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Books that shifted my perspective
15
items Perfect for deep thinkers, quiet rebels, and anyone craving a more expansive lens on life. Bonus points if you're into Psychology. All books are linked to Bookshop.org, so when you buy, you're supporting independent small bookstores.
This was an amazing read. It provided an informative and gripping look into Tara's upbringing in a survivalist family.
Educated by Tara Westover
I love reading about animals and this book expanded my understanding of how cooperation and friendliness shaped our species.
Survival of the Friendliest: Understanding Origins
This wasn't easy to read because it depicts a great deal of suffering, but it effectively captured his harrowing journey and showcased the resilience of people in terrible situations.
A River in Darkness
I read this in my grad program and it opened my eyes to the vivid yet brutal experiences of living with Borderline Personality Disorder.
Girl in Need of a Tourniquet a book by Merri Lisa Johnson
A more Buddhist/Spiritual take on life and peaceful living. Written by one of my favorite Psychologists and meditation teachers.
A Path with Heart: A Guide Through the Perils and Promises of Spiritual Life
I have many of Rick's books but this one is a favorite because it is a culmination of years of research on neuroplasticity. It has practical tools on cultivating a more peaceful and happy mind.
Hardwiring Happiness: The New Brain Science of Contentment, Calm, and Confidence
This is a fascinating read about the amazing interconnectedness of trees and how they care for the entire forest. You will enjoy this if you are fascinated by the natural world.
The Hidden Life of Trees: What They Feel, How They Communicate--Discoveries from a Secret World
This book is a research-driven exploration on how our unconscious fears may be shaping our behaviors, particularly our fears around death. There were some very insightful studies and theories in there.
The Worm at the Core a book by Jeff Greenberg, Tom Pyszczynski, ...
This book follows western ideas of certain mental illnesses and how they reshape or even erase local understandings of problems and suffering. I could relate to this on some level, as a South Asian.
Crazy Like Us a book by Ethan Watters
The sequel to the Handmaid's Tale. It's brilliantly written and I could follow along even though I couldn't remember all that much from the previous book.
The Testaments: A Novel
Part of my reading list in grad school, the book explores the challenges in Psychiatry and Psychology, as drug companies profit while patients suffer.
Unhinged: The Trouble with Psychiatry - A Doctor's Revelations about a Profession in Crisis
A classic : a powerful reflection of finding purpose even in suffering, and what makes life worth living.
Man's Search for Meaning
A brutally honest memoir that gave me a deeper understanding of what it may be like living with Bipolar d/o.
Madness: A Bipolar Life
This was a fun read. It's an exploration on psychedelics and consciousness with a blending of research and personal experiences.
How to Change Your Mind: What the New Science of Psychedelics Teaches Us About Consciousness, Dying, Addiction, Depression, and Transcendence
A disturbing true account of women in a Mennonite colony, and their struggle to protect themselves.
Women Talking