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The psychology section of any bookstore, from the online superstores to your favorite neighborhood nook, covers an enormously wide range of topics and interests. You’ve undoubtedly got your own top 10 list of best books in psychology, but if you’re looking to expand your knowledge of the area, see how mine compares with yours.

My criteria for selecting these 8 books were that they are widely available, in libraries or inexpensively for you to own (if not available for free), and that they represent the diversity of the field. I wanted to include some historically important works as well as contemporary writings that are sure to become classics in the coming years.  These were also books that I felt changed my own view of the field and my understanding of some of its fundamental concepts, so there’s a personal slant reflected in this list as well. With that in mind, let’s get started!

Find out which books are on Dr. Whitebourne’s list!