We asked Lynn Lobash, manager of the Reader Services department at the New York Public Library, to recommend the books on human behavior that she considers required reading. We also selected a few of our favorites to add.
Here are 16 of the most compelling reads.
Table of Contents
Toggle“Presence: Bringing Your Boldest Self to Your Biggest Challenges” by Amy Cuddy
Known for her mega-successful TED talk on power posing, Harvard psychologist Amy Cuddy argues in “Presence” that behavior can influence our thoughts.
If we want to be more present in the room, be it with a boss or a spouse, we should look to make ourselves more expansive and maybe even stand like Wonder Woman for a few minutes.
“The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business” by Charles Duhigg
Instead of relying on our fickle willpower to reach goals, Charles Duhigg suggests we embrace the science of habit formation.
He presents examples from the NFL, Procter & Gamble boardrooms, and the civil rights movement that illustrate a key insight: Our habits define us, but it’s ultimately up to us to control how and when those habits get formed.
“Reclaiming Conversation: The Power of Talk in a Digital Age” by Sherry Turkle
Texting is taking over our lives, and Sherry Turkle presents strong evidence that it’s destroying our abilities to empathize with others and think creatively.
Not only are we torpedoing our relationships with others, but Turkle says we’re ruining our abilities to be alone with our thoughts — to just be. Simply talking may be the most humanizing thing we can do.
“The Professor in the Cage: Why Men Fight and Why We Like to Watch” by Jonathan Gottschall
The science and history of violence is on full display as Gottschall recounts his training as a mixed-martial arts fighter and investigates why fighting is such a popular spectator sport.
We learn about the so-called “monkey dance” that occurs when humans want to minimize risk and social disorder but seek to establish hierarchies — all while Gottschall gets thrown around the ring, just for our entertainment.
“The Road to Character” by David Brooks
In “The Road to Character,” Brooks tries to reconcile the external pressures that define success with internal markers of success, a distinction he draws as “résumé virtues” versus “eulogy virtues.”
Is a fulfilling life one of moral integrity, financial might, or a mix of both?
“Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less” by Greg McKeown
Bogged down by endless amounts of stuff, life can be hard to declutter. “Essentialism” seeks to help people understand what aspects of their lives are marked by excess, whether it’s their workload or walk-in closet.
Readers are asked to confront head-on what it is they really need to live a better life.
“The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing” by Marie Kondo
Cleaning consultant Marie Kondo believes tidying up isn’t just a weekend ritual; if done right, it could be a life-changing experience.
Kondo’s system helps you categorize the things in your home to determine what can go and what should stay. For example, if items don’t “spark joy” the second you grab ahold of them, it’s best to part ways.
“The Art of Thinking Clearly” by Rolf Dobelli
We humans fall victim to cognitive errors every day: biases, fallacies, and other illogical forms of thinking.
Rolf Dobelli guides readers through these destructive thought patterns so they can identify them when they pop up. The book makes the case that thinking should be intentional, not reactionary.
“Drunk Tank Pink” by Adam Alter
Our world is far more influential than we give it credit for.
We may think we behave in certain ways because of some larger free will, but Adam Alter argues seemingly inane things — like the color of a prison cell wall — can push our decision making process in unforeseen directions.
“Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking” by Susan Cain
“Quiet” makes the compelling case that the Western world over-values extroverts when a great deal of research says introverts also have a wealth of virtues to offer.
Cain reassures her quieter readers that their preference for intimate conversation and crossword puzzles is totally normal. There really is value in speaking softly and carrying a big stick.
“Thinking, Fast and Slow” by Daniel Kahneman
World-famous behavioral economist Daniel Kahneman has found there are two general modes of thinking, a fast mode and slow mode.
We often make our decisions based on the error-prone fast mode, which relies on pre-held assumptions about what’s right. But sometimes it’s only by slowing down that we can realize our judgments are actually quite flawed.
“Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us” by Daniel H. Pink
According to Dan Pink, there are three big things that motivate people: autonomy, mastery, and purpose.
If we’re expected to excel in our jobs or relationships, we need to feel like we can act alone, work toward improving ourselves at the task, and move toward a bigger meaning outside the task itself.
Pink’s book totally rethinks the old carrot-and-stick approach to motivation.
“Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking by” Malcolm Gladwell
Our snap judgments hold a great deal of power in how we live our lives, from who we choose to date to how police officers know when to draw their guns.
Gladwell reveals the startling science on these micro-second decisions, which can sometimes be a great help but can also backfire in potentially lethal ways.
“Sway: The Irresistible Pull of Irrational Behavior” by Ori Brafman and Rom Brafman
We can have all the facts in front of us and still make the wrong choice.
Whether it’s faulty logic or emotionally-driven decisions, Ori and Rom Brafman find a host of moments in daily life that leave people in a state where they’re drawn to act against their own interests.
That applies to how the NBA selects future players, how hiring managers select candidates, and how the Supreme Court weighs the most important cases the country will ever see.
“Predictably Irrational” by Dan Ariely
Duke University behavioral economist Dan Ariely reviews some of his most illuminating experiments, which reveal why we make certain decisions and how our feelings are shaped by them.
Ariely has found, among many other things, that humans are predictably fooled by the concept of “free” stuff, that people frequently overpay, and that procrastination is common in some contexts but not others. “Predictably Irrational” is a guidebook for avoiding land mines in everyday life.
“The Invisible Gorilla” by Christopher Chabris and Daniel Simons
Even when humans try their best to focus, they inevitably still end up averting their gaze from something else. In “The Invisible Gorilla,” Chabris and Simons reveal just how often inattention gets the best of us.
They explain how police officers can pass by obvious cases of assault without noticing, Hollywood films can be rife with editing mistakes, and rare, childhood diseases can suddenly make a comeback.
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