by JULIET WATERS

Even the most intelligent, critically minded, reasonably together people sometimes fall for the seductive siren call of that section of the bookstore that promises a better body, a better relationship and a better life. So you don't waste any more money on the smug (Dr. Phil), the shallow (He's Just Not That Into You) or the silly (whatever pseudo-nutritionist tome happens to be on the bestseller list this year), here are a few recently released or recently re-published books that might actually help.

If you're really freaking out, you've just found out that you or someone you're close to has cancer, or for whatever reason you just can't leave the house, you should probably get professional help. But when you do there's a very good chance that this professional will recommend Full Catastrophe Living: Using the Wisdom of Your Body and Mind to Face Stress, Pain, and Illness by Jon Kabat-Zinn (Bantam Dell). Even if you're not in a state of crisis, the recently revised 15th anniversary issue of this book has a lot to offer. Kabat-Zinn's eight-week crash course in meditation is a great resource whether you're a beginner or just need a good strong push back to "beginner's mind." It's a comprehensive, intelligent and convincing book with a solid premise: If you want a life that is rich, complex and interesting, then ultimately there's no escape from big-time stress - but with practice you can get better at dealing with it.

If your life feels more like a rut than a crisis, you may want to try a walk on The Path of Least Resistance: Learning to Become the Creative Force in Your Own Life by Robert Fritz (Random House). This is another recently revised classic, first published in 1984. If a self-help book remains in publication this long it's a good indication that it says something useful. Fritz is at his best with his explanation of why so many self-help books are such garbage. A highly trained classical composer, there's zero bullshit in his interpretation of creativity, how it works and how entirely different a process it is from problem solving. His scathing assessment of "positive thinking," "creative problem solving," and most of the buzz concepts of self-helpery is half the fun. Like Kabat-Zinn, he's one of those rare communicators who can simplify ideas without dumbing them down.

Okay. So you've beaten cancer, and you're putting the finishing touches on the fringe opera that's about to become a Broadway classic. It's usually about now that your boyfriend - the one you met so magically when he was working the cash at your local dep - will leave you for a customer from the nearby massage school. You're not dying, but you can barely do the dishes, and it's unlikely you'll be starting any creative projects of worth in the next while. Could it be that a few months of self-indulgent negativity is exactly what you need right now, just to give your healthy soul a little edge? Bittergirl: Getting Over Getting Dumped by Annabel Griffiths, Alison Lawrence and Mary Francis Moore (Penguin) is smart, witty, and it encourages alcoholism. It will get you back in touch with your best, smartest friends, or approximate your best, smartest friends if for whatever reason they're not around.

The problem with recreational negativity is it can sometimes lead to putting on a few pounds. Oh, the shame of recommending the latest bestselling diet book, but I have to admit to the guilty pleasure of Mireille Guiliano's French Women Don't Get Fat (Knopf). It's less a diet book than one of those vintage European food philosophy books, re-tooled for our lousy North American eating habits. There's a lot of sound, intelligent advice and great recipes, but here's the basic revolutionary premise: get yourself slowly hooked on the best, highest quality food for your basic diet, the most expensive treats (so you won't be able to afford to eat too much), and if you eat too much today, don't eat so much tomorrow. Not such a bitter pill to swallow, really...