book reviews

Book reviews by and for those seeking to understand the human mind for all its strengths, quirks and shortcomings.

4 Must-Read Psychology Books That Most People Have Never Heard Of
I experience mixed feelings whenever someone recommends a book or a song that came out years ago and which I’m just discovering now. One part of me is grateful for the recommendation, but another part of me says, “This came out years ago and I’m only just discovering it now?!”
By Matt Karamazov5 years ago in Psyche
5 Books That Changed My Life in 2020
In 2020, I set a goal to read 75 books. But in March, thinking the shutdown would give me so much more time to read, I raised my goal to 80 books. Perhaps I should have left it at 75 because, in 2020, I read 72 books.¹
By Megan Holstein5 years ago in Psyche
A Million Little Pieces
I think the world is aligned against me. False. I think my problems are caused by others. False. Suicide is a reasonable option.
By Alexis Acklin5 years ago in Psyche
9 Books To Help you Process and Heal From Your Anxiety
When the history books are written about 2020, I’m betting the word “anxiety” will come up a lot. Whether it’s the panic buying of toilet paper or the nagging worry that even a much-needed hug is potentially dangerous, there’s a lot to be anxious about, from the slightly frivolous to the downright depressing. But of course, even without the pandemic, there would have been plenty of causes for anxiety in 2020 — the U.S. election, yes, but also in the general course of being human and loving other humans. As with so many things, though: part of the solution is books! Here’s a selection of books about anxiety to help you manage it and begin to heal.
By Claire Amy Handscombe5 years ago in Psyche
Book Review: “The Biology of Desire: Why Addiction Is Not a Disease”
Stickman Presentation AA Disease Concept of Addiction Have you ever heard someone say, “Alcoholism runs in my family”?Anyone familiar with the rooms of Alcoholics Anonymous is familiar with the disease concept of addiction. Here, addiction is described as an allergy where you breakout in cravings instead of hives. At the inception of this idea, little was known about the neuroscience of addiction or how to cure it. Alcoholics Anonymous suggests that it is not only a disease but a spiritual malady that has no known medical cure and can only be overcome by acceptance of a higher power. I never really did completely buy that so instead I bought myself a copy of “The Biology of Desire” to do some investigating.
By ɔɐɾdɐlℲ5 years ago in Psyche
Shattered Poems About Mental Health
Mental Illness is like being locked inside darkness; a darkness you feel like will last forever without a tunnel to your bright spot. As a person who has many kinds of mental illnesses, I find it is easy to get into a place of loneliness and hopelessness, and with the winter months and Christmas season as well as being single can really mess with your head and emotions when you see happy couples and families with so much holiday joy. I am the person who you find in the bathroom crying over the fact that I am 33 years old and single around the holidays. That’s why I always carry my copy of Shattered in my purse to help remind me I am not alone. Just when I start drowning in my darkness of anxiety, depression, and my SAD disorder. It is easy to get into that mental space very quicky when you feel alone, the facts you know that you aren't alone don’t even come into your mind. At that moment you just want someone to understand you and your feelings and your thoughts without judgment. Shattered it the friend who doesn’t judge , your mental illnesses, it is your friend who holds your hand through the sadness and pain.
By Danielle Gray5 years ago in Psyche
Emotional Intelligence
Referring to the book, Emotional Intelligence: Why It Can Matter More Than IQ- By Daniel Goleman. Find it here on Amazon https://amzn.to/2vf2bJh (Available for Kindle, Audiobook, and Hardcover). Also...if you use Amazon Smile, rather than Amazon, a percentage of what you pay for your product, goes to a charity of your choice, at no cost to you. Just saying.
By Katherine Estelle5 years ago in Psyche
Natural Relief For Anxiety And Stress
Natural Relief For Anxiety And Stress by Gustavo Kinrys and Alexandra Gold is an informational book about natural ways to manage stress and anxiety. The authors take a natural approach to maintaining mental and emotional health. It is a short and fairly easy read for anyone to enjoy and receive some well-researched information on how to relax and take it easy.
By Tangerinehippiestudios5 years ago in Psyche
Dorothy and the Glass Key
'Dorothy and the Glass Key' is a young adult novel written by Christopher J. Finn in 2019 by Austin Macauley Publishers, LLC. This is a story of wander and wondering. This is the story of a girl named Dorothy who has many adventures through time and space. Dorothy is a child from a sad home where the mother was overworked and her father was an alcoholic. The story begins when Dorothy is in a vegetative state as an adult and a resident of a rehabilation center due to her adventures through various times and places and being with various kinds of people through time, but are linked through various keys that must match to hopefully make it home again somehow.
By Mark Graham5 years ago in Psyche
The Gypsy King
I freely pour my Granola with my berries and cherries, as I flick through the first page of my weekly book. This week I have been fascinated by the life story of Tyson Fury also known as the Gypsy King. He is a world renowned star and world boxing champion but he has battled with mental health issues throughout his life, despite his success.
By Orla6 years ago in Psyche
Why Zebras Don't Get Ulcers
This book was written by the same author who wrote Behave and A Primate's Memoir. Robert Sapolsky has a unique way of turning scientific jargon, into a masterful education tool that breaks down even the most complex bodily functions into understandable material.
By Angela Love6 years ago in Psyche
Rhetorical Analysis - TIME's Mindfulness
Rhetorical situations attempt to study and explain how people interact through language and symbols, including objects, experiences, and persuasion (Wardle, Downs 319). The language or communication, also known as discourse, used in rhetorical situations often try to get people to do something. Rhetoric should involve integrity, the ability to apply a set of strategies to any situation, and receptivity, the ability to respond to the conditions and demands of situations (Grant-Davie 350). There are four main parts to rhetorical situations, including exigence, audience, constraints, and rhetor.
By Meg6 years ago in Psyche