every parent and professional puzzling over behavioral challenges and make you question the assumptions about their meaning and re-evaluate how to help. Dr. Delahooke reframes our understanding by integrating perspectives from development, brain science, mental health, and child and parent experiences using example after example to guide you towards insight and compassionate approaches that are respectful of neurodiversity. Beyond Behaviors will help every child and family progress, feel safe, enjoy relationships, and develop to their fullest.”
Mona Delahooke is an internationally recognized pediatric psychologist specializing in understanding children's behaviors through the lens of neuroscience and compassion. With years of experience working with children and families, she emphasizes the importance of relational safety in addressing behavioral challenges. Her insights are grounded in the latest scientific research, making her a trusted voice in the field of child psychology.
Unlike most empathy books that focus solely on behavior modification, Mona Delahooke explores children's behavioral challenges through the lens of brain science and relational safety. Drawing on her extensive experience as a pediatric psychologist, she reveals how behaviors often signal deeper neurological and emotional needs, rather than mere defiance or willfulness. You’ll find practical frameworks and worksheets designed to help parents, educators, and professionals recognize these underlying causes and foster secure, compassionate relationships. For example, chapters addressing sensory processing and trauma provide nuanced strategies tailored to different diagnoses, shifting the focus from punishment to understanding. This book suits anyone committed to nurturing resilience and connection in children facing complex challenges.
This AI-created book on empathy skills is tailored specifically to your experiences and goals. By sharing your background and what you want to focus on, you get a book that matches your learning needs and helps you develop empathy in ways that matter most to you. Unlike general guides, this book creates a personalized journey through empathy, making your growth both relevant and practical.
TailoredRead AI creates personalized nonfiction books that adapt to your unique background, goals, and interests. Instead of reading generic content, you get a custom book written specifically for your profession, experience level, and learning objectives. Whether you're a beginner looking for fundamentals or an expert seeking advanced insights, TailoredRead crafts a book that speaks directly to you. Learn more.
2025·50-300 pages·Empathy, Empathy Fundamentals, Emotional Intelligence, Perspective Taking, Active Listening
This personalized book explores the multifaceted skill of empathy, revealing how you can deepen your understanding of others by focusing on your unique background and goals. It examines the cognitive, emotional, and social dimensions of empathy, offering a tailored pathway that connects established expert knowledge with your specific interests. Through a careful synthesis of core empathy concepts, interpersonal communication, emotional regulation, and perspective-taking, this book guides you to develop your empathy skills authentically and effectively. The tailored content ensures that you engage deeply with the areas most relevant to your personal growth and real-world interactions, making your learning experience both meaningful and practical.
Iyanla Vanzant, a #1 New York Times bestselling author and TV host, emphasizes how Raising Good Humans addresses one of the toughest challenges—parenting itself. She highlights that the book goes beyond basics, teaching what children truly need to thrive emotionally. Vanzant calls it a vital guide filled with clear instruction and heartfelt reminders that helped her appreciate the deeper layers of raising compassionate kids. Similarly, Katherine Reynolds Lewis, an author and family dynamics expert, praises the book for its blend of compassion and practical exercises, noting how mindfulness transforms parent-child relationships and builds lasting confidence in children.
“One of the most difficult tasks anyone can undertake is having and raising children. In Raising Good Humans, Hunter Clarke-Fields instructs and reminds us that children need more than food, clothing, and shelter. She tells us what the ‘more’ is and how to provide it. Thank you, Hunter.”
Hunter Clarke-Fields, MSAE, is creator of Mindful Parenting, host of the Mindful Parenting podcast, and author of Raising Good Humans. She coaches parents on how to cultivate mindfulness in their daily lives and cooperation in their families. Hunter has more than twenty years of experience in meditation practices, and has taught thousands worldwide.
What started as Hunter Clarke-Fields's personal journey into mindfulness evolved into a guide that challenges reactive parenting habits through compassion and presence. Drawing on over two decades of meditation teaching, she offers specific tools for parents to foster respectful, cooperative relationships with their children. You’ll learn practical conflict resolution strategies and how to replace automatic reactions with mindful responses, as explained in chapters dedicated to communication and emotional regulation. This book suits parents seeking to raise confident, kind kids by breaking cycles of stress and reactivity at home.
Anthony Robbins, Vice President at AT&T and former VP at Oracle, Sun, and SGI, recognizes the profound simplicity Dr. Rosenberg brings to communication. Facing complex personal and professional challenges, Robbins found the book's strategies invaluable: "Dr. Rosenberg has brought the simplicity of successful communication into the foreground. No matter what issue you’re facing, his strategies for communicating with others will set you up to win every time." This method reshaped his approach to conflict and collaboration. Similarly, Deepak Chopra praises how Nonviolent Communication connects deeply, calling it "the missing element in what we do," highlighting its spiritual and healing impact. Their endorsements underline how this book offers tools to transform how you engage with others.
Vice President at AT&T, Former VP at Oracle, Sun and SGI
“Dr. Rosenberg has brought the simplicity of successful communication into the foreground. No matter what issue you’re facing, his strategies for communicating with others will set you up to win every time.”
Marshall B. Rosenberg PhD was an American psychologist and the founder of the Center for Nonviolent Communication. He developed the Nonviolent Communication (NVC) process, which emphasizes empathy and understanding in communication. Rosenberg's work has been influential in various fields, including education, healthcare, and conflict resolution, and he has trained individuals and organizations worldwide in the principles of NVC.
Marshall B. Rosenberg PhD, a psychologist dedicated to fostering empathy, developed Nonviolent Communication as a way to transform how we relate to others by reducing judgment and blame. You’ll learn to recognize and replace patterns of "violent" communication—such as criticism and defensiveness—with compassionate language that nurtures connection and collaboration. The book explains four key components: consciousness, language, communication, and influence, guiding you through practical examples like asking for needs clearly and hearing others even in conflict. If you want to improve your relationships by shifting how you express yourself and listen, this book offers a methodical approach to making that shift.
Sharon Salzberg, a New York Times bestselling author renowned for her expertise in mindfulness and lovingkindness meditation, recommends this book for its elegant and useful four-step RAIN meditation. She highlights how it helps uncover love, self-care, forgiveness, and compassion, making it integral to anyone’s mindfulness practice. Salzberg’s endorsement brings weight as she has spent decades cultivating empathy practices herself. Alongside her, Kristin Neff, an associate professor known for pioneering research in self-compassion, praises Tara Brach’s ability to meet people’s inner needs precisely, transforming pain into love. Their combined insights underscore the book’s depth and practical value for cultivating empathy and compassion.
“Tara Brach’s four-step RAIN meditation can be an integral part of anyone’s mindfulness practice. RAIN helps us uncover the states of love, self-care, forgiveness, compassion, and tenderness we each are capable of. It is a useful and elegant system, and Radical Compassion is a beautifully written book.”
Tara Brach, PhD, is an internationally known teacher of mindfulness, meditation, emotional healing, and spiritual awakening. She is the author of Radical Acceptance and True Refuge, and her weekly podcasted talk and meditation is downloaded by over a million and a half people each month. Tara is the senior teacher and founder of Insight Meditation Center of Washington, DC. She lives in Great Falls, VA with her husband and dog.
The breakthrough moment came when Tara Brach, an internationally known mindfulness and meditation teacher, developed the RAIN practice to address the emotional overwhelm many face today. In Radical Compassion, she guides you through this four-step meditation—Recognize, Allow, Investigate, Nurture—illustrated with vivid stories from her teaching experience, helping you loosen the grip of difficult emotions like shame and self-aversion. You’ll learn to cultivate self-love and forgiveness in tangible ways that extend to your relationships and the world around you. This book suits anyone seeking practical tools for emotional healing and deeper connection but may feel less relevant if you're looking for purely academic discussions on empathy.
This AI-created book on empathy development is crafted based on your background, experience level, and specific empathy goals. By sharing which areas of empathy you want to focus on and your current skills, you receive a book tailored to guide your growth effectively. This approach recognizes how empathy is deeply personal, so a custom path helps you develop the skills most relevant to you. It’s like having a personal coach for your empathy journey, designed just for your unique learning pace and interests.
TailoredRead AI creates personalized nonfiction books that adapt to your unique background, goals, and interests. Instead of reading generic content, you get a custom book written specifically for your profession, experience level, and learning objectives. Whether you're a beginner looking for fundamentals or an expert seeking advanced insights, TailoredRead crafts a book that speaks directly to you. Learn more.
2025·50-300 pages·Empathy, Empathy Fundamentals, Emotional Awareness, Active Listening, Perspective Taking
This tailored book explores a focused 30-day journey designed to enhance your empathy through daily, customized exercises that align with your interests and background. It examines the psychological foundations of empathy and reveals practical ways to cultivate deeper understanding and emotional connection. By addressing your specific goals, this personalized guide offers a pathway to develop empathy skills that resonate with your unique experiences. The content emphasizes experiential learning, helping you engage actively with empathy-building practices and reflect on their impact. This approach bridges expert knowledge with your personal growth, making the process both accessible and meaningful for your development.
Deepak Chopra, a renowned author and wellness expert, appreciates this book for its compassionate approach to empathy. He highlights how "In Thriving as an Empath, Dr. Judith Orloff shows you how to embrace your empathic gifts and share more love and caring with the world." His endorsement reflects a broader expert consensus valuing Orloff's daily meditations and self-care practices. Similarly, Jack Kornfield, author of A Path with Heart, calls it "Lovely and wise daily prompts for tending your life," emphasizing its steady support for sensitive individuals seeking balance.
Judith Orloff, MD, is a leading voice in the fields of medicine, psychiatry, empathy, and intuitive development. A member of the UCLA Psychiatric Clinical Staff, her bestselling books include The Empath’s Survival Guide, Thriving as an Empath, Emotional Freedom, Positive Energy, Dr. Judith Orloff’s Guide to Intuitive Healing, and Second Sight. She specializes in treating empaths and sensitive people in her private practice. Find more inspiration at Dr. Orloff’s website, drjudithorloff.com.
After years treating sensitive patients, Dr. Judith Orloff crafted this book to help empaths navigate daily overwhelm with practical self-care rituals. You get 365 meditations, journaling prompts, and reflections to build emotional boundaries, protect your energy, and avoid burnout. Chapters delve into seasonal cycles, sensory overload, and transforming time perception, equipping you to honor your sensitivity without sacrificing well-being. If you often feel drained by others’ emotions or struggle to balance empathy with self-preservation, this book offers steady daily support to strengthen your resilience and deepen your intuitive gifts.
Jennifer Gonzalez, an education expert who helps teachers thrive in classrooms, highlights this book's significance for anyone interested in restorative practices. She shares how "Hacking School Discipline is a promising contribution to the larger body of work on restorative practices from authors Brad Weinstein and Nathan Maynard." Gonzalez appreciates the book’s grounded approach to transforming school discipline through empathy and responsibility. Alongside her, Danny Steele, an award-winning principal, echoes the value of the book’s practical strategies, noting its focus on preserving relationships while changing behavior.
“Hacking School Discipline is a promising contribution to the larger body of work on restorative practices from authors Brad Weinstein and Nathan Maynard.”
Nathan Maynard is an advocate for students. He studied Behavioral Neuroscience at Purdue University and has been in the field for over eleven years working with at-risk populations. He previously was the Dean of Culture at Purdue University's first high school, Purdue Polytechnic High School. Nathan also is one of the co-founders of BehaviorFlip, the first restorative practices behavior management software. He was awarded 'Youth Worker of the Year' through dedicating his time with helping underserved and underprivileged youth involved with the juvenile justice system. He has been facilitating restorative practices for over ten years in a wide range of educational settings. Nathan is passionate about addressing the school-to-prison pipeline crisis and closing the achievement gap by implementing trauma-informed behavioral practices. Nathan has expertise in Dialectical Behavioral Coaching, Motivational Interviewing, Positive Youth Development, Restorative Justice, and Trauma-Informed building practices to assist with creating positive school climates.
2019·202 pages·Empathy, Restorative Justice, School Discipline, Behavioral Neuroscience, Trauma-Informed Care
What if everything you knew about school discipline was wrong? Nathan Maynard, with a background in behavioral neuroscience and extensive experience in restorative justice, teams up with Brad Weinstein to challenge traditional punitive measures. Instead of detentions and suspensions, you learn to foster a culture where empathy and responsibility guide student behavior, using tools like restorative circles and trauma-informed practices. This book offers concrete methods to reduce negative behaviors and improve communication, particularly useful if you work in education or youth development. It’s a thoughtful guide for anyone looking to reshape school environments into communities of accountability and care.
Bento C. Leal III is an award-winning author and communication expert whose deep understanding of interpersonal communication informs every page of this guide. Driven by years of research and practical experience, he crafted this book to help you break through communication barriers and foster more meaningful connections. His focus on actionable skills like empathic listening and conflict management reflects a commitment to helping you improve all your relationships, whether at home or work.
Bento C. Leal III is an award-winning author and communication expert known for his impactful work in the field of interpersonal communication. With a focus on practical skills, he has helped countless individuals improve their relationships through effective communication strategies. His insights are drawn from years of experience and research, making him a trusted voice in the realm of self-help and personal development.
What started as a quest to decode everyday misunderstandings, Bento C. Leal III draws from his extensive experience in interpersonal communication to offer practical tools that enhance how you connect with others. This book drills into four foundational skills—empathic listening, clear speaking, conflict management, and gratitude expression—enabling you to navigate conversations with greater awareness and calm. It’s designed for anyone eager to improve personal and professional relationships, with exercises like the 12-Day Communication Challenge inviting you to practice and internalize these skills. Whether you’re addressing family dynamics or workplace interactions, it provides concrete strategies to build empathy and foster mutual understanding.
Arianna Huffington, co-founder of The Huffington Post, highlights Sherry Turkle's memoir as a fearless and clear-eyed exploration of empathy that bridges academic rigor and personal courage. Her recommendation, "Sherry’s life story is that of a woman who made her own way—both in the academic world and in the larger cultural conversation—by following her passions without fear and with tremendous integrity," captures the book's spirit. Huffington found that Turkle's journey reshaped her understanding of empathy's complexity in a digital age. Complementing this, Nicolle Wallace, MSNBC host, praised the memoir as the best she's read in years, underscoring its resonance beyond academia and into broader cultural conversations.
“Sherry’s life story is that of a woman who made her own way—both in the academic world and in the larger cultural conversation—by following her passions without fear and with tremendous integrity. In so doing, she has helped us all understand a vital aspect of our lives with much greater clarity. The Empathy Diaries is a case study in courage and where it can take us.”
Sherry Turkle is the Abby Rockefeller Mauzé Professor of the Social Studies of Science and Technology at MIT. A licensed clinical psychologist, she is a Ms. Magazine Woman of the Year, TED speaker, and recipient of a Guggenheim Fellowship and a Rockefeller Humanities Fellowship.
What happens when a psychologist deeply versed in technology turns the lens inward? Sherry Turkle, a licensed clinical psychologist and MIT professor, intertwines her personal history with decades of research to explore empathy's role amid digital transformation. You gain insight into empathy not only as a social skill but as a survival strategy shaped by Turkle's family dynamics and academic journey, including chapters reflecting on her experiences at Harvard-Radcliffe and MIT. This memoir offers a nuanced look at how human connection evolves alongside technology, making it relevant for anyone wrestling with the impact of digital life on relationships.
Jay Baer, a best-selling author and digital marketing expert, highlights the urgency of addressing our modern empathy deficit that disrupts both work and life. He calls "Mean People Suck" a manual for treating each other—and yourself—right, unlocking both emotional and tangible rewards. This perspective reshaped his approach to leadership and customer service, underscoring empathy’s critical role. Alongside him, John Rampton, an entrepreneur and productivity specialist, credits the book with helping him resolve long-standing frustrations with difficult clients and grow as a more empathetic person.
“We are living in an era of empathy deficit that's turned our work and our lives upside down. Mean People Suck is the modern manual for treating each other - and yourself - right, and reaping the psychic and real-world rewards. A game changer!”
Michael Brenner has been recognized as a Forbes top CMO influencer, a Top Business Keynote Speaker by the Huffington Post and a Top Motivational Speaker by Entrepreneur Magazine. He is CEO of Marketing Insider Group, where he has worked with more than 75 brands in building effective thought leadership, marketing, and employee activation programs. Michael is the best-selling author of 3 books including 'Mean People Suck - how empathy leads to bigger profits and a better life,' 'The Content Formula,' and 'Digital Marketing Growth Hacks.' As a speaker and consultant, Michael enjoys sharing his experiences and client stories to inspire leaders like you into action that creates impact. Michael's work has been featured by The Economist, The Guardian, and Entrepreneur Magazine. He has championed a customer-centric approach at organizations large and small. He led sales and marketing for software companies like Nielsen and FullTilt. As an executive at ICR, SAP, and Newscred, Michael's innovative leadership resulted in massive growth. His workshops and keynotes for Fortune 500 brands and tiny startups have inspired profound personal and professional change. Today, Michael is the CEO of Marketing Insider Group, founded on the belief that strong leaders who champion their teams are the key to unlocking massive growth. When he's not working with clients, Michael travels the world helping even the most bureaucratic organizations break down silos, create cultures of innovation, and build engaged workforces. Michael Brenner graduated with a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in English Literature from St. Joseph’s University (Philadelphia, PA). He lives in West Chester, PA with his wife and four children. It is this experience that led Michael to author Mean People Suck, to help others see that they can use empathy to a better business and a more meaningful life.
Michael Brenner’s experience leading marketing and sales at companies like Nielsen and SAP shapes this exploration of empathy’s power in business. Instead of accepting toxic workplace behaviors, Brenner challenges you to rethink success through emotional connection and compassion. You’ll encounter practical insights about how empathy enhances employee engagement, boosts profits, and transforms leadership styles, with chapters revealing why traditional organizational charts often neglect the human element. If you’re committed to improving workplace culture or personal relationships, this book offers a grounded perspective on replacing meanness with meaningful connection.
Best for empathy in personal growth and social change
Oprah Daily, a leading women's lifestyle publication, highlights the courage in vulnerability with "Sharing what you’re most ashamed of is frightening and cathartic—and, it turns out, a powerful connector." This insight underscores the emotional depth Michael Tennant brings to empathy, blending his entrepreneurial background with a personal journey through loss and mental health struggles. Tennant’s approach helped shift Oprah Daily’s perspective on how empathy can forge authentic human connections. Complementing this, Maria Shriver’s Sunday Paper praises the book as "An actionable guide for creating personal and social change," emphasizing its practical exercises that resonate beyond individual growth to societal impact.
Michael Tennant is the Founder and CEO of Curiosity Lab, a purpose-driven venture studio and consultancy that builds products and experiences that teach empathy, the creator of the empathy card game Actually Curious, and the author of The Power of Empathy, published in October 2023 by Chronicle Books. In his role as CEO, Michael creates and incubates businesses to help values-aligned individuals and organizations use empathy to live happier and healthier lives and to nurture productive and inclusive environments. In 2022, Curiosity Lab received an investment from Pharrell and the Black Ambition Prize. In 2017, Michael founded Curiosity Lab and in 2018, he created the viral conversation card game Actually Curious, which is designed to bring people closer together and teach tools for empathy and has been featured by the New York Times, Oprah and the TODAY Show. Michael’s long term ambition is to turn teaching empathy into a thriving ecosystem that advocates for diversity, mental health, and well-being through products, content, workshops and technology. Prior to founding Curiosity Lab, Michael served as the head of branded content in the US for PHD Media, an Omnicom Agency, where he helped the agency win Ad Age’s 2017 Media Agency of the Year, leading content strategy and execution for brands like Google, Delta Airlines, and the Volkswagen portfolio. Prior to that, he led branded content for the Coca-Cola company and various brands in the P&G portfolio. Michael began his career in youth entertainment where he held various content, marketing, and partnership development roles for MTV and VICE.
What happens when entrepreneurship meets empathy? Michael Tennant, drawing on his experience creating the viral Actually Curious card game and leading Curiosity Lab, offers a thirty-day guide that interlaces personal stories with research to develop empathy skills for self-growth and social impact. You’ll encounter practical chapters on mindfulness, journaling prompts, and frameworks for compassionate confrontation and connection, designed to transform empathy from abstract ideal to daily practice. This book suits those seeking to heal personal wounds while strengthening community ties, particularly activists, business leaders, and anyone navigating recovery or mental health challenges.
Amanda Palmer, a musician and author known for blending art with human experience, found this book during times when empathy felt scarce around her. She praised it for seamlessly stitching together his own experiences with fascinating stories and research from around the globe, highlighting its urgent message that cultivating empathy is not only possible but essential today. This perspective reshaped how she views human connection and kindness in fractured societies. Alongside her, Arianna Huffington, co-founder of The Huffington Post, emphasizes that Zaki "shows that empathy isn't a fixed trait — it's something we can, and must, develop and nurture," underscoring the book's call to action for all of us.
“Seamlessly stitching together his own experiences with fascinating stories and research from around the globe, Jamil lays out the irrefutable evidence for what we may already instinctively be sensing . . . that in these uncertain times, our ability to cultivate empathy for one another is not only possible, it’s necessary. A must read for anyone willing to peek under the hood of the human heart.”
Jamil Zaki is a professor of psychology at Stanford University and the director of the Stanford Social Neuroscience Laboratory. His writing has appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, The New Yorker, and The Atlantic.
2019·272 pages·Empathy, Social Neuroscience, Kindness, Psychology, Emotional Intelligence
Jamil Zaki, a Stanford psychologist and social neuroscience expert, challenges the idea that empathy is an unchangeable trait, presenting it instead as a skill you can develop. Drawing from experiments in his own lab and stories of people overcoming division—from former neo-Nazis to police officers—he illustrates how empathy can be strengthened through intentional effort. You'll learn how empathy functions in the brain, why society faces an "empathy deficit," and practical ways to foster kindness even in tough contexts like NICUs or conflict zones. This book suits anyone curious about human connection, especially those seeking to understand or improve social bonds in fractured communities.
Cyndi Dale, bestselling author and energy expert, recommends this book highly for anyone navigating the complexities of being an empath. She shares how 'Embrace Your Empathy' felt like a supernatural spa experience that transformed her perspective on sensitivity. This book helped her turn what felt like a burden into a source of strength by offering insights and practical tools to embrace empathic gifts fully. Dale’s endorsement carries weight given her deep expertise in energy and healing, making this a trusted guide for anyone wanting to thrive as an empath.
“If you are an empath (like me), you need this book...You've only to crack this cover and spend time with Kristy in the magical pages that follow to help yourself transform the 'terrible' into the 'terrific.' In fact, this book is more like a supernatural spa experience than anything else, chock full of the concepts, stories, understandings, and tips that will help you embrace your empathic gifts and turn them―and you―into a shining light.”
Kristy Robinett (Michigan) is a revolutionary psychic medium and astrologer. In addition to giving readings and teaching workshops, she uses her psychic skills to assist with police investigations. Kristy lectures across the country and is a frequent media commentator, appearing on the ID Channel's Restless Souls, Fox News, ABC News, Coast to Coast, and more. Kristy Robinett is also the author of several books, including Born Under a Good Sign, It's a Wonderful Afterlife, and Embrace Your Empathy. Visit her online at www.KristyRobinett.com.
Drawing from her extensive experience as a psychic medium and astrologer, Kristy Robinett explores the unique challenges and strengths of empaths in this guide. She breaks down different empath types—physical, emotional, intuitive, and earth—and offers practical ways to identify and nurture these traits. Throughout the book, you’ll find meditations, exercises, and real-life client stories that demonstrate how empathy can be a powerful tool rather than a burden. This book is especially helpful if you’ve struggled with feeling overwhelmed by sensitivity or want to better understand how empathy shapes your relationships and personal growth.
Pete Srodoski is a leadership coach and business strategist with decades of experience leading multimillion-dollar companies. As the bestselling author of Lead With Empathy and The Small Business Playbook, Pete brings real-world grit, not theory, to leadership challenges. His approach helps business owners cut through chaos and build thriving teams using his R3 System, which aligns vision, strategy, and action. This book reflects his commitment to guiding leaders to connect deeply with their teams while scaling their businesses sustainably.
Pete Srodoski is a leadership coach, business strategist, and the bestselling author of Lead With Empathy and The Small Business Playbook. With decades of experience leading multimillion-dollar businesses in both e-commerce and consumer products, Pete brings real-world grit to the table—not fluff or theory. His work is rooted in helping business owners cut through chaos, lead with purpose, and build teams that don’t just perform—they thrive. As the founder of Roll With The Punches, Pete has guided hundreds of entrepreneurs through the highs and lows of business ownership, offering battle-tested tools that drive clarity, culture, and growth. He’s also the creator of the R3 System—a simple, powerful framework that helps leaders align Vision, Strategy, and Action to scale their business without burning out. When he’s not writing or coaching, Pete’s probably on the sidelines of a youth soccer game, playing Lorcana cards with his kids, or diving into a gritty post-apocalyptic novel.
2023·149 pages·Empathy, Leadership, Management, Team Building, Crisis Management
Drawing from decades of leadership experience, Pete Srodoski challenges the conventional wisdom that leadership is solely about strategy and metrics. Instead, he zeroes in on empathy as an essential skill to elevate your management style and build cohesive, motivated teams. You’ll gain practical insights into navigating crises with compassion, fostering innovation through understanding, and maintaining your own well-being to lead sustainably. For example, his R3 System framework aligns vision, strategy, and action while emphasizing human connection. If you're aiming to inspire lasting change in your business culture, this book offers a grounded, no-fluff approach that benefits team leads and executives alike.
Judith Orloff, MD, a psychiatric clinician and intuitive development expert at UCLA, brings decades of experience treating empaths to this work. Her background in medicine and psychiatry uniquely qualifies her to guide sensitive individuals in managing empathy's challenges and gifts. This book distills her clinical insights into practical steps for emotional self-care, boundary setting, and compassionate leadership, reflecting her commitment to helping empaths thrive in personal and professional life.
Judith Orloff, MD, is a leading voice in the fields of medicine, psychiatry, empathy, and intuitive development. A member of the UCLA Psychiatric Clinical Staff, her bestselling books include The Empath’s Survival Guide, Thriving as an Empath, Emotional Freedom, Positive Energy, Dr. Judith Orloff’s Guide to Intuitive Healing, Second Sight, and The Genius of Empathy. She specializes in treating empaths and sensitive people in her private practice. Find more inspiration at Dr. Orloff’s website, drjudithorloff.com.
Judith Orloff, MD, combines her expertise in psychiatry and intuitive development to explore empathy's transformative potential beyond mere sensitivity. You learn specific techniques to identify your unique empathic style and practical self-care methods to prevent emotional overwhelm, including setting boundaries and recognizing empathy-deficient individuals like narcissists. The book also delves into applying empathy inwardly for healing trauma and outwardly for leadership and stronger relationships, with chapters packed with actionable lessons from neuroscience and energy medicine. If you seek to deepen your emotional intelligence and harness empathy as a source of personal strength and connection, this guide offers grounded insights without fluff.
Michael S. Sorensen is an award-winning author and executive who spends his nights exploring personal development insights. His passion for uncovering effective principles for living connected lives shines through in this book, where he distills years of mentorship and research into practical communication techniques anyone can use.
Michael S. Sorensen is an award-winning author and executive by day, and an avid reader, researcher, and personal development junkie by night. Obsessed with finding the best principles and practices for living a rich, fulfilling, and connected life, he seeks out and experiments with new and interesting ideas to discover what actually works. Having benefited from years of mentoring from coaches, counselors, and executives (and the wisdom of countless self-help books), he’s set out to share his explorations, insights, and discoveries with others.
After years immersed in leadership roles and personal development, Michael S. Sorensen developed this book to spotlight a communication skill many overlook: validation. You’ll learn how to use simple phrases and genuine acknowledgment to ease tensions, deepen connections, and transform everyday conversations into meaningful exchanges. Sorensen breaks down how this skill reduces conflict and builds trust, with clear examples on calming fears or offering feedback that resonates. If you want to improve your personal and professional relationships without complicated strategies, this concise guide offers accessible techniques you can start applying immediately.
UnSelfie offers a thoughtful approach to reversing the empathy decline seen in today's youth, attributed to what Dr. Michele Borba calls the "Selfie Syndrome." This book stands out by providing a 9-step program designed to help parents and educators nurture empathy from birth through young adulthood, emphasizing kindness, resilience, and self-control as foundational traits. It explores how common disciplinary methods might undermine empathy and explains why fostering these skills is crucial for children's future success in both personal and professional realms. For anyone invested in raising compassionate, capable kids, this book delivers a clear, research-based roadmap.
2016·288 pages·Empathy, Child Development, Parenting, Discipline, Social Skills
Michele Borba Dr.'s decades of experience as an educational psychologist shape this insightful examination of empathy's role in child development. You’ll discover a research-backed 9-step program aimed at nurturing empathy from infancy through young adulthood, addressing how modern challenges like the "Selfie Syndrome" erode this vital skill. Specific chapters reveal why common disciplinary tactics can backfire and how fostering kindness, self-control, and resilience prepares kids for future success beyond academics. If you're a parent or educator seeking to cultivate not just intelligence but compassion and cooperation in children, this book offers clear guidance grounded in evidence.
Michele Hansen is an entrepreneur who co-founded the SaaS company Geocodio and now lives in the Danish countryside. With a passion for effective communication, she wrote this guide to help you master empathetic customer interviews, drawing on her real-world experience to teach you how to listen deeply and ask the right questions to uncover what truly matters to your customers.
Michele Hansen is an entrepreneur who co-founded a software-as-a-service company, Geocodio, with her husband Mathias in 2014. Originally from the US, she now lives in the Danish countryside with her family. Michele enjoys reading, adult gymnastics, and engaging in conversations about effective communication.
Michele Hansen draws on her entrepreneurial experience co-founding a SaaS company to teach you how to conduct customer interviews with genuine empathy. This book goes beyond just what to ask, focusing on how to ask questions in ways that reveal hidden customer needs and motivations. You'll find practical scripts and frameworks that help you listen deeply and interpret customer stories to improve product development and reduce churn. Chapters explore the nuances of phrasing and tone, making it ideal for product managers, startup founders, and marketers who want to refine their qualitative research skills.
Rob Volpe is an astute observer of life and a master storyteller who brings empathy and compassion to the human experience. As a thought leader in the role of empathy in the workplace and personal life, Rob frequently speaks on the topic at conferences, corporations, and college classes. In 2011 Rob founded Ignite 360, building a team of insights, strategy, and creative professionals serving leading global brands. His background and real-world research underpin this book’s practical guidance on strengthening empathy muscles across all areas of life.
Rob Volpe is an astute observer of life and a master storyteller who brings empathy and compassion to the human experience. As a thought leader in the role of empathy in the workplace and personal life, Rob frequently speaks on the topic at conferences, corporations, and college classes. In 2011 Rob founded Ignite 360. He currently is Chairman and built a team of insights, strategy, and creative professionals serving the world's leading brands across a range of industries. He is a graduate of Syracuse University's S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications and lives in San Francisco with his husband and three cats.
2022·336 pages·Empathy, Interpersonal Skills, Communication, Emotional Intelligence, Active Listening
Drawing from his extensive experience conducting thousands of in-home interviews, Rob Volpe offers a fresh approach to building empathy beyond the usual advice. You learn specific techniques through his "5 Steps to Empathy," which cultivate genuine connection by focusing on listening and understanding shared human values. Volpe’s stories—from casual brand talks turning into deep conversations about hopes and dreams—illustrate how empathy breaks down social and political barriers. This book is especially useful if you want to improve your interpersonal skills in both personal and professional settings, though it may resonate less if you seek a clinical or psychological deep dive.
Michael Ventura is the CEO and founder of Sub Rosa, a strategy and design firm that has partnered with some of the world’s most influential brands and institutions. With a background that includes lecturing at Princeton University and advising organizations like the United Nations, Ventura brings a unique blend of practical experience and academic insight to this book. He wrote it to share how empathy, understood as deeply seeing others’ perspectives, can transform leadership and innovation in business. His authoritative voice offers you a fresh lens on connecting with teams and customers to meet today’s challenges.
Michael Ventura is the CEO and founder of Sub Rosa, a strategy and design firm that has worked with some of the world’s largest and most important brands, organizations, and startups. He has served as a board member and advisor to various organizations and is a visiting lecturer at institutions such as Princeton University and the United States Military Academy at West Point. In addition to his professional pursuits, Michael leads an indigenous medicine practice and owns a design store in New York.
2018·288 pages·Empathy, Leadership, Strategy, Team Building, Innovation
Michael Ventura draws from his extensive experience leading Sub Rosa, a strategy and design firm for major global brands, to explore empathy as a core business skill rather than just a personal virtue. You’ll find practical insights on how empathy drives innovation, team cohesion, and customer connection, with clear examples from his work with companies like Google and Nike. The book lays out how to embed empathy into leadership to foster diverse, inventive teams and evolve company culture and products alike. If you’re aiming to deepen your understanding of others to solve complex challenges and lead effectively, this book offers a grounded approach that’s both accessible and insightful.
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Conclusion
Across these 20 books, clear themes emerge: empathy is both a skill and a mindset, essential for authentic relationships, effective leadership, and healing personal and societal divides. Whether you're navigating parenting challenges with Raising Good Humans and Beyond Behaviors, or seeking to transform workplace culture with Mean People Suck and Lead With Empathy, these works provide actionable strategies grounded in science and experience.
If you’re facing interpersonal conflicts or want to foster kindness in your community, start with Nonviolent Communication and The War for Kindness to build foundational skills. For rapid application, pairing Thriving as an Empath with Radical Compassion offers daily practices to strengthen resilience and self-care.
Alternatively, you can create a personalized Empathy book to bridge general principles with your specific situation. These books can help you accelerate your learning journey and deepen your capacity to connect with others meaningfully.
Frequently Asked Questions
I'm overwhelmed by choice – which book should I start with?
Start with Sensitive Is the New Strong for a compassionate introduction to empathy, especially if you identify as an empath. It offers practical tools and has wide expert endorsement. If you're more interested in communication, Nonviolent Communication is a clear next step.
Are these books too advanced for someone new to empathy?
Not at all. Many books like Raising Good Humans and I Hear You are written for beginners and offer step-by-step guidance. They balance theory with practical advice, making empathy accessible for all levels.
What's the best order to read these books?
Begin with foundational works like The War for Kindness to understand empathy's science, then explore practical guides such as Radical Compassion and Mean People Suck. Follow with specialized topics like parenting or leadership depending on your interests.
Can I skip around or do I need to read them cover to cover?
You can definitely skip around. Many of these books are designed so you can focus on chapters relevant to your needs and return to others later. For example, Thriving as an Empath offers daily reflections you can pick up anytime.
Which books focus more on theory vs. practical application?
The War for Kindness and The Empathy Diaries provide rich scientific and personal theory, while Nonviolent Communication and Deploy Empathy emphasize practical techniques and real-world application.
How can personalized Empathy books complement these expert recommendations?
Personalized Empathy books build on these expert insights by tailoring content to your background, goals, and experience, making empathy learning more relevant and actionable for you. Consider creating your own here for a focused approach.
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