The most recommended body language books

Who picked these books? Meet our 21 experts.

21 authors created a book list connected to body language, and here are their favorite body language books.
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Book cover of Genderspeak: Men, Women and the Gentle Art of Verbal Self-Defense

Shelle Rose Charvet Author Of Words That Change Minds: The 14 Patterns for Mastering the Language of Influence

From my list on books for nice people to be more persuasive.

Why am I passionate about this?

Not many people know that I was so timid as a child; I used to burst into tears if I had to ask for something in a store. Now, I am known for my “out there” presentation style and mastery of words. Since 1982, I have been working with individuals and groups to help them get better at persuading, solving conflicts, and having inspiring relationships. So, how can you be a nice, caring person and still be persuasive, even with the most skeptical of people? These books helped me do this.

Shelle's book list on books for nice people to be more persuasive

Shelle Rose Charvet Why did Shelle love this book?

I have read this book so many times! It changed how I communicate with people operating from the Traditional Male Model or the Traditional Female Model.

She explains that someone’s Operating Metaphor can be “Life is a game” or “Life is like a traditional classroom”. Game players want to win, and students want to get a great evaluation or pass an exam, so I need to shift my communication style for each. 

And who knew that women and men have different definitions of common terms? A lie is either: “Saying something that is not true” or “Something that is not true and harmful!” This book showed me how specifically to develop my flexibility and stop being so judgy!

By Suzette Haden Elgin,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Genderspeak as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Communications guru Suzette Haden Elgin bridges the gender gap. In this groundbreaking book, the internationally acclaimed author of The Gentle Art of Verbal Self--Defense helps you anticipate and avoid the frustrating conversational knots in which men and women all too often find themselves entangled. Picking up where other authors leave off, Suzette Haden Elgin arms you with her proven techniques for dealing effectively with verbal confrontation in your personal and professional lives. She zeroes in on how to: aeo Identify the differences between womena s and mena s perceptions of the world and avoid the dangerous semantic traps they create…


Book cover of Wet Behind the Ears

Lydia Sherrer Author Of Beginnings

From Lydia's 3 favorite reads in 2023.

Why am I passionate about this?

Author USA Today bestseller Creator of worlds Boy mom Small business owner Tea and chocolate addict

Lydia's 3 favorite reads in 2023

Lydia Sherrer Why did Lydia love this book?

I absolutely love W.R.'s snarky, intriguing, gripping urban fantasy books. They are like a favorite tea, delicate yet full of subtle flavor that you keep falling in love with the more you drink it.

Let me tell you. W.R. does tortured anti-hero SO WELL. He has lots of class (a nice departure from the usual angst). He fools himself into thinking he's fine with staying a tortured anti-hero when he knows deep down he's desperate to get back in the good graces of the people he loves (which he's afraid to admit he loves because everything he loves always gets ripped away and murdered). It is full of subtle emotions and tiny flashes of body language that give you exciting insights into the characters' psyche while also keeping you guessing until the very end.

I loved every minute of it. I cheered and laughed, groaned, and cried. If you like…

By W.R. Gingell,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Wet Behind the Ears as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.


Book cover of Canine Communication: The Language of a Species

Jay Gurden Author Of Understanding Reactive Dogs: Why Dogs React and How to Help

From my list on to help you understand your dog.

Why am I passionate about this?

At least one dog has accompanied me almost my entire life. Much of that time has revolved around working Border Collies, training them, and working sheep together. One particular young dog turned my perceptions upside down when he arrived, proving to be like no other dog I had ever encountered. Through the learning about fearful and anxious dogs I needed to understand him, I found myself developing a new passion – helping others to understand dogs. Since that dog entered my life, I have been on an intense educational journey and sharing my learning and experience with others, both on the topics of ‘reactive’ dogs and dogs in general.

Jay's book list on to help you understand your dog

Jay Gurden Why did Jay love this book?

I am incredibly fortunate to count Sally as a mentor and friend. Her understanding of dogs and their needs is wonderful and this book is one of the easiest to read references on interpreting canine body language that I have ever seen. Our dogs cannot speak to us so it is up to us to learn how to understand the communication they do offer and, importantly, to respect and heed it. This process of reading their communication signals and really listening to the dog goes a long way towards understanding their needs and creating the best possible lives together.

By Sally Gutteridge, Dayle Smith (illustrator),

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Canine Communication as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Why do you need this book?

Excellent communication is relevant to interaction between all individuals whether sharing information within or outside our own species. Communication is paramount to excellent relationships.

As humans, we already have an entire range of listening blocks with each other, so with dogs with a completely different language. So, how do we even manage to communicate at all?

Thankfully dogs know our limits, so have spent hundreds of years perfecting their own communication skills to cope with the self-imposed boundaries of ours. The dogs in our homes are signalling, passing messages and displaying obvious requests most…


Book cover of On Talking Terms with Dogs: Calming Signals

Jane Miller Author Of Healing Companions: Ordinary Dogs and Their Extraordinary Power to Transform Lives

From my list on the healing power of animals and human-animal bond.

Why am I passionate about this?

It all began at a very young age when I aspired to be Jane Goodall and save the lives of animals. Since then, her wisdom, courage, and activism have guided me throughout my life. Through my childhood, I nursed fledglings with eyedroppers, adopted turtles left on the curbside, and became an advocate for “Save our Seals”. In college, I immersed myself in the study of animal behavior. I explored the behavior of Red Kangaroos, "Megalia Rufas" in captivity, exploring ways in which zoos could improve their facilities to respect the needs of the animals. These experiences set the landscape for my work as a holistic psychotherapist with the healing power of dogs.

Jane's book list on the healing power of animals and human-animal bond

Jane Miller Why did Jane love this book?

This book had a huge impact on me many years ago when I started training Psychiatric Service Dogs. Turid opened my eyes to a complex understanding of how dogs communicate with us through subtle and not-so-subtle body language. I recommend this book highly to all of my friends that have dogs and my clients. You will learn to identify when your dog is stressed, how to recognize it, and then take appropriate action to help decrease and alleviate the dog’s stress. 

By Turid Rugaas,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked On Talking Terms with Dogs as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Yawning, lip-licking, sneezing, even scratching are just a few of the 30-plus signals that dogs use to communicate with one another.

With On Talking Terms With Dogs you can learn to recognize these signals and use them yourself to interact with your dog.

Norwegian dog trainer and behaviorist Turid Rugaas has made it her life work to study canine social interaction. She coined the phrase calming signals to describe the social skills, sometimes referred to as body language, that dogs use to avoid conflict, invite play, and communicate a wide range of information to other dogs and also humans.

Every…


Book cover of Speak with Impact: How to Command the Room and Influence Others

Joel Schwartzberg Author Of Get to the Point! Sharpen Your Message and Make Your Words Matter

From my list on improving your presentation prowess.

Why am I passionate about this?

I began my journey in communications as a competitive public speaker in high school and college, culminating in a national championship. That experience inspired me to help others develop their public speaking and presentation skills, especially effective point-making, which is fundamental to communication success but rarely addressed by trainers. Nowadays, I’m thrilled to combine my skill, experience, and passion in my work as a speechwriter and speech coach for organizations ranging from American Express to State Farm Insurance, as well as a speechwriter for a major nonprofit and contributor to media outlets including Harvard Business Review, Fast Company, and Newsweek.

Joel's book list on improving your presentation prowess

Joel Schwartzberg Why did Joel love this book?

I’ve always been a fan of Allison and her work, and Speak with Impact is the best way to access all of her terrific insight.

If anyone can prove that public speaking is a skill and not a talent, Allison does, serving up practical advice on everything from effective storytelling and breathing techniques to body language and conquering fear. She also leverages her varied experiences as a CEO, Harvard lecturer, Ted Talk speaker, and opera singer (!).

This book is simply a must-have for everyone from jobseekers to CEOs who want to impact and influence others through their communications.

By Allison Shapira,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Speak with Impact as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

When you know what to say and how to say it, people listen. Find your powerful voice, and step into leadership. Speak with impact. 

Every day, you have an opportunity to use your voice to have a positive impact -- at work or in your community. You can inspire and persuade your audience -- or you can distract and put them to sleep.

Presentation styles where leaders are nervous, ramble, and robotic can ruin a talk on even the most critical topics. As your performances become weak, your career prosects start to dim. To get ahead and make an impact,…


Book cover of Mindwise: Why We Misunderstand What Others Think, Believe, Feel, and Want

Zachary Shore Author Of A Sense of the Enemy: The High Stakes History of Reading Your Rival's Mind

From my list on knowing your enemy.

Why am I passionate about this?

I am a historian of international conflict who focuses on understanding the enemy. For most of my career, I have studied why we so often misread others, and how those misperceptions lead to war. The current crisis in Ukraine is just one more example of how the parties involved misunderstood each other. I believe that if we could improve this one ability, we would substantially lessen the likelihood, frequency, and severity of war.

Zachary's book list on knowing your enemy

Zachary Shore Why did Zachary love this book?

Epley, a behavioral scientist, provides an often-humorous take on our daily efforts to read the minds of others. He offers trenchant, real-life examples (in addition to scientific studies) of how we go horribly wrong – and why we sometimes get it right. In one clever experiment, people tapped out the tune of a song on a wooden desk while they hummed it in their heads. The tappers were wildly overconfident that others could identify the song – because it sounded so clear to themselves. Mindwise is a wonderful reminder to get out of our own heads and figure out the limits of what others can perceive.

By Nicholas Epley,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked Mindwise as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

From leading psychologist Nicholas Epley, Mindwise reveals our real sixth sense - our ability to understand our own minds and the minds of others

Arguably our brain's greatest sense is the ability to understand the minds of others - our sixth sense. In Mindwise, renowned psychologist Nicholas Epley shows that this incredible capacity for inferring what others are thinking and feeling is, however sophisticated, still prone to critical errors. We often misread social situations, misjudge others' characters, or guess the wrong motives for their actions. Drawing on the latest in psychological research, Epley suggests that only by learning more about…


Book cover of Side Walk: 6' apart in New York City

Victoria Noe Author Of What Our Friends Left Behind: Grief and Laughter in a Pandemic

From my list on friendship and grief (and pandemics).

Why am I passionate about this?

In 2006, I told a friend I wanted to write a book about grieving the death of a friend. Despite the fact that I’d never written a book before, she gave me her enthusiastic approval. Six months later she was dead. She inspired me to turn that book idea into a series of little books: the Friend Grief series. Just as I was finishing the last one, I began work on a full-length book that took me back to my work in the early days of AIDS. When COVID began, I returned to writing about friend grief. And I lost over a dozen friends while I wrote the book.

Victoria's book list on friendship and grief (and pandemics)

Victoria Noe Why did Victoria love this book?

One of the many wistful and beautiful photos in this book caught my eye in an exhibit at the New York Historical Society in 2021.

Her photography, and the attendant essays, evoke not only the isolation of quarantine, but the ways we rediscovered the desire for human connection. What could be easier than meeting a friend, careful to stay 6’ apart? Or sadder?

By Renate Aller,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Side Walk as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

In April 2020, when New York was in lockdown and the epicentre of the pandemic, Renate Aller created the project side walk. She hosted friends and neighbors on her sidewalk or visited them in their street, her camera in self timer mode, recording these masked encounters at a safe 6 feet distance. With voices muted by masks we learn to communicate with our eyes and body language, finding our bearings in a new emotional landscape. These sidewalk visits created a deep sense of community where community had been forced apart. This project is in the spirit of Rainer Maria Rilke:…


Book cover of What Every Body is Saying: An Ex-FBI Agent's Guide to Speed-Reading People

Roy Mapleton Author Of Acing Your Job Search: Strategies to Succeed Where Other Job Seekers Fail

From my list on skyrocketing your career and your life.

Why am I passionate about this?

As a coach and mentor, I am passionate about empowering people to be the best version of themselves. My recommendations are carefully thought out to achieve this. Success in your job search and interviewing involves perfecting multiple skills – marketing, soft skills, body language, networking, and many more. I have a Master’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering from Wayne State University in Detroit. I teach body language to job seekers and hiring managers to improve their work culture and hire the right talent. I am a recurring guest speaker at the University of Guelph and several career colleges, and I mentor at-risk youth to stay in school. 

Roy's book list on skyrocketing your career and your life

Roy Mapleton Why did Roy love this book?

One of the reasons I was unsuccessful in my job search was my lack of ability to read people.

I struggled to the point of desperation. I was fascinated by body language and nonverbal communication since my childhood. This book triggered my interest in studying and training seriously.

Slowly, I got to the point where I was able to teach body language interpretation to hiring managers and job seekers. This book was exactly what I needed at the time to navigate the job market and to succeed in the corporate world. 

Joe Navarro worked as an expert in counterintelligence and counterterrorism at the FBI. He is one of the world’s leading experts in nonverbal communication. This book is the best resource to help you navigate your professional and personal life. 

By Joe Navarro, Marvin Karlins,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked What Every Body is Saying as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

What you say is often far less important than how you say it. One of the harbingers of success is understanding how nonverbal cues such as body language, dress, and demeanor affect how you are perceived and understood. In this book Navarro, one of the leaders in nonverbal behaviours, demonstrates how to modify your subconscious statements to your greatest advantage and also read what other people are 'saying' nonverbally. These skills will increase your ability to accurately assess moods, decode behaviors, anticipate problems, avoid hidden pitfalls, influence negotiations, and understand the secret motivations of those around you.


Book cover of Master Lists for Writers: Thesauruses, Plots, Character Traits, Names, and More

Cara Bristol Author Of Naughty Words for Nice Writers: A Romance Novel Thesaurus

From my list on reference and writing for romance authors.

Why am I passionate about this?

After writing more than sixty romance novels, I can sometimes find myself at a loss for words, unable to think of the right word or find myself using the same ones. Having a good thesaurus is invaluable. I use my own thesaurus, Naughty Words for Nice Writers, all the time. I wrote it as a survival guide—it was the book I needed that didn’t exist when I started writing romance. Besides Naughty Words, the thesauri/reference books I’m recommending are tools I couldn’t live without. 

Cara's book list on reference and writing for romance authors

Cara Bristol Why did Cara love this book?

Think of Master Lists for Writers as a collection of mini thesauri on topics of interest to writers including plot twists, settings, body language, character names, action scene words, funny plots, workplace plots, character quirks, and much more.

Many of the subjects could merit a book in and of themselves, so rather than an exhaustive list of words, Master Lists provides a high-level summary of the most common terms in each category. Often, that’s enough. I sometimes use this book for inspiration. 

By Bryn Donovan,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Master Lists for Writers as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Write faster...write more! Master Lists for Writers makes “show, don’t tell” a lot easier and helps you figure out your story more quickly. In this book, you’ll find: • lists of phrases for describing facial expressions, body language, gestures, physical appearance, and emotions • 175 master plot ideas, including romance, high-stakes, family, and workplace stories • lists of words for writing action scenes and love scenes • inspiration for figuring out character traits and quirks, backstories, occupations, motivations, and goals • lists for describing settings and writing dialogue • lists of good character names for contemporary stories...plus medieval England, Regency…


Book cover of How To Speak Dog: Mastering the Art of Dog-Human Communication

Deborah Taylor-French Author Of Red Sky at Night: Dog Leader Mysteries

From my list on dogs and canine behavior.

Why am I passionate about this?

When I’m not out rescuing lost dogs or walking our dog, Beau, in the hills of Sonoma County, I’m reading, writing, blogging, or offering writers' support. Our family started when we took in a baby for foster care, then a year later, after great effort, prayer, and help, we completed her adoption. As for canines, we’ve adopted four dogs, all from dogs returned to their breeders or an animal shelter. Three of our dogs happened to be only one year old when we took them in. I continue to research and edit my Dog Leader Mysteries blog. Twelve years blogging about saving dogs.

Deborah's book list on dogs and canine behavior

Deborah Taylor-French Why did Deborah love this book?

As a dog lover, I want to know what canine whines, squeaks, and whimpers mean. How to Speak Dog has confirmed and expanded my observations of dog communication.

I love these details on canine body language. If you want to understand your dog’s receptive language ability and productive language ability, read this book. I’m convinced that the Appendix alone is worth the price of this book and includes a Visual Glossary and Doggish Phrasebook.

By Stanley Coren,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked How To Speak Dog as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

From the man who explained why we love the doges we do, a lively guide to the languages, both verbal and physical, that help owners and pets alike get the most out of their cherished relationships. Communication is the crucial ingrediant in any relationship, especially when one of you happens to be a dog. Are you effectively expressing yourself to your hound? What about the other way around, are you catching his drift? Heady questions, to be sure. In HOW TO SPEAK DOG, renowned canine-psychology guru Stanley Coren provides all dog owners with a complete set of tools and skills…