Reader recommends…

Less: Stop Buying So Much Rubbish: How Having Fewer, Better Things Can Make Us Happier
Patrick Grant

If, like me, you're a fan of The Great British Sewing Bee (despite barely being able to thread a needle), you'll know of the debonair, moustached judge, Patrick Grant. As a Savile Row tailor and designer, he knows a thing or two about tucks, pleats and zip placement, but what he's also particularly passionate about is the few, good-quality useful objects and heirlooms he owns and cherishes, many of which have been repaired and repaired again over the years; his dad's hand-built spice rack, an M&S jumper from the 80s (a charity shop find, bought by his gran) and a 30-year-old coffee pot.

This book brings us some sobering current stats; the rise of ultra-fast fashion (Shein launched 1.5 million new products last year alone, with some garments selling for less than £3) is creating catastrophic environmental consequences.

After reading this, I've never been so determined to start living with less. How can we bang on about the environment if we're not prepared to take a long, hard look at our purchasing habits? Now, where's my darning needle…

Jennifer Gledhill, Deputy Editor, The Psychologist

I am sure a lot of people will have a lot of deep and insightful books to recommend, but I am going to speak about an easy breezy summer read that also has so many layers of psychological concepts in it – #HungerGames.

From moral reasoning to cognitive dissonance; from PTSD to MDD; from kin selection to misattribution of arousal; from social influence to power dynamics, it has so many psychological shades in it!

And it's such a fabulous read too! Once you start, you won't be able to put it down! So grab your copy, prepare to be mesmerized, and let the games begin!

Vedha Bharathi, head of wellbeing partnerships at Heart It Out

The Gulag Archipelago by Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn.

I believe this element of history has been under-examined in our education system. As Solzhenitsyn writes 'Philosophers, psychologists, medical men, and writers could have observed in our camps, as nowhere else, in detail and on a large scale the special process of the narrowing of the intellectual and spiritual horizons of a human being, the reduction of the human being to an animal and the process of dying alive.

But the psychologists who got into our camps were for the most part not up to observing; they themselves had fallen into that very same stream that was dissolving the personality into feces and ash.'

Another good read is One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest – it examines the cruelty of some of those in power and explores the treatment of the vulnerable in society.

Jimmy Petruzzi

I have multiple recommendations. One of the films that I appreciate as a psychologist is Darren Aronofsky's The Fountain. With a beautiful soundtrack, rich visual imagery and brilliantly acted performances, the film explores grief and coming to terms with one's mortality and the transience of life through philosophical ideas drawn from Kabbalah, Christianity and Buddhism. It is the most poignant, most profound film I've ever seen.

My TV recommendations would be:

1. In Treatment (the USA version, starring Gabriel Byrne). The series was the 'realest' portrayal of therapy and a therapist that I've come across to date. The therapist Paul is a messy human with his own messy life outside his therapy room. He isn't shown as some superhuman who has all the answers and can make perfect insights.

2. Midnight Mass. It uses the tropes and imagery of horror to explore the multiple facets of human love – selfless love, sacrificial love, devotional love, selfish love and the consequences of decisions made based on these kinds of love.

3. The Haunting of Bly Manor: Another horror series that wasn't exactly a horror series. The ghosts here are ghosts of heartache and trauma; unintegrated painful memories of the past that intrude on and disturb the present. It is an exploration of trauma, the legacy of emotional wounds and the healing, redemptive power of love and choices made from adult self-states.

I'd also recommend the Netflix series Bodies. This detective sci-fi series is essentially about the warning 'the child that is not embraced by the village will burn it down to feel its warmth'.

It looks at the formative impact of early childhood attachment rupture/rejection on personality, and how 'acting out' patterns of behaviour even as extreme as narcissism tie into the initial unmet need (a Fairbairnian view of early deprivation and the death instinct) and may be perpetuated throughout life, unacknowledged.

Farah Tiwana, Consultant Clinical Psychologist

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Annie Barrows and Mary Anne Shaffer

Although the book itself is fictional, it sheds light on the real events and struggles that the people of Guernsey endured during WWII, addressing themes of trauma, hunger, loss, war, and despair with a juxtaposition of love, hope, community, and healing. The book is written as an epistolary novel, and is set in 1946.

The people of Guernsey were overlooked during the war, as they were a small village of individuals who were left to fend for themselves. Their children were shipped off to the mainland of England where they were taken into foster care, leaving families torn apart and distressed for the wellbeing of their loved ones.

Those who remained on the island worked under observation and had very little to eat. The tale of how the book got its name is also an interesting one! Definitely a compelling read with a journey to healing, resilience, and restored wellbeing.

Another one would be Before the Coffee Gets Cold by Toshikazu Kawaguchi. It's an easy read with an unusual tale about a mysterious basement coffee shop in Japan with a legend that the coffee allows you to travel back in time. It comes with a myriad of rules that are ridiculous but each visitor ends up shares a unique life experience that addresses themes of death, loss, family, friendship and healing.

Time-traveling coffee, a mysterious woman who never seems to leave the shop, unfinished tales between lovers, unresolved family feuds and estranged friendships – this one definitely has a lot to unpack.

Sasha Seekola (GMBPsS), Psychological Research Master's student

The 7 Deadly Sins of Psychology by Chris Chambers

It's a book that details the various ways research can be undermined by questionable practices and importantly, how we can safeguard against them. Every student should read it!

Ben Trayford, Student at Bath Spa University. Read an extract.

I would like to share the Studies Show Podcast, not only for the discernment and wit but also for the constant reminder of the scientific rigour we need in the field.

Monica Marin

Transcend by Scott Barry Kaufman is an accessible yet referenced read that brings human flourishing up to date framed by Maslow's triangle. Commonly misunderstood as a build-upon hierarchy, Maslow's articulation of layers of need is perhaps better understood in terms of 'immediacy' (and he did not use the triangle).

Kaufman suggests a new metaphor, a sailboat, and proceeds through aspects of human need framed by maintaining and navigating the boat, by exploring the latest research. Accessible and informative, the narrative flows nicely and incorporates the unfolding of Maslow's research and unpublished essays.

Jane Morgan. Read an extract.

PK is the best and a classical film showing how an alien comes to the earth to learn about the human race (different cultures and religions), teaches the lesson of love and humanity but learns to tell a lie from the human race when he was returning to his planet.

Saima Eman

One of the best books I have read this year is Pete Wharmby's Untypical: How the world isn't built for autistic people and what we should do about it. It's engaging, thought-provoking and, I believe, a must-read for psychologists no matter what their field.

Rachel Green

Maybe you should talk to someone by Lori Gottlieb. It's about a therapist, some of the stories of her clients and her own therapeutic journey. Gives a good perspective on working with different ages, issues and their own work as therapists.

Verónica Guzmán

The 7 Lives of Lea
Netflix

Lea is 17, doesn't connect to her parents, feels like everyone else has found what she doesn't know if she's looking for. She tries to find it in excess… be it alcohol or pills… She staggers away from a rave in the picturesque Gorges du Verdon, where she stumbles upon the remains of Ismael, a teenager who disappeared 30 years ago, in 1991.

The series is supernatural and magical, which allows Lea's character to be moved in time, body and, perhaps most importantly, in emotional understanding. She awakes the day after the rave in 1991, and in Ismael's body… and discovers that he is in a band with a couple of teenagers… who she recognises as her future mother and father. Lea is drawn into trying to work out what is going to happen/has happened to Ismael, and in the journey returns each day to her time and body, before reawakening a total of seven times in a new body back in 1991.

It is so well crafted, with humour and emotion against the amazing scenery of Provence… each of her seven lives develops a deeper understanding of the issues confronting the characters…It's one of those series that is not just worth watching, but well worth watching more than once!

Mike Thompson, Sub-Editor/Designer, The Psychologist

BBC Radio 4 Podcast Life Changing with Dr Sian Williams. Fascinating true stories of experiences people have had that have profoundly affected the course of their lives. Looks at how people overcome obstacles and considers how this impacts on the path their life takes and how it influences their future. Great for understanding human suffering, resilience, growth after trauma and compassion.

Rebecca Levett

I suggest Nigel Balchin's 1945 novel Mine Own Executioner, which was brought back into print last year by Penhaligon Press. It's not just a fine fictional portrait of a psychiatrist, it's also a highly satisfying novel that's a great pleasure to read.

Derek Collett (read Derek's piece on Balchin).

After an enjoyable weekend at the Hay Festival, I am back home flush with book recommendations for the summer. One is from Marian Keyes, who was a sparkling interviewee at Hay, promoting her latest book, My Favorite Mistake.

It's an episode in the Walsh family saga, and follows Anna leaving her high-powered PR job in New York to return to rural Ireland – what could go wrong? Perfect beach reading. But top of my list is David Nicholl's new book, You Are Here.

It's a story of second chances and mid-life romance, set against a coast-to-coast walk from the Lake District in the west to Robin Hood's Bay in the east. Nicholls manages to straddle both popular and literary fiction – he was longlisted for the Booker Prize for Us - and is a sharp-eyed observer of human nature.

The book offers the perfect combination of interest and engagement for a holiday read. If reading is too much effort, the Netflix series of his mega-hit One Day is readily available. It's superior to the film version, and offering a rush of 90s/00s nostalgia for those of us who were there the first time.

And, setting aside books, I will be in Edinburgh as I am every year during August, to enjoy whatever I stumble across at the Festival and Fringe. Everyone should go at least once in their life, it's a blast of creativity unlike anywhere else in the UK.

Kate Johnstone, Associate Editor for Culture

Inside Out – great Pixar animated film exploring emotions, empathy, change etc.

Helen Jones

With a background in Forensic Psychology, I'm often asked for 'criminal psychology' book recommendations. I can't help but feel that most who ask are anticipating a gripping book to rival their favourite Netflix crime documentaries, but the truth is, I don't spend much time indulging in criminal psychology books outside of work.

Whether they like it or not, my go-to recommendation of psychological book genres is the study of Morality. I started reading about morality at a time where I was doing some work around criminal behaviour: I was fascinated with cases where seemingly normal and 'good' people would carry out evil deeds against other groups and, of particular interest to me, how they would justify it. I stumbled across several books that helped shed some light on this dark topic.

The first, is Righteous Mind by Jon Haidt, a Social Psychologist who made a name for himself studying cultural differences in moral judgements. The book shares some of Haidt's best-known work around moral differences, particularly across different political groups.

Haidt explains why certain people would be outraged over someone desecrating the national flag but unbothered about the harming of minority groups. What I liked most about this book is the writing style Haidt uses to keep the user engaged and his ability to draw on analogies and examples from all sorts of places (including mythological stories and our tastebuds) to explain his theories. The writings from this book can be applied to any moral debate and at a time where people are becoming more and more polarised in their views, this book is a must-read.

The second book to recommend is Moral Tribes by Joshua Greene. A Neuroscientist, Greene takes us through a journey into the evolutionary roots of moral judgements, specifically in relation to the 'Us vs Them' mentality. The author explains tribalism in an entertaining way, drawing on thought-provoking experimental studies, many his own work. The book also applies a philosophical approach to understanding different moral outlooks, the author offers his input on what the best way to approach moral situations is, redefining true utilitarianism.

Both of these books are ranked up there as some of my favourite non-fiction books, they will educate you in an enjoyable yet rewarding way. But if like some of my friends and family you are here just for a true crime recommendation, In Cold Blood by Truman Capote is the one.

Dr Dara Mojtahedi, Reader in Forensic Psychology, Associate Editor for Books

Book: These Things Happen: The Sarah Records Story, by Jane Duffus. Sarah lasted for 7 years, 9 months and 11 days, many of them while I was a teenager, before the legendary 'A day for destroying things' brought a near-perfect discography to a close. But this hefty account is about so much more than the music.

It's a paean to a 'secret world', of community, punk ethos, politics, feminism, falling in love and breaking up. And as a bonus for you, at least two Sarah Records artists – Cathy Rogers (Heavenly) and Steve Jefferis (Shelley) went on to work in Psychology and feature in our pages.

Audio: The Alan Partridge audiobooks are works of literary genius, and in any other genre/medium would be recognised as such. And there's simply nothing quite like listening to Werner Herzog narrating his unbelievable life in Every Man For Himself and God Against All.

Screen: Anything involving time travel/time loops / multiple universes. Counterpart, starring J.K. Simmons, was underrated/overlooked, and like most offerings in the genre was really a look at relationships, the self and personality change.

Jon Sutton (Editor, The Psychologist)

Obedience to Authority by Stanley Milgram.

Steve Daly

Monique Mitchelson hosts a very popular podcast 'The Neurodivergent Woman' and it is excellent!

Amanda Moses

An Unquiet Mind: A Memoir of Moods and Madness, by Kay Redfield Jamison – to squash the idea of the 'them' as clients and 'us' as professionals/psychologists and to remind us to be compassionate humans first.

Ronja Doerbecke

The Gift by Edith Eger

A beautifully written book – part biography, part reflection on what keeps us from healing old wounds. A fascinating story of one woman's personal and career development filled with insight and humour as well as a gut-punch of a reveal that left me sobbing. One of those books that reminds us that it isn't always what happens to us that matters most but what we do with the experience.

Charlotte Carry

Not the cheeriest summer read but utterly fascinating and absorbing nonetheless is journalist Barbara Demick's 2009 book Nothing to Envy: Real Lives in North Korea. Drawn from interviews with people who have escaped North Korea, Demick weaves their deeply moving stories with the harrowing history of the country – including a famine in the 1990s which may have killed up to 3,500,000 people. This is one of the best non-fiction books I've ever read.

My favourite podcast of recent times was The Gatekeepers (BBC Sounds) – presented by journalist and author Jamie Bartlett. He traces the history of social media companies and presents shocking examples of the way they have been allowed to become information gatekeepers and the, sometimes fatal, impact this can have.

For a brighter choice, I've also recently discovered The Great (Channel 4) a wildly historically inaccurate comedy-drama based on Catherine the Great of Russia. Created by Tony McNamara, who also wrote The Favourite and Poor Things, it is witty, funny – and extremely rude!

Ella Rhodes (Journalist, The Psychologist)

Against Technoablism: Rethinking Who Needs Improvement by Ashley Shew (2023). This short read offers authoritative insights on what it's like to live with a disability in a tech-obsessed society determined to provide 'fixes'. If you've ever marvelled at well-intentioned inventions like stair-climbing wheelchairs, this one's for you.

For those without experience in disability or chronic illness, Shew provides a much-needed perspective, unveiling truths that often fly under the radar of the able-bodied. A must-read for those looking to bring their understanding of living with a disability into our technological times.

Emma Barratt, Editor, Research Digest

I'm happily immersed in, and greatly profiting from, several works by Mark Epstein, including Psychotherapy without the Self: A Buddhist Perspective and Thoughts Without A Thinker: Psychotherapy from a Buddhist Perspective.

A.A.J DeVille

Behind the Crime, BBC Sounds is excellent. About prison, and turning life around. This Jungian Life is a good podcast for anyone interested in Jungian ideas.

Dr Peter Sear

Danny Wedding's book, Movies and Mental Illness: Using Films to Understand Psychopathology, shares his conviction that 'films are a powerful medium for teaching students in psychology'.

With this in mind, the book includes a course syllabus with a careful integration of films related to Abnormal Psychology – an asset to psychology teachers and lecturers at all levels. And there are several 'psychology-minded' films mentioned that I'll be sure to watch this summer…

Chrissie Fitch, Associate Editor for Culture