Books like Pleasing myself by Frank Kermode

On Writing blends Stephen King’s memoir with practical guidance, offering a personal look at his path to success and essential lessons for aspiring writers.

Neurosurgeon Paul Kalanithi’s poignant memoir chronicles his battle with stage IV metastatic lung cancer and his reflections on life, medicine, and mortality.

Carmen Maria Machado’s debut collection of short stories blends speculative fiction, horror, and sharp cultural commentary, exploring the violence, identity, and politics of womanhood through unsettling, genre‑bending narratives.

Lucy Grealy recounts twenty years of living with a disfigured jaw and over thirty reconstructive surgeries, exploring how society’s obsession with beauty shapes self‑image and the ultimate discovery that true worth lies within.

A thoughtful meditation on Annie Dillard’s creative process, woven from anecdotes and vignettes that illuminate her distinctive prose style.

Better known for her five volume portrait of English rural life, Our Village, Mary Russell Mitford (1787-1855) was one of the most prolific female writers of her day. Part critical essay, part autobiography, Recollections consists of a series of sketches on and selections from Mitford's favourite authors, stemming from her desire 'to make others relish a few favourite writers as heartily as I have relished them myself'. The collection is arranged according to Mitford's own eclectic system of categorization including 'fashionable poets', 'cavalier poets', and 'poetry that poets love'. Mitford wears her immense literary skill lightly and Recollections is masterfully written, full of lively wit and fascinating biographical detail. Published just three years before Mitford's death, it was based on earlier articles and letters. Authors included range from Chaucer to Sir Walter Scott and Mitford's friend Elizabeth Barrett Browning.

A former teacher reflects on a life shaped by childhood friendships, nostalgia, and the fragile nature of memory, when an unexpected lawyer’s letter forces him to confront the past.

Learn to assert yourself and break the cycle of people‑pleasing with mindfulness‑based techniques that address fear of failure, self‑sacrifice, identity loss, and approval seeking.