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Recommendations based on The Examined Life: How We Lose and Find Ourselvesby Stephen Grosz
* statistically, based on millions of data-points provided by fellow humans
Why Be Happy When You Could Be Normal?
by Jeanette Winterson
A memoir of a woman's search for love and identity, and her struggles with mental illness.
"Magnificent . . . A tour de force of literature and love."—,Vogue,",Why Be Happy When You Could Be Normal?, is raucous. It hums with a dark refulgence from its first pages. . . . Singular and ... (Barnes & Noble)
Love's Executioner and Other Tales of Psychotherapy
by Irvin D. Yalom
Exploration of psychotherapy and the human condition, through stories of therapy sessions.
The collection of ten absorbing tales by master psychotherapist Irvin D. Yalom uncovers the mysteries, frustrations, pathos, and humor at the heart of the therapeutic encounter. In recounting his ... (Goodreads)
The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat and Other Clinical Tales
by Oliver Sacks
A collection of case studies, illustrating extraordinary neurological phenomena.
If a man has lost a leg or an eye, he knows he has lost a leg or an eye; but if he has lost a self—himself—he cannot know it, because he is no longer there to know it. Dr. Oliver Sacks recounts the ... (Goodreads)
Dibs in Search of Self
by Virginia M. Axline
An exploration of the inner world of a troubled child, seeking self-worth and acceptance.
The portrait of a little boy achieving, under therapy, a successful struggle for identity. ... (Goodreads)
An Astronaut's Guide to Life on Earth
by Chris Hadfield
Experiences and insights from a veteran astronaut's career, empowering readers to achieve their greatest goals.
Colonel Chris Hadfield has spent decades training as an astronaut and has logged nearly 4000 hours in space. During this time he has broken into a Space Station with a Swiss army knife, disposed of a ... (Goodreads)
The Brain that Changes Itself: Stories of Personal Triumph from the Frontiers of Brain Science
by Norman Doidge
Exploring the brain's remarkable ability to adapt, heal and change itself.
An astonishing new science called neuroplasticity is overthrowing the centuries-old notion that the human brain is immutable. Psychiatrist and psychoanalyst, Norman Doidge, M.D., traveled the country ... (Goodreads)
The Tale of the Dueling Neurosurgeons: The History of the Human Brain as Revealed by True Stories of Trauma, Madness, and Recovery
by Sam Kean
A captivating exploration of the history of the human brain, unraveled through fascinating case studies.
From the author of the bestseller, The Disappearing Spoon, tales of the brain and the history of neuroscience. Early studies of the functions of the human brain used a simple method: wait for ... (Goodreads)
Wall and Piece
by Banksy
An introduction to the subversive street art of Banksy, with visual commentary on modern life.
Banksy, Britain's now-legendary "guerilla" street artist, has painted the walls, streets, and bridges of towns and cities throughout the world. Not only did he smuggle his pieces into four of New ... (Goodreads)
Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking
by Susan Cain
An exploration of the power of introversion, examining the implications of modern society's emphasis on extroversion.
The book that started the Quiet Revolution, At least one-third of the people we know are introverts. They are the ones who prefer listening to speaking; who innovate and create but dislike ... (Goodreads)
Delusions of Gender: How Our Minds, Society, and Neurosexism Create Difference
by Cordelia Fine
Exposing the deeply embedded gender biases in our culture and beliefs.
It’s the twenty-first century, and although we tried to rear unisex children–boys who play with dolls and girls who like trucks--we failed. Even though the glass ceiling is cracked, most women stay ... (Goodreads)
I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings
by Maya Angelou
Autobiographical account of a Black woman's journey to find her identity in a prejudiced society.
Maya Angelou’s debut memoir is a modern American classic beloved worldwide. Her life story is told in the documentary film And Still I Rise, as seen on PBS’s American Masters. Here is a book as ... (Goodreads)
The Chimp Paradox: The Acclaimed Mind Management Programme to Help You Achieve Success, Confidence and Happiness
by Steve Peters
A guide to understanding and managing the inner workings of the human mind, using the analogy of a chimp to explain our emotional responses.
Leading consultant psychiatrist Steve Peters knows more than anyone how impulsive behaviour or nagging self-doubt can impact negatively on our professional and personal lives. In this, his first ... (Goodreads)
The Center Cannot Hold: My Journey Through Madness
by Elyn R. Saks
Story of a woman's struggles with schizophrenia and her journey of recovery.
Elyn Saks is a success by any measure: she's an endowed professor at the prestigious University of Southern California Gould School of Law. She has managed to achieve this in spite of being diagnosed ... (Goodreads)
The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma
by Bessel van der Kolk
Examining the physical, psychological and emotional effects of trauma, and how to heal.
A pioneering researcher and one of the world’s foremost experts on traumatic stress offers a bold new paradigm for healing. Trauma is a fact of life. Veterans and their families deal with the painful ... (Goodreads)
Fun Home: A Family Tragicomic
by Alison Bechdel
An autobiographical story of a daughter's complex relationship with her father and her own journey of self-discovery.
The narrative of Fun Home is non-linear and recursive. , Incidents are told and re-told in the light of new information or themes. , Bechdel describes the structure of Fun Home as a labyrinth , ... (Wikipedia)
Incognito: The Secret Lives of the Brain
by David Eagleman
Uncovering the complex inner workings of the mind, exploring the neuroscience of identity and decision-making.
If the conscious mind—the part you consider you—accounts for only a tiny fraction of the brain’s function, what is all the rest doing? This is the question that David Eagleman—renowned neuroscientist ... (Goodreads)
The Antidote: Happiness for People Who Can't Stand Positive Thinking
by Oliver Burkeman
Exploring alternative paths to happiness, rejecting traditional approaches of positive thinking.
Success through failure, calm through embracing anxiety—a totally original approach to self-help Self-help books don't seem to work. Few of the many advantages of modern life seem capable of lifting ... (Barnes & Noble)
Do No Harm: Stories of Life, Death and Brain Surgery
by Henry Marsh
A neurosurgeon's gripping account of the life and death decisions made in the operating room.
What is it like to be a brain surgeon? How does it feel to hold someone's life in your hands, to cut into the stuff that creates thought, feeling, and reason? How do you live with the consequences of ... (Goodreads)
On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft
by Stephen King
A series of personal reflections on the art of writing, and the power of story-telling.
"Long live the King" hailed Entertainment Weekly upon the publication of Stephen King's On Writing. Part memoir, part master class by one of the bestselling authors of all time, this superb volume is ... (Goodreads)
Are You My Mother? A Comic Drama
by Alison Bechdel
An exploration of identity and family dynamics, as a daughter seeks to understand her mother.
A graphic memoir of Alison Bechdel becoming the artist her mother wanted to be. Alison Bechdel’s Fun Home was a pop culture and literary phenomenon. Now, a second thrilling tale of filial sleuthery, ... (Goodreads)
How Music Works
by David Byrne
A comprehensive look at the history and science of music, exploring its impact on culture.
Best known as a founding member and principal songwriter of the iconic band Talking Heads, David Byrne has received Grammy, Oscar, and Golden Globe awards and has been inducted into the Rock and Roll ... (Goodreads)
The Silk Roads: A New History of the World
by Peter Frankopan
An epic narrative of the discover of the world's trade routes, spanning more than 3,000 years.
The New Silk Roads takes a fresh look at the relationships being formed along the length and breadth of the ancient trade routes today. The world is changing dramatically and in an age of Brexit and ... (Goodreads)
The Gift of Therapy: An Open Letter to a New Generation of Therapists and Their Patients
by Irvin D. Yalom
A guide to the principles of psychotherapy, exploring the relationship between therapist and patient.
Acclaimed author and renowned psychiatrist Irvin D. Yalom distills thirty-five years of psychotherapy wisdom into one brilliant volume. The culmination of master psychiatrist Dr. Irvin D. Yalom’s ... (Barnes & Noble)
An Unquiet Mind: A Memoir of Moods and Madness
by Kay Redfield Jamison
An exploration of bipolar disorder and its impact on one's life.
The personal memoir of a manic depressive and an authority on the subject describes the onset of the illness during her teenage years and her determined journey through the realm of available ... (Goodreads)
The Body: A Guide for Occupants
by Bill Bryson
A fascinating tour of the human body, its functions, and its quirks, from head to toe.
In the bestselling, prize-winning A Short History of Nearly Everything , Bill Bryson achieved the seemingly impossible by making the science of our world both understandable and entertaining to ... (Goodreads)
The Elements of Style
by William Strunk Jr.
A practical guide to written English, providing guidance on grammar and style.
This style manual offers practical advice on improving writing skills. Throughout, the emphasis is on promoting a plain English style. This little book can help you communicate more effectively by ... (Goodreads)
The Shadow of the Sun
by Ryszard Kapuściński
An epic account of a journey through Africa, navigating the continent's diverse cultures and politics.
In 1957, Ryszard Kapuscinski arrived in Africa to witness the beginning of the end of colonial rule as the first African correspondent of Poland's state newspaper. From the early days of independence ... (Goodreads)
The Autobiography of Malcolm X
by Malcolm X
A gripping account of one man's transformation from criminal to civil rights leader.
Alternate cover for ISBN 9780345350688 Through a life of passion and struggle, Malcolm X became one of the most influential figures of the 20th Century. In this riveting account, he tells of his ... (Goodreads)
Long Walk to Freedom
by Nelson Mandela
A remarkable story of courage, perseverance and hope in the face of oppression.
Nelson Mandela is one of the great moral and political leaders of our time: an international hero whose lifelong dedication to the fight against racial oppression in South Africa won him the Nobel ... (Goodreads)
Reasons to Stay Alive
by Matt Haig
A memoir exploring mental illness and its effects on the author's life.
Matt Haig’s accessible and life-affirming memoir of his struggle with depression, and how his triumph over the illness taught him to live. Like nearly one in five people, Matt Haig suffers from ... (Goodreads)
