Psychology

Our Psychology Collection features a diverse group of study guides, from pioneering texts by Sigmund Freud and B.F. Skinner to self-help books and contemporary nonfiction about human nature, the mind, and social psychology. If you’re an educator looking to round out a college-level syllabus, or a book club organizer with a penchant for curiosity and dynamic discussion, this collection could help you find just what you're looking for.

Publication year 2016Genre Essay Collection, NonfictionThemes Identity: Mental Health, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: New AgeTags Self Help, Philosophy, Psychology, Education, Education, Psychology, Philosophy, Mental Illness

Publication year 2014Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Identity: Mental Health, Emotions/Behavior: HopeTags Self Help, Psychology, Health / Medicine, Religion / Spirituality, Philosophy

Publication year 2018Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Mental Health, Values/Ideas: Truth & LiesTags Self Help, Inspirational, Psychology, Parenting, Sociology, American Literature, Science / Nature, Psychology, Philosophy, Philosophy, Religion / Spirituality, Politics / Government

12 Rules for Life: An Antidote to Chaos (2018) is Jordan B. Peterson’s second book. Peterson’s self-help book seeks to provide practical and virtuous rules to live by for a wide audience and general readership. The book streamlines, simplifies, and reimagines some of the more traditionally academic topics of Peterson’s first book, Maps of Meaning: The Architecture of Belief. Each non-fiction work aims to explain human history and human nature according to universal frameworks. 12... Read 12 Rules for Life Summary


Publication year 2018Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Society: Globalization, Society: CommunityTags Science / Nature, Sociology, History: World, Psychology, Psychology, Philosophy, Philosophy, Self Help, Politics / Government

21 Lessons for the 21st Century (2018) is historian, philosopher, and acclaimed author Yuval Noah Harari’s in-depth look at the current global affairs and the immediate future of humankind. To Harari, the merging of biotechnology and artificial intelligence potentially represents the end of history with some humans becoming godlike. Despite the ramification of this situation on all of humanity, most people are distracted by irrelevant information and do not realize the debate that is occurring... Read 21 Lessons for the 21st Century Summary


Publication year 2023Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: EqualityTags Self Help, Relationships, Philosophy, Philosophy, Psychology, Psychology, Romance, Religion / Spirituality

Publication year 1998Genre Biography, NonfictionThemes Natural World: Appearance & RealityTags Mental Illness, Science / Nature, History: World, Psychology, Psychology, Biography

John Nash is born and raised in Bluefield, West Virginia. As a child, he is introverted and quiet, preferring reading and performing experiments to playing with other children. He is obsessed with codes and patterns and enjoys playing pranks on his sister and schoolmates. Intending to become an engineer like his father, Nash secures a scholarship to study at the Carnegie Institute of Technology. After a year, he abandons engineering to major in mathematics. He... Read A Beautiful Mind Summary


Publication year 1995Genre Autobiography / Memoir, NonfictionTags Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Addiction / Substance Abuse, Psychology, Psychology, Biography

A Child Called It: One Child’s Courage to Survive is a memoir detailing author Dave Pelzer’s struggles with his abusive mother until the fifth grade. Published in 1995 by Health Communications Inc., it is the first in a series of books that chronicle Pelzer’s fight to leave his dysfunctional household, move through the foster care system, and enter into a stable adulthood. The book was listed on The New York Times best-seller list for several... Read A Child Called It Summary


Publication year 2014Genre Book, NonfictionTags Sociology, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Science / Nature, Journalism, Psychology, Psychology

A Deadly Wandering is a 2014 nonfiction book by Matt Richtel, a journalist at The New York Times. After winning a Pulitzer Prize in 2010 for a series of articles detailing the dangers of distracted driving, Richtel expanded his research and reporting into A Deadly Wandering. This nonfiction book combines the story of a 2006 Utah car accident—in which Mormon teenager Reggie Shaw killed two scientists, James Furfaro and Keith O’Dell, while texting and driving—and... Read A Deadly Wandering Summary


Publication year 2001Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Society: Economics, Natural World: EnvironmentTags Business / Economics, Science / Nature, Sociology, Psychology, Psychology, Arts / Culture, Politics / Government

Affluenza seeks to diagnose and treat the disease of overconsumption that its three authors, John de Graaf, David Wann and Thomas H. Naylor, believe to be a serious threat to both the human species and the rest of the planet. Accordingly, the book is divided into three main parts: a discussion of the symptoms of affluenza, an analysis of its causes, and suggestions for some possible cures.In Part 1, the authors offer a broad overview... Read Affluenza Summary


Publication year 2024Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Society: Community, Society: Globalization, Society: Nation, Society: Politics & Government, Society: WarTags Business / Economics, Psychology, Psychology, Politics / Government, History: World

Publication year 2019Genre Novel, FictionThemes Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & PrideTags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Relationships, Psychology, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Romance

Publication year 2000Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Identity: SexualityTags Gender / Feminism, Philosophy, Psychology, Love / Sexuality, Philosophy, Sociology, Psychology, Relationships, Self Help, Religion / Spirituality

Publication year 1986Genre Essay Collection, NonfictionThemes Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Society: CommunityTags Self Help, Education, Education, Psychology, Psychology, Philosophy, Humor, Philosophy, Inspirational

In his compilation of essays, All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten, Robert Fulghum studies the simplicity embedded in everyday experiences. First published in 1989, this collection captivated a global audience, becoming a cultural touchstone as a #1 New York Times bestseller and selling over 7 million copies. Fulghum draws from his life experiences to craft this collection of essays. This collection, which falls within the self-help, motivational, and personal transformation genres... Read All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten Summary


Publication year 2011Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Society: CommunityTags Sociology, Science / Nature, Philosophy, Philosophy, Relationships, Psychology, Psychology, Internet Culture / Social Media, Arts / Culture

Sherry Turkle’s Alone Together: Why We Expect More from Technology and Less from Each Other, originally published in 2011, is a work of nonfiction that explores technology’s effect on how humans interact with one another. The book is split into two halves: the first deals with human interactions with sociable robots and the second with the networked connections of social media and virtual worlds.In the 1970s, Turkle meets ELIZA, a computer program that “engaged in... Read Alone Together Summary


Publication year 1985Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Society: Community, Society: Education, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Religion & SpiritualityTags Sociology, Education, Science / Nature, History: World, Psychology, Psychology, Philosophy, Arts / Culture, Politics / Government, Philosophy, Technology, Information Age, Education

Amusing Ourselves to Death: Public Discourse in the Age of Show Business is a nonfiction book by Neil Postman, published in 1985. Postman was a professor of education and communication at New York University with a special interest in the role of technology and media in society. He earned a bachelor’s degree from the State University of New York in Fredonia and a master’s degree and doctorate from the Teachers College of Columbia University. In... Read Amusing Ourselves to Death Summary


Publication year 1995Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Identity: Disability, Identity: Mental HealthTags Health / Medicine, Science / Nature, Psychology, Psychology

Publication year 1748Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Values/Ideas: Religion & SpiritualityTags Philosophy, Psychology, Science / Nature, Religion / Spirituality, Education, Education, History: World, Psychology, Philosophy, Classic Fiction

Publication year 1690Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Natural World: Nurture v. Nature, Identity: Language, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Order & ChaosTags Philosophy, Religion / Spirituality, Education, Science / Nature, Age of Enlightenment, History: World, Psychology, Psychology, Philosophy, Classic Fiction, Politics / Government

An Essay Concerning Human Understanding by John Locke is a study of how humans think, learn, and retain knowledge. Scholars often focus first on Locke’s philosophical treatises, but his work on epistemology complements and shapes his political thought. Born in 1632, the English philosopher ushered in the Age of Enlightenment and is considered one of the greatest Western philosophers in history. An Essay Concerning Human Understanding, first published in 1690, explores the origin and nature... Read An Essay Concerning Human Understanding Summary


Publication year 2005Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Identity: Language, Life/Time: The Past, Values/Ideas: Religion & SpiritualityTags Self Help, Allegory / Fable / Parable, Religion / Spirituality, Inspirational, Psychology, Psychology, Philosophy, Philosophy

A New Earth: Create a Better Life by Eckart Tolle was originally published in 2005 with the title A New Earth: Awakening to Your Life’s Purpose. The book followed in the wake of Tolle’s seminal 1997 work The Power of Now, which discusses the potential inherent in the present moment and suggests that the destructive voice in our heads, which causes us to be constantly dissatisfied and compare ourselves to others, is the ego and... Read A New Earth Summary


Publication year 2022Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Natural World: Animals, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Natural World: Environment, Natural World: ClimateTags Science / Nature, Psychology, Animals, Psychology

Publication year 2012Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Society: Economics, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Society: NationTags Philosophy, Business / Economics, Psychology, Science / Nature, Finance / Money / Wealth, Leadership/Organization/Management, Psychology, Philosophy, Self Help

Publication year 1995Genre Autobiography / Memoir, NonfictionThemes Relationships: FamilyTags Psychology, Mental Illness, Science / Nature, Psychology, Health / Medicine, Biography

An Unquiet Mind, written by Kay Redfield Jamison and first published in 1995, is a memoir about a clinical psychologist’s experience living with manic-depressive illness. The book details her life, from her early experiences as a child, through the beginning of her mood swings, her diagnosis of manic-depressive illness, her struggles with the disease, and her eventual management of and control over it, following years of therapy and medication. Aside from having experienced it, Jamison... Read An Unquiet Mind Summary


Publication year 2009Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Natural World: EnvironmentTags Sociology, Anthropology, Anthropology, History: World, Psychology, Psychology, Philosophy, Philosophy, Social Justice, Politics / Government

Rebecca Solnit’s A Paradise Built in Hell: The Extraordinary Communities That Arise in Disaster is a 2009 non-fiction book that examines the behavior of people amid and after disasters as well as the institutional failure that can worsen disasters. Solnit explores five major disasters and detours to discuss several others while providing commentary on contemporary Western culture, anarchism, and the media’s portrayal of disaster victims.Solnit and the many sociologists she cites present an optimistic view... Read A Paradise Built in Hell Summary


Publication year 1909Genre Short Story, FictionThemes Society: ClassTags Psychological Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Sports, Poverty, Psychology, Social Justice, American Literature, Education, Education, Classic Fiction

Jack London’s 1909 “A Piece of Steak” is a naturalist short story first published in The Saturday Evening Post. It took him between two and four weeks to write, and he was paid a very handsome (for the era) $500 for it. While London is best known for his novels about the Alaskan wilderness, including The Call of the Wild and White Fang, he was also interested in workers’ rights and advocated for socialism and... Read A Piece of Steak Summary


Publication year 2012Genre Graphic Novel/Book, NonfictionTags Psychology, Psychology, LGBTQ, Biography

Are You My Mother?: A Comic Drama is a graphic memoir by Alison Bechdel and the winner of the 2013 Judy Grahn Award for Lesbian Nonfiction. It is the follow-up to Fun Home: A Family Tragicomic, which focuses on Bechdel’s sexual awakening and her relationship with her closeted bisexual father. Are You My Mother? interweaves memoir, dream interpretation, psychoanalysis, and literature to examine Bechdel’s complicated relationship with her mother.Plot SummaryThe non-linear narrative of Are You... Read Are You My Mother? Summary


Publication year 2000Genre Biography, NonfictionThemes Natural World: Nurture v. Nature, Values/Ideas: Trust & DoubtTags Health / Medicine, Gender / Feminism, Science / Nature, Sociology, Psychology, Psychology, LGBTQ, Biography

John Colapinto’s 1999 book As Nature Made Him is an expansion of his award-winning 1997 Rolling Stone article on the medical scandal surrounding David Reimer. David, raised as Brenda under the auspices of famous sexologist and child psychiatrist Dr. John Money, transitions back to a male gender identity during his teenage years. After Dr. Milton Diamond reveals the failure of Money’s theory of gender neutrality at birth, David’s story raises serious questions in the medical... Read As Nature Made Him Summary


Publication year 2021Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & PrideTags Self Help, Psychology, Relationships, Inspirational, Sociology, Leadership/Organization/Management, Psychology, Mental Illness, Health / Medicine, Religion / Spirituality

Publication year 2018Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Society: EducationTags Leadership/Organization/Management, Science / Nature, Business / Economics, Psychology, Psychology, Self Help, Health / Medicine

James Clear’s Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits and Break Bad Ones is a guide to adopting good behaviors through incremental changes to your everyday routines. Avery first published the book in 2018, and this guide refers to the ebook edition. The book has unique pagination, with the page numbers beginning again at the start of each new chapter. Clear likely numbered his book this way because of his emphasis... Read Atomic Habits Summary


Publication year 1739Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Society: CommunityTags Philosophy, Psychology, Science / Nature, Age of Enlightenment

David Hume’s A Treatise of Human Nature was first published in 1740. Although the book did not sell well on its release, it became one of the key texts of the Enlightenment. It was especially known for its argument that human knowledge is based on direct experience and observation—a school of philosophy known as empiricism—and that human behavior is not based on reason, but on emotions. Divided into three books, A Treatise of Human Nature... Read A Treatise of Human Nature Summary


Publication year 2010Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Identity: Mental Health, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Self Discovery, Relationships: MarriageTags Relationships, Self Help, Psychology, Science / Nature, Love / Sexuality, Psychology, Mental Illness

Publication year 1994Genre Autobiography / Memoir, NonfictionThemes Values/Ideas: BeautyTags Disability, Psychology, Psychology, Health / Medicine, Biography

Published in 1994, Autobiography of a Face is award-winning poet Lucy Grealy’s prose debut, a widely-celebrated memoir concerning the author’s struggles with cancer and disfigurement.At the age of 9, Lucy collides with a classmate during a game of dodgeball. The subsequent toothache leads her to seek medical assistance and doctors discover that she has Ewing’s sarcoma, a form of cancer with a 5% survival rate. She undergoes an operation to remove half of her jaw... Read Autobiography Of A Face Summary


Publication year 2004Genre Book, NonfictionTags Sociology, Education, Education, Science / Nature, Business / Economics, Psychology, Psychology, Self Help, Arts / Culture

Daniel H. Pink’s A Whole New Mind: Why Right-Brainers Will Rule the Future, released in 2005, considers and challenges society’s history of valuing left-brained attributes over creative and empathic right-brained thinkers. Pink, an author of several books on business and human behavior, argues that the age of left-brain supremacy is over, making way for whole-minded thinkers who will define and thrive within the coming Conceptual Age. Pink offers six essential whole-minded aptitudes that are key... Read A Whole New Mind Summary


Publication year 2007Genre Autobiography / Memoir, NonfictionThemes Relationships: FamilyTags Addiction / Substance Abuse, Parenting, Psychology, Psychology, Biography, Mental Illness

Published in 2008, David Sheff’s memoir, Beautiful Boy, explores his experiences of coming to terms with his son’s addiction to methamphetamine. Sheff and his wife Vicki are overjoyed when they have their son, Nic. For the first three years, they live a happy, contented life, providing Nic with everything he needs. However, when Sheff and Vicki's marriage collapses, Nic, now aged three, is deeply affected by the change. This worsens when Sheff and Vicki move... Read Beautiful Boy Summary


Publication year 2015Genre Biography, NonfictionThemes Identity: Sexuality, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Trust & DoubtTags LGBTQ, Gender / Feminism, Psychology, Psychology, Biography

Becoming Nicole, a nonfiction book by Washington Post journalist Amy Ellis Nutt, tells the story of Nicole Maines, a transgender girl who fights for acceptance in her family, at her school, and beyond. Published in 2015, the book chronicles Nicole’s early years as a boy named Wyatt, her adoption of a female name, a lawsuit involving her right to use the girls’ restroom at school, and her relationships with family and friends. Nutt also shows how... Read Becoming Nicole Summary


Publication year 2017Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Identity: Mental Health, Self Discovery, Society: Globalization, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Science & TechnologyTags Science / Nature, Psychology, Psychology, Philosophy, Philosophy, Self Help, Health / Medicine, Religion / Spirituality

Publication year 2017Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Values/Ideas: Good & EvilTags Science / Nature, Psychology, Anthropology, Anthropology, Psychology, Philosophy, Philosophy, Self Help, Health / Medicine

Publication year 1943Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Values/Ideas: Fate, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Good & EvilTags Philosophy, Existentialism, French Literature, Absurdism, History: World, Psychology, Psychology, Philosophy, Classic Fiction

Being and Nothingness: An Essay in Phenomenological Ontology (1943) by Jean-Paul Sartre is a foundational text for the philosophical movement of existentialism. Sartre, a 20th-century writer and philosopher, wrote Being and Nothingness while in a prisoner of war camp during World War II. Being and Nothingness addresses theories of consciousness, nothingness, self-identity, essences, and freedom. Sartre’s work builds upon a legacy of existentialist theories while defining and shaping them into a comprehensive ideology. He challenges... Read Being and Nothingness Summary


Publication year 1927Genre Book, NonfictionTags Existentialism, Education, Education, Science / Nature, Psychology, Psychology, Philosophy, Philosophy, Classic Fiction

Being and Time (Sein und Zeit) is a philosophical text written by 20th-century German philosopher Martin Heidegger. In it, Heidegger attempts to address the fundamental question of the meaning of being. He does so through a systematic exploration of human existence and its structures. First published in 1927, Being and Time had a major impact on subsequent philosophy. A canonical text of both existentialism and phenomenology (although Heidegger would deny the association with the former)... Read Being And Time Summary


Publication year 2014Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Life/Time: Mortality & DeathTags Health / Medicine, Grief / Death, Science / Nature, Psychology, Psychology, Philosophy, Philosophy

Being Mortal, Atul Gawande's New York Times best seller, was published in 2014. Gawande, an American surgeon and public health researcher, has written a series of articles, essays, and books that probe the US health care industry. His first book, Complications: A Surgeon's Notes on an Imperfect Science, was a finalist for the National Book Award, and he followed it in 2007 with Better: A Surgeon's Notes on Performance. Throughout his work, Gawande offers his... Read Being Mortal: Illness, Medicine and what Matters in the End Summary


Publication year 2010Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Society: Education, Values/Ideas: Truth & LiesTags Psychology, Philosophy, Relationships, Science / Nature, Business / Economics, Sociology, History: World, Psychology, Philosophy, Self Help

Being Wrong: Adventures in the Margin of Error (2010) is a nonfiction book written by Kathryn Schulz, a journalist who has written for publications such as the New York Times Magazine, the Nation, and the Boston Globe. The book explores the nature of error from a psychological, philosophical, and personal point of view, drawing from philosophical thought, psychology studies, and personal anecdotes. Some themes of the book include the fallibility of the human mind, the... Read Being Wrong Summary


Publication year 1976Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Identity: Race, Life/Time: The Future, Society: Globalization, Society: CommunityTags Anthropology, Arts / Culture, Sociology, Anthropology, Science / Nature, History: World, Psychology, Psychology, Philosophy, Philosophy

Publication year 1971Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Self Discovery, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Science & TechnologyTags Psychology, Philosophy, Science / Nature, Education, Education, Social Science, Sociology, Psychology, Philosophy, Classic Fiction, Politics / Government

Beyond Freedom and Dignity (1971) is a scientific philosophical text written by B. F. Skinner. Skinner (1904-1990) was a psychologist from the United States who is widely recognized for his contributions to behaviorism, the psychological theory that human behavior is determined or based on antecedent and external circumstances. Beyond Freedom and Dignity has been highly criticized for its repudiation of free will and its underlying Victorian ideals; however, this heavy criticism resulted in the popularization... Read Beyond Freedom and Dignity Summary


Publication year 1886Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Religion & SpiritualityTags Philosophy, Victorian Period, History: World, Psychology, Psychology, Philosophy, Classic Fiction, Religion / Spirituality

Beyond Good and Evil: Prelude to a Philosophy of the Future is a classic philosophical text composed by one of modernity’s greatest thinkers, Friedrich Nietzsche, and first published in 1886, just a few years after the arguably more infamous Thus Spake Zarathustra. Published first in Nietzsche’s native German, the book was translated into English 20 years later in 1906, making the work even more widely known to an international audience. A more polemical text than... Read Beyond Good And Evil Summary


Publication year 2019Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Equality, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Society: CommunityTags Psychology, Race / Racism, Sociology, Social Justice, Science / Nature, Psychology, Politics / Government

Publication year 2020Genre Autobiography / Memoir, NonfictionThemes Relationships: Friendship, Identity: Race, Self Discovery, Society: CommunityTags Self Help, Gender / Feminism, Relationships, Psychology, Psychology

Publication year 2015Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Identity: Language, Values/Ideas: Art, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: GratitudeTags Self Help, Business / Economics, Psychology, Arts / Culture, Inspirational, Psychology

Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear (2015) is a self-help guide by author and journalist Elizabeth Gilbert. This New York Times bestseller outlines six elements of creativity: courage, permission, enchantment, persistence, trust, and divinity. Gilbert uses anecdotes from her life and writing career, as well as the work of others, to explain these concepts, and presents her views and philosophical musings about creativity and inspiration. The work explores themes such as The Importance of Play... Read Big Magic Summary


Publication year 2022Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Identity: Mental HealthTags Psychology, Self Help

Publication year 1952Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Identity: RaceTags Sociology, Existentialism, Race / Racism, Afro-Caribbean Literature, Colonialism / Postcolonialism, Education, Education, History: World, Psychology, Psychology, Philosophy, Philosophy, Classic Fiction, Politics / Government

Frantz Fanon's Black Skin, White Masks is a psychological study of colonialism. According to Fanon, the encounter between white European colonizers and black slaves and their descendants creates a unique social and psychological situation with a characteristic set of psychopathologies. Black Skin, White Masks analyzes these psychopathologies, traces their roots in the colonial encounter, and suggests how healing might become possible.Fanon works within a broadly existentialist and phenomenological framework, his project is psychoanalytic, and he... Read Black Skin, White Masks Summary


Publication year 2013Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Society: Community, Identity: Race, Values/Ideas: Equality, Identity: GenderTags Psychology, Race / Racism, Science / Nature, Social Justice, Sociology, Education, Education, Business / Economics, Psychology, Self Help

Publication year 2006Genre Autobiography / Memoir, NonfictionThemes Identity: Disability, Relationships: Family, Relationships: FriendshipTags Disability, Psychology, LGBTQ, Science / Nature, Psychology, Mental Illness, Biography

Born on a Blue Day: Inside the Extraordinary Mind of an Autistic Savant is Daniel Tammet’s memoir and his first published book. In it, he recalls his childhood, adolescence, and adulthood leading up to the point in his life when he became independent with a partner and a career. Born on a Blue Day was a New York Times best seller following its publication in 2006.Tammet is, as identified in the subtitle, an autistic savant... Read Born on a Blue Day Summary


Publication year 1992Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Marriage, Relationships: FamilyTags Christian literature, Self Help, Psychology, Psychology, Relationships, Mental Illness, Religion / Spirituality

Publication year 2000Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Society: Politics & GovernmentTags Sociology, Politics / Government, Social Science, History: World, Psychology, Psychology, Philosophy, Philosophy, Arts / Culture

In Bowling Alone: The Collapse and Revival of American Community, Robert D. Putnam chronicles the decline of civic engagement and social connectedness in the late 20th-century United States and highlights the importance of renewing these forms of social capital for the sake of individual, societal, and democratic health. Putnam, a political science professor and former dean, has the expertise to contribute this work to the academic literature in social science. Originally published in 2000, the... Read Bowling Alone Summary


Publication year 2020Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Identity: Masculinity, Identity: Sexuality, Identity: GenderTags Parenting, Gender / Feminism, Love / Sexuality, Sociology, Psychology, Psychology, Self Help, Health / Medicine

Publication year 2012Genre Autobiography / Memoir, NonfictionThemes Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Values/Ideas: MusicTags Psychology, Mental Illness, Science / Nature, Psychology, Health / Medicine, Biography

Brain on Fire (2012) is a memoir by New York Post writer Susannah Cahalan that details her struggle with a rare autoimmune disease, anti-NMDA-receptor autoimmune encephalitis. Cahalan recollects the journey through illness that took her from a normal, 24-year-old journalist to a misdiagnosed psychotic patient, and back again. In 2018, Netflix released a film based on Cahalan’s story, produced by Cahalan and Charlize Theron.Plot SummaryCahalan wakes in a hospital with no understanding of how she... Read Brain On Fire Summary


Publication year 2008Genre Book, NonfictionTags Business / Economics, Psychology, Science / Nature, Self Help, Education, Education, Leadership/Organization/Management, Psychology

Publication year 2017Genre Book, NonfictionTags Self Help, Sociology, Psychology, Psychology, Mental Illness, Religion / Spirituality

Published in 2017, Brené Brown’s Braving the Wilderness: The Quest for True Belonging and the Courage to Stand Alone presents insights and strategies for finding what Brown refers to as true belonging in a time of increasing cultural polarization in America. Based on Brown’s grounded theory research, true belonging is a practice that involves believing in and belonging to oneself so fully that one can share one’s innermost, authentic self with the rest of the... Read Braving the Wilderness Summary


Publication year 2020Genre Book, NonfictionTags Health / Medicine, Self Help, Science / Nature, Psychology, Psychology

Breath: The New Science of a Lost Art, by James Nestor, is a comprehensive treatise on breathing. It combines a journalistic approach with studies in anthropology, biochemistry, human physiology, psychology, and pulmonology to unpack the different techniques of inhaling and exhaling throughout human history and in different societies. With its first publication in 2020, Breath was a bestseller in the New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Wall Street Journal, and Sunday London Times and will... Read Breath Summary


Publication year 2023Genre Novel, FictionThemes Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Identity: Femininity, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Truth & LiesTags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Historical Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Gender / Feminism, History: U.S., Incarceration, Internet Culture / Social Media, Journalism, LGBTQ, Love / Sexuality, Politics / Government, Psychology, Relationships, Social Justice, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Crime / Legal, History: World

Publication year 2020Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Self Discovery, Society: CommunityTags Self Help, Science / Nature, Psychology, Psychology, Philosophy, Philosophy, Mental Illness, Health / Medicine, Religion / Spirituality

Publication year 1995Genre Short Story, FictionThemes Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Values/Ideas: Art, Life/Time: Mortality & DeathTags Realistic Fiction, Arts / Culture, Grief / Death, Psychology, Education, Education, Classic Fiction

Publication year 2018Genre Autobiography / Memoir, NonfictionTags Self Help, Psychology, Military / War, Psychology, Biography

Publication year 2015Genre Novel, FictionTags Realistic Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Psychology, Psychology, Mental Illness

Challenger Deep, a 2015 novel by Neal Shusterman, offers an account of mental illness as experienced by a teenage boy. Shusterman’s son Brendan was diagnosed with schizoaffective disorder at age 16. His experience with the illness influenced Neal to write Challenger Deep. Brendan’s drawings appear throughout the book as Caden’s artwork. The book garnered the 2015 National Book Award for Young People’s Literature.Plot SummaryWhen the novel begins, Caden is 15 years old. He is a... Read Challenger Deep Summary


Publication year 1987Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Natural World: Space & The Universe, Values/Ideas: Science & TechnologyTags Science / Nature, Philosophy, Business / Economics, Animals, Health / Medicine, Technology, History: World, Psychology, Psychology, Philosophy

Publication year 2015Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Justice & InjusticeTags Sociology, Health / Medicine, Politics / Government, Social Justice, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Science / Nature, History: World, Psychology, Psychology

Chasing the Scream: The First and Last Days of the War on Drugs is a 2015 work of investigative nonfiction by British-Swiss author Johann Hari. Hari explores the so-called international war on drugs by looking deeply into its historical roots, its legal and social implications, and the possibility for reform. He examines addiction and the consequences of past and present drug laws across nine continents and 30,000 miles. A major focus is the criminalization and... Read Chasing the Scream Summary


Publication year 2014Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Identity: Mental Health, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Win & LoseTags Business / Economics, Inspirational, Psychology, Psychology, Philosophy, Philosophy, Self Help, Religion / Spirituality

Publication year 1930Genre Book, NonfictionTags Education, Education, Sociology, History: World, Psychology, Psychology, Philosophy, Philosophy, Classic Fiction, Politics / Government

Civilization and Its Discontents is one of the most widely-read and influential works by Sigmund Freud, founder of psychoanalysis and a titan of the 20th century. The book examines the conflict between societies and their individual members, how cultures try to channel human drives toward constructive ends, and how individuals struggle to balance social demands for conformity with their own urges and yearnings. Late in the 19th century, Freud founded psychoanalysis, a talking therapy that... Read Civilization And Its Discontents Summary


Publication year 1986Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Identity: Mental Health, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Marriage, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Truth & LiesTags Psychology, Mental Illness, Self Help, Psychology, Relationships, Health / Medicine, Religion / Spirituality

Publication year 2009Genre Book, NonfictionTags Crime / Legal, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Journalism, Sociology, History: World, Psychology, Psychology, Biography

Dave Cullen’s nonfiction book, Columbine (2009), chronicles the mass shooting at Colorado’s Columbine High School, on April 20, 1999. The perpetrators of the shooting, Columbine High seniors Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold, killed thirteen people—twelve students and one teacher—and injured another two-dozen, before taking their own lives. Cullen’s book moves backward and forward in time, chronicling the lives of the shooters, the victims, the victims’ families, and others both before and after the April 20... Read Columbine Summary


Publication year 2015Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Identity: Femininity, Identity: Sexuality, Relationships: Marriage, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: JoyTags Gender / Feminism, Science / Nature, Health / Medicine, Relationships, Self Help, Love / Sexuality, Women's Studies (Nonfiction), Psychology, Psychology

Publication year 1846Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Society: CommunityTags Psychology, Psychology, Philosophy, Classic Fiction, Philosophy, Religion / Spirituality

Published in 1846, Concluding Unscientific Postscript to the Philosophical Fragments is one of the major works of the Danish philosopher and theologian Søren Kierkegaard. The book is so named because Kierkegaard intended it as a sequel to his 1844 work Philosophical Fragments, although the Postscript is more than six times longer than the Fragments. The word “unscientific” is an ironic allusion to rationalistic philosophy, particularly that of Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel.Hegel’s philosophy—known as Hegelianism—held that... Read Concluding Unscientific Postscript Summary


Publication year 1998Genre Book, NonfictionTags Science / Nature, Social Science, History: World, Psychology, Psychology, Philosophy, Philosophy

Consilience is the bringing together of facts and theories from many fields of study to create a coherent, unified system of knowledge. Consilience, published in 1998 by Harvard scientist Edward O. Wilson, argues that the grand quest to unite all human thought, begun during the post-Renaissance Enlightenment era, should continue today, centered on the intellectual power of the scientific method. Professor Wilson believes that science is the foremost method of organized thought ever developed, a... Read Consilience Summary


Publication year 2006Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Society: CommunityTags Journalism, Education, Education, Psychology, Psychology, Mental Illness, Health / Medicine

Crazy: A Father’s Search Through America’s Mental Health Madness, published in 2006, is a blend of memoir and journalism by author and Washington Post journalist Pete Earley. The book was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize in 2007 and recounts the struggles of Earley’s son, Mike, to receive treatment for his mental illness, which results in Mike’s arrest. Earley juxtaposes Mike’s story with the stories of Miami residents with mental illnesses as they navigate life in... Read Crazy Summary


Publication year 1788Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Society: Education, Values/Ideas: Religion & SpiritualityTags History: World, Psychology, Psychology, Philosophy, Classic Fiction, Politics / Government, Philosophy, German Literature

Publication year 1781Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Natural World: Objects, Values/Ideas: Religion & SpiritualityTags Philosophy, Science / Nature, History: World, Psychology, Psychology, Philosophy, Classic Fiction

German philosopher Immanuel Kant’s Critique of Pure Reason is one of the most influential texts in the history of modern philosophy. Situated in the intellectual milieu of 18th century Europe, the Critique of Pure Reason is a philosophical document of the Age of Enlightenment and offers an answer to the philosophical debates of its day touching on metaphysical, epistemological, and ethical inquiries. Written in 1781 and substantially revised in 1787, Kant’s Critique inaugurated a philosophical... Read Critique of Pure Reason Summary


Publication year 2002Genre Reference/Text Book, NonfictionThemes Identity: Language, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Relationships: TeamsTags Self Help, Business / Economics, Leadership/Organization/Management, Relationships, Psychology, Psychology

Crucial Conversations: Tools for Talking When the Stakes Are High (2002) was written by Kerry Patterson, Joseph Grenny, Al Switzler, and Ron McMillan. It has become a cornerstone of the field of interpersonal communication and self-improvement, offering insights into the dynamics that govern our most vital conversations. Both Kerry Patterson and Joseph Grenny are leading authorities on organizational change and have advised some of the world’s largest organizations. Al Switzler is a renowned speaker and... Read Crucial Conversations Summary


Publication year 2023Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Identity: LanguageTags Psychology, Religion / Spirituality, Crime / Legal, Sociology, History: World, Psychology

Publication year 2018Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Relationships: TeamsTags Self Help, Leadership/Organization/Management, Business / Economics, Psychology, Education, Education, Psychology

Publication year 1989Genre Book, NonfictionTags Depression / Suicide, Health / Medicine, Mental Illness, Psychology, Psychology, Biography

In December 1985, prominent novelist William Styron, in the depths of severe depression, found himself at a crossroads. Prepared to commit suicide, Styron opted instead to seek treatment. After seven weeks in a psychiatric ward, Styron reentered the world with a renewed sense of self and a will to live. When Primo Levi, a prominent Italian scientist, writer, and Holocaust survivor, killed himself in 1987, Styron responded to the widespread criticism of Levi’s suicide with... Read Darkness Visible Summary


Publication year 2013Genre Book, NonfictionTags Psychology, Science / Nature, Business / Economics, Sociology, History: World, Psychology, Self Help

Malcolm Gladwell’s 2013 book David and Goliath: Underdogs, Misfits, and the Art of Battling Giants is an investigation of the relationship—often distorted, in Gladwell’s view—between underdogs and giants. Taken from the Biblical account of David and Goliath, underdogs are cast as those battling (and overcoming) seemingly overwhelming odds, and giants are their adversaries. David and Goliath was a bestseller, but some critics and scholars found Gladwell’s conclusions unsatisfying and the stories he draws from unsubstantiated... Read David And Goliath Summary


Publication year 1998Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / PerseveranceTags Psychology, Business / Economics, Action / Adventure, Self Help, Travel Literature, Science / Nature, Psychology

Publication year 2016Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Values/Ideas: Science & TechnologyTags Self Help, Business / Economics, Psychology, Leadership/Organization/Management, Philosophy, Technology

Publication year 2010Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Identity: GenderTags Sociology, Gender / Feminism, Women's Studies (Nonfiction), Science / Nature, Psychology, Psychology, LGBTQ

Delusions of Gender: How Our Minds, Society, and Neurosexism Create Difference, also known as Delusions of Gender: The Real Science Behind Sex Differences, is a 2010 work of feminist nonfiction by British psychologist and philosopher Dr. Cordelia Fine. Through an intensive but accessible review of neurological and sociological studies, the book debunks the idea that men and women have different brains. Nominated for numerous awards upon its publication, it went on to become a bestseller... Read Delusions of Gender Summary


Publication year 1994Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Identity: Disability, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Identity: Mental Health, Natural World: Nurture v. Nature, Values/Ideas: Science & TechnologyTags Psychology, Science / Nature, Philosophy, Health / Medicine, Education, Education, Psychology, Philosophy

Publication year 2023Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Order & ChaosTags Science / Nature, Sociology, Psychology, Psychology, Philosophy, Philosophy

Publication year 1964Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Identity: Mental Health, Self Discovery, Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: CourageTags Psychology, Education, Parenting, Disability, Education, Psychology, Mental Illness, Biography

Publication year 1999Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Identity: Language, Self DiscoveryTags Business / Economics, Self Help, Psychology, Relationships, Philosophy, Leadership/Organization/Management, Psychology

Publication year 1975Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Society: Politics & Government, Society: ClassTags Philosophy, Incarceration, History: World, Sociology, Psychology, French Literature, Education, Education, Psychology, Philosophy, Classic Fiction, Politics / Government

Discipline and Punish: The Birth of the Prison by Michel Foucault is a socio-political study of how power manifests in the Western penal system throughout history. Considered to be Foucault’s masterpiece, Discipline and Punish traces the history of how punishment and control were applied in Western society and how penal systems evolved to match changes in social sensibilities. Michel Foucault was a French historical philosopher and literary critic in the 20th century. Foucault’s work has... Read Discipline And Punish Summary


Publication year 2021Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Identity: Mental Health, Self Discovery, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Emotions/Behavior: Gratitude, Relationships: Family, Society: Community, Emotions/Behavior: Apathy, Society: Nation, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Values/Ideas: Truth & LiesTags Health / Medicine, Psychology, Science / Nature, Self Help, Addiction / Substance Abuse, Depression / Suicide, Mental Illness, Leadership/Organization/Management, Psychology

Publication year 2023Genre Autobiography / Memoir, NonfictionTags Gender / Feminism, Sociology, History: World, Psychology, Psychology, Philosophy, Philosophy, Politics / Government, Biography

Publication year 1996Genre Autobiography / Memoir, NonfictionThemes Emotions/Behavior: GuiltTags Psychology, Psychology, Mental Illness, Self Help, Food, Biography

Drinking: A Love Story is Caroline Knapp’s 1997 memoir about her alcoholism and recovery. Knapp examines how her relationship with alcohol turned into a dangerous love affair that threatened to destroy her life. She also explores important aspects of her family life and romantic relationships, both of which contributed to her addiction and were impeded by her drinking.Knapp begins the book with a prologue that helps the reader understand why she quit drinking. She explains... Read Drinking: A Love Story Summary


Publication year 2009Genre Book, FictionThemes Society: Economics, Society: Community, Society: Education, Values/Ideas: Science & TechnologyTags Psychology, Self Help, Business / Economics

Publication year 2003Genre Autobiography / Memoir, NonfictionThemes Society: Community, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Apathy, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / PerseveranceTags Humor, LGBTQ, Psychology, Addiction / Substance Abuse, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Psychology, Mental Illness, Biography

Publication year 1963Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Emotions/Behavior: MemoryTags History: World, WWII / World War II, Military / War, Psychology, Psychology, Philosophy, Philosophy, Classic Fiction, Politics / Government

Eichmann in Jerusalem: A Report on the Banality of Evil is a nonfiction book by political theorist Hannah Arendt, originally published in 1963. In 1961, Arendt went to Jerusalem to cover the trial of Adolf Eichmann for The New Yorker, an assignment she gave herself because “she felt she simply had to attend the trial; she owed it to herself as a social critic, displaced person, witness, and survivor” (xi). Eichmann, a Nazi facilitator of... Read Eichmann in Jerusalem Summary


Publication year 1995Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Identity: Mental Health, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Society: EducationTags Self Help, Psychology, Leadership/Organization/Management, Science / Nature, Business / Economics, Relationships, Psychology

In Emotional Intelligence: Why It Can Matter More Than IQ, Daniel Goleman discusses how The Components of Emotional Intelligence, like self-awareness, empathy, and social skills, shape an individual’s life. He explores key themes, such as The Impact of Emotional Intelligence on Personal and Professional Success, The Relationship Between Emotional Intelligence and Traditional IQ, and Emotional Intelligence Affecting Mental Health and Interpersonal Relationships. This guide refers to the 1995 Bantam Books hardcover edition. Content Warning: The... Read Emotional Intelligence: Why It Can Matter More Than IQ Summary


Publication year 2009Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Values/Ideas: Fame, Society: CommunityTags Sociology, Education, Education, American Literature, History: World, Psychology, Psychology, Philosophy, Philosophy, Arts / Culture, Politics / Government

Empire of Illusion: The End of Literacy and the Triumph of Spectacle is a non-fiction book written by Chris Hedges, published in 2009. This work of cultural criticism focuses on the effects of mass media and popular culture on American society, politics, and economics. Since its publication, Empire of Illusion has been marketed as a work which predicted the forces that ultimately gave rise to the election of Donald Trump in 2016. Author Chris Hedges... Read Empire Of Illusion Summary


Publication year 1979Genre Novel, FictionThemes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Mental Health, Relationships: FamilyTags Romance, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Love / Sexuality, Psychology, American Literature, Modern Classic Fiction, Drama / Tragedy, Psychology, Classic Fiction

Endless Love by Scott Spencer, first published in 1979, is a psychological drama that delves into teenage love’s obsessive and destructive nature. Spencer, an American novelist known for exploring intense human emotions and relationships, crafts a story centered around David Axelrod, a young man whose all-consuming love for Jade Butterfield leads to tragic and life-altering events. The novel examines themes such as The Destructive Nature of Love, Dysfunctional Family Dynamics, and The Construct of Mental... Read Endless Love Summary


Publication year 2018Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Society: Economics, Society: Class, Society: Education, Society: Globalization, Society: Nation, Society: Politics & Government, Emotions/Behavior: Nostalgia, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Society: CommunityTags Philosophy, Science / Nature, Psychology, Sociology, Politics / Government, Health / Medicine, Agriculture, Business / Economics, Class, Climate Change, Social Justice, History: World, Psychology, Philosophy

Publication year 1941Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Society: CommunityTags Psychology, Sociology, History: World, Psychology, Philosophy, Philosophy, Classic Fiction, Politics / Government

Escape From Freedom is a book of social psychology written by Erich Fromm in 1941. A German-Jewish psychoanalyst, Fromm had been a member of Frankfurt’s influential Institute for Social Research before fleeing the Nazis and relocating to the United States. In Escape From Freedom, Fromm uses ideas from both psychology and sociology to explain humanity’s ambivalent relation to freedom, with a particular attention paid to the rise of Nazism in Germany. The first two chapters of... Read Escape From Freedom Summary


Publication year 2011Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Society: Economics, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Self DiscoveryTags Business / Economics, Self Help, Psychology, Leadership/Organization/Management, Psychology, Philosophy, Philosophy

Publication year 2014Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Society: CommunityTags Sociology, Education, Education, History: World, Parenting, Psychology, Psychology, Philosophy, Philosophy, Politics / Government

William Deresiewicz’s 2014 nonfiction book Excellent Sheep: The Miseducation of the American Elite and the Way to a Meaningful Life examines elite education in America in the 21st century and finds it sorely lacking. By “elite education,” Deresiewicz is referring to the Ivy League schools and a handful of top-tier universities just below the Ivy League. Having spent over two decades in the Ivies as both a student and professor, Deresiewicz speaks from his own... Read Excellent Sheep Summary


Publication year 1938Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Society: Education, Relationships: Teams, Life/Time: Childhood & YouthTags Education, Philosophy, Education, Sociology, Psychology, Psychology, Philosophy, Classic Fiction

Publication year 2015Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Relationships: Teams, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: ConflictTags Military / War, Business / Economics, Self Help, War On Terrorism / Iraq War, Leadership/Organization/Management, Psychology, Psychology

In the 2015 military and business book Extreme Ownership: How US Navy SEALs Lead and Win, two of the most highly decorated US Navy SEALs of the Iraq War describe the lessons of leadership learned during combat and how those lessons apply to companies and organizations. Authors Jocko Willink and Leif Babin explain that the single most important element of a team is its leader and that the team succeeds in its mission only if... Read Extreme Ownership Summary


Publication year 2018Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Society: Globalization, Values/Ideas: Trust & DoubtTags Sociology, Science / Nature, Business / Economics, History: World, Psychology, Psychology, Philosophy, Philosophy, Self Help, Politics / Government

Factfulness: Ten Reasons We’re Wrong About the World—And Why Things Are Better Than You Think, written by Hans Rosling, Ola Rosling, and Anna Rosling Rönnlund, was published by Flatiron Books in 2018. This book examines how people across cultures view the world through a negative lens, which leads them to believe conditions everywhere are declining. Doctor and global health expert Hans Rosling offers research and anecdotes from his medical experience and his lectures to unpack... Read Factfulness Summary


Publication year 1972Genre Essay / Speech, NonfictionThemes Society: Economics, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Society: Globalization, Society: CommunityTags Philosophy, Politics / Government, Social Justice, Finance / Money / Wealth, Business / Economics, History: World, Psychology, Psychology, Philosophy, Religion / Spirituality

Publication year 1843Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Good & EvilTags Existentialism, Philosophy, Religion / Spirituality, History: World, Psychology, Psychology, Philosophy, Classic Fiction

Fear and Trembling is an 1843 Christian philosophical tract written by the Danish philosopher Søren Kierkegaard and published under the pseudonym Johannes de Silentio (John of the Silence). The title refers to a passage from the Bible, which demands that “salvation” be worked out “with fear and trembling” (Philippians 2:12). Most of Fear and Trembling focuses on the biblical story of Abraham, whom God told to sacrifice his son Isaac. Abraham’s actions (despite his fear... Read Fear And Trembling Summary


Publication year 2001Genre Autobiography / Memoir, NonfictionThemes Values/Ideas: Music, Relationships: FamilyTags Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Psychology, Psychology, Biography

Finding Fish is a 2001 memoir by Antwone Fisher, a Hollywood screenwriter. The memoir begins in Cleveland in 1959, when Eddie Elkins is shot and killed by his girlfriend. Shortly after, Antwone Fisher is born to Eva Gardner, whom Eddie dated briefly. The Elkins family never speaks about the tragic incident.Antwone’s first memory is looking out of a window at the home of his foster parents, the Picketts. Though he meets his biological mother once... Read Finding Fish Summary


Publication year 1966Genre Novel, FictionThemes Life/Time: The Past, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Identity: DisabilityTags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Classic Fiction, Psychological Fiction, Education, Education, Psychology, Psychology

Daniel Keyes’s science fiction novel Flowers for Algernon (1966) is the story of a man’s journey from having an intellectual disability to gaining extraordinary intelligence—and his regression when an experimental procedure to “correct” his disability goes wrong. Keyes first published a short story titled “Flowers for Algernon” in 1959, which won the Hugo Award for best science fiction short story, before publishing it as a full-length novel, which won the Nebula award for science fiction... Read Flowers For Algernon Summary


Publication year 2001Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Society: Economics, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Win & Lose, Values/Ideas: Trust & DoubtTags Finance / Money / Wealth, Psychology, Philosophy, Self Help, Business / Economics, Science / Nature, Psychology, Philosophy

Publication year 2021Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Emotions/Behavior: JoyTags Self Help, Philosophy, Psychology, Leadership/Organization/Management, Business / Economics, Psychology, Philosophy

Publication year 2005Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Society: Class, Society: EconomicsTags Business / Economics, Sociology, Science / Nature, Social Science, Psychology, Psychology, Politics / Government

Rarely does a book about economics attract a large audience, but Freakonomics: A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything sold 4 million copies after its 2005 debut. The book, by University of Chicago professor Steven Levitt and journalist Stephen Dubner, explains how incentives—the reasons why people do things—can cause unusual and unexpected effects in many areas of life.Praised and reviled for its outside-the-box approach—the work was condemned for suggesting that liberalized abortion laws... Read Freakonomics Summary


Publication year 1980Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Society: EconomicsTags Business / Economics, History: World, Psychology, Psychology, Philosophy, Philosophy, Politics / Government

Free to Choose is a nonfiction book first published in 1980 and written by Milton and Rose Friedman. The text advocates for free market principles and was made into a ten-part television series. Free to Choose attempts to answer questions including: Why do government programs so often fail to reach their goals? Why do children do worse at school while taxpayers pay more and more to support their education? Why must we fill out a... Read Free To Choose Summary


Publication year 2022Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Self Discovery, Life/Time: AgingTags Self Help, Psychology, Health / Medicine, Philosophy, Leadership/Organization/Management, Business / Economics, Psychology, Philosophy

Publication year 1990Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Identity: Mental Health, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: New AgeTags Psychology, Self Help, Health / Medicine, Religion / Spirituality, Psychology, Philosophy, Philosophy, Mental Illness

Publication year 2008Genre Autobiography / Memoir, NonfictionTags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Social Science, Business / Economics, Sociology, Psychology, Psychology, Biography

Gang Leader for a Day is Sudhir Venkatesh’s account of the six years he spent doing research in Chicago’s housing projects as a Sociology graduate student. Early in his time at the University of Chicago, Venkatesh stumbles across the Black Kings, a powerful gang heavily involved in Chicago’s crack trade. While he is interested in studying urban poverty, Venkatesh cannot pass up the opportunity to learn more about how gangs operate and what role they... Read Gang Leader For a Day Summary


Publication year 2001Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Emotions/Behavior: MemoryTags Business / Economics, Leadership/Organization/Management, Self Help, Psychology, Psychology

Publication year 1981Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Society: Economics, Values/Ideas: Win & Lose, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Identity: LanguageTags Business / Economics, Psychology, Self Help, Leadership/Organization/Management, Relationships, Politics / Government, Psychology

Getting to YES: Negotiating Agreement Without Giving In (1981) is a business and self-help book by Roger Fisher and William Ury. It teaches a principled method of settling disputes so that both sides win. Revised in 1991 and 2011, the book has sold 15 million copies in 35 languages, spent several years on the BusinessWeek bestseller list, and is one of the most commonly cited works on lists of the best negotiation books. Authors Fisher... Read Getting to Yes Summary


Publication year 2011Genre Autobiography / Memoir, NonfictionTags Education, Disability, Psychology, Psychology, Biography, Health / Medicine

Ghost Boy: The Miraculous Escape of a Misdiagnosed Boy Trapped Inside His Own Body (2011) is a memoir written by Martin Pistorius with Megan Lloyd Davies. The autobiography details Martin’s childhood misdiagnosis, a mistake that cost him years of his life where he could not communicate with anyone around him. Martin is a native of Johannesburg, South Africa, who at the age of 12 suddenly and mysteriously started losing all control of his muscles and... Read Ghost Boy Summary


Publication year 1993Genre Autobiography / Memoir, NonfictionThemes Identity: Mental Health, Life/Time: The Past, Identity: Femininity, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Identity: Gender, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Values/Ideas: Science & TechnologyTags Depression / Suicide, Mental Illness, Psychology, Gender / Feminism, Addiction / Substance Abuse, Health / Medicine, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Modern Classic Fiction, Psychology, Classic Fiction, Biography

Susanna Kaysen’s 1993, Girl, Interrupted, is a memoir that explores Kaysen’s time as a teenage psychiatric patient in McLean Hospital in the late 1960s. Kaysen explores the murky definitions of mental health and illness, as she recounters her experience of being diagnosed with Borderline Personality Disorder and makes compelling arguments about the subjective nature of personality, behavior, and disorder. Girl, Interrupted is a bestselling book and was adapted into the 1999 film starring Winona Ryder... Read Girl, Interrupted Summary


Publication year 2016Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Identity: Sexuality, Identity: Femininity, Life/Time: Coming of AgeTags Gender / Feminism, Parenting, Psychology, Love / Sexuality, LGBTQ, Women's Studies (Nonfiction), Sociology, Psychology, Self Help

Publication year 2013Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Relationships: Teams, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Self DiscoveryTags Self Help, Business / Economics, Psychology, Leadership/Organization/Management, Psychology

Give and Take: Why Helping Others Drives Our Success, by Adam Grant, explores the concept of reciprocity in the workplace and how it can lead to personal and professional success. First published in 2013, the book bridges the genres of business psychology and self-help, providing readers with actionable strategies to enhance their careers and professional relationships. Grant, an organizational psychologist and professor, draws on his extensive research and real-world examples to demonstrate the power of... Read Give and Take Summary


Publication year 2010Genre Reference/Text Book, NonfictionThemes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Relationships: Teams, Society: Community, Society: Education, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Identity: LanguageTags Self Help, Psychology, Education, Education, Leadership/Organization/Management, Business / Economics, Psychology, Philosophy, Philosophy

Publication year 1971Genre Novel, FictionThemes Identity: Mental Health, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship, Self Discovery, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Truth & LiesTags Depression / Suicide, Addiction / Substance Abuse, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Realistic Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Psychology, Psychology, Mental Illness, Classic Fiction

Initially advertised as an anonymous, true story of a teenage girl, Go Ask Alice (1971) by Beatrice Sparks is an epistolary novel, or a fictional work structured as a diary. The diary entries chronicle two years of a teen girl’s experience with social acceptance, family relationships, and drugs—primarily marijuana, LSD, and amphetamines. Although Beatrice Sparks initially claimed to be the diary’s editor, considerable evidence suggests that she’s the sole author of the fictional work. Nevertheless... Read Go Ask Alice Summary


Publication year 1986Genre Autobiography / Memoir, NonfictionThemes Society: Community, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Nostalgia, Relationships: Mothers, Society: Class, Society: Colonialism, Society: Globalization, Society: WarTags Social Science, Sociology, History: World, Psychology, Psychology, Relationships, Self Help, WWII / World War II, Military / War, Action / Adventure

Publication year 2020Genre Novel, FictionThemes Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Values/Ideas: Truth & LiesTags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Technology, Psychology, Crime / Legal, Modern Classic Fiction, Romance

Publication year 2022Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Life/Time: Childhood & YouthTags Parenting, Psychology, Self Help, Relationships, Children's Literature, Psychology

Publication year 2019Genre Biography, NonfictionThemes Identity: Mental Health, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Self DiscoveryTags Psychology, Biography, Mental Illness, Health / Medicine, Psychology, Self Help

Publication year 2016Genre Book, NonfictionTags Chinese Literature, Asian Literature, Leadership/Organization/Management, Science / Nature, Business / Economics, Parenting, Psychology, Psychology, Self Help

Angela Duckworth’s best-selling 2016 book Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance describes how persistent practice, and not mere talent, is the key to success among students and professionals. Duckworth’s extensive research demonstrates that young people do best in activities that hold their interest and give them a sense of purpose. This encourages them to practice hard and overcome obstacles until they achieve mastery and success in school and, later, in their professional lives. The... Read Grit Summary


Publication year 2020Genre Autobiography / Memoir, NonfictionThemes Identity: Mental Health, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Relationships: FriendshipTags Psychology, Self Help

Publication year 1985Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Society: Community, Society: Economics, Society: Nation, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Religion & SpiritualityTags Social Science, Arts / Culture, Sociology, History: World, Psychology, Psychology, Philosophy, Philosophy, Religion / Spirituality, Politics / Government

Habits of the Heart: Individualism and Commitment in American Life by Robert N. Bellah, Richard Madsen, William M. Sullivan, Ann Swidler, and Steven M. Tipton, is a sociological study published in 1985 that explores the balance between individualism and community within American society. The authors, who bring a collective background in sociology and theology to their analysis, investigate how Americans navigate the tensions between personal autonomy and social belonging. The book addresses topics such as... Read Habits of the Heart Summary


Publication year 2006Genre Poem, FictionThemes Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Relationships: Marriage, Emotions/Behavior: LoveTags Lyric Poem, Relationships, Love / Sexuality, Psychology, American Literature

Publication year 1974Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Relationships: FamilyTags Crime / Legal, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, History: World, Psychology, Psychology, Religion / Spirituality, Biography

Vincent Bugliosi (1934-2015), the lead prosecutor in the case of the murders committed by Charles Manson and his followers, wrote the book Helter Skelter: The True Story of the Manson Murders as a detailed account of the trial, evidence, and interviews with the witnesses that eventually put these horrific criminals behind bars. Written with the help of ghostwriter Curt Gentry, the book highlights Bugliosi’s insider’s perspective on the events, with detailed explanations of the gory... Read Helter Skelter Summary


Publication year 2023Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Self Discovery, Society: Education, Values/Ideas: EqualityTags Psychology, Self Help, Business / Economics, Leadership/Organization/Management, Education, Education, Science / Nature, Psychology

Publication year 2020Genre Biography, NonfictionThemes Identity: Mental Health, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Relationships: Siblings, Relationships: FamilyTags Psychology, Mental Illness, Science / Nature, History: World, Psychology, Health / Medicine, Biography

Publication year 1955Genre Novel, FictionThemes Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: LoveTags Christian literature, Allegory / Fable / Parable, Psychology, Religion / Spirituality, Self Help, British Literature, Fantasy, Classic Fiction

Hannah Hurnard’s 1955 novel Hinds’ Feet on High Places is an allegorical portrayal of purgation, progress, and ascent within the spiritual life. Born to Quaker parents, Hurnard struggled with her faith in her youth but experienced a powerful conversion at the age of 19. Inspired, she gained theological training in England and went on to author almost two dozen books over the course of her life, including a sequel to Hinds’ Feet entitled Mountain of... Read Hinds’ Feet on High Places Summary


Publication year 2015Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Natural World: Environment, Life/Time: The Future, Natural World: Appearance & RealityTags Science / Nature, History: World, Philosophy, Anthropology, Anthropology, Sociology, Psychology, Psychology, Philosophy, Politics / Government

Homo Deus: A Brief History of Tomorrow (2015) is a work of popular science by Israeli writer, professor, and futurist Yuval Noah Harari. Published in multiple languages, it is a continuation of the work of Harari’s previous book, Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind. While Sapiens contextualized the advents of modernity within humans’ evolutionary legacy, Homo Deus speculates about what lies in wait for humanity in the distant future. Harari grounds his discussion in an... Read Homo Deus Summary


Publication year 2013Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Society: EconomicsTags Business / Economics, Psychology, Self Help, Technology, Philosophy, Leadership/Organization/Management, Science / Nature, Psychology, Arts / Culture

Publication year 2012Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Natural World: Nurture v. Nature, Identity: Mental Health, Identity: Race, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Society: Class, Society: Education, Values/Ideas: EqualityTags Education, Psychology, Parenting, Children's Literature, Education, Science / Nature, Sociology, Psychology, Self Help

Publication year 2017Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Identity: Language, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Identity: Gender, Identity: Mental Health, Self Discovery, Society: Community, Society: Education, Natural World: Nurture v. NatureTags Science / Nature, Psychology, Health / Medicine, Self Help, Psychology

Publication year 2018Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Society: CommunityTags Politics / Government, Sociology, History: World, Psychology, Psychology, Philosophy, Philosophy, Social Justice

How Fascism Works: The Politics of Us Versus Them is a nonfiction book published in 2018 by the American philosopher and Yale University professor Jason Stanley. In it, the author discusses ten mechanisms by which fascist politicians gain and consolidate power in democratic states, potentially yielding a fascist state with an absolute leader. Drawing on examples that range from Nazi Germany to the contemporary United States, Stanley explains the appeal of fascist ideology during times... Read How Fascism Works Summary


Publication year 1997Genre Book, NonfictionTags Science / Nature, Psychology, Psychology, Philosophy, Philosophy

How the Mind Works is a 1997 non-fiction book by Steven Pinker, who presents his ideas on how the human mind developed and how it produces the feats we take for granted every day, such as talking, walking, and making friends. Pinker is a cognitive neuroscientist who studies language acquisition in children. He approaches the study of the mind from a psychological and cognitive perspective, but he did extensive research for the book and brings... Read How The Mind Works Summary


Publication year 2022Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Identity: Mental HealthTags Philosophy, Humor, Self Help, Psychology, Psychology, Philosophy

Publication year 2018Genre Book, NonfictionTags Psychology, Depression / Suicide, Science / Nature, History: World, Psychology, Philosophy, Philosophy, Mental Illness, Self Help, Health / Medicine, Religion / Spirituality

How to Change Your Mind: What the New Science of Psychedelics Teaches Us About Consciousness, Dying, Addiction, Depression, and Transcendence (2018) was written by Michael Pollan after curiosity and a personal desire to experience psychedelics for himself prompted exploration into psychedelic research. Pollan uses multiple forms of narrative to weave a story that’s part history, part memoir, part biomedical nonfiction, and part travelogue. The book follows the history of LSD and psilocybin as well as... Read How to Change Your Mind Summary


Publication year 2019Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Society: Politics & Government, Society: Economics, Natural World: Place, Society: Community, Natural World: Objects, Values/Ideas: Science & TechnologyTags Philosophy, Technology, Arts / Culture, Self Help, Information Age, Science / Nature, Psychology, Psychology, Philosophy, Politics / Government

Publication year 2014Genre Book, NonfictionTags Self Help, Science / Nature, Business / Economics, History: World, Psychology, Psychology, Philosophy, Philosophy, Arts / Culture

How to Fly a Horse: The Secret History of Creation, Invention, and Discovery (2015) is a nonfiction book by Kevin Ashton about creativity. Ashton has led three start-ups and was a pioneer in the use of radio-frequency identification (RFID) in inventory systems, underscoring his business credibility in this area. His thesis extends into the creative process involved in any field, including art and medicine. Ashton’s main point strikes an open and democratic tone: Being creative is... Read How to Fly a Horse Summary


Publication year 2022Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Identity: Mental Health, Emotions/Behavior: Apathy, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Values/Ideas: Order & ChaosTags Self Help, Psychology, Disability, Health / Medicine, Parenting, Psychology, Mental Illness

Publication year 2023Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Emotions/Behavior: Apathy, Identity: Mental Health, Society: CommunityTags Psychology, Self Help, Relationships, Sociology, Leadership/Organization/Management, Philosophy

Publication year 1954Genre Reference/Text Book, NonfictionThemes Society: Economics, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Truth & LiesTags Business / Economics, Science / Nature, Education, Education, Psychology, Psychology, Self Help, Politics / Government

Publication year 1948Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Identity: Mental Health, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Gratitude, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Life/Time: MidlifeTags Self Help, Psychology, Inspirational, Mental Illness, Education, Business / Economics, Psychology, Philosophy, Philosophy, Health / Medicine

Publication year 1980Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Emotions/Behavior: Joy, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Language, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Natural World: Food, Relationships: Family, Society: Community, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Society: EducationTags Children's Literature, Education, Education, Parenting, Psychology, Psychology, Self Help

Publication year 1998Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Values/Ideas: Win & Lose, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Relationships: Friendship, Identity: LanguageTags Self Help, Psychology, Relationships, Leadership/Organization/Management

Publication year 1998Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Teams, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Identity: LanguageTags Business / Economics, Relationships, Psychology, Psychology, Self Help, Classic Fiction

First published in 1936, Dale Carnegie’s book How to Win Friends and Influence People launched the American self-help industry, sold over 30 million copies, and became a template for the thousands of self-improvement books that followed. It asserts that success with others depends on listening, showing appreciation, and empathizing with them. The book was revised in 1981; the 2020 eBook re-issue of that edition is the basis for this study guide. The book is divided... Read How to Win Friends and Influence People Summary


Publication year 2012Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Relationships: Teams, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Marriage, Emotions/Behavior: Joy, Self DiscoveryTags Self Help, Business / Economics, Psychology, Philosophy, Leadership/Organization/Management, Psychology, Philosophy

Publication year 2019Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Society: Community, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Good & EvilTags History: World, Psychology, Philosophy, Politics / Government, Sociology, Anthropology, Dutch Literature, Anthropology, Science / Nature, Psychology, Philosophy

Publication year 1978Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Identity: Language, Identity: Mental HealthTags Health / Medicine, Philosophy, Science / Nature, Psychology, Disability, History: World, LGBTQ, Philosophy

Susan Sontag’s 1978 book Illness as Metaphor is an 87-page work of critical theory exploring the language we use to describe disease and its victims. The work was originally published in the New York Review of Books as three long-form essays. Sontag wrote Illness as Metaphor while undergoing treatment for breast cancer, though not mentioned in the text. This genre—critical theoretical examinations of social and cultural events or phenomena—was where Sontag established her reputation. Illness... Read Illness As Metaphor Summary


Publication year 1982Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Society: Community, Identity: Femininity, Identity: MasculinityTags Psychology, Gender / Feminism, Philosophy, Women's Studies (Nonfiction), Sociology, Science / Nature, Psychology, Philosophy

Publication year 1964Genre Novel, FictionThemes Identity: Mental Health, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / PerseveranceTags Auto/Biographical Fiction, Mental Illness, Psychology, Depression / Suicide, Realistic Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Psychology, Classic Fiction

I Never Promised You a Rose Garden is a semi-autobiographical novel written by Joanne Greenberg, originally under the pen name Hannah Green, and first published in 1964. The novel centers around the teenage Deborah, who experiences a conflict between The Inner World Versus the Outer Reality, loses her abilities of Connection and Communication temporarily to illness, and demonstrates A Fight for a Life through her time in a mental healthcare facility following a mental health... Read I Never Promised You a Rose Garden Summary


Publication year 1984Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Society: Politics & Government, Identity: LanguageTags Business / Economics, Psychology, Self Help, Information Age, Leadership/Organization/Management, Science / Nature, Psychology

Publication year 2008Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Values/Ideas: Music, Society: CommunityTags Health / Medicine, Addiction / Substance Abuse, Self Help, Science / Nature, Psychology, Psychology, Mental Illness

Gabor Maté’s In the Realm of Hungry Ghosts: Close Encounters with Addictions is an unconventional nonfiction book on how to treat addiction, how addicts can better assimilate into society, and how society can dispel many of the myths that surround addiction. Maté works as an addiction specialist at the Portland Hotel in Vancouver, Canada.  Much of the book, published in 2010, focuses on Maté’s evidence that childhood stressors increase the likelihood that one will become... Read In the Realm of Hungry Ghosts Summary


Publication year 1974Genre Biography, NonfictionThemes Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Society: WarTags WWII / World War II, Holocaust, Crime / Legal, Military / War, History: World, Psychology, Psychology, Biography

Publication year 2016Genre Autobiography / Memoir, NonfictionTags Science / Nature, Psychology, Psychology, Self Help, Health / Medicine, Biography

Into the Magic Shop: A Neurosurgeon’s Quest to Discover the Mysteries of the Brain and the Secrets of the Heart is a work of nonfiction by neurosurgeon and philanthropist Dr. James R. Doty. It is at once a memoir, a self-help book, and a work of popular science; Doty draws on his professional knowledge to explain the scientific underpinnings of meditative practices like visualization, while also exploring the transformative effect these practices can have on... Read Into the Magic Shop Summary


Publication year 1984Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Identity: Masculinity, Natural World: Nurture v. Nature, Relationships: FathersTags Gender / Feminism, Philosophy, Philosophy, Sociology, Psychology, Psychology, Fantasy, Self Help, Religion / Spirituality

Publication year 2017Genre Book, NonfictionTags Self Help, Science / Nature, Business / Economics, Sociology, Psychology, Psychology, Health / Medicine

Irresistible: The Rise of Addictive Technology and the Business of Keeping Us Hooked (2017), a nonfiction book by Adam Alter, explores the relationship between humans and addictive technologies. Alter is a professor of marketing at New York University Stern School of Business and has written other nonfiction titles about human behavior, such as Drunk Tank Pink.  The book begins with the assertion that people can easily become addicted to smartphones, video games, and other technologies... Read Irresistible Summary


Publication year 2008Genre Essay / Speech, NonfictionTags Sociology, Science / Nature, Psychology, Psychology

The essay “Is Google Making Us Stupid?” was written by Nicholas Carr. It was originally published in The Atlantic’s July/August 2008 issue. The essay stirred much debate, and in 2010, Carr published an extended version of the essay in book form, entitled The Shallows: What the Internet Is Doing to Our Brains. The essay begins and ends with an allusion to Stanley Kubrick’s 1968 film, 2001: A Space Odyssey. In the initial allusion, Carr summarizes... Read Is Google Making Us Stupid? Summary


Publication year 2006Genre Novel, FictionThemes Identity: Mental Health, Relationships: Friendship, Life/Time: Coming of AgeTags Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Mental Illness, Realistic Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Psychology, Psychology, Romance

It’s Kind of a Funny Story was Ned Vizzini’s second Young Adult novel, published by Hyperion in 2006. It is a critically acclaimed Young Adult novel and coming-of-age story that was given a starred review by the American Librarians Association and adapted into a film of the same name (2010).Other work by this author includes the novel, Be More Chill.Content Warning: This novel and study guide include topics and themes that may be sensitive for... Read It's Kind of a Funny Story Summary


Publication year 2024Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Self DiscoveryTags Psychology, Parenting, Relationships, Psychology, Mental Illness, Self Help, Health / Medicine

Publication year 2005Genre Reference/Text Book, NonfictionThemes Society: CommunityTags Politics / Government, Education, Education, Sociology, History: World, Psychology, Psychology, Philosophy, Philosophy, Social Justice

Justice: What's the Right Thing to Do?, a 2005 nonfiction book written by Harvard professor Michael J. Sandel, grew out of a popular course of the same name that Sandel teaches, in which he “exposes students to some of the great philosophical writings about justice, and also takes up contemporary legal and political controversies that raise philosophical questions” (293). In this book, Sandel does the same, comparing and contrasting several important approaches to justice and... Read Justice Summary


Publication year 2024Genre Autobiography / Memoir, NonfictionThemes Society: Politics & Government, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Self Discovery, Society: Community, Society: Globalization, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Values/Ideas: Truth & LiesTags Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Indian Literature, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Psychology, Psychology, Biography

Publication year 2005Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Society: Education, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & AngerTags Crime / Legal, Psychology, Social Justice, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Education, Education, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Psychology, Mental Illness

Publication year 2005Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Natural World: Environment, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: The FutureTags Parenting, Education, Psychology, Children's Literature, Education, Science / Nature, Psychology

Publication year 2021Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Identity: Mental Health, Emotions/Behavior: Apathy, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Society: Colonialism, Society: Economics, Values/Ideas: Truth & LiesTags Leadership/Organization/Management, Psychology, Philosophy, Mental Illness, Psychology, Self Help, Philosophy, Sociology, Health / Medicine, Health

Publication year 2013Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Relationships: Teams, Society: Economics, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Safety & DangerTags Psychology, Inspirational, Business / Economics, Self Help, Post Modernism, Leadership/Organization/Management, Psychology, Philosophy, Philosophy

Leaders Eat Last: Why Some Teams Pull Together and Others Don’t (2014) is inspirational speaker Simon Sinek’s second book, a follow-up to Start with Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Take Action (2009). The book’s title is derived from a practice in which Marine Corps Officers eat last, sacrificing their own needs for those in their care. Sacrifice is key. Sinek explores the ways in which successful individuals and companies develop cultures built on... Read Leaders Eat Last Summary


Publication year 1987Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Values/Ideas: Win & Lose, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Relationships: Teams, Society: Nation, Society: War, Society: Politics & GovernmentTags Business / Economics, History: World, Leadership/Organization/Management, Creative Nonfiction, Self Help, Military / War, Psychology, Psychology, Philosophy, Philosophy, Politics / Government

Leadership Secrets of Attila the Hun is a self-improvement and business leadership book by Wess Roberts, who was a human resources manager at Fireman’s Fund Insurance when he published the book in 1989. Using the historical figure of Attila the Hun as his mouthpiece, Roberts outlines his management style and approach to business. This guide refers to Attila’s “persona” when quoting words that Roberts imagines Attila might have said. In the introduction, Roberts discusses Attila... Read Leadership Secrets of Attila the Hun Summary


Publication year 2020Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Relationships: Teams, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Emotions/Behavior: ConflictTags Leadership/Organization/Management, Business / Economics, Self Help, Military / War, Psychology, Psychology

Publication year 2011Genre Novel, FictionThemes Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Relationships: FamilyTags Modern Classic Fiction, Psychology, Psychology, Health / Medicine

Lisa Genova’s second novel, Left Neglected (2011), is the fictional story of Sarah Nickerson, a high-powered executive whose life changes forever when she is in a serious car accident. Genova is the New York Times bestselling author of several novels, each dealing with a different neurological condition. She graduated from Bates College with a degree in biopsychology and from Harvard University with a doctorate in neuroscience, a background that influences her writing. Other works by... Read Left Neglected Summary


Publication year 2013Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Relationships: Teams, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Win & LoseTags Leadership/Organization/Management, Sports, Business / Economics, Psychology, Psychology, Self Help, Biography

Genre Collection of Letters, NonfictionThemes Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Values/Ideas: FateTags Philosophy, Ancient Rome, Philosophy, History: World, Psychology, Psychology, Classical Period, Self Help, Classic Fiction, Religion / Spirituality

Publication year 2013Genre Autobiography / Memoir, NonfictionThemes Natural World: Environment, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Society: CommunityTags Science / Nature, Psychology, Philosophy, Philosophy, Biography

Publication year 2007Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Society: Education, Society: Class, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Values/Ideas: Truth & LiesTags Education, Social Justice, Race / Racism, Education, Psychology, Psychology

Jonathan Kozol’s Letters to a Young Teacher, originally published in 2007, is a collection of letters containing Kozol’s teaching advice for a new first grade schoolteacher named Francesca. The format of this book is inspired by Rainer Maria Rilke’s famous Letters to a Young Poet, which has become a model for advice books for young people in different professions and callings. Although some identifying elements have been changed, the book’s letters represent a real correspondence... Read Letters to a Young Teacher Summary


Publication year 2018Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Society: CommunityTags Self Help, Psychology, Mental Illness, Health / Medicine, Sociology, Philosophy, Depression / Suicide, Science / Nature, Psychology, Philosophy

Publication year 2003Genre Biography, NonfictionTags History: African , Education, Education, Military / War, History: World, Psychology, Psychology, Politics / Government

Machete Season: The Killers in Rwanda Speak (2003), by French journalist Jean Hatzfeld, presents ten accounts of ordinary contributors to the Rwandan genocide, which killed 800,000 Tutsis in just two months in 1994. Each survivor is from the same relatively small city and goes into depth about the neighbors they murdered (or helped murder). The work was first translated into English by Linda Coverdale.Its themes include personal responsibility, the horrors of groupthink, and mass dehumanization... Read Machete Season Summary


Publication year 2006Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Values/Ideas: Win & Lose, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Fame, Society: Economics, Emotions/Behavior: Apathy, Identity: LanguageTags Psychology, Leadership/Organization/Management, Business / Economics, Psychology, Self Help, Arts / Culture

Publication year 2014Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Society: Education, Values/Ideas: Science & TechnologyTags Education, Psychology, Self Help, Science / Nature, Education, Leadership/Organization/Management, Business / Economics, Psychology

Publication year 2017Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Values/Ideas: Win & Lose, Relationships: Teams, Identity: MasculinityTags Self Help, Inspirational, Psychology, Leadership/Organization/Management, Military / War, Business / Economics, Psychology, Biography

Make Your Bed: Little Things That Can Change Your Life…and Maybe the World is a work of self-help psychology by Admiral William H. McRaven. The book is a continuation and expansion of a commencement speech McRaven delivered at the University of Texas at Austin in 2014, which went viral on the internet. Formerly a high-ranking officer of the US Navy and Commander of US Special Operations Command, McRaven relates his experiences in Navy SEAL training to... Read Make Your Bed Summary


Publication year 1964Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Identity: Mental HealthTags Psychology, Mythology, Relationships, Science / Nature, Philosophy, Philosophy, Arts / Culture, Psychology, Fantasy, Classic Fiction, Religion / Spirituality

Publication year 1946Genre Autobiography / Memoir, NonfictionThemes Values/Ideas: Religion & SpiritualityTags Holocaust, Religion / Spirituality, WWII / World War II, Philosophy, Philosophy, Psychology, Psychology, Biography, Self Help

Man’s Search for Meaning (1946) is a memoir and work of nonfiction concerned with psychotherapy. The author, Victor Frankl, was born in 1905 and later became a psychiatrist in Vienna—an occupation that for some time protected him despite the fact that he was Jewish. When he was offered the opportunity to obtain a visa and escape to America, he chose to stay in Nazi-occupied Austria to be near his aging parents. Inevitably, he and his family were... Read Man's Search for Meaning Summary


Publication year 1988Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Identity: Mental HealthTags Psychology, Religion / Spirituality, Philosophy, Philosophy, Psychology, Biography, Self Help

Many Lives, Many Masters: The True Story of a Prominent Psychiatrist, His Young Patient, and the Past-Life Therapy That Changed Both Their Lives is a new-age, self-help memoir written by American psychiatrist Dr. Brian L. Weiss. Originally published on July 15, 1988, by Touchstone, the book covers a portion of Weiss’s career in which he conducts therapy sessions with Catherine, a patient with symptoms of fear and anxiety. After putting Catherine under trance with hypnotic... Read Many Lives, Many Masters Summary


Publication year 1999Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Order & ChaosTags Psychology, Philosophy, Sociology, History: World, Science / Nature, Philosophy, Psychology, Fantasy, Self Help, Religion / Spirituality

Publication year 2012Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Society: Education, Self Discovery, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / PerseveranceTags Self Help, Psychology, Business / Economics, Philosophy, Leadership/Organization/Management, History: World, Psychology, Philosophy

Publication year 2019Genre Autobiography / Memoir, NonfictionThemes Values/Ideas: Trust & DoubtTags Psychology, Self Help, Psychology, Biography, Mental Illness

Maybe You Should Talk to Someone: A Therapist, Her Therapist, and Our Lives Revealed (2019) is a nonfiction book by American writer and psychotherapist, Lori Gottlieb. A combination of memoir and popular science, it brings together Gottlieb’s personal life experience and her therapeutic work to illuminate the role therapy can play in everyone’s lives. The work has become a New York Times bestseller and Time magazine Must-Read Book of the Year. It was shortlisted for... Read Maybe You Should Talk to Someone Summary


Publication year 180Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Fate, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Values/Ideas: Good & EvilTags Philosophy, Ancient Rome, Philosophy, History: World, Psychology, Psychology, Biography, Self Help, Classic Fiction, Religion / Spirituality

Meditations is a collection of prose philosophical reflections and exercises composed in Koine Greek by Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius, who lived from 121-180 and ruled from 161-180. Though the precise dating of his compositions is unknown and they are not believed to be presented in chronological order, at least some of the books were written while he was on military campaign in the north of Europe during his reign. Scholars are generally in consensus that... Read Meditations Summary


Publication year 1989Genre Autobiography / Memoir, NonfictionThemes Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Life/Time: The Past, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Science & TechnologyTags Philosophy, Psychology, Religion / Spirituality, Science / Nature, Philosophy, History: World, Psychology, Biography

Publication year 1992Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Relationships: Marriage, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: LoveTags Self Help, Psychology, Relationships, Love / Sexuality, Philosophy, Philosophy, Psychology, Romance

Men Are from Mars, Women Are from Venus (1992) is a self-help and personal development book by American author John Gray. The book is designed to help couples improve their relationships by accepting how different men and women are. Although the book was initially met with critical acclaim, it has lost popularity due to critiques about sexist content and the book’s worldview. Although this is Gray’s best-known work, Gray has published many similar books concerned... Read Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus Summary


Publication year 2006Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Society: Education, Self Discovery, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / PerseveranceTags Self Help, Psychology, Education, Education, Leadership/Organization/Management, Business / Economics, Parenting, Psychology

In 2006, psychologist Carol S. Dweck, PhD, the Lewis and Virginia Eaton Professor of Psychology at Stanford University, released the book Mindset: The New Psychology of Success, as a layperson’s guide to her decades of academic research. Initially interested in areas of motivation, personality, and development, the author gravitated toward research in cognitive motivation theory. She eventually discovered that the concepts of “fixed” and “growth” mindsets explain what motivates some people to embrace challenges and... Read Mindset Summary


Publication year 1910Genre Poem, FictionThemes Life/Time: The Past, Identity: Masculinity, Values/Ideas: Power & GreedTags Narrative / Epic Poem, Depression / Suicide, Addiction / Substance Abuse, History: European, Psychology, American Literature

Publication year 2016Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Society: Economics, Society: Community, Society: Politics & GovernmentTags Science / Nature, Business / Economics, Sociology, History: World, Psychology, Psychology, Self Help

Publication year 1931Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Identity: Mental Health, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Values/Ideas: ArtTags Psychology, Philosophy, Religion / Spirituality, Science / Nature, Psychology, Philosophy, Self Help, Classic Fiction

Publication year 2015Genre Book, NonfictionTags Sociology, Humor, Psychology, Psychology, Relationships, Romance

Aziz Ansari’s Modern Romance, published in 2015, is a nonfiction work that combines statistics, interviews, and comedy to explore the current landscape of dating in the modern age. Ansari is an actor and comedian, as well as a writer. He got his start on television in the role of Tom Haverford in Parks and Recreation, which ran on NBC. He starred in Human Giant and went on to perform in several movies. His first comedy... Read Modern Romance Summary


Publication year 2007Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Values/Ideas: Music, Natural World: Nurture v. Nature, Identity: Mental Health, Emotions/Behavior: MemoryTags Music, Science / Nature, Psychology, Health / Medicine, Psychology

Publication year 2017Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Identity: Race, Society: Colonialism, Society: CommunityTags Social Justice, Race / Racism, Self Help, Colonialism / Postcolonialism, African American Literature, History: World, Psychology, Psychology, Mental Illness, Health / Medicine

Publication year 2006Genre Autobiography / Memoir, NonfictionThemes Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Self DiscoveryTags Science / Nature, Health / Medicine, Psychology, Psychology, Biography

Publication year 2002Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Society: Education, Relationships: Teams, Values/Ideas: Power & GreedTags Business / Economics, Education, Education, Science / Nature, Social Science, Psychology, Psychology, Finance / Money / Wealth, Politics / Government

Naked Economics: Undressing the Dismal Science is a nonfiction book by Charles Wheelan published in 2002. The author holds a PhD from the University of Chicago and is a senior lecturer and policy fellow at Dartmouth College. Previously, he was a correspondent for the magazine The Economist. He has written a number of other books, including Naked Statistics and Naked Money. This study guide refers to the 2019 third edition of Naked Economics.SummaryNaked Economics is... Read Naked Economics: Undressing the Dismal Science Summary


Publication year 2005Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Identity: LanguageTags Business / Economics, Self Help, Psychology, Relationships, Leadership/Organization/Management, Psychology

Publication year 2022Genre Autobiography / Memoir, NonfictionThemes Values/Ideas: Win & Lose, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & PrideTags Psychology, Philosophy, Inspirational, Sports, Psychology, Philosophy, Self Help, Biography

Publication year 2016Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Society: Economics, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Relationships: Teams, Identity: LanguageTags Business / Economics, Self Help, Leadership/Organization/Management, Psychology, Psychology

Never Split the Difference: Negotiating as If Your Life Depended on It is a 2016 nonfiction book cowritten by Chris Voss, an international hostage negotiator turned business consultant and professor, and journalist Tahl Raz. In this book, which straddles the line between the business and self-help genres, Voss shares principles gleaned from decades of experience in high-stakes negotiations. Citations in this guide correspond with the first edition published by Harper Collins. Although Raz is credited... Read Never Split the Difference Summary


Publication year 2021Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Identity: Mental Health, Society: CommunityTags Self Help, Psychology, Health, Religion / Spirituality, Psychology, Mental Illness, Health / Medicine

Publication year 2021Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Society: EconomicsTags Psychology, Science / Nature, Business / Economics, Sociology, Psychology, Philosophy, Philosophy, Self Help

Publication year 1624Genre Poem, FictionThemes Society: Community, Life/Time: Mortality & DeathTags Allegory / Fable / Parable, History: European, Relationships, British Literature, History: World, Psychology, Psychology, Philosophy, Philosophy, Classic Fiction, Religion / Spirituality

Publication year 1999Genre Reference/Text Book, NonfictionThemes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Joy, Self Discovery, Identity: LanguageTags Psychology, Self Help, Relationships, Parenting, Leadership/Organization/Management, Business / Economics, Psychology

Publication year 1864Genre Novel, FictionThemes Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Society: CommunityTags Classic Fiction, Philosophy, Psychological Fiction, Russian Literature, History: World, Psychology, Psychology, Philosophy

Notes from Underground (sometimes translated as Notes from the Underground) is an 1864 novella by Russian writer Fyodor Dostoevsky. Dostoevsky was a novelist, journalist, and short story author. His novels are deeply rooted in philosophy and politics and explore the experiences and repercussions of his 19th-century Russian sociopolitical context. Dostoevsky is also the author of Crime and Punishment, The Idiot, Demons, and The Brothers Karamazov. His writing influenced many other writers and philosophers, including existentialists... Read Notes from Underground Summary


Publication year 1860Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Relationships: Teams, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Equality, Society: Community, Society: EducationTags Health / Medicine, Psychology, Relationships, Science / Nature, History: World, Classic Fiction

Florence Nightingale was an English nurse commonly known as the founder of modern nursing practices. Born in Italy, she became an experienced nurse and formed many of her opinions while serving in the Crimean War, enrolling in nursing school at age 24 in Germany. She penned Notes on Nursing: What It Is, and What it Is Not in 1859, just a few years after serving in the war, and the work was first published in... Read Notes on Nursing Summary


Publication year 2019Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Identity: Masculinity, Society: CommunityTags Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Gender / Feminism, Women's Studies (Nonfiction), Mystery / Crime Fiction, Sociology, Psychology, Psychology, Social Justice, Politics / Government

No Visible Bruises: What We Don’t Know About Domestic Violence Can Kill Us (2019) was written by Rachel Louise Snyder, an associate professor of creative writing and journalism at American University. A world traveler, longtime contributor to magazines and podcasts, and a 2020 Guggenheim Fellow, Snyder has won awards for both her fiction and nonfiction works, which include Fugitive Denim and What We’ve Lost is Nothing. No Visible Bruises, published by Bloomsbury Publishing, won the... Read No Visible Bruises Summary


Publication year 2008Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Society: Economics, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Society: Politics & GovernmentTags Self Help, Psychology, Business / Economics, Science / Nature, Sociology, Psychology, Politics / Government

In 2021 the behavioral economists Richard H. Thaler and the legal scholar Cass R. Sunstein released an updated, “final” version of their 2008 book Nudge: Improving Decisions about Health, Wealth, and Happiness. Drawing on research from psychology, economics, sociology, and elsewhere, Thaler and Sunstein make the case for the importance of “nudges.” Nudges, according to these authors, are “aspects of choice architecture” that predictably alter behavior without forbidding or commanding anything (8). Choice architecture refers... Read Nudge Summary


Publication year 1973Genre Essay / Speech, NonfictionThemes Identity: Mental Health, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Truth & LiesTags Science / Nature, Psychology, Psychology, Mental Illness, Health / Medicine

Publication year 1969Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Relationships: FamilyTags Science / Nature, Psychology, Philosophy, Philosophy, Self Help, Religion / Spirituality, Psychology, Grief / Death, Health / Medicine

On Death and Dying is a 1969 psychological study by Elisabeth Kübler-Ross. It is best known in popular culture for introducing the five stages of grief: denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance. Kübler-Ross’s work with terminally ill patients inspired the model. She wrote the study as a response to the lack of instruction in medical schools about how to handle the topic of death. It was the very first book written by Kübler-Ross in her... Read On Death and Dying Summary


Publication year 1901Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Identity: Mental HealthTags Psychology, Philosophy, Love / Sexuality, Mental Illness, Education, Education, Science / Nature, French Literature, Psychology, Philosophy, Classic Fiction

Publication year 1964Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Society: Economics, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Society: CommunityTags Philosophy, Politics / Government, Psychology, Education, Education, Business / Economics, Sociology, History: World, Psychology, Philosophy

Publication year 1962Genre Novel, FictionThemes Identity: Mental Health, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Power & GreedTags American Literature, Classic Fiction, Psychological Fiction, Mental Illness, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Health / Medicine, Relationships, Education, Education, Psychology, Psychology

One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest is a historical fiction novel by Ken Kesey, published in 1962. Kesey drew on his experiences working in a veterans’ hospital to develop a critique of then-current psychiatric practices. The novel’s central conflict between a domineering nurse and an unruly patient can also be read as an allegory for the emerging culture wars of the 1960s. The novel was adapted into a Broadway play one year after its publication... Read One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest Summary


Publication year 1978Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Natural World: Nurture v. NatureTags Science / Nature, Sociology, Psychology, Philosophy, Anthropology, Anthropology, History: World, Psychology, Philosophy

Publication year 1995Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Society: War, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Identity: Masculinity, Identity: Mental Health, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Society: CommunityTags Psychology, Military / War, Sociology, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Science / Nature, History: World, Psychology, Philosophy, Philosophy, Politics / Government

Publication year 1887Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Society: ClassTags Philosophy, German Literature, Education, Education, History: World, Psychology, Psychology, Philosophy, Classic Fiction, Politics / Government

Friedrich Nietzsche’s On the Genealogy of Morals: A Polemic (1887) is an analysis of the development of morality in human history. The renowned 19th-century philosopher wrote On the Genealogy of Morals to entice readers to his larger works. In it, he challenges traditional ideals about Christian morality and the origin of virtue and ethics. Nietzsche argues that moral values are products of social power. Qualities which society has deemed virtues—such as honesty, meekness, patience, and... Read On the Genealogy of Morals Summary


Publication year 49Genre Essay / Speech, NonfictionThemes Life/Time: The Past, Life/Time: The Future, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Natural World: Nurture v. NatureTags Classical Period, Philosophy, Ancient Rome, History: World, Psychology, Psychology, Philosophy, Self Help, Classic Fiction, Religion / Spirituality

Publication year 2004Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Values/Ideas: Truth & LiesTags Education, Education, Science / Nature, History: World, Psychology, Psychology, Philosophy, Philosophy, Mental Illness, Health / Medicine

Opening Skinner’s Box: Great Psychological Experiments of the Twentieth Century by Lauren Slater is a work of narrative non-fiction published in 2004 by W.W. Norton & Company. Slater, an American psychotherapist, examines 10 landmark psychological experiments—from B.F. Skinner’s infamous boxes to Harry Harlow’s primates—and, in doing so, she explores larger philosophical questions related to human freedom, the limits of science, and truth in art.Slater provides biographical details of the scientists behind each landmark experiment. She... Read Opening Skinner's Box Summary


Publication year 1992Genre Book, NonfictionTags History: European, WWII / World War II, Military / War, History: World, Psychology, Psychology, Politics / Government

Published in 1992, Christopher R. Browning’s Ordinary Men: Reserve Police Battalion 101 and the Final Solution in Poland explores the activities of a battalion of German police officers who are, in various ways, involved in the murder of vast numbers of Jews in occupied Poland during World War II. The men of Reserve Police Battalion 101 are largely middle-aged men from working- and middle-class backgrounds with little prior experience of military service or Nazi ideology... Read Ordinary Men: Reserve Police Battalion 101 and the Final Solution in Poland Summary


Publication year 1976Genre Novel, FictionThemes Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Relationships: Siblings, Relationships: Family, Life/Time: Coming of AgeTags Psychological Fiction, Grief / Death, Relationships, Education, Education, Modern Classic Fiction, Psychology, Psychology, Classic Fiction

Ordinary People is the first novel written by Judith Guest and chronicles the life of an American family in the aftermath of two traumatic events. The book was first published in 1976 and was the recipient of the Janet Heidinger Kafka prize. It later inspired a film directed by Robert Redford and starring Donald Sutherland, Mary Tyler Moore, Judd Hirsch, and Timothy Hutton. Guest went on to write books like Second Heaven (1982), Killing Time... Read Ordinary People Summary


Publication year 2016Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / PerseveranceTags Business / Economics, Psychology, Self Help, Leadership/Organization/Management, Science / Nature, Psychology

Publication year 2005Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Relationships: Teams, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Trust & DoubtTags Business / Economics, Self Help, Education, Education, Leadership/Organization/Management, Psychology, Psychology

Publication year 2008Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Society: Economics, Society: Education, Values/Ideas: FameTags Psychology, Business / Economics, Science / Nature, Sociology, Psychology, Self Help

The nonfiction book Outliers: The Story of Success is Malcolm Gladwell’s third book, published in 2008. Gladwell is a prolific writer for the New Yorker, where he has been on staff since 1996. His writing often incorporates research from the social sciences, as in Outliers, in which he makes the case that the way we understand and portray success is wrong. Before joining the staff of the New Yorker, Gladwell was a reporter for the... Read Outliers Summary


Publication year 2023Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Life/Time: Aging, Identity: Mental Health, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: Midlife, Values/Ideas: Science & TechnologyTags Health / Medicine, Science / Nature, Self Help, Sports, Psychology, Psychology

Publication year 1969Genre Novel, FictionThemes Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & PrideTags Humor, Love / Sexuality, Psychology, Jewish Literature, History: U.S., American Literature, History: World, Classic Fiction

Portnoy’s Complaint is a 1969 novel by American author Philip Roth. The novel is presented as a continuous monologue in which the protagonist Alex Portnoy speaks to his therapist about his difficult relationship with his family, his country, and sex. The novel’s explicit and comedic depiction of sex caused controversy on release though Portnoy’s Complaint was later heralded as one of the greatest English language novels of the 20th century. The novel was adapted into... Read Portnoy's Complaint Summary


Publication year 1980Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Values/Ideas: Literature, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Good & EvilTags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Literary Criticism, Psychology, Philosophy, Arts / Culture, Philosophy, Psychology, Gender / Feminism, French Literature

Publication year 1907Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Religion & SpiritualityTags Philosophy, Psychology, American Literature, Religion / Spirituality, Science / Nature, Psychology, Philosophy, Self Help, Classic Fiction

Pragmatism: A New Name for Some Old Ways of Thinking (1907) is a philosophical work by the American philosopher and psychologist William James. It consists of eight lectures originally delivered at the Lowell Institute in Boston and at Columbia University in New York. James is closely associated with the philosophy of pragmatism, originally formulated by the American philosopher Charles Sanders Peirce, and this book is considered the major statement of the ideas and principles of... Read Pragmatism Summary


Publication year 2008Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Identity: Mental Health, Natural World: Nurture v. Nature, Society: EducationTags Business / Economics, Psychology, Science / Nature, Social Science, Sociology, Psychology, Philosophy, Philosophy, Self Help

Publication year 2015Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Identity: LanguageTags Psychology, Self Help, Business / Economics, Leadership/Organization/Management, Science / Nature, Psychology, Philosophy, Philosophy

Publication year 2001Genre Reference/Text Book, NonfictionThemes Identity: Gender, Identity: Race, Society: Class, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Power & GreedTags Social Justice, Race / Racism, Gender / Feminism, Politics / Government, Disability, Education, Education, Sociology, Psychology, Psychology

Publication year 1928Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Identity: Language, Society: Education, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Truth & LiesTags Psychology

Publication year 1966Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Safety & DangerTags Anthropology, Education, Education, Anthropology, Social Science, Sociology, History: World, Psychology, Psychology, Philosophy, Philosophy, Religion / Spirituality

Originally published in 1966, Purity and Danger, by Mary Douglas, is a treatise on the concepts of purity and uncleanness in various societies and cultures. It is widely considered a classic in the field of cultural anthropology. Douglas (1921-2007), a British anthropologist with an interest in comparative religion, pursues the idea that dirt is abhorrent to us because it is “matter out of place.” She examines dietary rules, religious rituals, and social and sexual taboos... Read Purity and Danger Summary


Publication year 2012Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Relationships: Teams, Self Discovery, Society: Community, Society: Education, Values/Ideas: Win & LoseTags Self Help, Business / Economics, Psychology, Psychology, Sociology, Education, Leadership/Organization/Management, Parenting

Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking is a nonfiction book by Susan Cain, published in 2012. It is considered part of the psychology and self-help genres. The book made several bestseller lists, including those of the New York Times, the Washington Post, the Los Angeles Times, and National Public Radio. It also was voted the best nonfiction book of 2012 by the Goodreads Choice Awards and has been translated... Read Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking Summary


Publication year 2019Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Values/Ideas: Fame, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Music, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Values/Ideas: Win & Lose, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / PerseveranceTags Business / Economics, Psychology, Self Help, Science / Nature, Education, Sports, Music, Arts / Culture, Education, Leadership/Organization/Management, Psychology

Publication year 2015Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Identity: Mental Health, Identity: Disability, Identity: Masculinity, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Self Discovery, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: CourageTags Self Help, Psychology, Health / Medicine, Depression / Suicide, Inspirational, Mental Illness, Psychology, Biography

Publication year 2015Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Society: Education, Identity: LanguageTags Psychology, Technology, Relationships, Parenting, Science / Nature, Sociology, Psychology, Self Help, Arts / Culture

Reclaiming Conversation: The Power of Talk in a Digital Age (2015) is a non-fiction work by Sherry Turkle. A clinical psychologist and professor of Social Studies of Science and Technology at MIT, Turkle specializes in human-technology interaction and has decades of experience writing on technology’s problematic effects on human connection. In Reclaiming Conversation, the book’s premise is in the title: Turkle believes that technology has detrimentally taken over human conversation and that we ought to... Read Reclaiming Conversation Summary


Publication year 2003Genre Essay / Speech, NonfictionThemes Emotions/Behavior: MemoryTags Sociology, Military / War, History: World, Psychology, Psychology, Philosophy, Philosophy, Arts / Culture

Regarding the Pain of Others is a book-length essay by Susan Sontag published in 2003. Sontag initially addresses a question posed to writer and anti-war activist Virginia Woolf: “How in your opinion are we to prevent war?” but then, deducing that war is perennial, Sontag uses the remainder of her book to examine the relation between photography and feelings and ideas about war. She insists on discussing specific wars and specific photographers because each work... Read Regarding the Pain of Others Summary


Publication year 2022Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Identity: Mental Health, Identity: Race, Values/Ideas: Justice & InjusticeTags Social Justice, Self Help, Politics / Government, Race / Racism, Philosophy, Psychology, Psychology, Philosophy, Mental Illness, Health / Medicine

Publication year 1994Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Identity: Femininity, Relationships: Family, Identity: Gender, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: Childhood & YouthTags Psychology, Gender / Feminism, Parenting, Women's Studies (Nonfiction), Education, Education, Sociology, Psychology, Mental Illness, Self Help

Reviving Ophelia was written in 1994 by Mary Pipher, a psychologist who works with women and teen girls, studying the ways cultural norms impact their mental health. The book comprises a collection of Pipher’s essays, which are based on the interviews and focus groups with adolescent girls she conducted with her daughter, Sara Pipher. She wrote the collection to bring awareness to the cultural trauma and dysfunction experienced by adolescent girls and to assist girls... Read Reviving Ophelia Summary


Publication year 1969Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Society: Politics & Government, Society: Community, Society: Class, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / PerseveranceTags Social Justice, Politics / Government, Psychology, Sociology, History: World, Psychology, Philosophy, Philosophy

Publication year 2002Genre Autobiography / Memoir, NonfictionThemes Relationships: Family, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Self Discovery, Identity: Sexuality, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / PerseveranceTags LGBTQ, Mental Illness, Humor, Psychology, Psychology, Biography

Running with Scissors by Augusten Burroughs was first published in 2002 as a memoir. After several of the figures it features sued for defamation and dishonesty of its claims, however, it was recategorized as a book. It can also be classified as a bildungsroman since it follows the adolescent growth of its narrator and protagonist. Running with Scissors was adapted into a feature film in 2006.This guide uses the 2002 Picador edition of the book.Content... Read Running With Scissors Summary


Publication year 2011Genre Book, NonfictionTags Science / Nature, Anthropology, Anthropology, Sociology, History: World, Psychology, Psychology, Philosophy, Philosophy

First published in Hebrew in 2011, with the English translation following in 2014, Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind examining the shaping of human history. Israeli author Yuval Noah Harari shines a light, sometimes harshly, on how humans have exploited the ideas of capitalism, religion, and politics to control the globe and put the species Homo sapiens on the threshold of banishing natural selection. Sapiens landed on the New York Times best-seller list and won... Read Sapiens Summary


Publication year 2023Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Identity: Mental Health, Natural World: Space & The Universe, Self Discovery, Society: Globalization, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Science & TechnologyTags Self Help, Health / Medicine, Science / Nature, Philosophy, Leadership/Organization/Management, Psychology, Psychology, Mental Illness

Publication year 2013Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Society: Class, Society: Economics, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Win & LoseTags Psychology, Business / Economics, Science / Nature, Sociology, Self Help, Politics / Government, Philosophy, Psychology, Philosophy

Publication year 1999Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Identity: Mental Health, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Relationships: FamilyTags Psychology, Science / Nature, Health / Medicine, Parenting, Disability, Psychology, Mental Illness, Self Help

Publication year 1841Genre Essay / Speech, NonfictionTags Philosophy, Transcendentalism, Education, Education, American Literature, Psychology, Psychology, Philosophy, Self Help, Classic Fiction

“Self-Reliance” is one of the most famous and representative works of the transcendentalist philosopher/author Ralph Waldo Emerson. Transcendentalism was a literary and philosophical movement of the early- and mid-19th century in the United States. Transcendentalist works stress the purity and goodness of individualism and community with nature, especially over the corruption and conformity of human society and institutions. This essay, published in 1841, is an exploration of self-reliance, or self-sufficiency, as a virtue. Emerson emphasizes... Read Self Reliance Summary


Publication year 2021Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Marriage, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Self Discovery, Identity: LanguageTags Self Help, Psychology, Health / Medicine, Relationships, Psychology, Mental Illness

Publication year 2009Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Values/Ideas: Religion & SpiritualityTags Religion / Spirituality, Education, Education, Business / Economics, Sociology, Psychology, Psychology, Philosophy, Philosophy, Self Help, Arts / Culture

Shop Class as Soulcraft: An Inquiry into the Value of Work, published in 2009, is an often personal and meditative pitch for a cultural recommitment to the vocational arts. As a mechanic with a doctorate in philosophy, author Matthew B. Crawford has lived both lives—that of the “knowledge worker” of white-collar culture and that of the manual laborer who solves the problems society faces on a daily basis. He uses the space of the book... Read Shop Class as Soulcraft Summary


Publication year 1981Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Emotions/Behavior: Nostalgia, Natural World: Animals, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Self Discovery, Society: Economics, Values/Ideas: New Age, Values/Ideas: Truth & LiesTags Philosophy, Sociology, Arts / Culture, French Literature, Post Modernism, Education, Education, Psychology, Psychology, Philosophy, Politics / Government

Publication year 2024Genre Essay Collection, NonfictionThemes Identity: Mental Health, Society: Economics, Values/Ideas: Science & TechnologyTags Leadership/Organization/Management, Business / Economics, Psychology, Psychology, Philosophy, Philosophy, Self Help, Health / Medicine

Publication year 2006Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Natural World: Nurture v. Nature, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Identity: LanguageTags Psychology, Self Help, Science / Nature, Sociology, Relationships, Business / Economics, Psychology

Publication year 2024Genre Autobiography / Memoir, NonfictionThemes Emotions/Behavior: Apathy, Identity: Mental Health, Society: Education, Self DiscoveryTags Psychology

Publication year 2015Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Values/Ideas: Justice & InjusticeTags Psychology, Sociology, Journalism, Technology, Science / Nature, Arts / Culture, Psychology, Humor

Publication year 2013Genre Autobiography / Memoir, NonfictionThemes Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Relationships: Family, Identity: Mental Health, Emotions/Behavior: CourageTags Crime / Legal, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Psychology, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Biography

Publication year 1988Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Society: Economics, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Relationships: Teams, Identity: LanguageTags Psychology, Self Help, Business / Economics, Leadership/Organization/Management, Psychology

Publication year 2009Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Society: Economics, Relationships: Teams, Values/Ideas: Trust & DoubtTags Business / Economics, Inspirational, Leadership/Organization/Management, Psychology, Psychology, Self Help

In Start With Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Take Action, Simon Sinek explores the fundamental question of why some individuals, organizations, and movements succeed while others do not. Published in 2009, this book has been particularly impactful in the spaces of leadership and business strategy, offering a fresh perspective on how leaders can both inspire and motivate others. At the heart of Start With Why is the concept of the “golden circle,” a... Read Start With Why Summary


Publication year 2012Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Identity: Language, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Self DiscoveryTags Leadership/Organization/Management, Business / Economics, Psychology, Psychology, Arts / Culture, Self Help

Publication year 2022Genre Novel, FictionThemes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Values/Ideas: Music, Natural World: Space & The Universe, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Life/Time: Mortality & DeathTags Historical Fiction, Psychological Fiction, Mental Illness, Philosophy, Mystery / Crime Fiction, American Literature, Psychology, Psychology, Philosophy

Publication year 1927Genre Novel, FictionThemes Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Identity: Masculinity, Identity: Mental Health, Life/Time: The Past, Self Discovery, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Values/Ideas: Literature, Values/Ideas: Music, Values/Ideas: Religion & SpiritualityTags Auto/Biographical Fiction, Philosophy, Existentialism, German Literature, History: World, Psychology, Psychology, Philosophy, Classic Fiction

Steppenwolf, originally published in German in 1927, then translated into English in 1929, is the eighth novel published by Swiss German novelist Hermann Hesse. The novel was commercially successful upon publication, and it remains a popular novel to the present day. However, Hesse remarked that whereas his intention was to find humor in life and resist despair, Steppenwolf has often been misunderstood as a glorification of suffering. Much of Hesse’s body of work addresses spiritual... Read Steppenwolf Summary


Publication year 2007Genre Novel, FictionThemes Relationships: FamilyTags Realistic Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Drama / Tragedy, Psychology, Psychology, Health / Medicine

Still Alice, by Lisa Genova, tells the story of a Harvard cognitive psychology professor, Alice Howland, and her descent into early-onset Alzheimer’s disease. When the novel opens, Alice is unaware of her disease; although she recognizes that she has become a touch more forgetful lately, she chalks this up to getting older and keeping a busy academic schedule. However, her lapses soon become worse, and a series of tests confirm that she has early-onset Alzheimer’s... Read Still Alice Summary


Publication year 2022Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Values/Ideas: Literature, Society: Education, Identity: Mental HealthTags Psychology, Self Help, Health / Medicine, Science / Nature, Addiction / Substance Abuse, Leadership/Organization/Management, Psychology, Mental Illness

Publication year 2024Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Identity: Language, Relationships: Teams, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Win & LoseTags Self Help, Science / Nature, Business / Economics, Relationships, Psychology, Psychology

Publication year 2015Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Relationships: Teams, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / PerseveranceTags Business / Economics, Politics / Government, Science / Nature, Psychology, Psychology, Self Help

Publication year 2014Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Identity: Language, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Relationships: Teams, Society: CommunityTags Sociology, Psychology, Psychology, Self Help, Business / Economics, Leadership/Organization/Management

Publication year 2020Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Natural World: Nurture v. Nature, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Safety & DangerTags Anthropology, Anthropology, Animals, Science / Nature, Sociology, History: World, Psychology, Psychology

Publication year 1973Genre Biography, NonfictionThemes Values/Ideas: MusicTags Psychology, Mental Illness, Science / Nature, Psychology, Biography, Classic Fiction

Sybil, by Flora Rheta Schreiber, tells the story of the recovery of the pseudonymous Sybil Dorsett (in real life, Shirley Mason), a woman who suffers from multiple personality disorder because of severe childhood trauma. Published in 1973, the book and the subsequent mini-series caused an immediate sensation, selling millions of copies and bringing the little-known disorder into Americans’ cultural awareness. The story claims to be nonfiction, but critics of the book, such as Debbie Nathan... Read Sybil Summary


Publication year 2019Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Identity: LanguageTags Sociology, Science / Nature, Business / Economics, Psychology, Psychology, Philosophy, Philosophy, Self Help

In Talking to Strangers: What We Should Know About the People We Don’t Know (2019), journalist and author Malcolm Gladwell investigates why we face so many problems when interacting with strangers. He was inspired to search for the underlying causes of our miscommunications following the death of Sandra Bland, a black woman who was pulled over by a white police officer for a minor traffic infraction in 2015. Bland should have been let go with... Read Talking to Strangers Summary


Publication year 2014Genre Reference/Text Book, NonfictionThemes Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Self Discovery, Identity: LanguageTags Business / Economics, Self Help, Leadership/Organization/Management, Psychology, Education, Education, Psychology

Publication year 1992Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Values/Ideas: Science & TechnologyTags Technology, Sociology, Education, Education, Science / Nature, History: World, Psychology, Psychology, Philosophy, Philosophy, Arts / Culture, Politics / Government

Technopoly: The Surrender of Culture to Technology is a 1992 nonfiction book by Neil Postman, a professor of education and communication. The book examines the influence of technology in society, particularly its rapid spread, far-reaching effects, and unquestioned acceptance. The last point is significant: Postman is not unequivocally opposed to technology but worries that it is not sufficiently scrutinized.The author begins with an overview of technology and how it works culturally. He reviews the history... Read Technopoly Summary


Publication year 2007Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Identity: Language, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Values/Ideas: Win & LoseTags Philosophy, Education, Education, Business / Economics, Psychology, Psychology, Philosophy, Self Help

Thank You for Arguing: What Aristotle, Lincoln, and Homer Simpson Can Teach Us About the Art of Persuasion (2020) is a New York Times bestseller on rhetoric by Jay Heinrichs, a journalist, writer, and publisher who specializes in argumentation methods. The book was published in 14 languages and 4 editions, selling over 500,000 copies. Structured like a manual, it boasts over 100 tools of persuasion and references notable figures such as Cicero, Barack Obama, and... Read Thank You For Arguing Summary


Publication year 2013Genre Book, NonfictionTags History: World, Military / War, War On Terrorism / Iraq War, Journalism, Psychology, Psychology, Mental Illness, Politics / Government, Biography

Thank You For Your Service is a nonfiction book by Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist David Finkel. Published in 2013, it follows the story of an infantry battalion upon their return home from the war in Iraq.Finkel’s previous book, The Good Soldiers, took him to Baghdad, Iraq in 2007-2008 as he was embedded with the 2-16 Infantry Battalion. In Thank You For Your Service, Finkel follows some of these same soldiers home, as they try to move... Read Thank You For Your Service Summary


Publication year 1998Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Society: EconomicsTags Leadership/Organization/Management, Business / Economics, Self Help, Psychology, Relationships, Psychology, Religion / Spirituality

Publication year 1998Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Relationships: Teams, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / PerseveranceTags Self Help, Psychology, Business / Economics, Philosophy, History: World, Psychology, Philosophy, Politics / Government

Robert Greene (1959) is an American self-help book author with a focus on strategy and power. After training in Classical Studies at the University of California, Berkeley, Greene worked numerous jobs before pitching The 48 Laws of Power to book packager Joost Elffers in 1995. The book was inspired by Greene’s time as a writer in Hollywood, where he learned that today’s powerful people share common traits with historic princes, leaders, and tyrants. As he... Read The 48 Laws Of Power Summary


Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Relationships: TeamsTags Leadership/Organization/Management, Business / Economics, Psychology, Psychology, Philosophy, Philosophy, Self Help, Health / Medicine

Publication year 1990Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Relationships: Family, Relationships: Marriage, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: ConflictTags Religion / Spirituality, Self Help, Relationships, Psychology, Christian literature, Love / Sexuality

Publication year 2017Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / PerseveranceTags Self Help, Business / Economics, Psychology, Leadership/Organization/Management, Inspirational, Psychology, Health / Medicine

Publication year 1989Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Life/Time: The FutureTags Self Help, Business / Economics, Leadership/Organization/Management, Psychology, Psychology, Philosophy, Philosophy

The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People (Aug 1989) by Stephen R. Covey is one of the most influential self-help books of the late twentieth century. To date, the title has sold over 40 million copies and has been a New York Times bestseller. Covey was named as one of Time Magazine’s 25 Most Influential Americans of 1996. His book is classified under the categories of Business Management, Organizational Behavior, and Personal Success in Business... Read The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People Summary


Publication year 1998Genre Book, NonfictionTags Self Help, Education, Education, Business / Economics, Parenting, Psychology, Psychology

The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens by Sean Covey was first published in 1998 but was revised in 2014 to meet the changing needs of its audience of tech-savvy teenagers. (This study guide refers to the 2019 Simon and Schuster trade paperback edition.) While the genre is self-help, the book’s focus on young adult readers is evident from Covey’s informal tone, which he uses to narrate entertaining stories about teenagers, as well as the... Read The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens Summary


Publication year 2024Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Emotions/Behavior: Nostalgia, Identity: Mental Health, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Values/Ideas: Science & TechnologyTags Psychology, Sociology, Psychology, Philosophy, Philosophy, Mental Illness, Self Help

Publication year 2020Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Life/Time: The Future, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Science & TechnologyTags Science / Nature, Technology, Philosophy, Psychology, Futurism, Technology, Business / Economics, Psychology, Philosophy

Publication year 2024Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Emotions/Behavior: Apathy, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Identity: Gender, Identity: Mental Health, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Natural World: Place, Society: Community, Society: Education, Values/Ideas: Science & TechnologyTags Education, Education, Science / Nature, Sociology, Parenting, Psychology, Psychology, Mental Illness, Self Help, Health / Medicine

Publication year 1992Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Values/Ideas: Literature, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Self Discovery, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Life/Time: The Past, Values/Ideas: Art, Identity: LanguageTags Self Help, Psychology, Arts / Culture, Addiction / Substance Abuse, Religion / Spirituality, Psychology, Philosophy, Philosophy

Publication year 2018Genre Book, NonfictionTags Psychology, Sociology, Self Help, Business / Economics, Relationships, Psychology

Priya Parker’s book The Art of Gathering: How We Meet and Why It Matters (2018) is a series of chapter-length essays that provide a guide to organizing effective gatherings as well as a persuasive argument for thinking about them as tools for social transformation. As a highly experienced group facilitator, advisor, podcast host, and expert in conflict resolution, Parker brings a specialist’s insight to her topic. At the same time, she organizes and presents the... Read The Art of Gathering Summary


Publication year 2001Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Identity: Gender, Identity: Sexuality, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Emotions/Behavior: LoveTags Psychology, Self Help, Philosophy, Relationships, Love / Sexuality, Philosophy, Business / Economics, History: World, Psychology

Publication year 1990Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Identity: Femininity, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Life/Time: AgingTags Gender / Feminism, Sociology, Psychology, Women's Studies (Nonfiction), Psychology, Philosophy, Philosophy, Self Help, Politics / Government

Naomi Wolf’s The Beauty Myth: How Images of Beauty Are Used Against Women was published in 1990 and republished in 2002 by HarperCollins with an updated introduction. At the time of its original release, The Beauty Myth was considered a seminal feminist work for its analysis of the way the market—and its consumer culture—generates and perpetuates the myth of beauty to control women on a psychological level. This study guide refers to the 2009 HarperCollins... Read The Beauty Myth Summary


Publication year 1963Genre Novel, FictionThemes Life/Time: Coming of Age, Identity: Mental Health, Identity: GenderTags Gender / Feminism, Depression / Suicide, Psychology, Psychology, Classic Fiction, Mental Illness, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman

The Bell Jar is a semiautobiographical novel by author Sylvia Plath, originally published under her pen name Victoria Lucas. Plath was best known for her contribution to the confessional poetry genre with the collections Ariel and The Colossus and Other Poems. After her death by suicide in 1963, she received a posthumous Pulitzer Prize for her Collected Poems. The Bell Jar is Plath’s only novel, inspired by her experience battling depression. It explores themes of... Read The Bell Jar Summary


Publication year 2023Genre Biography, NonfictionThemes Identity: Mental Health, Self Discovery, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Relationships: FriendshipTags Crime / Legal, Psychology, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Psychology, Mental Illness, Biography

Publication year 2007Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Society: EconomicsTags Business / Economics, Philosophy, Science / Nature, Psychology, Finance / Money / Wealth, Sociology, History: World, Psychology, Philosophy

Publication year 2002Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Natural World: Nurture v. NatureTags Psychology, Technology, Anthropology, Anthropology, Science / Nature, Sociology, History: World, Psychology, Philosophy, Philosophy, Politics / Government

In the nonfiction book The Blank Slate, Steven Pinker, a Harvard-educated experimental psychologist, draws from cutting-edge cognitive science to debunk popular ideas about the mind and human nature. Primarily, Pinker argues against the concept of the Blank Slate—that is, that the mind is a “blank slate”—showing instead that our brains come hardwired with universal attributes. He also discredits two related concepts, that of the Noble Savage (the idea that primitive humans were superior to and... Read The Blank Slate Summary


Publication year 2014Genre Novel, FictionThemes Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Relationships: Friendship, Natural World: Place, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Relationships: Teams, Identity: Mental Health, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Values/Ideas: Trust & DoubtTags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Poverty, Mental Illness, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Class, Psychology, Realistic Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction

Publication year 2018Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Identity: Mental Health, Society: Community, Self DiscoveryTags Gender / Feminism, Self Help, Psychology, Social Justice, Diversity, Race / Racism, Psychology, LGBTQ, Mental Illness, Health / Medicine

Publication year 2014Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Life/Time: Childhood & YouthTags Psychology, Science / Nature, Psychology, Mental Illness, Self Help, Health / Medicine

The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma is a 2014 nonfiction work by Bessel van der Kolk, M.D. This guide refers to the 2015 edition published by Penguin Books. Van der Kolk, a psychiatrist specializing in various forms of trauma, has worked in trauma therapy for his entire professional career, publishing numerous scientific research studies of his own and contributing to many more. In addition to being a... Read The Body Keeps the Score Summary


Publication year 2016Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Emotions/Behavior: Joy, Emotions/Behavior: Gratitude, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Relationships: Friendship, Values/Ideas: Religion & SpiritualityTags Self Help, Religion / Spirituality, Philosophy, Psychology, Inspirational, Psychology, Philosophy

In The Book of Joy: Lasting Happiness in a Changing World, co-authors Douglas Abrams, His Holiness the Dalai Lama, and Archbishop Desmond Tutu share their discussion on the nature of joy and the methods to achieve it in the face of adversity. Originally published in 2016, this work falls within the genre of spiritual and self-help literature. The Dalai Lama, the exiled spiritual leader of Tibet, and Archbishop Tutu, a leader in the fight against... Read The Book of Joy Summary


Publication year 2007Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Life/Time: Aging, Identity: Mental Health, Identity: DisabilityTags Psychology, Science / Nature, Health / Medicine, Self Help

Publication year 2017Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Society: Economics, Society: CommunityTags Business / Economics, Social Science, Sociology, Psychology, Psychology, Social Justice, Politics / Government

The Broken Ladder: How Inequality Affects the Way We Think, Live, and Die (2017) is a nonfiction popular-psychology book written by Keith Payne, an American professor of psychology and neuroscience. In it, he examines the physical, physiological, psychological, and moral effects of present-day inequality, particularly within the United States. Payne broadly argues that inequality has massively widened over the last 50 years, and that this has had profound implications because inequality harms everyone in society... Read The Broken Ladder Summary


Publication year 2007Genre Autobiography / Memoir, NonfictionThemes Identity: Mental Health, Identity: Disability, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & PrideTags Psychology, Mental Illness, Health / Medicine, Psychology, Biography

Publication year 2011Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Relationships: Teams, Society: EconomicsTags Business / Economics, Leadership/Organization/Management, Self Help, Psychology, Psychology

Publication year 2009Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Relationships: Teams, Identity: LanguageTags Business / Economics, Self Help, Health / Medicine, Psychology, Science / Nature, Leadership/Organization/Management, Psychology

Publication year 2017Genre Biography, NonfictionThemes Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Life/Time: The PastTags Psychology, Health / Medicine, History: European, WWII / World War II, Holocaust, Military / War, History: World, Psychology, Self Help, Biography

Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Values/Ideas: Equality, Relationships: Teams, Self Discovery, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Identity: LanguageTags Business / Economics, Leadership/Organization/Management, Self Help, Psychology, Psychology

Publication year 2018Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Truth & LiesTags Anthropology, Education, Education, Sociology, Parenting, Psychology, Psychology, Philosophy, Philosophy, Arts / Culture, Politics / Government

The Coddling of the American Mind: How Good Intentions and Bad Ideas are Setting Up a Generation for Failure is a psychology book written by Greg Lukianoff and Jonathan Haidt and published in 2018. The nonfiction work, which expounds upon an essay the authors wrote for The Atlantic in 2015, became a bestseller and National Book Critics Circle Award nominee. The book argues that parents and schools, in an overabundance of caution, have taught children... Read The Coddling of the American Mind Summary


Publication year 2019Genre Essay Collection, NonfictionThemes Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Identity: Mental HealthTags Psychology, Mental Illness, Disability, Science / Nature, Health / Medicine, Psychology, Biography

Publication year 2021Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Identity: Mental Health, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Life/Time: The FutureTags Inspirational, Self Help, Psychology, Psychology, Philosophy, Philosophy, Mental Illness

Publication year 2021Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Identity: Mental Health, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Values/Ideas: Safety & DangerTags Self Help, Health / Medicine, Psychology, Science / Nature, Sports, Psychology, Philosophy, Philosophy, Mental Illness

Publication year 2010Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Self DiscoveryTags Self Help, Business / Economics, Finance / Money / Wealth, Psychology, Philosophy, Leadership/Organization/Management, Psychology

Publication year 2003Genre Biography, NonfictionThemes Society: CommunityTags Crime / Legal, Business / Economics, Sociology, History: World, Psychology, Psychology, Politics / Government

Published in 2004, The Corporation, by legal scholar Joel Bakan, demonstrates that corporations often misbehave because it is in their nature to do so. The corporate legal mandate, to pursue profit on behalf of shareholders, impels corporations to take any action, including callous, antisocial, and even unlawful behaviors, so long as they generate a profit.  Because corporations are created by governments, they are beholden to the state for their survival, yet they often manage to... Read The Corporation Summary


Publication year 2023Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Identity: Mental Health, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: New Age, Identity: LanguageTags Arts / Culture, Music, Philosophy, Self Help, Psychology, Business / Economics, Philosophy, Psychology

Publication year 2004Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Identity: Sexuality, Identity: Gender, Society: NationTags Education, Education, Gender / Feminism, Arts / Culture, Sociology, Psychology, Psychology, Philosophy, Philosophy, Politics / Government

Publication year 2003Genre Novel, FictionThemes Identity: Disability, Values/Ideas: Safety & DangerTags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Animals, Disability, British Literature, Education, Education, Modern Classic Fiction, Psychology, Psychology, Classic Fiction

In the novel The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, Christopher Boone, a brilliant teenage boy with Autism, sets out to solve the murder of his neighbor’s dog. Written by Mark Haddon and published in 2003, the book has become a prize-winning bestseller translated into three-dozen languages. Already considered a classic, the work has been adapted as a stage play and is performed internationally. The e-book edition is the basis for this study... Read The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time Summary


Publication year 2016Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Self Discovery, Society: EducationTags Philosophy, Self Help, Psychology, Leadership/Organization/Management, Business / Economics, History: World, Psychology, Philosophy, Religion / Spirituality

Publication year 1982Genre Novel, FictionThemes Values/Ideas: Literature, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Society: Education, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Relationships: FamilyTags Realistic Fiction, Race / Racism, Children's Literature, Education, Education, History: World, Historical Fiction, Psychology, Psychology

Originally published in 1982, The Day They Came to Arrest the Book is Nat Hentoff’s only novel for youth. Hentoff was a multi-talented scholar and entertainer, known for his years as a columnist at the legendary Village Voice, an alternative newspaper in New York City. He was also a music critic and professor. Hentoff was regarded as an eloquent, tireless advocate for freedom of speech; he made his arguments in essay form for adults in... Read The Day They Came to Arrest the Book Summary


Publication year 2018Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Relationships: Family, Society: Class, Society: Community, Identity: Mental Health, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Life/Time: The Past, Identity: Disability, Life/Time: The Future, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Natural World: Nurture v. Nature, Society: Education, Life/Time: Childhood & YouthTags Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Mental Illness, Science / Nature, Health / Medicine, Education, Education, Parenting, Psychology, Psychology, Self Help

Publication year 1996Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Society: Education, Society: Nation, Natural World: Space & The Universe, Natural World: Appearance & RealityTags Science / Nature, Education, Religion / Spirituality, History: World, Psychology, Psychology, Philosophy, Philosophy

Publication year 1973Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Values/Ideas: ArtTags Psychology, Philosophy, Religion / Spirituality, Grief / Death, Anthropology, Anthropology, Science / Nature, Sociology, Psychology, Philosophy, Self Help

The Denial of Death was written by the American cultural anthropologist Ernest Becker and published in 1973. The work explores the fear of death and the ways in which rituals and beliefs have helped humans to cope with it throughout history. It was inspired by the fact that Becker had been diagnosed with terminal colon cancer. Over the course of his life, he taught at several prestigious universities, including Syracuse University, UC Berkeley, and, by... Read The Denial of Death Summary


Publication year 1988Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Society: EconomicsTags Business / Economics, Psychology, Science / Nature, Technology, Technology, Psychology, Arts / Culture

Publication year 2011Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Win & LoseTags Politics / Government, Philosophy, Psychology, Business / Economics, Sociology, History: World, Psychology, Philosophy

Publication year 1846Genre Novella, FictionThemes Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Identity: Mental Health, Society: Class, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Safety & DangerTags Classic Fiction, Russian Literature, Psychology, History: World, Psychology, Philosophy, Philosophy

Publication year 2006Genre Novel, FictionThemes Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Natural World: Environment, Self DiscoveryTags Psychological Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Psychology, American Literature, Modern Classic Fiction, Psychology

The Echo Maker (2006) is a psychological mystery thriller by American author Richard Powers. The novel follows protagonist Mark Schluter in the wake of an accidental brain injury that led him to believe that his sister, Karin, is an imposter. The resulting conflict leads to questions of meaning, perception, and identity. The author of 13 books as of 2023, Powers has won numerous awards, including a Pushcart Prize in 2003, a National Book Award for... Read The Echo Maker Summary


Publication year 2021Genre Autobiography / Memoir, NonfictionThemes Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Identity: Mental Health, Self Discovery, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: MothersTags Psychology, Science / Nature, Psychology, Biography

Publication year 2014Genre Essay Collection, NonfictionThemes Society: Community, Identity: Mental HealthTags Health / Medicine, Gender / Feminism, Psychology, Philosophy, Philosophy, Biography, Psychology, Relationships, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Addiction / Substance Abuse

The Empathy Exams: Essays by Leslie Jamison is a collection of nonfiction essays that are connected thematically by pain and caring. Jamison uses a combination of personal experiences and journalistic approaches to ponder essential questions about both physical and emotional wounds, tenderness, and how people connect through pain. First published in April 2014, this collection premiered at #11 on the New York Times bestseller list and has received considerable acclaim from reviewers across the world... Read The Empathy Exams Summary


Publication year 2007Genre Book, NonfictionTags Self Help, Education, Education, Business / Economics, Inspirational, Psychology, Psychology

Jon Gordon’s 2007 self-help book The Energy Bus: 10 Rules to Fuel Your Life, Work, and Team with Positive Energy became a Wall Street Journal best-seller for its tale of a man who triumphs over serious career and marital problems using the power of positive energy. The ebook edition, ASIN: B0086I25S8, is the source for this study guide.Both a work of fiction and a how-to manual on team-building, The Energy Bus describes how anyone can... Read The Energy Bus Summary


Publication year 1978Genre Reference/Text Book, NonfictionThemes Society: Community, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Identity: Gender, Identity: Mental Health, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Marriage, Relationships: MothersTags Education, Education, Psychology, Psychology, Relationships, Mental Illness, Self Help

Publication year 2019Genre Novel, FictionThemes Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Truth & LiesTags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Psychological Fiction, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Parenting, Psychology, LGBTQ, Modern Classic Fiction

Publication year 2006Genre Reference/Text Book, NonfictionThemes Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Masculinity, Identity: Gender, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: Aging, Life/Time: Midlife, Relationships: Marriage, Relationships: Mothers, Natural World: Nurture v. NatureTags Psychology, Science / Nature, Health / Medicine, Self Help, Gender / Feminism, Relationships, Love / Sexuality

Publication year 1990Genre Reference/Text Book, NonfictionThemes Natural World: Climate, Natural World: Environment, Relationships: Teams, Society: Class, Society: Economics, Society: GlobalizationTags Education, Education, Leadership/Organization/Management, Business / Economics, Psychology, Psychology, Self Help

Publication year 2002Genre Book, NonfictionTags Business / Economics, Leadership/Organization/Management, Self Help, Psychology, Psychology

Publication year 1997Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / PerseveranceTags Philosophy, Self Help, Inspirational, Religion / Spirituality, Psychology

The Four Agreements: A Practical Guide to Personal Freedom by Don Miguel Ruiz was first published in 1997. Born into a family of healers and shamans, Ruiz dedicated his life to creating a philosophy that blends ancient Toltec wisdom with modern sensibilities. After its publication, The Four Agreements stayed on the New York Times Best Seller list for 10 years and ranked as the 36th best seller of the decade. Many celebrities, including Oprah Winfrey... Read The Four Agreements Summary


Publication year 1996Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Society: Nation, Life/Time: The Future, Values/Ideas: Safety & DangerTags History: U.S., Sociology, Politics / Government, Business / Economics, History: World, Psychology, Psychology, Philosophy, Philosophy

Publication year 1927Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Values/Ideas: Religion & SpiritualityTags Religion / Spirituality, Science / Nature, Psychology, Psychology, Philosophy, Philosophy, Classic Fiction

The Future of an Illusion is a 1927 book by Sigmund Freud in which the Austrian neurologist investigates the origins of society and religion. Freud is well-known as the founder of psychoanalysis, a discipline that he developed in the late 1800s that seeks to use talk therapy to help patients cure their mental disorders. Freud wrote a number of influential books that popularized his psychoanalytic theories, such as The Interpretation of Dreams (1899) and The... Read The Future of an Illusion Summary


Publication year 1882Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Values/Ideas: Truth & LiesTags Philosophy, Existentialism, Science / Nature, History: World, Psychology, Psychology, Philosophy, Classic Fiction, Religion / Spirituality

The Gay Science is a book of poems and collection of 383 aphorisms in five sections that interrogates the origins of the history of knowledge. It celebrates philosophy as a medicine capable of renewing the intellect, and perceives of philosophy as inspiration for individual freedom, and thereby capable of renewing culture. First published in 1882, Nietzsche added a “Book Fifth” to The Gay Science five years later. In The Gay Science, Nietzsche declares God is... Read The Gay Science Summary


Publication year 2009Genre Book, NonfictionTags Psychology, Education, Education, Science / Nature, Social Science, Sociology, Parenting, Psychology

In 2009, New York Times bestselling author Alexandra Robbins returned with The Geeks Shall Inherit the Earth: Popularity, Quirk Theory and Why Outsiders Thrive After High School. The nonfiction book, which unconventionally flows like a YA novel, takes us inside the corridors of the nation’s schools to look at what popularity really means, and why it is so important to young people. Grounded in the latest social science, Robbins’ bestseller tracks the lives of young... Read The Geeks Shall Inherit the Earth Summary


Publication year 2008Genre Book, NonfictionTags Action / Adventure, Travel Literature, Science / Nature, Sociology, Psychology, Psychology, Philosophy, Philosophy, Self Help, Humor

In his 2008 nonfiction book The Geography of Bliss, Eric Weiner travels the world in search of happiness. Weiner, a former foreign correspondent for National Public Radio, sets out in this travelogue to investigate where in the world people are the most happy—and why. Casting himself as an inveterately cranky person, Weiner mixes humor, scientific inquiry, and psychological research to explain geographic concentrations of elevated mood. Since its publication, the book has been on the... Read The Geography of Bliss Summary


Publication year 1997Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Safety & DangerTags Psychology, Self Help, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Crime / Legal, Relationships, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Science / Nature, Sociology, Psychology, Mental Illness

Publication year 2001Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Society: Community, Identity: Mental Health, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Trust & DoubtTags Education, Education, Psychology, Philosophy, Philosophy, Mental Illness, Health / Medicine, Psychology, Self Help

Publication year 2010Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Identity: Mental Health, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: JoyTags Self Help, Inspirational, Psychology, Religion / Spirituality, Psychology, Philosophy, Philosophy, Mental Illness, Health / Medicine

The Gifts of Imperfection: Your Guide to Wholehearted Living (2022) by Brené Brown (originally published as The Gifts of Imperfection: Let Go of Who You Think You’re Supposed to Be and Embrace Who You Are in 2010) introduces the key concepts that have become a signature of Brown’s research, such as reclaiming the importance of vulnerability and defining shame as an obstacle to self-development and connection. The original book spent 75 weeks on The New... Read The Gifts of Imperfection Summary


Publication year 2006Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Identity: Mental Health, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Truth & LiesTags Religion / Spirituality, Science / Nature, Philosophy, Psychology, Psychology, Philosophy

The God Delusion, written by Richard Dawkins, was first published in 2006 by Bantam Press. In the book, Dawkins, a British evolutionary biologist and ethologist, uses his background in science and rational thought to explore and critique the concepts of God and religion. This non-fiction work falls under the subgenre of atheist literature and tackles concepts such as the question of the existence of God, the psychological and social reasons for religious belief, the impact... Read The God Delusion Summary


Publication year 1968Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Religion & SpiritualityTags Inspirational, Philosophy, Self Help, Business / Economics, Religion / Spirituality, Finance / Money / Wealth, Christian literature, Psychology, Psychology, Philosophy, Classic Fiction

Publication year 1949Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Identity: LanguageTags Psychology, Anthropology, Anthropology, Philosophy, Philosophy, History: World, Psychology, Fantasy, Classic Fiction, Religion / Spirituality

Joseph Campbell’s The Hero with a Thousand Faces is a nonfiction work about world mythology published in 1949. Campbell, a mythology scholar and professor of literature, presents his theory of the “monomyth,” or the narrative tropes common to all storytelling traditions. The first half of the book covers the monomyth of the hero’s journey. The second half deals with similarities among a wide range of creation myths.In his Prologue, Campbell considers why people from all... Read The Hero with a Thousand Faces Summary


Publication year 1976Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Identity: Sexuality, Identity: Mental Health, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Society: CommunityTags Sociology, Philosophy, Love / Sexuality, Psychology, LGBTQ, Post Modernism, Education, Education, French Literature, History: World, Psychology, Philosophy

Michel Foucault was a French philosopher and theorist whose most significant works were first published in the 1960s and 1970s. Throughout his career, he examined the mechanisms of power and challenged accepted historical narratives, working to show how institutional power shapes the field of possible knowledge to its own advantage. The History of Sexuality, published in three volumes between 1976 and 1984—with a fourth volume published posthumously, in draft form, in 2018—examines the development of... Read The History of Sexuality Summary


Publication year 2007Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Identity: Mental Health, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Self DiscoveryTags Psychology, Self Help, Science / Nature, Philosophy, Health / Medicine, Psychology, Philosophy, Mental Illness, Religion / Spirituality

Publication year 1958Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Life/Time: Birth, Natural World: Appearance & RealityTags Philosophy, Politics / Government, Education, Education, Sociology, History: World, Psychology, Psychology, Philosophy, Classic Fiction

The Human Condition, written by Hannah Arendt and originally published in 1958, is a work of political and philosophical nonfiction. Arendt, a German-American philosopher and political theorist, divides the central theme of the book, vita activa, into three distinct functions: labor, work, and action. Her analyses of these three concepts form the philosophical core of the book. The rest of the book is historical in approach.Part 1 serves as an introduction to Arendt’s argument. She... Read The Human Condition Summary


Publication year 2016Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Relationships: Teams, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Values/Ideas: Trust & DoubtTags Business / Economics, Leadership/Organization/Management, Psychology

The Ideal Team Player is a 2016 book by leadership development expert Patrick Lencioni. The book provides an extension of the work Lencioni performed for his 2011 book, The Five Dysfunctions of a Team. Lencioni employs a two-part structure for the book, as it begins with a third-person fictional narrative before shifting to a first-person, instructional point of view. In both sections, Lencioni examines the significance of being able to identify three essential characteristics of... Read The Ideal Team Player Summary


Publication year 2018Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Society: Community, Self Discovery, Relationships: Teams, Emotions/Behavior: CourageTags Business / Economics, Leadership/Organization/Management, Self Help, Psychology, Psychology, Philosophy, Philosophy

Publication year 1973Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Society: Colonialism, Society: Nation, Society: Community, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Emotions/Behavior: ConflictTags Anthropology, Sociology, Philosophy, Science / Nature, Psychology, Politics / Government, Education, Education, Anthropology, Social Science, History: World, Philosophy, Arts / Culture

Publication year 1899Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Relationships: Family, Identity: Mental Health, Life/Time: Coming of AgeTags Psychology, Science / Nature, Philosophy, History: World, Psychology, Philosophy, Self Help, Classic Fiction

Sigmund Freud's The Interpretation of Dreams is a landmark work in the field of psychoanalysis. First published in 1899, it is one of Freud's most famous and influential books. At its core, the book explores the significance of dreams in revealing the unconscious desires, fears, and conflicts of the individual. Freud argues that dreams are not just random collections of images and sensations, as was commonly held in his day. Neither are they inspirations from... Read The Interpretation of Dreams Summary


Publication year 1934Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Natural World: ObjectsTags Philosophy, Science / Nature, Education, Education, Sociology, History: World, Psychology, Psychology, Philosophy, Classic Fiction

Publication year 1997Genre Autobiography / Memoir, NonfictionThemes Relationships: Family, Life/Time: Coming of AgeTags Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Psychology, Psychology, Biography

The Lost Boy is the sequel to Dave Pelzer’s first memoir, A Child Called “It,” which tells the story of how he was severely abused by his mother as a young child. In The Lost Boy, Pelzer recounts how he is finally removed from his parents’ custody and placed in foster care. After years of neglect and abuse, David struggles to adjust to his new living situations and the uncertainty that comes with the life... Read The Lost Boy Summary


Publication year 2022Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Relationships: MarriageTags Relationships, Self Help, Psychology, Love / Sexuality, Parenting, Religion / Spirituality, Psychology

Publication year 2007Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Values/Ideas: Good & EvilTags Science / Nature, Social Science, Sociology, History: World, Psychology, Psychology, Philosophy, Philosophy, Self Help, Politics / Government

The Lucifer Effect: Understanding How Good People Turn Evil, published in 2007, is a nonfiction book written by Philip Zimbardo, an American psychologist and a professor emeritus at Stanford University. He rose to prominence for his Stanford Prison Experiment and is founder and president of the Heroic Imagination Project. In The Lucifer Effect, Zimbardo argues that humans are neither good nor evil. Instead, systemic and situational forces shape individuals’ actions, and every individual has the... Read The Lucifer Effect Summary


Publication year 1959Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Self DiscoveryTags Business / Economics, Self Help, Leadership/Organization/Management, Psychology, Psychology, Philosophy, Philosophy

Publication year 2020Genre Autobiography / Memoir, NonfictionThemes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Values/Ideas: Win & Lose, Relationships: TeamsTags Psychology, Biography, Sports, Psychology, Self Help, African American Literature

Publication year 1983Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Joy, Identity: Mental Health, Society: Class, Society: Community, Society: Economics, Society: Education, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Truth & LiesTags Education, Education, Anthropology, Anthropology, Gender / Feminism, Social Science, Business / Economics, Sociology, Psychology, Psychology, Philosophy, Philosophy

Publication year 1902Genre Poem, FictionThemes Society: Class, Society: War, Society: ColonialismTags Poetry: Dramatic Poem, Victorian Period, Military / War, Class, History: African , History: European, Psychology, Grief / Death, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Classic Fiction, British Literature

Publication year 1985Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Identity: Disability, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Values/Ideas: Science & TechnologyTags Science / Nature, Psychology, Health / Medicine, Disability

The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat and Other Clinical Tales (1973) is British neurologist Dr. Oliver Sacks’s fourth book. Sacks is a renowned physician, professor, and writer whom the New York Times calls “the poet laureate of medicine.” Sacks is best known for his 1973 memoir Awakenings, in which he explores the history of the encephalitis lethargica epidemic. In 1990, the story was adapted into a critically acclaimed movie starring Robin Williams... Read The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat Summary


Publication year 1999Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Identity: Mental Health, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Truth & LiesTags Self Help, Religion / Spirituality, Relationships, Philosophy, Psychology, Love / Sexuality, Philosophy, Inspirational, Psychology

Publication year 1981Genre Biography, NonfictionThemes Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Identity: Mental Health, Self Discovery, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Truth & LiesTags Crime / Legal, Psychology, Mental Illness, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, American Literature, Psychology, Biography

The Minds of Billy Milligan (1981) is a nonfiction work by Daniel Keyes, documenting the life and experiences of William Stanley “Billy” Milligan, the first defendant found not guilty by reason of insanity because of dissociative identity disorder (DID). The book follows Milligan’s early life experiences that led to his illness, arrest, and trial after the rapes of three women on the Ohio State University campus, as well as the years he spent in different... Read The Minds of Billy Milligan Summary


Publication year 1982Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Natural World: Nurture v. NatureTags History: World, Sociology, Anthropology, Anthropology, Science / Nature, Psychology, Psychology, Philosophy, Philosophy, Politics / Government

The Mismeasure of Man, by Stephen Jay Gould, is a survey and critique of 19th- and 20th-century theories that posited human intelligence was a fixed and measurable number. Gould argues that mainstream scientists were not immune to the widespread racist and prejudicial beliefs of their time, and that these unconscious biases underlie the history of biological determinism, or the argument that shared human behavior is innate and primarily controlled by biology. Under this argument, social... Read The Mismeasure Of Man Summary


Publication year 1996Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Life/Time: The Future, Life/Time: Midlife, Self Discovery, Identity: Mental Health, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Gratitude, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Natural World: EnvironmentTags Self Help, Philosophy, Religion / Spirituality, Inspirational, Psychology, Business / Economics, Psychology, Philosophy

Publication year 2015Genre Essay / Speech, NonfictionThemes Self Discovery, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Natural World: Appearance & RealityTags Philosophy, Psychology, Self Help

“The Moral Bucket List” is an essay by David Brooks first published in the New York Times Op-Ed Section on April 11, 2015. Born in Toronto and raised in New York, Brooks is a prominent cultural journalist, political analyst, and book author. Since 2003, he has written a twice-weekly column for the New York Times, and since 2004, he has been a political analyst for PBS NewsHour. “The Moral Bucket List” is an adapted excerpt... Read The Moral Bucket List Summary


Publication year 2020Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Identity: Mental Health, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: New Age, Emotions/Behavior: ConflictTags Self Help, Psychology, Relationships, Psychology, Philosophy, Philosophy, Mental Illness, Health / Medicine, Religion / Spirituality

Publication year 1950Genre Play, FictionThemes Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Trust & DoubtTags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Grief / Death, Psychology, Relationships, Education, Education, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Drama / Tragedy, Classic Fiction

The Mousetrap by Agatha Christie was originally performed in London’s West End in 1952. It is a two-act murder mystery play with a twist ending that subverts the traditional genre expectations of detective fiction, set in the early 1950s. The Mousetrap is the longest running West End play, with over 27,000 performances. There have been a few TV and movie versions made in locations such as Germany, the USSR, and India.This study guide cites the... Read The Mousetrap Summary


Publication year 1920Genre Novel, FictionThemes Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Society: Class, Relationships: MarriageTags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Class, Grief / Death, Immigration / Refugee, Psychology, WWI / World War I, British Literature, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Classic Fiction

The Mysterious Affair at Styles, written by Agatha Christie in 1920, is the first of her novels to feature Hercule Poirot. The small, fastidious Belgian is one of her most iconic characters and among the most famous fictional detectives in the world. The novel is exemplary of the “cozy mystery,” in which well-heeled figures work out the solutions to complex, puzzle-like murders within comfortable settings. This one takes place during the years of the Great... Read The Mysterious Affair at Styles Summary


Publication year 2022Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Identity: Mental Health, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Society: EconomicsTags Psychology, Self Help, Health / Medicine, Science / Nature, Sociology, Psychology, Mental Illness

Publication year 1949Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Emotions/Behavior: HopeTags Philosophy, Religion / Spirituality, History: World, Anthropology, Psychology, Anthropology, Philosophy, Psychology, Fantasy

Publication year 2013Genre Novel, FictionThemes Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Family, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Truth & LiesTags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Grief / Death, Love / Sexuality, Psychology, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Modern Classic Fiction, Fantasy, Romance

The Naturals (2013) is a Young Adult suspense novel by American author Jennifer Lynn Barnes. It is the first novel in the Naturals series, which follows Cassie, a teenager with a natural talent for profiling people based on a careful study of their behavior. Cassie meets other teenagers with similar abilities when she joins a special FBI program meant to use their skills to solve murders. Throughout the series, Cassie must also work to solve... Read The Naturals Summary


Publication year 2011Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Natural World: Nurture v. Nature, Natural World: EnvironmentTags Science / Nature, Education, Education, Psychology, Psychology, Philosophy, Philosophy, Health / Medicine

In The Nature Principle, journalist and environmentalist Richard Louv calls for action against the nature-deficit disorder, a term he introduced in his bestselling novel Last Child in the Woods. Nature-deficit disorder is the mental, spiritual, emotional and physical detriment caused by a lack of connection with our natural environment. Written in five parts, Louv makes a compelling argument for decreasing the nature-deficit disorder in adults and presents recommendations for how to do so. Louv bases... Read The Nature Principle Summary


Publication year 1933Genre Short Story, FictionThemes Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Society: WarTags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Humor, Psychology, Military / War, Classic Fiction

“The Night the Ghost Got In” is a short story from the comedic semi-autobiographical memoir My Life and Hard Times published in 1933 by James Thurber. Thurber is best known for his short story “The Secret Life of Walter Mitty,” which has been twice adapted for film. This guide references the 1999 Harper Perennial Classics Reprint edition of My Life and Hard Times.“The Night the Ghost Got In” tells the first-person account of a young... Read The Night the Ghost Got In Summary


Publication year 1998Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Natural World: Nurture v. Nature, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: MothersTags Psychology, Parenting, Science / Nature, Sociology, Children's Literature, Education, Education, Social Science, Psychology

Publication year 2014Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: CourageTags Self Help, Leadership/Organization/Management, Business / Economics, History: World, Psychology, Psychology, Philosophy, Philosophy

The Obstacle Is the Way: The Timeless Art of Turning Trials Into Triumph (2014) is a self-help book by American author Ryan Holiday. Holiday identifies three aspects of confronting obstacles: “Perception,” “Action,” and “Will.” Weaving Stoic philosophy with historical and contemporary anecdotes, Holiday argues that people can turn obstacles into opportunities by changing their perceptions of their problems. Holiday points to role models such as former American president and general Dwight D. Eisenhower, American aviator... Read The Obstacle is the Way Summary


Publication year 2013Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Relationships: TeamsTags Business / Economics, Self Help, Leadership/Organization/Management, Psychology, Psychology

Publication year 1966Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Self Discovery, Identity: Language, Natural World: ObjectsTags Philosophy, Science / Nature, Sociology, Psychology, Education, Education, Anthropology, Anthropology, French Literature, History: World, Psychology, Philosophy

Publication year 1951Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Society: ClassTags Politics / Government, Philosophy, History: World, Sociology, Psychology, Psychology, Philosophy, Classic Fiction

Hannah Arendt’s 1951 The Origins of Totalitarianism is an examination of the origins and ideologies of Nazism and Stalinism in the first half of the 20th century through an examination of antisemitism, imperialism, and totalitarianism. Arendt charts the emergence of the Nazi and Bolshevik totalitarian regimes and how those regimes operated as governments. Arendt asserts that imperialism, not nationalism, created the framework for the success of totalitarian movements, and she claims that totalitarian movements capitalized... Read The Origins of Totalitarianism Summary


Publication year 1994Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Emotions/Behavior: Apathy, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Relationships: TeamsTags Business / Economics, Leadership/Organization/Management, Psychology, Psychology, Romance, Self Help

Publication year 2004Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Identity: Mental Health, Values/Ideas: Science & TechnologyTags Psychology, Business / Economics, Self Help, Philosophy, Science, Sociology, Science / Nature, Psychology, Philosophy

Publication year 2010Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Identity: Mental Health, Identity: Race, Natural World: Environment, Self Discovery, Society: Community, Society: NationTags Anthropology, Psychology, Health / Medicine, Education, Education, Anthropology, Social Science, Psychology, Social Justice

Publication year 2018Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Society: Class, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Equality, Identity: RaceTags Business / Economics, Sociology, Psychology, Self Help, Psychology, Race / Racism, Social Justice

Publication year 1842Genre Short Story, FictionThemes Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Values/Ideas: Safety & DangerTags Classic Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Allegory / Fable / Parable, Fantasy, Incarceration, Grief / Death, Psychology, Gothic Literature, Romanticism / Romantic Period, Education, Education, Mystery / Crime Fiction, History: World

“The Pit and the Pendulum,” Edgar Allan Poe’s agonizing tale of terror and suspense, was first published in 1842. One of Poe’s many horror stories, “The Pit and the Pendulum” became famous for its depiction of pure dread. This guide refers to the 1992 Modern Library edition of Poe’s Collected Tales and Poems.The story begins with shocking suddenness: “I was sick—sick unto death with that long agony” (246). The narrator, we soon discover, is a... Read The Pit and the Pendulum Summary


Publication year 2023Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Life/Time: The Future, Life/Time: The Past, Self DiscoveryTags Business / Economics, Inspirational, Psychology, Philosophy, Philosophy, Religion / Spirituality, Self Help, Psychology

Publication year 2021Genre Novel, FictionThemes Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Values/Ideas: Literature, Emotions/Behavior: RevengeTags Psychological Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Arts / Culture, Psychology, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Philosophy, American Literature, Modern Classic Fiction

Publication year 2012Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Relationships: TeamsTags Psychology, Inspirational, Self Help, Leadership/Organization/Management, Science / Nature, Business / Economics, Sociology, Psychology

Charles Duhigg’s The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business investigates the science behind habit formation in the human brain. Drawing on corporate case studies and pioneering scientific experiments, Duhigg analyzes how individuals, organizations, and societies can use the knowledge of habit formation to change their behaviors. Published in 2012 by Random House, the nonfiction book has reached a broad public readership and landed on the New York Times... Read The Power of Habit Summary


Publication year 1991Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Identity: Language, Values/Ideas: Literature, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Society: CommunityTags Anthropology, Anthropology, Philosophy, Sociology, History: World, Psychology, Psychology, Fantasy, Classic Fiction, Religion / Spirituality, Mythology, Philosophy

The Power of Myth by Joseph Campbell with Bill Moyers, published in 1988, is a nonfiction companion to a six-episode PBS documentary series by the same name. The main text of the book is a transcript of an extensive conversation between comparative mythology expert Joseph Campbell and journalist Bill Moyers. Using mythological stories, psychoanalytic theories, and personal anecdotes, Campbell and Moyers examine how world mythologies illuminate the mysteries of human life through shared symbols as... Read The Power of Myth Summary


Publication year 1997Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Self Discovery, Emotions/Behavior: HopeTags Religion / Spirituality, Philosophy, Psychology, Self Help, Inspirational, Psychology, Philosophy

Publication year 2022Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Science & TechnologyTags Self Help, Business / Economics, Psychology, Education, Education, Leadership/Organization/Management, Psychology, Philosophy, Philosophy

Publication year 2022Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Identity: Mental Health, Self Discovery, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: RegretTags Psychology, Self Help, Relationships, Business / Economics, Sociology, Psychology, Mental Illness, Health / Medicine

Publication year 1963Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Relationships: Marriage, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: New Age, Values/Ideas: Religion & SpiritualityTags Inspirational, Psychology, Philosophy, Self Help, Psychology, Religion / Spirituality, Philosophy, Business / Economics, Science / Nature

Publication year 1959Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Society: CommunityTags Education, Education, Anthropology, Anthropology, Science / Nature, Social Science, Sociology, Psychology, Psychology, Philosophy, Philosophy

The Presentation of Self in Everyday Life is a sociological study of the ways individuals encounter each other. Published in 1956 by Erving Goffman, it focuses on the relationship between an individual carrying out a particular role in society (what Goffman calls a “performance”) and those who are present but not participant (whom he calls “observers”) in the activity. While the text begins with a general introduction to Goffman’s methodology, with Chapter 1 solely an... Read The Presentation Of Self In Everyday Life Summary


Publication year 2020Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Society: Class, Society: Economics, Values/Ideas: Power & GreedTags Finance / Money / Wealth, Business / Economics, Psychology, Psychology, Self Help

Publication year 1994Genre Autobiography / Memoir, NonfictionTags Psychology, Mental Illness, Psychology, Health / Medicine, Biography

The Quiet Room: A Journey Out of the Torment of Madness is a 1994 memoir that chronicles the years-long struggle of Lori Schilling, a bright, promising, high-achieving Jewish woman, born to affluent parents and afflicted with schizophrenia. Ultimately, Schilling will emerge triumphant from her journey, which includes many stints, both voluntarily and involuntarily, in mental hospitals, several suicide attempts, and a constant battle with hallucinated voices that viciously assail Lori and bid her to kill... Read The Quiet Room Summary


Publication year 2007Genre Autobiography / Memoir, NonfictionThemes Identity: Disability, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Society: Community, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: EqualityTags Health / Medicine, Psychology, Disability, Japanese Literature, Psychology, Mental Illness, Biography

Publication year 2015Genre Book, NonfictionTags Self Help, Business / Economics, History: World, Psychology, Psychology, Philosophy, Philosophy, Biography

David Brooks’ The Road to Character, published in 2015, is a philosophical treatise and self-help book hybrid. Brooks believes that in an ego-obsessed, achievement-focused society, our focus is constantly on self-promotion and desire-fulfillment rather than on spiritual enrichment, strength of character, and moral compass. Brooks contrasts the outward-facing, more shallowly motivated self with the inward-facing, more introspectively driven self. After a significant amount of time spent reflecting on his own life experiences as a high-achieving... Read The Road to Character Summary


Publication year 1956Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Natural World: Appearance & RealityTags Religion / Spirituality, Philosophy, History: World, Anthropology, Psychology, Anthropology, Philosophy, Psychology, Fantasy

Publication year 2019Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Life/Time: Midlife, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Marriage, Self Discovery, Society: CommunityTags Philosophy, Self Help, Psychology, Religion / Spirituality, Sociology, Psychology, Philosophy

Publication year 2014Genre Biography, NonfictionThemes Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Emotions/Behavior: LoveTags History: World, Arts / Culture, Gender / Feminism, Women's Studies (Nonfiction), History: U.S., Social Justice, Psychology, Biography

The Secret History of Wonder Woman is a nonfiction book by Jill Lepore, published in 2014. It falls into the categories of history, comics, women’s studies, and biography, and won the American History Book Prize from the New York Historical Society. Lepore is a professor of American history at Harvard University and a staff writer for the New Yorker magazine. This guide was written from the hardcover first edition.SummaryThe first section, called “Veritas,” includes nine... Read The Secret History of Wonder Woman Summary


Publication year 1976Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Natural World: Nurture v. NatureTags Science / Nature, History: World, Psychology, Psychology, Philosophy, Philosophy

In The Selfish Gene, originally published in 1976, author and renowned British evolutionary biologist Richard Dawkins expands upon American biologist George C. Williams’s 1966 critique Adaptation and Natural Selection. In his text, Dawkins describes the molecular gene as the fundamental unit of evolution. Through the study of animal behavior, he explores numerous examples of natural selection. Like Williams, Dawkins shares a gene-centric view of evolution. Dawkins also extends Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution by investigating... Read The Selfish Gene Summary


Publication year 2014Genre Reference/Text Book, NonfictionThemes Identity: LanguageTags Psychology, Science / Nature, Self Help, Business / Economics, Psychology

Publication year 2010Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Values/Ideas: Literature, Life/Time: The Future, Emotions/Behavior: MemoryTags Science / Nature, Technology, Sociology, Philosophy, Information Age, Education, Education, Technology, Psychology, Psychology, Self Help

The Shallows: What the Internet Is Doing to Our Brains (2011) is a nonfiction book by writer, editor, and media critic Nicholas Carr. Carr is a prolific nonfiction writer known for his analysis of cloud computing, artificial intelligence, and human society. A 2011 Pulitzer Prize Finalist, The Shallows combines elements of personal essay, journalism, and academic research to explore The Impact of the Internet on Cognitive Processes, The Nature of Learning and Media in the... Read The Shallows Summary


Publication year 2005Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Self Discovery, Life/Time: The Future, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / PerseveranceTags Self Help, Business / Economics, Psychology, Philosophy, Leadership/Organization/Management, Inspirational, Psychology, Philosophy

Publication year 1959Genre Book, NonfictionTags Sociology, Education, Education, Anthropology, Anthropology, Science / Nature, Social Science, Psychology, Psychology, Philosophy, Philosophy, Politics / Government

C. Wright Mills’ The Sociological Imagination covers the recent history of sociology as a field of study relating to society and the lives of individuals therein. While Mills’ work was not well received at the time of publication due to his reputation, today it is one of the most widely read sociology books and a staple in sociology university courses. The questions this text raises and the attention it gives to reconceiving the contemporary human... Read The Sociological Imagination Summary


Publication year 2008Genre Biography, NonfictionThemes Values/Ideas: Loyalty & BetrayalTags Mental Illness, Inspirational, Psychology, Psychology, Music, Biography

Steve Lopez’s 2008 book, The Soloist: A Lost Dream, an Unlikely Friendship, and the Redemptive Power of Music, is a work of nonfiction that charts the experience of the musician Nathaniel Ayers. Lopez is a columnist for the Los Angeles Times and encounters Ayers playing a two-string violin on the streets of downtown Los Angeles. Lopez questions why so talented a musician is clearly homeless and reduced to his present circumstances. Lopez strikes up a... Read The Soloist Summary


Publication year 2015Genre Book, NonfictionTags Science / Nature, Animals, Psychology, Psychology

The Soul of an Octopus: A Surprising Exploration into the Wonder of Consciousness is a 2015 nonfiction book by naturalist and author Sy Montgomery. Inspired by a visit to an aquarium and an encounter with an octopus, Montgomery investigates the intelligence of these creatures, speculating on their emotional and rational capabilities while forming strong bonds with several octopuses. Along the way, she educates the reader about octopuses and their often mysterious physiology and motivations. The... Read The Soul of an Octopus Summary


Publication year 2006Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Society: Economics, Emotions/Behavior: ForgivenessTags Business / Economics, Leadership/Organization/Management, Self Help, Relationships, Psychology, Psychology

Publication year 1996Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Identity: Indigenous, Life/Time: The Future, Life/Time: The Past, Natural World: Animals, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Natural World: Climate, Natural World: Environment, Natural World: Flora/plants, Natural World: Objects, Natural World: Place, Natural World: Space & The Universe, Society: Community, Society: Globalization, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Identity: LanguageTags Philosophy, Science / Nature, Psychology, Religion / Spirituality, Anthropology, Anthropology, Psychology, Philosophy

Publication year 2009Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Society: Class, Society: Community, Society: Economics, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Power & GreedTags Science / Nature, Social Science, Business / Economics, Sociology, Psychology, Psychology, Philosophy, Philosophy, Social Justice, Politics / Government

Publication year 2013Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Natural World: Nurture v. NatureTags Science / Nature, Sports, Psychology, Psychology, Self Help, Health / Medicine

The Sports Gene: Inside the Science of Extraordinary Athletic Performance is a 2013 non-fiction book by David Epstein that investigates the role of genetics in athletics. The Sports Gene became a New York Times best seller and was nominated for the 2014 PEN/ESPN Award for Literary Sports Writing. Epstein, an investigative reporter and a passionate runner, combines data from scientific research, interviews with experts, and biographies and anecdotes of individual athletes to paint a complex... Read The Sports Gene Summary


Publication year 1926Genre Reference/Text Book, NonfictionThemes Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Society: CommunityTags Philosophy, History: World, Science / Nature, Psychology, Psychology, Philosophy, Classic Fiction, Biography

Publication year 2012Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Literature, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Identity: LanguageTags Anthropology, Anthropology, Science / Nature, Business / Economics, Sociology, History: World, Psychology, Psychology, Philosophy, Philosophy

Publication year 1962Genre Reference/Text Book, NonfictionThemes Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Order & ChaosTags Science / Nature, Education, Education, Psychology, Psychology, Philosophy, Classic Fiction, Philosophy, History: World, Sociology

The Structure of Scientific Revolutions (1962) by Thomas Kuhn stands as a seminal work that revolutionized the philosophy of science. As a scholar who shifted his focus from physics to the history of science, and later to the philosophy of science, Kuhn challenged prevailing notions about the nature of scientific progress, introducing concepts such as paradigms, normal science, and scientific revolutions. Situated at the nexus of science, history, and philosophy, Kuhn’s work upended the view... Read The Structure of Scientific Revolutions Summary


Publication year 2016Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Apathy, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Win & Lose, Self Discovery, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Society: Economics, Society: Nation, Society: Politics & GovernmentTags Self Help, Psychology, Philosophy, Business / Economics, Humor, Grief / Death, Psychology, Philosophy, Mental Illness

Publication year 2023Genre Novel, FictionThemes Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Sexuality, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Natural World: Flora/plants, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Good & EvilTags Fantasy, Mythology, Romance, Action / Adventure, Children's Literature, LGBTQ, Depression / Suicide, Mental Illness, Grief / Death, Love / Sexuality, Psychology, Trauma / Abuse / Violence

Publication year 2018Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Natural World: Nurture v. Nature, Relationships: Teams, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / PerseveranceTags Psychology, Self Help, Business / Economics, Education, Science / Nature, Leadership/Organization/Management, Parenting

Publication year 1982Genre Book, NonfictionTags Philosophy, Psychology, Psychology, Philosophy, Self Help, Humor, Classic Fiction, Religion / Spirituality

The Tao of Pooh, by Benjamin Hoff, is an introduction to the philosophy of Taoism. Hoff uses Winnie-the-Pooh and other characters from A.A. Milne’s well-known children books to exemplify and explain these principles. The primary character, Pooh, exhibits many qualities that produce contentment. The literal meaning of Tao is “the way,” and the goal of the way is the kind of contentment that Pooh possesses.Many of the book’s passages are devoted to Taoist concepts such... Read The Tao Of Pooh Summary


Publication year 2014Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Society: Education, Relationships: Daughters & SonsTags Psychology, Parenting, Science / Nature, Education, Education, Psychology, Self Help, Health / Medicine

The Teenage Brain: A Neuroscientist’s Survival Guide to Raising Adolescents and Young Adults (2014) is by American neurologist Frances E. Jensen with journalist Amy Ellis Nutt. A New York Times bestseller, the book was nominated for the PEN/E.O. Wilson Prize for Literary Science Writing. The Teenage Brain is a guide to the workings of the adolescent brain aimed at parents. Using scientific research data combined with real-life stories and anecdotes, the author explains the changes... Read The Teenage Brain Summary


Publication year 2011Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Science & TechnologyTags Science / Nature, Psychology, Psychology, Philosophy, Philosophy, Health / Medicine

Publication year 1759Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & AngerTags Philosophy, Business / Economics, Sociology, History: World, Psychology, Psychology, Philosophy, Classic Fiction, Politics / Government

Adam Smith’s The Theory of Moral Sentiments (1759) secured its author’s place as one of history’s most celebrated philosophers. Like all great works of moral philosophy, Smith’s book belongs to a tradition that dates to antiquity. The Theory of Moral Sentiments, however, is probably best understood in the context of the 18th-century Scottish Enlightenment, for its argument helps reconcile two otherwise conflicting ideas advanced by two of that era’s intellectual titans. Furthermore, The Theory of... Read The Theory of Moral Sentiments Summary


Publication year 1992Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Religion & SpiritualityTags Religion / Spirituality, Philosophy, Self Help, Grief / Death, Psychology, Psychology, Philosophy, Classic Fiction

Publication year 2000Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Society: Economics, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Life/Time: The FutureTags Business / Economics, Sociology, Psychology, Self Help, Leadership/Organization/Management, Science / Nature, Psychology

Malcolm Gladwell’s The Tipping Point (2000) is an interdisciplinary work of popular sociology and psychology that explores the concept of the tipping point, a moment of sudden change that occurs in social epidemics. Gladwell explores how social epidemics work and offers many case studies and illustrative research to bolster his novel arguments about how epidemics “tip.” The book began as an article for The New Yorker. This guide refers to the first edition of the... Read The Tipping Point Summary


Publication year 1951Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Win & Lose, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & AngerTags Psychology, Philosophy, Politics / Government, Sociology, Social Science, History: World, Psychology, Philosophy, Religion / Spirituality

The True Believer: Thoughts on the Nature of Mass Movements (1951), by Eric Hoffer, is a philosophical treatise that explores the question of why ordinary people join mass movements and become fanatical devotees of what they perceive as a holy cause. Hoffer argues that prospective fanatics—the soon-to-be true believers—experience personal frustration so intense that their strongest desire is to lose their individuality altogether by surrendering to something greater than themselves. Mass movements exploit this frustration... Read The True Believer Summary


Publication year 1919Genre Essay / Speech, NonfictionTags Psychology, Gothic Literature, History: World, Psychology, Philosophy, Philosophy, Classic Fiction

The Uncanny, published in 1919, is one of the most famous of Sigmund Freud’s essays. This is not only because many of his most foundational ideas had their genesis here but because the essay pertains to aesthetics and popular culture, making it both accessible and gripping for a broad readership. The Uncanny is a good example of Freud’s predilection for drawing on aesthetics to support his arguments, and thus a useful introduction to the ideas... Read The Uncanny Summary


Publication year 2010Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Society: Economics, Society: GlobalizationTags Politics / Government, Science / Nature, Social Science, Business / Economics, Psychology, Psychology, Finance / Money / Wealth

Publication year 2016Genre Biography, NonfictionThemes Relationships: FriendshipTags History: World, Science / Nature, Business / Economics, Sociology, Psychology, Psychology, Philosophy, Philosophy, Biography

A powerful dichotomy lies at the heart of The Undoing Project: A Friendship That Changed Our Minds (2016), Michael Lewis’s account of how the friendship between two Israeli psychologists—Daniel Kahneman and Amos Tversky—essentially created the field of behavioral economics and shifted paradigms about human decision making. This dichotomy is the tension between intuition and algorithms, between gut feelings and empirical data. In the Introduction, Lewis explains that The Undoing Project exists largely as a complement... Read The Undoing Project Summary


Publication year 2007Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Identity: Mental Health, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Self DiscoveryTags Self Help, Religion / Spirituality, Inspirational, Psychology, Psychology, Philosophy, Philosophy, Mental Illness, Health / Medicine

Michael A. Singer’s The Untethered Soul: The Journey Beyond Yourself, originally published in 2007, is a spiritual self-help book about living life from the point of view of centered consciousness. Identifying with the nonstop chaos of thinking, emotion, and stimulus in our minds causes most of our problems, and Singer offers insight about how to identify as pure awareness and simply notice our experiences pass by without identifying with them. He discusses how our levels... Read The Untethered Soul Summary


Publication year 1975Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Values/Ideas: Literature, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Relationships: Mothers, Relationships: Fathers, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Identity: LanguageTags Psychology, Fairy Tale / Folklore, Parenting, Love / Sexuality, Philosophy, Philosophy, Literary Criticism, Psychology, Fantasy

The Uses of Enchantment: The Meaning and Importance of Fairy Tales (1976) won acclaims such as the US National Book Award and the National Book of Critics Circle Award. Its author, Bruno Bettelheim (1903-1990), was an Austrian-born psychoanalyst and public intellectual who worked primarily in the United States. Bettelheim wrote The Uses of Enchantment to persuade parents and educators that the European fairy tale, with all its fantastical and violent content, was a greater aid... Read The Uses of Enchantment Summary


Publication year 2006Genre Novel, FictionThemes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Identity: Femininity, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Identity: Mental Health, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Identity: Sexuality, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Relationships: SiblingsTags Historical Fiction, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Gender / Feminism, Psychology, British Literature, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, History: World

Maggie O’Farrell’s novel The Vanishing Act of Esme Lennox, published in 2006, is the author’s fourth novel and tackles the grim history of forced incarcerations of women and the devastating effects of family secrets. O’Farrell’s work often focuses on women trapped physically, emotionally, and psychologically by forces over which they have no control, and this novel is no exception. Through a twisted entanglement of three different perspectives, O’Farrell tells the story of not only Esme... Read The Vanishing Act of Esme Lennox Summary


Publication year 1902Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Religion & SpiritualityTags History: World, Psychology, Philosophy, Classic Fiction, Philosophy, Religion / Spirituality, Psychology, Science / Nature

The Varieties of Religious Experience: A Study in Nature (1902) by William James is a philosophical examination of how religious revelations function in individuals’ lives and minds. This renowned work applies James’s theoretical framework of pragmatism to the study of the functionality of religion. James utilizes radical empiricism to examine both the subjective and objective experiences of religion. James argues that individual experiences, not major religious institutions, form the spiritual shape of the world. He... Read The Varieties of Religious Experience Summary


Publication year 2019Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Emotions/Behavior: Apathy, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Identity: Mental HealthTags Psychology, Science / Nature, Self Help, Sociology, Arts / Culture, Technology, Business / Economics, Psychology, Philosophy, Philosophy, Religion / Spirituality

Publication year 2002Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Values/Ideas: Art, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Fame, Identity: LanguageTags Business / Economics, Self Help, Arts / Culture, Psychology, Philosophy, Leadership/Organization/Management, Psychology, Philosophy

Publication year 1981Genre Novel, FictionThemes Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Society: Education, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Safety & DangerTags Historical Fiction, Psychology, Education, Education, Modern Classic Fiction, History: World, Psychology, Classic Fiction

The Wave is a 1981 young adult novel by Todd Strasser (originally written under the pseudonym Morton Rhue). A novelization of a teleplay by Johnny Dawkins for the 1981 made-for-TV movie of the same name, the story is a fictionalized account of a 1967 social experiment called “The Third Wave,” which took place at a high school in Palo Alto, California. In the novel, the experiment unfolds at the fictional Gordon High School. The story... Read The Wave Summary


Publication year 2021Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Identity: Mental Health, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Emotions/Behavior: ConflictTags Self Help, Religion / Spirituality, Psychology, Inspirational, Psychology, Philosophy, Philosophy, Mental Illness

Publication year 2003Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Identity: Gender, Identity: Masculinity, Values/Ideas: EqualityTags Gender / Feminism, Love / Sexuality, Relationships, Psychology, Philosophy, Social Justice, Sociology, Psychology, Philosophy, Self Help, Politics / Government

Publication year 1901Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Power & GreedTags Philosophy, Psychology

Publication year 1951Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Identity: Mental Health, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Self DiscoveryTags Philosophy, Psychology, Religion / Spirituality, Psychology, Philosophy, Mental Illness, Self Help

Publication year 2021Genre Biography, NonfictionThemes Identity: Mental Health, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Relationships: Marriage, Relationships: FamilyTags Gender / Feminism, History: U.S., Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Women's Studies (Nonfiction), History: World, Psychology, Psychology, Mental Illness, Biography

Publication year 2015Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Self Discovery, Society: Economics, Society: Globalization, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Science & TechnologyTags Education, Education, Science / Nature, Sociology, Psychology, Psychology, Philosophy, Philosophy, Self Help, Arts / Culture

Publication year 1961Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Identity: Race, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Society: ColonialismTags Race / Racism, Existentialism, Afro-Caribbean Literature, Colonialism / Postcolonialism, History: European, Sociology, History: World, Psychology, Psychology, Philosophy, Philosophy, Social Justice, Classic Fiction, Politics / Government

The Wretched of the Earth (1961) is a nonfiction book by Frantz Fanon, a French West Indian psychiatrist and philosopher. Together with such texts as Edward Said’s Orientalism (1978), Gayatri Spivak’s “Can the Subaltern Speak?” (1988), and Homi Bhabha’s The Location of Culture (1994), The Wretched of the Earth is a founding text of modern postcolonial studies. It is also Frantz Fanon’s most internationally acclaimed book, translated into more than 25 languages, though he is... Read The Wretched of the Earth Summary


Publication year 1984Genre Autobiography / Memoir, NonfictionThemes Relationships: FamilyTags Education, Education, Psychology, Psychology, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Biography

They Cage the Animals at Night is an autobiographical work by Jennings Michael Burch, published by Berkley in 1984. The bestselling memoir follows a period in the childhood of Jennings Michael Burch in which he passed in and out of the American foster care system. Jennings is forced to cope with abusive and negligent foster homes as well as a family that is constantly on the verge of collapsing. Over the course of these years... Read They Cage the Animals at Night Summary


Publication year 2005Genre Autobiography / Memoir, NonfictionThemes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Relationships: Marriage, Identity: Mental Health, Emotions/Behavior: GriefTags Grief / Death, Psychology, Psychology, Classic Fiction, Biography

Joan Didion’s memoir, The Year of Magical Thinking, explores her experiences mourning the death of her husband and the severe illness of her daughter in 2003. Didion, an American journalist and essayist, first gained popularity during the 1960s and 70s covering counterculture and Hollywood, but in The Year of Magical Thinking she turns to more intimate material. Didion’s husband John Gregory Dunne died of a heart attack while he and Didion were caring for their... Read The Year of Magical Thinking Summary


Publication year 2021Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Society: CommunityTags Business / Economics, Education, Education, Science / Nature, Psychology, Psychology, Philosophy, Philosophy, Self Help

Publication year 1937Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Relationships: Teams, Society: Economics, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Religion & SpiritualityTags Self Help, Finance / Money / Wealth, Business / Economics, Psychology, Psychology, Philosophy, Philosophy

Originally published in 1937, Napoleon Hill’s Think and Grow Rich is widely acknowledged as a foundational text in the field of self-help literature. The book mainly revolves around the themes of The Mystical Power of Positive Thinking, Setting Goals and Persistence, and Desire and Motivation in Personal and Financial Growth. Through anecdotes and practical strategies that Hill claims came from his intimate knowledge of business luminaries such as Andrew Carnegie, Hill promises to catalyze personal... Read Think and Grow Rich Summary


Publication year 2011Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Society: Economics, Society: Politics & GovernmentTags Psychology, Science / Nature, Self Help, Leadership/Organization/Management, Business / Economics, Psychology, Philosophy, Philosophy

Thinking, Fast and Slow (2011), written by Nobel Laureate Daniel Kahneman, examines how people exercise judgment and make decisions. It draws from Kahneman’s long career—particularly his collaboration with fellow psychologist Amos Tversky beginning in 1969—identifying the mechanisms, biases, and perspectives that constitute human decision-making. Its 38 chapters provide detailed information affecting disciplines ranging from mathematics to law. The book was named one of the best books of 2011 by The New York Times and The... Read Thinking, Fast and Slow Summary


Publication year 1995Genre Autobiography / Memoir, NonfictionThemes Identity: DisabilityTags Disability, Animals, Science / Nature, Psychology, Psychology, Biography

Thinking in Pictures: My Life With Autism (1995) is a scientific memoir by author Temple Grandin. Grandin is a Professor of Animal Science at Colorado State University, where she fomented her specialized career as one of only a handful of livestock-handling equipment designers in the world. Thinking in Pictures narrates Grandin’s experiences as a world-renowned cattle handler, a professor, and a woman living with autism. Grandin fills each chapter with anecdotal stories and empirical research.Thinking... Read Thinking in Pictures Summary


Publication year 1991Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Trust & DoubtTags Business / Economics, Self Help, Science / Nature, Leadership/Organization/Management, Psychology, Psychology, Politics / Government

Publication year 2014Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Society: Economics, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Truth & LiesTags Self Help, Business / Economics, Science / Nature, Sociology, Psychology, Psychology, Philosophy, Philosophy

Think Like a Freak is a nonfiction book published in 2014 by Steven D. Levitt, a professor of economics at the University of Chicago, and Stephen J. Dubner, a journalist based in New York City. It is a follow-up to the authors’ successful books Freakonomics (2005) and SuperFreakonomics (2009), and ties in with their blog and podcast, which can be found at freakonomics.com. A fourth book in the series, When to Rob a Bank, was... Read Think Like a Freak Summary


Publication year 2020Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Truth & LiesTags Self Help, Philosophy, Psychology, Health / Medicine, Religion / Spirituality, Psychology, Philosophy, Mental Illness

Publication year 2009Genre Essay / Speech, NonfictionThemes Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Self Discovery, Society: Education, Values/Ideas: FateTags Philosophy, American Literature, Self Help, Psychology, Psychology, Philosophy, Religion / Spirituality

Publication year 2021Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Natural World: Environment, Identity: Indigenous, Society: Colonialism, Society: Politics & GovernmentTags Science / Nature, Psychology, Health / Medicine, Addiction / Substance Abuse, Agriculture, Anthropology, Business / Economics, History: European, History: U.S., Politics / Government, History: World, Journalism, Religion / Spirituality, Psychology, Food

Publication year 1905Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Identity: Sexuality, Identity: Gender, Life/Time: Childhood & YouthTags Psychology, Science / Nature, Psychology, Philosophy, Classic Fiction, Love / Sexuality, Philosophy

Sigmund Freud’s Three Essays on the Theory of Sexuality was first published in 1905. Freud expanded it several times in later editions, and it reached its final form in 1924. The book occupies a major place in Freud’s body of work, but it was controversial when it first appeared. Freud pointedly blurs the line between perversions and normal sexual behaviors, and he develops a radically new and surprising theory of human sexuality—in particular, of childhood... Read Three Essays on the Theory of Sexuality Summary


Publication year 2014Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Self Discovery, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Values/Ideas: Science & TechnologyTags Self Help, Business / Economics, Psychology, Health / Medicine, Psychology, Biography

Publication year 1883Genre Novel, FictionThemes Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: HopeTags Philosophy, Religion / Spirituality, History: World, Psychology, Psychology, Philosophy, Classic Fiction

Thus Spoke Zarathustra: A Book for All and None is a work of fiction written by the German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche. Published between 1883 and 1885, the allegorical novel also known as Thus Spake Zarathustra is a collection of speeches by a character named Zarathustra to the villagers of The Motley Cow. Nietzsche uses many literary devices such as personification, allegory, and allusion. The philosophical points referenced in Thus Spoke Zarathustra include the death of... Read Thus Spoke Zarathustra Summary


Publication year 1974Genre Novel, FictionThemes Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Society: Politics & GovernmentTags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Class, Military / War, Politics / Government, Psychology, British Literature, Classic Fiction

Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy (1974) is a thriller written by John Le Carré. It is the first entry in a trilogy of books about an aging spy named George Smiley and has been adapted into television and radio shows as well as a feature film. This study guide refers to the 2018 Penguin Classics eBook edition.Plot SummaryIn the aftermath of a failed mission in Czechoslovakia, George Smiley is forced to retire early from the British intelligence... Read Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy Summary


Genre Essay Collection, NonfictionTags Self Help, Relationships, Psychology, Psychology, Biography

Publication year 2019Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / PerseveranceTags Self Help, Psychology, Business / Economics, Health / Medicine, Leadership/Organization/Management, Science / Nature, Psychology

Publication year 2020Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Identity: Mental Health, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Relationships: Family, Society: CommunityTags Psychology, Self Help, Health / Medicine, Relationships, Sociology, Science / Nature, Psychology, Mental Illness

Publication year 2020Genre Biography, NonfictionThemes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Values/Ideas: FameTags Politics / Government, Psychology, History: U.S., History: World, Psychology, Biography

Publication year 2016Genre Book, NonfictionTags Sociology, Anthropology, Anthropology, Military / War, History: World, Psychology, Psychology, Philosophy, Philosophy, Politics / Government

Tribe: On Homecoming and Belonging is a 2016 non-fiction book by Sebastian Junger. This guide is based on the 2016 first-edition hardback published in New York by Twelve/Hachette Book Group. Junger is a journalist, essayist, filmmaker, and best-selling author whose writing about dangerous work and the people who perform it has been credited with stimulating the “adventure non-fiction” genre. His first book, Perfect Storm: A True Story About Men Against the Sea, about six fishermen... Read Tribe: On Homecoming and Belonging Summary


Publication year 2008Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Relationships: Teams, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: FearTags Self Help, Business / Economics, Psychology, Leadership/Organization/Management, Psychology

Publication year 2019Genre Essay Collection, NonfictionThemes Society: Community, Identity: Femininity, Natural World: Appearance & RealityTags Gender / Feminism, Women's Studies (Nonfiction), Modern Classic Fiction, Psychology, Psychology, Self Help, Arts / Culture, Politics / Government

Publication year 2017Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Relationships: Family, Society: EducationTags Education, Social Justice, Parenting, Race / Racism, Education, Psychology, Psychology

Publication year 2008Genre Autobiography / Memoir, NonfictionTags Addiction / Substance Abuse, Psychology, Psychology, Mental Illness, Biography

Nic Sheff’s 2007 memoir, Tweak, focuses on Nic’s early 20s, during which he experienced two serious relapses and attempts to recover and remain clean from drugs. Throughout the narrative, Nic reflects on his troubled youth and his early history with drugs and alcohol. The memoir comprises his recollections of events that transpired over the course of a number of years. Nic narrates his struggles in the present tense, allowing the reader to experience the relapses... Read Tweak Summary


Publication year 2003Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Society: Class, Society: Education, Society: EconomicsTags Sociology, Class, Race / Racism, Parenting, Poverty, Education, Education, Anthropology, Anthropology, Social Science, Psychology, Psychology

Publication year 2015Genre Graphic Novel/Book, NonfictionThemes Society: Education, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Society: CommunityTags Philosophy, Science / Nature, Psychology, Psychology, Philosophy, Arts / Culture

Unflattening began as the first comic-form dissertation at Columbia University, where Nick Sousanis completed a doctorate in education in 2014. It was published by Harvard University Press in 2015 and functions as an argument for visual thinking in teaching and learning. In 2016 the book received the further accolade of the American Publishers Award for Professional and Scholarly Excellence. In a Paris Review interview with Timothy Hodler, Sousanis cited Scott McCloud’s 1993 Understanding Comics as... Read Unflattening Summary


Publication year 2022Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Identity: Mental HealthTags Disability, Self Help, Psychology, Health / Medicine, Diversity, Science / Nature, Psychology, LGBTQ, Mental Illness

Publication year 2022Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Natural World: Food, Emotions/Behavior: Joy, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Natural World: Place, Relationships: Teams, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Values/Ideas: Fame, Values/Ideas: Order & ChaosTags Business / Economics, Leadership/Organization/Management, Food, Self Help, Psychology, Psychology

Publication year 2012Genre Novel, FictionThemes Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Values/Ideas: Science & TechnologyTags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Politics / Government, Psychology, Technology, Religion / Spirituality, American Literature, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Fantasy, Romance

UnWholly (2012) by Neal Shusterman is Book 2 in the Unwind Dystology. Shusterman originally planned the series to be a dystopia trilogy, but the third book, UnSouled, was split into two for publication due to length. While it was nominated for several awards in Young Adult literature, it did not win any, in contrast to the first book of the series, Unwind, which won nearly a dozen awards and prizes. UnWholly is science fiction, specifically... Read UnWholly Summary


Publication year 2021Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Identity: Mental Health, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Science & TechnologyTags Science / Nature, Psychology, Psychology, Philosophy, Philosophy, Mental Illness, Self Help, Health / Medicine

Publication year 2005Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Society: CommunityTags Science / Nature, Anthropology, Anthropology, Social Science, Sociology, Psychology, Psychology, Philosophy, Philosophy, Arts / Culture, Politics / Government

Us and Them: Understanding Your Tribal Mind is a 2005 nonfiction book by David Berreby about how humans divide and categorize themselves. The psychological text explains human nature and the neuroscience of human groupings like races, ethnicities, classes, and nationalities. Berreby also discusses the positive and negative effects of human-kind groupings and offers advice on how to better act on human-kind beliefs.Plot SummaryBerreby begins by explaining the concept of human kinds—a number of people that... Read Us and Them Summary


Publication year 2000Genre Graphic Novel/Book, FictionThemes Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Fate, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Safety & DangerTags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Fantasy, Japanese Literature, Psychology, Science / Nature, Natural Disaster

Publication year 1870Genre Novel, FictionThemes Identity: Femininity, Identity: Masculinity, Identity: Sexuality, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Power & GreedTags Love / Sexuality, Psychology, Psychology, Romance, Classic Fiction

Venus in Furs (1870) is a novella by Austrian writer Leopold von Sacher-Masoch, first published as part of his proposed collection of short stories, The Legacy of Cain. Sacher-Masoch planned for the collection to detail his worldview, but he only completed the first two sections. The novella follows Severin von Kusiemski’s time with Wanda von Dunajew, a widow he meets at a health resort, and explores The Exploration of Sexual Power Dynamics, The Psychological Negotiation... Read Venus in Furs Summary


Publication year 1998Genre Novel, FictionThemes Identity: Mental HealthTags Philosophy, Psychological Fiction, Romance, Allegory / Fable / Parable, Auto/Biographical Fiction, Mental Illness, Modern Classic Fiction, Drama / Tragedy, Psychology, Psychology, Philosophy, Classic Fiction

Veronika Decides to Die (1998) is a novel of ideas by Brazilian author Paulo Coelho. The novel follows Veronika, a 24-year-old Slovenian woman who decides to die in 1997 because her perfectly normal world has left her apathetic toward life. After Veronika attempts suicide, she finds herself in a psychiatric hospital called Villete. Villete was established in the rift opened by the civil war in Yugoslavia to generate a profit from the issues of the upper... Read Veronika Decides To Die Summary


Publication year 1975Genre Essay / Speech, NonfictionThemes Values/Ideas: Art, Identity: GenderTags Gender / Feminism, Arts / Culture, Women's Studies (Nonfiction), Education, Education, Psychology, Psychology, Philosophy, Philosophy

Laura Mulvey’s essay “Visual Pleasure and Narrative Cinema” originally appeared in the autumn 1975 issue of the British film journal, Screen. This study guide refers to the reprint of the essay included in Mulvey’s book Visual and Other Pleasures (Palgrave Macmillan, 2nd edition 2009).Part 1: “Introduction”In the “Introduction” to her 1975 essay, “Visual Pleasure and Narrative Cinema,” Laura Mulvey announces her agenda: to appropriate psychoanalytic theory “as a political weapon” to expose how “the unconscious... Read Visual Pleasure and Narrative Cinema Summary


Publication year 2010Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Society: War, Relationships: Teams, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Emotions/Behavior: FearTags Military / War, History: Middle Eastern, Journalism, War On Terrorism / Iraq War, Creative Nonfiction, History: World, Psychology, Psychology, Politics / Government

War, a battle journal by best-selling reporter and filmmaker Sebastian Junger, describes a year in the rugged highlands of Afghanistan with a platoon of American soldiers who face the worst fighting and toughest conditions of any unit in the US military. Published in 2010, the book describes months of mind-numbing danger, multiple firefights per day, injuries and deaths, and matter-of-fact heroism. The men display extreme toughness, gallows humor, and intense mutual loyalty despite the nearly... Read War Summary


Publication year 1980Genre Novel, FictionThemes Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Self Discovery, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Emotions/Behavior: JoyTags Auto/Biographical Fiction, Inspirational, Religion / Spirituality, Philosophy, Self Help, Psychology, Psychology, Philosophy

Originally published in 1980, Way of the Peaceful Warrior: A Book that Changes Lives, is a semiautobiographical novel by American author and lecturer Dan Millman. The book is Millman’s first novel and part of the Peaceful Warrior Saga, a series of four novels about personal development and spirituality. The text is based on the author’s early life as a college student in California, with a narrative that blends reality with fiction. The storyline follows a... Read Way of the Peaceful Warrior Summary


Publication year 2013Genre Novel, FictionThemes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Natural World: Animals, Emotions/Behavior: MemoryTags Psychology, Incarceration, Animals, Relationships, Realistic Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction

We Are All Completely Besides Ourselves is Karen Joy Fowler’s seventh novel. The book was first published in 2013. The following year, it won the PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction and was shortlisted for the Man Booker Prize. Fowler said that the book takes inspiration from a real 1930s experiment. In an interview with Carmen Maria Machado published in The American Reader, Fowler states that she believes that using animals for research purposes is wrong, and... Read We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves Summary


Publication year 1966Genre Short Story, FictionThemes Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Natural World: Space & The Universe, Identity: MasculinityTags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Action / Adventure, Psychology, Technology, Philosophy, American Literature, Cold War, Fantasy, Classic Fiction

We Can Remember It for You Wholesale is a short story by renowned sci-fi author Philip K. Dick, first published in April 1966 in The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction. The story is about a man named Douglas Quail, who visits a medical facility which promises to implant fake memories about visiting Mars in his head. The story has twice been adapted into film, though both movie adaptations change the title to Total Recall... Read We Can Remember It for You Wholesale Summary


Publication year 2003Genre Novel, FictionThemes Natural World: Nurture v. Nature, Relationships: Mothers, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Relationships: Siblings, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Values/Ideas: Fame, Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: LoveTags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Psychological Fiction, Incarceration, Relationships, Grief / Death, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Parenting, Modern Classic Fiction, Drama / Tragedy, Psychology, Psychology

We Need to Talk About Kevin is a 2003 novel by Lionel Shriver. It is an epistolary novel, comprising the letters that Eva Khatchadourian writes to her husband Franklin in the aftermath of their son’s crime. The novel explores themes of nihilism, motherhood, the relationship between violence and depravity, and much more. The book won the Orange Prize for Literature in 2005 and was adapted into an acclaimed feature film starring Tilda Swindon and John... Read We Need To Talk About Kevin Summary


Publication year 2021Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Identity: Mental Health, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Relationships: FamilyTags Psychology, Self Help, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Addiction / Substance Abuse, Mental Illness, Education, Education, Science / Nature, Parenting, Psychology, Health / Medicine

Publication year 1974Genre Essay / Speech, NonfictionThemes Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Natural World: Animals, Values/Ideas: Science & TechnologyTags Philosophy, Science / Nature, Psychology, Education, Education, History: World, Psychology, Philosophy, Classic Fiction

Publication year 2017Genre Book, NonfictionTags Psychology, Sports, Depression / Suicide, Journalism, Mental Illness, Psychology, Biography, Health / Medicine

Kate Fagan’s What Made Maddy Run: The Secret Struggles and Tragic Death of an All-American Teen (2017) centers on Madison Holleran, a promising young athlete at the University of Pennsylvania who committed suicide in 2014. This is a work of narrative journalism that grew out of Fagan’s award-winning ESPN essay “Split Image” (2015). Fagan brings her experiences as a college athlete on a Division I team and her expertise as a sports journalist to explore... Read What Made Maddy Run Summary


Publication year 2012Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Society: Community, Society: Economics, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Justice & InjusticeTags Business / Economics, Sociology, Psychology, Psychology, Philosophy, Philosophy, Politics / Government

Publication year 2022Genre Autobiography / Memoir, NonfictionThemes Identity: Mental Health, Society: Community, Identity: RaceTags Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Psychology, Inspirational, Science / Nature, Psychology, Mental Illness, Self Help, Health / Medicine, Biography

Publication year 2012Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Society: Education, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Life/Time: Coming of AgeTags Education, Self Help, Education, Social Science, Psychology, Psychology

What the Best College Students Do, by American professor Ken Bain, describes how students can make the best of their college experience, not by trying to get good grades, but by studying deeply the topics that fascinate them. Filled with examples of students who followed their love of knowledge and went on to successful professional careers, What the Best College Students Do makes the case for deep learning, a process that provides benefits that can... Read What the Best College Students Do Summary


Publication year 2004Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Society: Education, Relationships: Teams, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: EqualityTags Education, Education, Sociology, Psychology, Psychology, Self Help

Publication year 2009Genre Book, NonfictionTags Psychology, Sociology, Science / Nature, Business / Economics, Social Science, Psychology, Self Help

Publication year 1981Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Emotions/Behavior: ForgivenessTags Religion / Spirituality, Philosophy, Self Help, Jewish Literature, Psychology, Psychology, Philosophy

Written by Rabbi Harold Kushner, When Bad Things Happen to Good People is a contemplation on the death of his son due to a degenerative disease, progeria. As a devout man, Kushner’s first response was to ask, 'Why? Why did God permit such suffering?' The book documents Kushner’s grappling with this question, the doubts and fears it triggered, and offers others afflicted by grief comfort and solace. It proposes that while God desires to ease... Read When Bad Things Happen to Good People Summary


Publication year 1992Genre Novel, FictionThemes Identity: Mental Health, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Self DiscoveryTags Historical Fiction, Existentialism, Psychology, Philosophy, Modernism, American Literature, History: World, Psychology, Classical Period, Philosophy, Classic Fiction

When Nietzsche Wept is a 1992 novel written by Stanford University Professor of Psychology Irvin D. Yalom. Set in Vienna in 1882, the novel imagines a working relationship between the famous German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche and the eminent physician Josef Breuer. Breuer believes that Nietzsche’s physical ailments have psychological causes, and he embarks on his newly invented “talking cure”—effectively a precursor to talk therapy and psychoanalysis. Eventually, through an agreement between the two men, it... Read When Nietzsche Wept Summary


Publication year 2003Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Relationships: Family, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Self DiscoveryTags Psychology, Science / Nature, Health / Medicine, Self Help, Psychology, Mental Illness

Publication year 1997Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Emotions/Behavior: FearTags Psychology, Psychology, Philosophy, Philosophy, Mental Illness, Religion / Spirituality, Self Help

Publication year 2010Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Order & ChaosTags History: World, Psychology, Arts / Culture, Business / Economics, Science / Nature, Psychology, Self Help, Technology, Philosophy

Publication year 1994Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Identity: Mental HealthTags Self Help, Psychology, Religion / Spirituality, Philosophy, Health / Medicine, Psychology, Philosophy, Mental Illness

Publication year 2018Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Identity: Race, Values/Ideas: Justice & InjusticeTags Race / Racism, Social Justice, Black Lives Matter, Sociology, History: World, Psychology, Psychology, Self Help, Politics / Government

Published in 2018, White Fragility: Why It’s So Hard for White People to Talk About Racism by Robin DiAngelo received critical acclaim and became a New York Times Bestseller for explaining how white people should address racism in the moment and how they can move into a new, healthier, less racist paradigm. DiAngelo holds a PhD in multicultural education and specializes in critical racial and social justice education.Plot SummaryDiAngelo stresses that all white people play... Read White Fragility Summary


Publication year 1998Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Values/Ideas: Trust & DoubtTags Self Help, Business / Economics, Leadership/Organization/Management, Inspirational, Psychology, Psychology, Philosophy, Philosophy

Who Moved My Cheese? by Spencer Johnson, MD, is an inspirational advice book on how people and businesses can respond to changing times and situations by learning how to adapt quickly and successfully. The book centers on a parable about two mice and two people who live in a maze and search for cheese—the things each wants in life—and what happens when the cheese they’ve been enjoying disappears. First published in 1998, the book proved... Read Who Moved My Cheese? Summary


Publication year 1997Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Identity: RaceTags Race / Racism, Psychology, Education, Education, Sociology, History: World, Psychology, Social Justice, Politics / Government

First published in 1997, Why Are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria?: And Other Conversations About Race addresses race and racism in the United States from a psychologist’s perspective. Beverly Daniel Tatum is a clinical psychologist with extensive experience in researching racial identity development. We need to learn how to have productive dialogues about race and racism, and to do that we need to understand how our racial identities form and how... Read Why Are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria? Summary


Publication year 2022Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Identity: Mental Health, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Self Discovery, Emotions/Behavior: CourageTags Psychology, Self Help, Education, Education, Science / Nature, Psychology, Philosophy, Philosophy, Mental Illness, Health / Medicine

Publication year 1981Genre Essay / Speech, NonfictionThemes Identity: Mental Health, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Values/Ideas: Good & EvilTags Psychology, Arts / Culture

Publication year 2020Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Society: Politics & Government, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Society: Nation, Society: CommunityTags History: U.S., Psychology, Sociology, Politics / Government, Social Science, History: World, Psychology, Arts / Culture

Publication year 2017Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Natural World: EnvironmentTags Science / Nature, Health / Medicine, Psychology, Psychology, Self Help

British-American neuroscientist Matthew Walker’s Why We Sleep: Unlocking the Power of Sleep and Dreams (2017) provides an in-depth exploration of the science of sleep health. Walker argues that sleep loss is an epidemic and one of the most serious public health issues of the 21st century. Drawing from a wealth of data and scientific studies, including his own innovative scientific breakthroughs during his time as a professor at the University of California-Berkeley, Walker illustrates the... Read Why We Sleep Summary


Publication year 1993Genre Reference/Text Book, NonfictionThemes Identity: Mental Health, Society: Economics, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Science & TechnologyTags Psychology, Science / Nature, Self Help, Health / Medicine, Psychology, Mental Illness

Publication year 2021Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: GratitudeTags Psychology, Self Help, Religion / Spirituality, Christian literature, Psychology

Publication year 2020Genre Autobiography / Memoir, NonfictionThemes Natural World: Environment, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Identity: Femininity, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Identity: Mental HealthTags Psychology, Health / Medicine, Self Help, Science / Nature, Psychology, Mental Illness

Publication year 2019Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Life/Time: Aging, Emotions/Behavior: Gratitude, Emotions/Behavior: JoyTags Self Help, Psychology, Gender / Feminism, Women's Studies (Nonfiction), Sociology, Psychology, Mental Illness, Health / Medicine

Publication year 1992Genre Book, NonfictionThemes Identity: GenderTags Gender / Feminism, Women's Studies (Nonfiction), Philosophy, Philosophy, Psychology, Psychology, Fantasy, Self Help, Religion / Spirituality

Women Who Run With the Wolves (1992) is the most well-known book by author Clarissa Pinkola Estés. It became a New York Times bestseller and appeared on the bestseller lists of USA Today, Publisher’s Weekly, and Library Journal. Other books by the same author include The Gift of Story (1993), The Faithful Gardener (1996), and Untie the Strong Woman (2011). Estés has also recorded numerous audiobooks on related topics. She holds a Ph.D. in psychology... Read Women Who Run with the Wolves Summary


Publication year 1997Genre Autobiography / Memoir, NonfictionThemes Relationships: Teams, Values/Ideas: Win & Lose, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / PerseveranceTags Sports, Leadership/Organization/Management, Self Help, Business / Economics, Psychology, Psychology, Biography

Publication year 2021Genre Essay Collection, NonfictionThemes Identity: Mental HealthTags Race / Racism, Social Justice, Psychology, Self Help, Psychology, Mental Illness

Publication year 1974Genre Book, NonfictionTags Philosophy, Action / Adventure, Modern Classic Fiction, Auto/Biographical Fiction, Self Help, Psychology, Psychology, Philosophy, Travel Literature, Classic Fiction, Religion / Spirituality

Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance was published in 1974. Told through the frame of a long motorcycle trip across America, the book explores life and how to best live it. The world of ideas takes center stage, providing both the conflict and resolution for living such a balanced approach to life. Perspectives from Eastern and Western philosophy and religion are referenced, highlighted, and explored, and through this exploration, the narrator addresses the pivotal... Read Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance Summary