The Best Books for Women With Breast Cancer Everyday Health MenuNewslettersSearch Breast Cancer 13 Breast Cancer Books to Help You and Your Family Understand the Disease We’ve found must-reads for patients, survivors, partners, and children. By Reilly BradfordReviewed: June 1, 2018Fact-CheckedThese are ideal books for anyone who has lived with or experienced breast cancer.Jovo Jovanovic/StocksyAll products and services featured here are chosen for their potential to inspire and enable your wellness. Everyday Health may earn an affiliate commission on items you purchase. Breast cancer is the most common form of cancer in women, and is completely dispassionate to age, race, and ethnicity. If you’re one of the 3.1 million women in the United States who’s had a history of breast cancer (according to breastcancer.org), you already know the disease doesn’t care who you are. But what you may not know is that there’s an astounding community — a “sisterhood,” if you will — out there to learn from and lean on. The best way to start is to read words by women who have gone through the same thing. Below, you’ll find books that cover a range of important topics, such as what a cancer-fighting diet is and how to tell your children that you’re sick — or, if you’re on the other side of the situation, how to support a partner who is going through treatment. So whether you are a survivor, a person living with breast cancer, were recently diagnosed, or know a loved one who is struggling with the disease, everyone will benefit from these reads. Here are our thirteen favorite books about breast cancer: ' A Breast Cancer Alphabet' by Madhulika Sikka “A” is for anxiety, “B” is for breast, “C” is for Cancerland. When prominent NPR producer Madhulika Sikka was diagnosed with breast cancer on the very same day she interviewed President Obama in the Oval Office, she was overwhelmed by the information from doctors and the Internet. This prompted her to write a witty, easy-reading A-to-Z guide on breast cancer, which offers personal but practical guidance for the newly diagnosed. A Breast Cancer Alphabet; $7.99; Amazon.com ' Pretty Sick The Beauty Guide for Women With Cancer' by Caitlin Kiernan Being sick and feeling beautiful don’t have to be mutually exclusive. Written by cancer patient and highly acclaimed freelance beauty editor Caitlin Kiernan, Pretty Sick discusses interesting makeup tricks, wig shopping, keeping your skin feeling refreshed, and how to keep treatment smells at bay. Overall, the book provides ideal beauty advice for every woman dealing with cancer, because, as Kiernan says in the book, “Beauty treatments are an adjunct therapy to cancer treatments.” Pretty Sick: The Beauty Guide for Women with Cancer; $13.55; Amazon.com ' Uplift Secrets From the Sisterhood of Breast Cancer Survivors' by Barbara Delinsky This book brings together 350+ breast cancer survivors, family members, and friends to provide advice and anecdotes for anyone dealing with their own struggle. Compiled by popular novelist Barbara Delinsky, the book addresses how to tell loved ones of your condition, mastectomies, and even advice on the best deodorant brands to use during radiation treatment. Uplift: Secrets From the Sisterhood of Breast Cancer Survivors; $10.85; Amazon.com ' Dear Friend Letters of Encouragement Humor and Love for Women With Breast Cancer' by Gina L Mulligan This beautiful book from the Girls Love Mail organization, is a compilation of letters written by “compassionate strangers” to women battling breast cancer. The letters bring together a community of survivors, patients, caregivers, doctors, co-workers, families, and friends to provide support and affection during your own fight. Dear Friend: Letters of Encouragement, Humor, and Love for Women with Breast Cancer; $11.52; Amazon.com ' Anticancer Living Transform Your Life and Health With the Mix of Six' by Lorenzo Cohen PhD and Alison Jefferies Gathering sweeping praise from the likes of Deepak Chopra and David S. Rosenthal, Anticancer Living shows evidence for the success in preventing and overcoming cancer through six key areas: social and emotional support, stress management, sleep, exercise, diet, and minimizing exposure to environmental toxins. Anticancer Living: Transform Your Life and Health With the Mix of Six; $19.42; Amazon.com ' You Are the Best Medicine' by Julie Aigner Clark For many women, one of the most difficult and worrisome parts of dealing with breast cancer is how to tell your children. This sweet, sensitive book reads like a lullaby to help children cope with this difficult period. You Are the Best Medicine; $8.99; Amazon.com ' Why I Wore Lipstick to My Mastectomy A Memoir' by Geralyn Lucas Lipstick is not just a cosmetic product — it’s an attitude. The critically acclaimed Why I Wore Lipstick to My Mastectomy is an entertaining and empowering book for women who undergo emotional times with cancer. As Lucas told The New York Times, “all the films, all the books [she read about breast cancer], were just so gloomy and traumatic,” and she wanted to break free from that stigma with her book. Why I Wore Lipstick to My Mastectomy: A Memoir; $11.61; Amazon.com ' Breast Cancer Husband How to Help Your Wife and Yourself Through Diagnosis Treatment and Beyond' by Marc Silver Cancer will put strain on any relationship, but with a little guidance, partnership can grow together as opposed to apart. This useful guide by a firsthand breast cancer husband will help your partner learn how to best support you during your battle. Breast Cancer Husband: How to Help Your Wife (and Yourself) Through Diagnosis, Treatment, and Beyond; $13.35; Amazon.com ' Cancer Vixen A True Story' by Marisa Acocella Marchetto The opening pages of Cancer Vixen say it all: “What happens when a shoe-crazy, lipstick-obsessed, wine-swilling, pasta-slurping, fashion-fanatic, about-to-get-married big-city girl cartoonist with a fabulous life finds ... a lump in her breast?” This cheeky graphic novel will put a little style in your own fight. It's entertaining, visually stimulating, and totally relatable. Cancer Vixen: A True Story; $16.95; Amazon.com ' The Whole-Food Guide for Breast Cancer Survivors A Nutritional Approach to Preventing Recurrence' by Edward Bauman PhD and Helayne Waldman The one thing a woman living with breast cancer can control is her diet, and this brilliant book aims to serve as a resource for those looking to prevent cancer, overcome it, or stay healthy post-survival. With tons of information on cancer-fighting foods, plus guidelines on maintaining essential nutrients, it’s the perfect book to champion overall dietary wellness. The Whole-Food Guide for Breast Cancer Survivors: A Nutritional Approach to Preventing Recurrence; $16.18; Amazon.com ' The Bright Hour A Memoir of Living and Dying' by Nina Riggs After a small spot becomes terminal, Nina Riggs decided to address her fate with poise, positivity, and truthfulness. Her book, The Bright Hour, openly wonders how a young mother and wife is supposed to prepare her family for her departure. How is that fair to them and how can she best accomplish this in such a limited amount of time? This powerful book may break your heart, but can also lift you up. The Bright Hour: A Memoir of Living and Dying; $11; Amazon.com ' The New Generation Breast Cancer Book How to Navigate Your Diagnosis and Treatment Options — and Remain Optimistic — in an Age of Information Overload' by Elisa Port MD All the information and misinformation about breast cancer floating around the Internet can be overwhelming. The New Generation Breast Cancer Book, widely considered one of the most important books to read when diagnosed, will help you sort through these details to support you in your own decision-making. The New Generation Breast Cancer Book: How to Navigate Your Diagnosis and Treatment Options — and Remain Optimistic — in an Age of Information Overload; $14.45; Amazon.com RELATED: 10 Essential Facts About Breast Cancer ' Heal Breast Cancer Naturally 7 Essential Steps to Beating Breast Cancer' by Véronique Desaulniers As an advocate for holistic medicine, Dr. Veronique Desaulniers, DC — otherwise known as "Dr. V" — seeks to show readers the power of natural remedies in fighting breast cancer. She presents six essential steps that she implemented in her own life to beat cancer, including how to use food as medicine, reduce your exposure to toxins, balance your energy, heal your emotional wounds, embrace biological dentistry, and repair your body with therapeutic plants. Heal Breast Cancer Naturally: 7 Essential Steps to Beating Breast Cancer; $15.99; Amazon.com NEWSLETTERS Sign up for our Cancer Care Newsletter SubscribeBy subscribing you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. The Latest in Breast Cancer How to Avoid Pink Ribbon Pitfalls During Breast Cancer Awareness Month Before you donate to a breast cancer organization this month, make sure you know where your money’s going. By Leona VaughnSeptember 30, 2022 Cancer Me and My Solo RaftBy Denise SchipaniSeptember 13, 2022 Targeted Therapies for Metastatic Breast Cancer— Here' s What You Should KnowThe latest treatments and therapy approaches for metastatic breast cancer are helping patients live longer and offering new hope.By Cheryl Platzman WeinstockSeptember 7, 2022 Struggling With Insomnia During Breast Cancer Treatment Here s How to DealBreast cancer treatment can bring about many sleepless nights. Here’s how to get your sleep schedule back on track.By Carolyn BernhardtSeptember 7, 2022 Finding Ways to Heal in a Complex Healthcare SystemWhen Theresa Brown, an oncology nurse, was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2017, she found herself on the receiving end of getting care. The experience...By Lambeth HochwaldSeptember 6, 2022 Navigating Breast Cancer Treatment as a Black WomanWhen Asha Miller was diagnosed with stage 3 breast cancer 4 years ago, she couldn’t find the support she needed as a Black woman going through the experience...By Kaitlin SullivanAugust 24, 2022 One Woman s Mission to Help African Immigrants Navigate Breast Cancer CareIfy Anne Nwabukwu wants immigrant women in the Washington, DC, area to know that help is just around the corner.By Lambeth HochwaldAugust 24, 2022 Cutting Into Breast Cancer Disparities With Genetic TestingCancer researcher Olufunmilayo I. Olopade, MD, says, 'In the next decade, I predict we’ll see this kind of optimized treatment become available for everyone...By Susan K. TreimanAugust 24, 2022 The Long Day Recovering From My MastectomyBy Denise SchipaniAugust 23, 2022 Olivia Newton-John Pop Singer and Star of Grease Dies at 73Newton-John was first diagnosed with breast cancer in 1992 and later became an advocate for breast cancer survivors.By Don RaufAugust 8, 2022 MORE IN Breast Cancer Resources Where Do You Turn When You Need Help Breast Cancer Symptoms Diagnosis and Stages What Is Breast Cancer Symptoms Causes Diagnosis Treatment and Prevention