Self-help books aim to help the reader with problems, offering them clear and effective guidance on how obstacles can be passed and solutions found, especially with regard to common issues and day-to-day life. Such books take their name from the 1859 best-selling "e;Self-Help"e; by Samuel Smiles, and are often also referred to as "e;self-improvement"e; books. "e;Byways of Blessedness"e; is a 1904 ...