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the best psychology books

The psychology books most often recommended by therapists, neuroscientists, podcasters, and writers in our index. Covers the canon (Kahneman, Cialdini, Frankl) plus the contemporary applications.

60 books, ranked by how many of the 4,800 notable readers in our index have publicly recommended each one.

  1. Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion, Revised Edition
    53 people

    Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion, Revised Edition

    Robert B. Cialdini, PhD · 2006

    53 recommenders

    AmazonBookshop
  2. Why We Sleep: Unlocking the Power of Sleep and Dreams
    30 people

    Why We Sleep: Unlocking the Power of Sleep and Dreams

    Matthew Walker · 2017

    30 recommenders

    AmazonBookshop
  3. The Righteous Mind: Why Good People Are Divided by Politics and Religion
    27 people

    The Righteous Mind: Why Good People Are Divided by Politics and Religion

    Jonathan Haidt · 2021

    27 recommenders

    AmazonBookshop
  4. Enlightenment Now: The Case for Reason, Science, Humanism, and Progress
    18 people

    Enlightenment Now: The Case for Reason, Science, Humanism, and Progress

    Steven Pinker · 2018

    18 recommenders

    AmazonBookshop
  5. The Coddling of the American Mind: How Good Intentions and Bad Ideas Are Setting Up a Generation for Failure
    18 people

    The Coddling of the American Mind: How Good Intentions and Bad Ideas Are Setting Up a Generation for Failure

    Jonathan Haidt & Greg Lukianoff · 2018

    18 recommenders

    AmazonBookshop
  6. The Elephant in the Brain
    13 people

    The Elephant in the Brain

    Robin Hanson and Kevin Simler · 2017

    13 recommenders

    AmazonBookshop
  7. The Way of the Superior Man : A Spiritual Guide to Mastering the Challenges of Women, Work, and Sexual Desire
    13 people

    The Way of the Superior Man : A Spiritual Guide to Mastering the Challenges of Women, Work, and Sexual Desire

    David Deida · 2004

    13 recommenders

    AmazonBookshop
  8. Talking to Strangers
    12 people

    Talking to Strangers

    Malcolm Gladwell · 2019

    12 recommenders

    AmazonBookshop
  9. The Body Keeps the Score: Mind, Brain and Body in the Transformation of Trauma
    11 people

    The Body Keeps the Score: Mind, Brain and Body in the Transformation of Trauma

    Bessel A. van der Kolk · 2014

    11 recommenders

    AmazonBookshop
  10. The WEIRDest People In The World
    10 people

    The WEIRDest People In The World

    Joseph Henrich · 2020

    10 recommenders

    AmazonBookshop
  11. The Sports Gene: Inside the Science of Extraordinary Athletic Performance
    8 people

    The Sports Gene: Inside the Science of Extraordinary Athletic Performance

    David Epstein · 2013

    8 recommenders

    AmazonBookshop
  12. The Demon-Haunted World
    7 people

    The Demon-Haunted World

    Carl Sagan · 1997

    7 recommenders

    AmazonBookshop
  13. Humankind: A Hopeful History
    7 people

    Humankind: A Hopeful History

    Rutger Bregman · 2020

    7 recommenders

    AmazonBookshop
  14. David and Goliath: Underdogs, Misfits, and the Art of Battling Giants
    7 people

    David and Goliath: Underdogs, Misfits, and the Art of Battling Giants

    Malcolm Gladwell · 2015

    7 recommenders

    AmazonBookshop
  15. The Power of Full Engagement: Managing Energy, Not Time, Is the Key to High Performance and Personal Renewal
    6 people

    The Power of Full Engagement: Managing Energy, Not Time, Is the Key to High Performance and Personal Renewal

    Jim Loehr · 2003

    6 recommenders

    AmazonBookshop
  16. A Return to Love
    6 people

    A Return to Love

    Marianne Williamson · 1996

    6 recommenders

    AmazonBookshop
  17. The Moral Animal
    6 people

    The Moral Animal

    Robert Wright · 1995

    6 recommenders

    AmazonBookshop
  18. Deep Survival
    6 people

    Deep Survival

    Laurence Gonzales · 2017

    6 recommenders

    AmazonBookshop
  19. Irresistible
    6 people

    Irresistible

    Adam Alter · 2017

    6 recommenders

    AmazonBookshop
  20. The Origin of Consciousness in the Breakdown of the Bicameral Mind
    6 people

    The Origin of Consciousness in the Breakdown of the Bicameral Mind

    Julian Jaynes · 2000

    6 recommenders

    AmazonBookshop
  21. Blueprint
    6 people

    Blueprint

    Robert Plomin · 2018

    6 recommenders

    AmazonBookshop
  22. How Emotions Are Made: The Secret Life of the Brain: How We Create Emotions Through Brain, Body, and Culture
    5 people

    How Emotions Are Made: The Secret Life of the Brain: How We Create Emotions Through Brain, Body, and Culture

    Lisa Feldman Barrett · 2018

    5 recommenders

    AmazonBookshop
  23. Incognito: The Secret Lives of the Brain
    5 people

    Incognito: The Secret Lives of the Brain

    David Eagleman · 2011

    5 recommenders

    AmazonBookshop
  24. The Drama of the Gifted Child
    5 people

    The Drama of the Gifted Child

    Alice Miller · 1997

    5 recommenders

    AmazonBookshop
  25. Mating in Captivity
    5 people

    Mating in Captivity

    Esther Perel · 2006

    5 recommenders

    AmazonBookshop
  26. The Coddling of the American Mind
    5 people

    The Coddling of the American Mind

    Jonathan Haidt and Greg Lukianoff · 2019

    5 recommenders

    AmazonBookshop
  27. The Paradox of Choice: Why More Is Less
    5 people

    The Paradox of Choice: Why More Is Less

    Barry Schwartz · 2005

    5 recommenders

    AmazonBookshop
  28. Metaphors We Live By
    5 people

    Metaphors We Live By

    George Lakoff · 2003

    5 recommenders

    AmazonBookshop
  29. Expert Political Judgment
    5 people

    Expert Political Judgment

    Philip E. Tetlock · 2006

    5 recommenders

    AmazonBookshop
  30. Black Box Thinking: Why Most People Never Learn from Their Mistakes--But Some Do
    5 people

    Black Box Thinking: Why Most People Never Learn from Their Mistakes--But Some Do

    Matthew Syed · 2015

    5 recommenders

    AmazonBookshop
  31. The Brain That Changes Itself
    5 people

    The Brain That Changes Itself

    Norman Doidge · 2007

    5 recommenders

    AmazonBookshop
  32. Mistakes Were Made (But Not by Me)
    4 people

    Mistakes Were Made (But Not by Me)

    Caroll Tavris · 2015

    4 recommenders

    AmazonBookshop
  33. Popular: The Power of Likability in a Status-Obsessed World
    4 people

    Popular: The Power of Likability in a Status-Obsessed World

    Mitch Prinstein · 2017

    4 recommenders

    AmazonBookshop
  34. Mistakes Were Made
    4 people

    Mistakes Were Made

    Carol Tavris · 2007

    4 recommenders

    AmazonBookshop
  35. Rage Becomes Her: The Power of Women's Anger
    4 people

    Rage Becomes Her: The Power of Women's Anger

    Soraya Chemaly · 2018

    4 recommenders

    AmazonBookshop
  36. The Origin of Consciousness
    4 people

    The Origin of Consciousness

    Julian Jaynes · 1976

    4 recommenders

    AmazonBookshop
  37. Subliminal
    4 people

    Subliminal

    Leonard Mlodinow · 2012

    4 recommenders

    AmazonBookshop
  38. How We Decide
    4 people

    How We Decide

    Jonah Lehrer · 2009

    4 recommenders

    AmazonBookshop
  39. Take Pride
    4 people

    Take Pride

    Jessica Tracy · 2016

    4 recommenders

    AmazonBookshop
  40. No Hard Feelings
    4 people

    No Hard Feelings

    Liz Fosslien · 2019

    4 recommenders

    AmazonBookshop
  41. The Wisdom of Insecurity
    4 people

    The Wisdom of Insecurity

    Alan Watts · 1968

    4 recommenders

    AmazonBookshop
  42. Against Empathy: The Case for Rational Compassion
    4 people

    Against Empathy: The Case for Rational Compassion

    Paul Bloom · 2016

    4 recommenders

    AmazonBookshop
  43. Self Compassion: The Proven Power of Being Kind to Yourself
    4 people

    Self Compassion: The Proven Power of Being Kind to Yourself

    Dr. Kristin Neff · 2011

    4 recommenders

    AmazonBookshop
  44. Power vs. Force
    4 people

    Power vs. Force

    David R. Hawkins · 2002

    4 recommenders

    AmazonBookshop
  45. Transcendence: How Humans Evolved Through Fire, Language, Beauty, and Time
    4 people

    Transcendence: How Humans Evolved Through Fire, Language, Beauty, and Time

    Gaia Vince · 2020

    4 recommenders

    AmazonBookshop
  46. Darkness Visible
    4 people

    Darkness Visible

    William Clark Styron · 1990

    4 recommenders

    AmazonBookshop
  47. What Every Body Is Saying: An Ex-FBI Agent's Guide to Speed-Reading People
    4 people

    What Every Body Is Saying: An Ex-FBI Agent's Guide to Speed-Reading People

    Joe Navarro · 2014

    4 recommenders

    AmazonBookshop
  48. Awakenings
    4 people

    Awakenings

    Oliver Sacks · 1999

    4 recommenders

    AmazonBookshop
  49. Maps of Meaning
    3 people

    Maps of Meaning

    Jordan B. Peterson · 1999

    3 recommenders

    AmazonBookshop
  50. Finding Your Element
    3 people

    Finding Your Element

    Ken Robinson & Lou Aronica · 2013

    3 recommenders

    AmazonBookshop
  51. Triumphs of Experience: The Men of the Harvard Grant Study
    3 people

    Triumphs of Experience: The Men of the Harvard Grant Study

    George E. Vaillant · 2012

    3 recommenders

    AmazonBookshop
  52. The Road Less Traveled
    3 people

    The Road Less Traveled

    M. Scott Peck · 1978

    3 recommenders

    AmazonBookshop
  53. Descartes' Error
    3 people

    Descartes' Error

    Antonio Damasio · 1995

    3 recommenders

    AmazonBookshop
  54. Why We Love Dogs, Eats Pigs, and Wear Cows
    3 people

    Why We Love Dogs, Eats Pigs, and Wear Cows

    Melanie Joy · 2010

    3 recommenders

    AmazonBookshop
  55. The Evolving Self
    3 people

    The Evolving Self

    Robert Kegan · 1982

    3 recommenders

    AmazonBookshop
  56. The Archetypes and The Collective Unconscious
    3 people

    The Archetypes and The Collective Unconscious

    C. G. Jung · 1969

    3 recommenders

    AmazonBookshop
  57. The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test
    3 people

    The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test

    Tom Wolfe · 1999

    3 recommenders

    AmazonBookshop
  58. Judgment under Uncertainty: Heuristics and Biases
    3 people

    Judgment under Uncertainty: Heuristics and Biases

    Daniel Kahneman & Paul Slovic and Amos Tversky · 1982

    3 recommenders

    AmazonBookshop
  59. Being Wrong
    3 people

    Being Wrong

    Kathryn Schulz · 2010

    3 recommenders

    AmazonBookshop
  60. Innate
    3 people

    Innate

    Kevin J. Mitchell · 2018

    3 recommenders

    AmazonBookshop

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Methodology: each book is ranked by the number of recommenders in our index who have publicly endorsed it. Curated topics use a hand-picked book list; year-stamped pages query our index by publication year. More on methodology →