Despite the limited, albeit positive, evidence of the efficacy of self-help books (SHBs), they are widely prescribed to patients by therapists. It appears that this is due in part to their great appeal to the general public. Based upon the available empirical studies, it appears that some SHBs are effective in changing problematic behaviors when used alone and when used in conjunction with therapy. In this article, the case is made for a SHB plus cognitive behavioral therapy as being more useful in some cases than a SHB alone, because the combination addresses the crucial and frequently cited issue of compliance with the directives of the treatment regimen in a SHB (Rosen, 1987). We offer recommendations for selecting and assigning SHBs that we believe are beneficial.