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Help yourself to a new book
80、90后又开始读鸡汤了
If you step into a bookstore, you might notice a section labeled "self-help". You might also notice that the section is getting bigger. That's because more people are turning to self-help books for advice. Last year, the Guardian reported that sales of these books in the UK rose by 20 percent, to a record high of three million books.
走进书店，你或许会注意到里面有一个“自助类书籍”区。你或许还会发现，这类书所占的区域正日益扩大。这是因为越来越多的人想在自助类书籍中找到建议。据《卫报》报道，去年这类书籍在英国的销量上涨了20%，达到了历史新高300万册。
Self-help books try to guide readers through various life problems. Popular themes include getting along with coworkers, time management and finding happiness.
自助类书籍试图引导人们走出各种各样的生活困境。书籍的热门主题包括如何与同事相处，时间管理以及寻找幸福。
Different kinds of people write self-help books, including some celebrities, but usually these books are the work of psychologists.
各种各样的人都会提笔写自助类书籍，这其中也包括了一些名人，但通常这些书都由心理学家所著。
Paul Sweetman, the owner of City Books in the UK, said the current political climate might be one reason why more people are reading self-help books. Over the last two decades, the world has seen terrorist attacks, economic crises and new popular movements.
英国书店“城市书房”的店主保罗·斯威特曼认为，目前的政治环境或许是更多的人读自助类书籍的一大原因。在过去的20年间，世界经历了恐怖袭击，经济危机以及全新的大众运动。
"People come into the shop and they're really fed up about things. They're looking for reassurances and peace of mind," Sweetman told the Guardian.
“人们走进书店，对一切都感到相当厌倦。他们想要寻求一种安心和平和的心态，”斯威特曼在接受《卫报》采访时如此表示。
In addition, millennials – people born after 1990 – tend to be more aware of their own flaws and shortcomings, according to US psychologist Caroline Beaton. This means they're more likely to feel a need to improve themselves.
除此之外，美国心理学家卡罗琳·比顿认为，出生于1990年之后的千禧一代更能意识到自身的不足和缺点。这意味着，他们或许对于提升自我有着更强烈的需求。
Self-help books used to be something people laughed at. Many people didn't take Chicken Soup stories or "success theory" books too seriously. But now they're more respected. "They're as good to read as any novel," Sweetman said.
自助类书籍先前曾遭到群嘲。许多人并不把鸡汤故事或者“成功理论”书籍当回事。但如今这些书籍却更受追捧。“它们的阅读体验和小说一样好，”斯威特曼表示。
Whatever the reason for the increased interest in self-help books, it's nice to know that help is at hand if we need it. But are these books truly helpful? Read one and find out.
不论自助类书籍阅读狂潮背后的原因是什么，需要时有本书在手边提供帮助也挺不错的。但这些书真的有用吗？读一本就知道了。
