If These Famous Novels Were Self-Help Books…

When it comes to learning about ourselves, literature, some would argue, is the most masterful teacher of all. That said, it can be a bit weary-making to wade through The Brothers Karamazov in search of a deeper understanding of humanity. So instead of picking up a heavy tome, we reach for lighter fare in a bid to improve ourselves, one affirmation at a time. But what if we could combine the best of both worlds? What if the great books that line our shelves were redesigned with pop-psychology in mind? The results would be…deliciously problematic. For your amusement, 8 famous novels reimagined as self-help books:
1. Tuesdays With Frankenstein
A young journalist learns about love, life, and loss through his weekly visits with a nonverbal,  humanoid-monster created by the mad scientist who lives down the street.
2. How to Paint The Portrait of An Artist As A Young Man
Young writer Stephen Dedalus reveals hidden skills as he instructs the reader on the finer points of perspective, color swatching, and the powers of the imagination. A bit hard to follow in places, but ultimately well-intentioned.
3. Catch-22: Breaking the Cycle
A case study in the codependent relationships between three members of the U.S. Air Force. Highly and inexplicably popular in bureaucratic circles.
4. How Not To Be a Stranger In A Strange Land
We’ve all felt like an alien at some point in our lives. This book teaches us how to adapt gracefully to new situations!
5. The Sound and The Fury and Those Last Twenty Pounds
An excerpt from this popular text reads: ” It was Grandfather’s and when Father gave it to me he said I give you the mausoleum of all hope and desire; it’s rather excruciatingly apt that you will use it to gain the reducto absurdum of all human experience which can fit your individual needs no better than it fitted his or his father’s because of how much he loved carbohydrates.”
6. The Heart Is A Lonely Hunter: On Being Single
It can feel pretty tough being single some days, but as this infamous tough-love text reminds you, it could be worse. You could be mute and living in rural Georgia in the 1930s.
7. The Age of Innocence: How to Set Reasonable Rules For Your Teen
This parable designed for mothers to read with their daughters underscores the idea that reputation is everything if you plan on becoming a Countess.
8. As I Lay Dying: Will Writing For Beginners
So you’ve just found out you’re dying, huh? This helpful book uses the example of one Abbie Bundren to discuss how your demise will impact you, your family, and society at large.
 What reimagined self-help classic would you love to read?