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 2004

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Identity: Mental Health, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology

Tags Psychology, Business / Economics, Self Help, Philosophy, Science, Sociology, Science / Nature, Psychology, Philosophy


Publication year 2010

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Identity: Mental Health, Identity: Race, Natural World: Environment, Self Discovery, Society: Community, Society: Nation

Tags Anthropology, Psychology, Health / Medicine, Education, Education, Anthropology, Social Science, Psychology, Social Justice


Publication year 2018

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Society: Class, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Equality, Identity: Race

Tags Business / Economics, Sociology, Psychology, Self Help, Psychology, Race / Racism, Social Justice


Publication year 1842

Genre Short Story, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger

Tags 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 2023

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Life/Time: The Future, Life/Time: The Past, Self Discovery

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


Publication year 2021

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Values/Ideas: Literature, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge

Tags Psychological Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Arts / Culture, Psychology, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Philosophy, American Literature, Modern Classic Fiction


Publication year 2012

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Relationships: Teams

Tags 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 1991

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Identity: Language, Values/Ideas: Literature, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Society: Community

Tags 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 1997

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Self Discovery, Emotions/Behavior: Hope

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


Publication year 2022

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology

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


Publication year 2022

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Identity: Mental Health, Self Discovery, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Regret

Tags Psychology, Self Help, Relationships, Business / Economics, Sociology, Psychology, Mental Illness, Health / Medicine


Publication year 1963

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Relationships: Marriage, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: New Age, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality

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


Publication year 1959

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Society: Community

Tags 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 2020

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Society: Class, Society: Economics, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed

Tags Finance / Money / Wealth, Business / Economics, Psychology, Psychology, Self Help


Publication year 1994

Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction

Tags 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 2007

Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction

Themes Identity: Disability, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Society: Community, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Equality

Tags Health / Medicine, Psychology, Disability, Japanese Literature, Psychology, Mental Illness, Biography


Publication year 2015

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Tags 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 1956

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Natural World: Appearance & Reality

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


Publication year 2019

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Life/Time: Midlife, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Marriage, Self Discovery, Society: Community

Tags Philosophy, Self Help, Psychology, Religion / Spirituality, Sociology, Psychology, Philosophy


Publication year 2014

Genre Biography, Nonfiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Emotions/Behavior: Love

Tags 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