50 Psychology Classics

By: Tom Butler-Bowdon

Narrated by: Lloyd James

Length: 12 hrs and 24 mins

Publisher's summary

Who we are...how we think...what we do... Here are insight and inspiration from 50 key books, including works by Sigmund Freud, Malcolm Gladwell, Daniel Goleman, Karen Horney, Carl Jung, Alfred Kinsey, R.D. Laing, Jean Piaget, Martin Seligman, Oliver Sacks, Gail Sheehy, and BF Skinner.

Spanning hundreds of ideas developed over the past century, 50 Psychology Classics also explores important contemporary writings, such as Gladwell's Blink and Seligman's Authentic Happiness. Listeners will gain insight into the scientific research of leading contemporary psychologists, psychiatrists, and neurologists. And they'll discover why we think and act the way we do from the landmark best sellers of psychology.

With insightful commentaries on each classic, biographical information on the authors, plus a guide to further key titles, 50 Psychology Classics provides a unique overview of this fascinating subject.

©2007 Tom Butler-Bowdon (P)2007 Gildan Media Corp

Critic reviews

"Butler-Bowdon writes with infectious enthusiasm.... He is a true scholar of this type of literature." ( USA Today)

You can't go wrong

If your interested in a brief overview on psychology you can't go wrong. Its well written and covers a brief history of the writers life which is a really like cap to each book. Narration is good as well.

Quickest Psych overview available.

Would you consider the audio edition of 50 Psychology Classics to be better than the print version?

Never read the print and would never but in my car? Wow pointed me to tons of further in depth reading AND let me know what I would find in each title.

Would you recommend 50 Psychology Classics to your friends? Why or why not?

Already have. It's a great conversation starter

Which character – as performed by Sean Pratt – was your favorite?

none, no characters. Just the facts and well done.

If you could give 50 Psychology Classics a new subtitle, what would it be?

Remember all that Psych stuff you sort of remember? Well zip thru 50 Psychology Classics and it All comes back with some you didn't know as added spice.

Lots of info

Great source of information on what concepts came from whom and great place to pick up new ideas for future reads

From an experienced Clinician

What did you love best about 50 Psychology Classics?

Good value for the layperson, student, or experienced clinician. Comprehensive in the scope of the many different systems of psychotherapy (I.e. both pop-psychology, and the more scholarly rigorous psychological therapies), concise yet accurate in describing the core factors of each scholar and practitioner who dedicated themselves to the helping professions. This book also emphasises the commonalities (common factors) of counseling and psychotherapy throughout the chapters.

A good attempt at describing what has been called by clinicians "technically eclectic and transtheorectical" practice.

Easy to understand and a good "sampler" for the student or layperson, and a good reminder for those of us who have been in the industry for many years...

What was the most compelling aspect of this narrative?

The synthesis of ideas and theories presented throughout the book.

What does Sean Pratt bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

Good speaker, presents himself as passionate and interested in the work himself

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

Yes ! Summed up as "Oh I forgot about that dude !" (good and bad ;-)

Any additional comments?

If you're interested in the scholarly field of psychology (emphasis on the little "p"), want to be a Psychologist (big "P"), Professional Licensed Counselor, Social Worker, Teacher, Nurse, or teacher. I'd start here.

Great Book List

This is an excellent overview of psychological literature. Anyone who wants to start reading psychology but doesn't know where to start should give this a listen. Great resource to go back to as a reference as well. Well read considering the material.

Good as an overview

It is supposed to be "psychology for non-psychologists", which basically means it briefly covers the major writings and biographies of famous authors.
Cutting edge? Definitely not. But it's summarizing and terse. It's a starting point to actually read those works explored. If you want an in-depth study, you read the book by the author, not a summary.
Here's the list of authors and the works:
1 Alfred Adler Understanding Human Nature
2 Gavin de Becker The Gift of Fear: Survival Signals that Protect Us from Violence
3 Eric Berne Games People Play: The Psychology of Human Relationships
4 Robert Bolton People Skills: How to Assert Yourself, Listen to Others, and Resolve Conflicts
5 Edward de Bono Lateral Thinking: Creativity Step by Step
6 Nathaniel Branden The Psychology of Self-Esteem
7 Isabel Briggs Myers Gifts Differing: Understanding Personality Type
8 Louann Brizendine The Female Brain
9 David D. Burns Feeling Good: The New Mood Therapy
10 Robert Cialdini Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion
11 Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi Creativity: Flow and the Psychology of Discovery and Invention
12 Albert Ellis & Robert A. Harper A Guide to Rational Living
13 Milton Erickson My Voice Will Go With You: The Teaching Tales of Milton H. Erickson
14 Erik Erikson Young Man Luther: A Study in Psychoanalysis and History
15 Hans Eysenck Dimensions of Personality
16 Susan Forward Emotional Blackmail: When the People in Your Life Use Fear, Obligation, and Guilt to Manipulate You
17 Viktor Frankl The Will to Meaning: Foundations and Applications of Logotherapy
18 Anna Freud The Ego and the Mechanisms of Defence
19 Sigmund Freud The Interpretation of Dreams
20 Howard Gardner Frames of Mind: The Theory of Multiple Intelligences
21 Daniel Gilbert Stumbling on Happiness
22 Malcolm Gladwell Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking
23 Daniel Goleman Working with Emotional Intelligence
24 John M. Gottman The Seven Principles for Making Marriage Work
25 Harry Harlow The Nature of Love
26 Thomas A. Harris I’m OK—You’re OK
27 Eric Hoffer The True Believer: Thoughts on the Nature of Mass Movements
28 Karen Horney Our Inner Conflicts: A Constructive Theory of Neurosis
29 William James The Principles of Psychology
30 Carl Jung The Archetypes and the Collective Unconscious
31 Alfred Kinsey Sexual Behavior in the Human Female
32 Melanie Klein Envy and Gratitude
33 R. D. Laing The Divided Self: A Study of Sanity and Madness
34 Abraham Maslow The Farther Reaches of Human Nature
35 Stanley Milgram Obedience to Authority: An Experimental View
36 Anne Moir & David Jessel Brainsex: The Real Difference Between Men and Women
37 Ivan Pavlov Conditioned Reflexes: An Investigation of the Physiological Activity of the Cerebral Cortex
38 Fritz Perls Gestalt Therapy: Excitement and Growth in the Human Personality
39 Jean Piaget The Language and Thought of the Child
40 Steven Pinker The Blank Slate: The Modern Denial of Human
41 V. S. Ramachandran Phantoms in the Brain: Probing the Mysteries of the Human Mind
42 Carl Rogers On Becoming a Person: A Therapist’s View of Psychotherapy
43 Oliver Sacks The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat: And Other Clinical Tales
44 Barry Schwartz The Paradox of Choice: Why More Is Less
45 Martin Seligman Authentic Happiness: Using the New Positive Psychology to Realize Your Potential for Lasting Fulfilment
46 Gail Sheehy Passages: Predictable Crises of Adult Life
47 B. F. Skinner Beyond Freedom and Dignity
48 Douglas Stone, Bruce Patton, & Sheila Heen Difficult Conversations: How to Discuss What Matters Most
49 William Styron Darkness Visible: A Memoir of Madness
50 Robert E. Thayer The Origin of Everyday Moods: Managing Energy, Tension, and Stress

Great start into the field

i've done the selfhelp, prosperity and now psychology.

this one was not as good as the 50 Prosperity Classics, however this was still a great listen. i'm a psych major so many i had heard about or read, however i took a lot of notes and there's quite a few i'll be looking into more.

this is great to get a broad overview and find books that might interest you more, i gave it 5 stars although i think 4 1/2 would be better fit.

if you are intrested in psychology, this is a great place to start.

very helpful summary

good and helpful information in getting to know ourselves and others better. A concise summary and analysis of each classic psychology book.

Great Psych Primer

What made the experience of listening to 50 Psychology Classics the most enjoyable?

This really helped me prepare for class this Fall and it was an enjoyable listen.

great book. narrator is good most of the time

loved the book. the narrator is good but had the bad habit of referring to himself as "moi" which he sounds amused but it comes off annoying. he also pronounces WH like Stewie from Family Guy. outside of that great book and I love how he tells you the books he is taking from and suggests similar books. my book list has grown a ton thanks to this book.