Yoga Books and Videos The 9 Best Yoga Books of 2021 Read your way to a better practice By Ann Pizer twitter linkedin Ann Pizer is a writer and registered yoga instructor who teaches vinyasa/flow and prenatal yoga classes. Learn about our editorial process Ann Pizer Fact checked by Fact checked by Emily Swaim on July 23, 2020 linkedin Emily is a fact checker, editor, and writer who has expertise in psychology, health and lifestyle content. Learn about our editorial process Emily Swaim Updated on July 23, 2020 Print More in Yoga Books and Videos Beginners Popular Types Yoga and Your Health Lifestyle Sequences for Home Practice Poses Our editors independently research, test, and recommend the best products; you can learn more about our review process here. We may receive commissions on purchases made from our chosen links. Our Top Picks Best Overall: "Light on Yoga" at Amazon "B.K.S. Iyengar's classic 1966 book is still the gold standard." Best for Beginners: "The Yoga Beginner's Bible" at Amazon "Offers creative modifications of many poses." Best Illustrated: "Yoga Anatomy" at Amazon "Muscular-skeletal actions in each pose are described in detail." Best Inclusive: "Yoga for Everyone: 50 Poses For Every Type of Body" at Amazon "Poses for everybody and every body." Best Memoir: "Poser: My Life in 23 Yoga Poses" at Amazon "This book sets itself apart with truly good writing." Best History: "Yoga Body: The Origins of Modern Posture Practice" at Amazon "Makes you rethink everything you thought you knew about yoga." Best for Pregnancy: "Bountiful, Beautiful, Blissful" at Amazon "Advice for pregnant women that is unique in the sea of pregnancy books." Best for Postpartum: "The Fourth Trimester" at Amazon "Helps new moms reach physical and spiritual healing." Best on Modern Yoga:"The Goddess Pose" at Amazon "A look at how yoga came to Western mainstream culture." Best Overall: "Light on Yoga" Penguin Random House Buy on Amazon B.K.S. Iyengar's classic 1966 book is still the gold standard for its encyclopedic illustration of hundreds of yoga poses and many breathing techniques. Without a doubt, "Light on Yoga" is a must-have for any yogi's library. The subtitle is "The Bible of Modern Yoga," and that's no stretch. The 10 Best Yoga Mats of 2021 Best for Beginners: "The Yoga Beginner's Bible" Buy on Amazon If you want to do a little homework before hitting your first yoga class, check out "The Yoga Beginner's Bible." This book features clear illustrations of poses to know and instructions on how to do each one. If you're not as bendy as you would like to be (yet), the pages include creative modifications that you can use in class (your teacher will be able to provide more of these too, so don't be afraid to ask). An added bonus: This book also lays out breathing exercises, which are key to your practice. The 10 Best Yoga Blocks of 2021, According to a Certified Yoga Instructor Best Illustrated: "Yoga Anatomy" Courtesy of Amazon.com Buy on Amazon The unique strength of "Yoga Anatomy" by Leslie Kaminoff and Amy Matthews is its illustrations. Rendered through a process of photography and medical illustration, poses are shown from the inside out so you can see exactly how each one benefits your body. It's a book that instructors and students alike will find helpful for deepening their practice. Best Inclusive: "Yoga for Everyone: 50 Poses For Every Type of Body" Buy on Amazon In "Yoga for Everyone," author and yogi Dianne Bondy sets out to celebrate what everybody and every body can do, regardless of age, weight, or physical abilities. People who often feel left out of the yoga or fitness community will find this book to be a breath of fresh air. Each pose photo comes with additional photos of multiple modifications, so you can find what works best for you. Best Memoir: "Poser: My Life in 23 Yoga Poses" Courtesy of Amazon.com Buy on Amazon In this memoir, author Claire Dederer takes readers on her yoga journey with a book that goes beyond the physical benefits of yoga. She discovered the practice while dealing with a back injury and breastfeeding. Her story is universal, though mothers who have struggled with finding balance in their lives after having children will find it particularly inspirational. (Hint: yoga helps.) Best History: "Yoga Body: The Origins of Modern Posture Practice" Courtesy of Oxford University Press Buy on Amazon "Yoga Body" is a fascinating book by scholar Mark Singleton into the history of yoga asana. This book is a real game changer, exploring the predecessors of Western yoga practices beyond yoga's roots in ancient India. You'll find yourself questioning a lot of the conventional wisdom you hear in yoga classes after reading this one. Best for Pregnancy: "Bountiful, Beautiful, Blissful" Courtesy of Amazon.com Buy on Amazon Gurmukh Kaur Khalsa is a leading Kundalini yoga teacher who is especially known for her prenatal yoga classes. The yoga in "Bountiful, Beautiful, Blissful" is gentle, but the anecdotes and advice for pregnant women are unique in the sea of pregnancy books. It is empowering for anyone contemplating natural childbirth. Best for Postpartum: "The Fourth Trimester" Buy on Amazon This holistic book aims to help women who are pregnant or who have recently given birth (whether it was a few days or a few years ago) reach physical, emotional, relational, and spiritual healing. Kimberly Ann Johnson, who has experience both as a doula and yoga teacher, explains everything from preparing your body for birth to dealing with complex postpartum emotions. Her words will help you rebuild your body and strengthen your familial relationships. Best on Modern Yoga:"The Goddess Pose" Alfred A Knopf Buy on Amazon "The Goddess Pose" is a fascinating look at how yoga made its way into the mainstream culture of the West. Author Michelle Goldberg does this through the biography of Indra Devi, one of the first people to teach postural yoga in the United States. Your understanding of modern yoga is not complete without knowing the significance of Devi's influence. The 7 Best Yoga Mat Bags Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! If you've never tried it before, starting a yoga practice can feel overwhelming. Our email series can get you ready to roll out the mat. Sign up and get started today! Sign Up You're in! Thank you, {{form.email}}, for signing up. There was an error. Please try again. What are your concerns? Other Inaccurate Hard to Understand Submit Article Sources Verywell Fit uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. Cartwright T, Mason H, Porter A, Pilkington K. Yoga practice in the UK: a cross-sectional survey of motivation, health benefits and behaviours. BMJ Open. 2020;10(1):e031848. doi:10.1136/bmjopen-2019-031848 Anggraeni NP, Herawati L, Widyawati MN, Arizona IK. The effect of exercise on postpartum women’s quality of life: a systematic review. Jurnal Ners. 2019;14(3si):146-154. doi:10.20473/jn.v14i3(si).16950