A practical guide to the best manifestation books available to read now. Covering awareness, confidence, and abundance, these are best and worst titles to help you leverage the Law of Attraction.
Why All Manifesting Books Are Not Equal
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Manifestation is a powerful spiritual practice, which combines visualisation and empowering beliefs with the courage and determination required to take the necessary actions to help you achieve your goals.
At least that’s what a healthy definition of manifestation is.
It’s important to note that there are plenty of charlatans out there who will happily try to convince you that the most vital step for successful manifesting is aligning the frequency of your vibrations with those of your desires. Which sounds very appealing.
But just how valuable is the system they’re promoting?
Alas without the legwork, that’s just wishful thinking. If you want something badly enough then actively working on keeping a positive mindset can be incredibly rewarding. But taking actionable steps towards your goals is what will make the difference between a pipe dream and accomplishment.
You have to ask yourself, if an author or influential figure is famous for their faith in a system and wealthy as a result of selling that idea, but not much else – just how valuable is the system they’re promoting?
Within the manifesting community, this list may well be considered controversial.
When somebody gets rich from selling a course about how to be successful with no other enterprise to validate the methodology they’re trading on, that smacks of MLM to me.
With that in mind, I’ll first introduce a selection of popular manifesting books, and then list the ones I most highly recommend because they contain information backed by science. And finally finish with the few which I cannot endorse because they could potentially be harmful.
Within the manifesting community, this list may well be considered controversial: there are several favoured titles for which I advise caution. That’s okay – my integrity wins and I don’t mind people disagreeing with me.
The 11 Best Manifestation Books For 2022
With so many books about the subject on the market, it can be difficult to know where to start. I’ve done the research so you don’t have to.
The following books on manifestation are ones that have lots of positive reviews and are highly regarded by those who practice manifestation. Crucially, they don’t have my spidey senses tingling too drastically.
1. Infinite Possibilities, Mike Dooley
The title of this first book also acts as its synopsis: we are all born with infinite possibilities open to us; it’s simply a matter of tapping into your potential.
This inspiring book aims to stimulate your belief of what you are capable of, and encourage you to go out and achieve it.
2. The Power Of Now, Eckhart Tolle
The Power of Now is not marketed as a book on manifesting; yet the concepts presented and explored mean that it very much fits the manifestation niche.
Due to its heavy focus on spirituality and the idea that there is nothing more powerful than the present moment, this book provides genuine value whether you are interested in manifestation or simply personal growth.
3. The Secret Of the Ages, Robert Collier
The key message of this book is that we become what we think, and whether you’re a manifestation enthusiast or more of a sceptic, that surely holds true.
This is the area of manifesting which most fascinates me: those concepts which are attributed both to mystical and scientific principles.
If this area of psychology fascinates you too, I urge you to read this post about how affirmations work, where I further explore these ideas.
4. Think And Grow Rich, Napoleon Hill
This book will appeal to many, and has literally thousands of five star reviews on Amazon.
Be aware that it was written half a century ago, and it shows: particularly in the suggestion that business is solely for men!
That aside, it’s full of wisdom which was very likely considered enlightened at the time, and may still contain a few nuggets pertinent today, though much of it has since become common meme fodder.
If you’re looking to feel inspired and motivated, this book could be the one for you.
5. Dear Universe, Sarah Prout
This book focuses on spiritual enlightenment, incorporating mini meditations and soulful exercises to help you tune into your feelings and nurture your spirituality.
With its emphasis leaning away from the mystical and more towards developing awareness and intuition, and embracing positivity and spirituality, this is a book I can get on board with.
6. The Power of Awareness, Neville Goddard
This book explores the philosophy that it’s our thoughts and consciousness which create our reality. It’s a fascinating idea, and one that I like – up to a point.
Without action, those dreams will remain wishful thinking.
On the face of it the concept is true, and it we can perhaps learn to hack our mindset accordingly:
Being mindful of our thoughts and core desires can certainly be beneficial in terms of motivation, creating direction, and goal setting. And, if performed correctly, visualisation is a powerful tool which can help us in a similar way to affirmations.
Just be wary of taking the ideas and running with them into the realms of magic, because without the true power of intention and action, those dreams will remain wishful thinking.
7. Your Dream Life Starts Here, Kristina Karlsson
Peppered with inspiring life stories from some big household names such as Stella McCartney, Arianna Huffington, and Oprah Winfrey, you can’t fail to be enthused by this book.
With inspirational quotes and exercises to help you define your ideal life, Your Dream Life Starts Here offers motivation and practical guidance. They encourage you to drill down into your wildest dreams to determine precisely what’s at the core of your desires and ambitions, and then set actionable steps to achieve your goals.
Essentially, this book is designed to provide you with the tools you need to gain clarity around the things you want from life, and then put powerful processes in place to go out and accomplish them.
8. Your Forces And How To Use Them, Christian D. Larson
Your Forces and How to Use Them is based around the concept that you hold within yourself the power to effect change in your life.
This book comes fairly highly rated on Amazon, but be aware the principles explored may straddle the line between insightful and metaphysics.
9. You Can Heal Your Life, Louise Hay
If you’re a fan of affirmations then this is a great book for taking ownership for your own life, and leaning into self-love.
Using affirmations can help achieve the required mindset to drive positive action.
This is manifesting in its only healthy sense: accountability.
In that context, we absolutely each influence our own lives, and have the ability to change them too.
Not through vibrational alignment, but by doing the hard work on ourselves, believing in our self-worth, and demanding what we deserve. Naturally, that involves a lot of hard work, but using affirmations can certainly be helpful in achieving the mindset required to drive positive action.
10. Manifest Your Destiny, Dr Wayne Dyer
Manifest Your Destiny is super interesting, because Wayne Dyer completed a doctoral degree in guidance and counselling, before becoming more interested in spirituality. With this in mind, he had a foundation in psychology, before exploring and writing about more spiritual concepts.
The approach in this book also leans more towards spiritualism rather than materialism, however it’s not scientific enough to make it into the list of my recommendations.
11. Key to Living the Law of Attraction, Jack Canfield
Exercise caution with this one. There are mixed reviews on Amazon, but if you’re interested in learning about how the power of the Law of Attraction works and engaging in some exercises, it could be worth a look if you’ve not already read many similar books.
The synopsis for this book stats that is cover clarity, purpose, and action, which is its saving grace.
The 5 Very Best Books About Manifesting, Backed By Science
The best book on manifesting is inevitably subjective; with that in mind below is a list of the best books I personally believe are most valuable in terms of what they deliver, both practically and ethically.
12. Own Life: How to Show Up with Confidence and Take Control of the Future, Todd Eden
This one is full of activities designed to get you to dig deep and examine your life closely, with the ultimate goal being to work on becoming the best version of yourself you can.
An excellent choice for anyone interested in personal development.
There’s a strong focus on journaling for manifestation (journaling in its entirety is something I’m personally passionate about for its proven benefits), and each of the exercises appears to be underpinned by psychology. You can’t argue with science, and therefore this book is one of the best on this list.
With excellent reviews, the value of Own Life is undeniable. It will help bring you clarity, and empower you to effect profoundly positive changes in your life. An excellent choice for anyone interested in personal development.
13. Abundance Now, Lisa Nichols
If you are looking for a book that is heavy on mindset and psychology, to set positive change in motion – this is the one for you.
It features inspiring anecdotes and practical exercises to encourage and promote a healthier perspective, and all within a valid psychological framework.
14. A Happy Pocket Full Of Money, David Cameron Gikandi
The key concept in this book is the idea that money cannot buy personal happiness, and that true value can be found elsewhere, in a different aspect of your life.
This is a philosophy I wholeheartedly buy into, and the fact that this book is also steeped in science, logic, and perception, makes it one I’m confident to recommend.
15. The Magic of Manifesting, Ryuu Shinohara
With a framework supported by spirituality and science, The Magic of Manifesting also offers a selection of manifestation techniques to help you get started with improving your life.
Vitally, this book offers valuable explanations for how the various exercises it contains can help you.
16. The Source, Dr Tara Swart
The Source is underpinned by psychology, exploring how our thoughts drive our behaviours, and our behaviours influence our success.
Dr Tara Swart provides a four step guide to challenge limiting thoughts and harness the power of a more positive mindset to effectively work towards – or manifest – your goals.
11 Books on Manifesting I Cannot Endorse
The following list comprises the popular titles which do not make my lists of best Law of Attraction books, despite their positive reviews. This is because each one is ethically problematic, in my opinion.
I cannot in good conscience promote these books.
Naturally, some people will strongly disagree having got a lot out of them, and that’s fine, it’s everyone’s right to make up their own mind.
But, in the context of what this site stands for – spirituality aligning with science – I cannot in good conscience promote these books about manifestation.
17. The Secret, Rhonda Byrne
The Secret is one of the most well-known and popular books on manifesting and, touted as an easy read, it’s a great place to start for anyone wanting to learn the key principles around Law of Attraction.
That said, based on the issues I outlined at the beginning of this post, I urge caution. While it would be remiss of me not to include The Secret, after careful consideration, I’ve put it in this section.
Some people suggest the book focuses to heavily on financial and materialistic gain rather than spiritual enrichment, which is a concern – and possible red flag.
18. How the Secret Changed My Life, Rhonda Byrne
While some claim this book is totally inspiring, similarly to above, I cannot promote it.
If The Secret examines the spiritual principles of LoA and manifestation, this book provides examples of how it has worked for real people.
My biggest concern here is that there are stories based around health worries being cured, and that is something which definitely tips over into dangerous territory.
19. The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success, Deepak Chopra
Amazon reviews are overwhelmingly positive, but…
I read the synopsis:
‘Based on universal laws that govern all of creation, The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success shatters the myth that success is the result of hard work, exacting plans, or driving ambition’
…And I was out.
20. The Master Key System, Charles F. Haanel
While there are some interesting ideas contained in the book, it’s overwhelmingly woo woo.
The Master Key System discusses connecting our consciousness to the universe, and focusing on the good things we want in life, without addressing the need for actionable steps to achieve those goals.
Ultimately, this is a great example of the issues I talked about at the start of the post.
21. The Power of Your Subconscious Mind, Joseph Murphy
This book is highly religious, so not for those who are atheist or keen to learn about how to apply science-backed principles to manifesting.
There are also some potentially harmful anecdotes and success stories in the book which have ultimately led to me including it in this list.
22. You Are a Badass At Making Money, Jen Sincero
You Are a Bad Ass At Making Money latches on to the concept of vibrational alignment and its power to make you rich. Of course, as we’ve established, that’s simply not reality.
Many reviews state that it’s very repetitive.
While there may be some value in the ideas regarding core limiting beliefs, self-awareness, positive thinking, visualisation, and the most important element: taking action, overall this book is, once again, potentially harmful to vulnerable people.
While there are thousands of positive reviews of the book on Amazon, many also state that it’s very repetitive.
23. Ask and It Is Given, Esther Hicks and Jerry Hicks
This book comes very highly reviewed, however for balance it feels important to point out that many of my personal concerns with manifestation and LoA are present in this text.
If you’re aware of the dubious claims made by some people about the subject and curious to read anyway, then this one may be for you. But if you’re still learning and would prefer to exercise caution, then I’d suggest giving this one a miss.
24. The Secret Door to Success, Florence Scovel Shinn
Perhaps you’ll appreciate the biblical interpretations.
The Secret Door to Success is somewhat religious yet, according to reviews, manages to offend Christians. Shinn applies bible teachings to the concept of manifestation, combining (or confusing?) the two.
The elements dealing with mindset and achieving a different perspective are fine, but the book leans too far towards New Age philosophy for a recommendation.
Overall, The Secret Door to Success is rated highly on Amazon, and if you’re neither strongly religious nor atheist, perhaps you’ll appreciate the biblical interpretations.
25. Good Vibes, Good Life, Vex King
In Good Vibes, Good Life, King draws on his own experiences to encourage powerful practices of self-care and finding your higher purpose.
The advice in the book is problematic.
On the surface, this book may seem good if you can look past the emphasis on high frequency, good vibrations.
However, if you go deeper, there are several issues.
Despite being a Sunday Times No.1 Best Seller with thousands of rave reviews, the advice in the book is superficial and problematic. There’s an excellent review of the book on Amazon which discusses these concerns in detail, which you can read here.
26. Super Attractor, Gabrielle Bernstein
Again, there is much praise for this book, so if you’ve loved other books by Gaby then this may be for you. Just bear in mind that much of it is repetitive, regurgitating old ideas, it’s quite religious, and it’s a pretty hard upsell.
Arguably also pushes the harmful agenda mentioned at the start of this post, suggesting that if you want something badly enough, in the right way, that’s sufficient to bring it into being.
For balance, Gaby is a #1 New York Times best-selling author (of The Universe Has Your Back), has written multiple bestselling books, and the elements about overcoming self-doubt may be useful.
27. Becoming Supernatural, Dr. Joe Dispenza
This may be the most dangerous of all the books on this list. Why? Because the author positions himself as a doctor – a claim which has been questioned.
Questioning things is always appropriate.
The book alleges to use research in neuroscience, epigenetics, psychoneuroimmunology, neurocardiology, electromagnetism, and quantum physics – yet the vagueness surrounding the author’s credentials rings alarm bells.
The really frightening thing here is the possibility that people will believe what they see at face value:
That this is an author they can trust, that they do not need to do their own research or question the validity of what they are being told.
While those things may be entirely true, I’d counter that questioning things is always appropriate. It’s how we learn and how we keep ourselves safe.
Vague claims dressed up as authoritativeness are a huge red flag for me.
Final Thoughts on These Books About Manifestation
My greatest concern with any of this entitles is that they sell the idea of the life of your dreams, without providing any clear and actionable guidance for attaining that aspirational lifestyle. And then apportion blame to the very people who are desperately trying to better themselves on their personal manifestation journey.
Still curious about the art of manifesting and how to transform fear and negative thinking into actionable steps to manifest the fulfilled life you aspire to?
If you remain intrigued about the concepts, there are definitely some nuggets of wisdom to be gleaned in many of the books featured on this page, if you approach them with an open mind.
Just be sure to take those which push metaphysics with a large grain of salt.
Glad you mentioned the worst manifestation books with the reasons.
I have heard so much about manifestation from friends but most of the books talk about spirituality, fate, and other bullshit. I don’t want to hear that if I want something really bad, I will manifest it automatically. I mean who wants something half-heartedly?
I can take science-backed manifestation techniques but not those were writers are like open the gates of your spiritual mind and manifest everything!!!