As a species, we've been piecing together the puzzle of human nature at least as long as we've been able to put stylus to clay tablet. And yet we still haven't figured ourselves out entirely.
Tom Butler-Bowdon's 50 Psychology Classics is an intimate tour through the books everyone should know, from such icons as Sigmund Freud, B.F. Skinner, Jean Piaget, and Ivan Pavlov, as well as landmark contributions of contemprorary minds such as Malcolm Gladwell, Steven Pinker, and Martin Seligman.
These writings offer insights into the most compelling and significant subjects of human psychology--from happiness to depression, intuition to communication, sexuality to personality typing. Each chapter is devoted to a key book in the canon, presenting excerpts from the featured text, Butler-Bowdon's enlightening commentaries, and a brief biography of the book's author. Drawn from an eclectic collection of voices, including the writings of neurologists, biologists, and journalists--as well as a dockworker, an expert in violence, and a novelist--50 Psychology Classics both informs and inspires.
The fifty often-surprising social and scientific studies collected here have not only changed what we believe about ourselves, but also illuminate the paths on which society is moving. Focusing on books the general reader can easily understand and appreciate, Butler-Bowden offers us 300 pages of life-changing wisdom and advice.
Editorial Reviews
"At long last a chance for those outside the profession to discover that there is so much more to psychology than just Freud and Jung. 50 Psychology Classics offers a unique opportunity to become acquainted with a dazzling array of the key works in psychological literature almost overnight." ―Dr Raj Persaud, Gresham Professor for Public Understanding of Psychiatry
"Butler-Bowdon writes with infectious enthusiasm. He is a true scholar of this type of literature." ―USA Today
"This delightful book provides thoughtful and entertaining summaries of 50 of the most influential books in psychology. It's a 'must read' for students contemplating a career in psychology." ―VS Ramachandran, Director, Center for Brain and Cognition, University of California, San Diego
"A brilliant synthesis. The author makes complex ideas accessible and practical, without dumbing down the material. I found myself over and over thinking, 'Oh, that's what that guy meant.'" ―Douglas Stone, lecturer on law at Harvard Law School and co-author of Difficult Conversations
About the Author
Tom Butler-Bowdon is the author of seven books, including 50 Politics Classics, 50 Philosophy Classics, and 50 Success Classics. Bringing important ideas to a wider audience, his award-winning 50 Classics series has been read by over a million people and published in twenty-three languages.
