Health, Mind & Wellbeing - psychology

Can we really ALL be the best? Is the idea of innate ability holding us back? Could the ability to fail - and then get over it - be fundamental to success? Matthew Syed, bestselling writer and international table-tennis champion (after many hours of practice) takes us on a revelatory exploration of being the best and the true nature of talent. In so doing he debunks many cherished myths - that we can be born brilliant (and that child prodigies prove it); that we are restricted by our genetic make-up; and that social backgr... read more

Behavioral neuroscientist Lambert takes readers on a surprising and engaging guided tour into the sophisticated mental, emotional, and behavioral worlds of these frequently maligned and often misunderstood little creatures.

95% of communication is non-verbal: the shifty glance, the gentle touch, the folded arms or the hard stare. Wordless communication is instant and instinctive. So it's astonishing that we don't take time to learn the subtleties of this ancient and revealing language. Understanding the body's responses puts you in control. You can make the right impression; show someone you care; know when they fancy you - and make sure they know you fancy them! You can recognise stress or aggression and learn to calm the situation and be sure who is... read more

Uses revolutionary techniques to enhance memory and brain power, so readers will find everything they need to maximise their success in studies and exams.

A problem shared is a problem halved? Not necessarily... Talking about our problems isn't always a good idea. World-renowned psychologist Timothy Wilson reveals how this, and many other conventional therapies and interventions, can often do us more harm than good. Presenting the very latest research, Wilson argues that the key to transforming our lives lies simply in learning to redirect the stories we tell ourselves. His revolutionary approach reveals how reshaping our internal narratives can increase our personal well-being and t... read more

Madness, in our culture, is defined by visibility. From the popular press to TV soaps and films, the depiction of madness always borders on the extreme: violent outbursts, fits, hallucinations. But what if madness is not exactly what we think it to be? What if it is the rule rather than the exception? And what if its defining features are not visible and dramatic but, on the contrary, highly discreet, shared by average citizens who will never come to psychiatric attention? What if, in other words, there is a difference between bein... read more

Dr Kay Redfield Jamison is one of the foremost authorities on manic-depressive illness. She has also experienced it first-hand. For even while she was pursuing her career in academic medicine, she was affected by the same exhilarating highs and catastrophic depressions that afflicted many of her patients.
An Unquiet Mind is a memoir of enormous candour, courage, wit and wisdom, which examines manic depression from the dual perspectives of the healer and the healed, revealing both its terrors and its cruel allure.
First ... read more

Let's face it, life can be hectic. These days we run into stress at home, in the office, in relationships, in traffic and even on vacation. Everyday situations leave us with steam coming out of our ears and our blood pressure sky high. Everyday Calm:365 ways to a better you offers a step-by-step way to turn your stressful world into an ocean of calm. Each of the 365 beautifully designed pages offers a daily exercise, activity or reflection to practice and slowly integrate into your lifestyle. With daily prompts on diet, sleep, rela... read more

A gripping, triumphant memoir about the power of addiction and its effect on the brain. Marc Lewis knows addiction: that desperate ambition to get high accompanied him around the world for many years. In the 1960s, Lewis was a teenager in boarding school, experimenting with cough syrup and alcohol to assuage his depression. When he moved to Berkeley, California, the pulsing heart of the counter-cultural movement, he began using LSD and heroin. His spiralling journey of addiction eventually led him to Asia, where he sniffed nitr... read more

How does the brain remember faces? What makes us choose one decision over another? Where does language come from? With the use of images, quotations from all the major thinkers, and explanations that are easily understandable, this book demystifies hard-to-grasp concepts and shows how these have shaped our knowledge of the human mind.