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 1985

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Identity: Disability, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology

Tags 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 1999

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Identity: Mental Health, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies

Tags Self Help, Religion / Spirituality, Relationships, Philosophy, Psychology, Love / Sexuality, Philosophy, Inspirational, Psychology


Publication year 1981

Genre Biography, Nonfiction

Themes 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 & Lies

Tags 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 1982

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Natural World: Nurture v. Nature

Tags 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 1996

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes 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: Environment

Tags Self Help, Philosophy, Religion / Spirituality, Inspirational, Psychology, Business / Economics, Psychology, Philosophy


Publication year 2015

Genre Essay / Speech, Nonfiction

Themes Self Discovery, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Natural World: Appearance & Reality

Tags 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 2020

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Identity: Mental Health, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: New Age, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict

Tags Self Help, Psychology, Relationships, Psychology, Philosophy, Philosophy, Mental Illness, Health / Medicine, Religion / Spirituality


Publication year 1950

Genre Play, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt

Tags 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 1920

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Society: Class, Relationships: Marriage

Tags 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 2022

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Identity: Mental Health, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Society: Economics

Tags Psychology, Self Help, Health / Medicine, Science / Nature, Sociology, Psychology, Mental Illness


Publication year 1949

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Emotions/Behavior: Hope

Tags Philosophy, Religion / Spirituality, History: World, Anthropology, Psychology, Anthropology, Philosophy, Psychology, Fantasy


Publication year 2013

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Family, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies

Tags 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 2011

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Natural World: Nurture v. Nature, Natural World: Environment

Tags 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 1933

Genre Short Story, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Society: War

Tags 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 1998

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Natural World: Nurture v. Nature, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Mothers

Tags Psychology, Parenting, Science / Nature, Sociology, Children's Literature, Education, Education, Social Science, Psychology


Publication year 2014

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Courage

Tags 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 2013

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Relationships: Teams

Tags Business / Economics, Self Help, Leadership/Organization/Management, Psychology, Psychology


Publication year 1966

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Self Discovery, Identity: Language, Natural World: Objects

Tags Philosophy, Science / Nature, Sociology, Psychology, Education, Education, Anthropology, Anthropology, French Literature, History: World, Psychology, Philosophy


Publication year 1951

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Society: Class

Tags 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 1994

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Apathy, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Relationships: Teams

Tags Business / Economics, Leadership/Organization/Management, Psychology, Psychology, Romance, Self Help