The most recommended books on the subconscious

Who picked these books? Meet our 29 experts.

29 authors created a book list connected to subconscious, and here are their favorite subconscious books.
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Book cover of The Hidden Brain: How Our Unconscious Minds Elect Presidents, Control Markets, Wage Wars, and Save Our Lives

Jenny Grant Rankin Author Of Increasing the Impact of Your Research: A Practical Guide to Sharing Your Findings and Widening Your Reach

From my list on getting people to accept facts.

Why am I passionate about this?

Though my two doctorates and experience landed me in the arenas of education and data-sharing, I soon realized that merely sharing information was not the way to get people to embrace fact. My books and speaking (I’ve lectured at Cambridge, Columbia, Oxford, Comic-Con, etc.) now focus on how to persuade people to absorb, remember, care about, and act on new information. I teach everyone from scientists to parents about how to share information in ways that get around people’s mental blockades. I’m also a Mensan and Fulbright Specialist who writes for Psychology Today and was honored by the White House.

Jenny's book list on getting people to accept facts

Jenny Grant Rankin Why did Jenny love this book?

I first fell in love with Vedantam’s way of weaving storytelling with research via his podcast Hidden Brain. When I found out he had written a book I was thrilled, and his written account of our unconscious minds did not disappoint. Vedantam doesn’t shy away from anything (terrorism, capital punishment, race, gender, politics…) in tackling why our reasons for thinking things are not what we believe them to be. He helps us understand the power (for good or for bad) of our “hidden brains” in a way you will never forget.

By Shankar Vedantam,

Why should I read it?

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

What is this book about?

The hidden brain is the voice in our ear when we make the most important decisions in our lives—but we’re never aware of it. The hidden brain decides whom we fall in love with and whom we hate. It tells us to vote for the white candidate and convict the dark-skinned defendant, to hire the thin woman but pay her less than the man doing the same job. It can direct us to safety when disaster strikes and move us to extraordinary acts of altruism. But it can also be manipulated to turn an ordinary person into a suicide terrorist…


Book cover of The Elephant in the Brain: Hidden Motives in Everyday Life

Jason Brennan Author Of Democracy: A Guided Tour

From my list on democracy, its promises and perils.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’m a philosopher by training and professor of economics, ethics, and public policy at Georgetown University’s business school. My work often begins by noting that philosophy debates often take certain empirical claims for granted, claims which turn out to be false or mistaken. Once we realize this mistake, this clears the ground and helps us do better work. I focus on issues in immigration, resistance to state injustice, taboo markets, theories of ideal justice, and democratic theory. I’m also a native New Englander now living near DC, a husband and father, and the guitarist and vocalist in a 70s-80s hard rock cover band.

Jason's book list on democracy, its promises and perils

Jason Brennan Why did Jason love this book?

This is perhaps the best, most illuminating book on human nature ever written. You’ll walk away having a better understanding of people behave as they do, and why so many institutions and behaviors fail to achieve their stated goals. 

Simler and Hanson’s main thesis is that we are designed, by evolution, to act upon hidden selfish motives. We all benefit from general cooperation, but as individuals, we each benefit if others are cooperative, while we skirt the rules a bit and act selfishly. But we face two problems. One is that this works only if we don’t get caught.

The second is that other people have evolved to be good at reading our minds and assessing our intentions, especially over repeated interactions. Evolution’s solution, Simler and Hanson argue, is that in our conscious minds, we earnestly and sincerely believe we act on noble motives, while we subconsciously pursue status, power,…

By Kevin Simler, Robin Hanson,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Elephant in the Brain as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Human beings are primates, and primates are political animals. Our brains, therefore, are designed not just to hunt and gather, but also to help us get ahead socially, often via deception and self-deception. But while we may be self-interested schemers, we benefit by pretending otherwise. The less we know about our own ugly motives, the better - and thus we don't like to talk or even think about the extent of our selfishness. This is "the elephant in the brain." Such
an introspective taboo makes it hard for us to think clearly about our nature and the explanations for our…


Book cover of Resilience from the Heart: The Power to Thrive in Life's Extremes

Nancy Reyner Author Of Create Perfect Paintings: An Artist's Guide to Visual Thinking

From my list on for painters to stay creative.

Why am I passionate about this?

When I was nine years old, I saved enough allowance money to buy a big box of oil pastels. I was mesmerized by its amazing display of gorgeous colors. Never could figure out why my girlfriends played with dolls when it was more exciting to paint. It wasn’t until high school, and time to apply to colleges that I made the decision to go to art school. Another key moment for me was after graduating from art school and landing in New York City. It was then that I made a brave decision to never waitress again, and instead do whatever it takes to stay in the arts. 

Nancy's book list on for painters to stay creative

Nancy Reyner Why did Nancy love this book?

While this book is not written for artists or even about art, I found it very helpful for me as a painter. To achieve the best for my paintings, I realize I need to trust my intuition over intellect. If I get too intellectual about any of my ideas for a painting, the end result is not as fulfilling if instead, I follow my intuition or inner voice. Braden goes into depth in this book about having two sources of intelligence – the brain and the heart. I like his take on this which can also be thought of as right and left brain or intellect vs intuition. By thinking about Braden's ideas on our powerful heart-brain connection, I am able to tap into deeper modalities on what it is that I am painting about. Very interesting read that sticks with you for a long time and easily becomes a…

By Gregg Braden,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Resilience from the Heart as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

We solve our problems based upon the way we think of ourselves and the world. From peak energy and peak debt to failing economies and the realities of climate change, everyday life is showing us where we've outgrown the thinking of the past. It's also showing us where big changes in the world mean big changes in our lives. Through dramatic shifts in our jobs, our relationship to money, our health, and even our homes, it's clear that our lives are changing in ways we've never seen, to a degree that we're not prepared for, and at speeds that we've…


Book cover of Before You Know It: The Unconscious Reasons We Do What We Do

Robert A. Prentice Author Of Behavioral Ethics in Practice: Why We Sometimes Make the Wrong Decisions

From my list on ethics explaining why good people do bad things.

Why am I passionate about this?

It might be a stretch to call me an expert in ethics, but I have taught ethics for more than 30 years and I’ve read deeply in the field of behavioral ethics. I'm proud of the work I’ve done with the Ethics Unwrapped video project, though most of the credit goes to filmmakers Cara Biasucci (co-author of Behavioral Ethics in Practice: Why We Sometimes Make the Wrong Decisions) and Lazaro Hernandez (producer of Ethics Unwrapped). My passion for this topic is driven largely by the fact that I want my two daughters to live in a world where most people are trying to do the right thing most of the time. 

Robert's book list on ethics explaining why good people do bad things

Robert A. Prentice Why did Robert love this book?

Yale professor John Bargh is a wonderful writer and a great storyteller.

We all know that our minds operate at both a conscious and an unconscious level, but not until I read this book did I realize how much happens at the unconscious level and that this helps explain everything from how getting a flu shot affects our attitudes toward immigration to how having power can induce us to try to unfairly advantage people we perceive to be like us at the expense of “out-group” members. 

By John Bargh,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked Before You Know It as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

'John Bargh's Before You Know It moves our understanding of the mysteries of human behaviour one giant step forward. A brilliant and convincing book.' - Malcolm Gladwell, author of Blink and David and Goliath

How much of what we say, feel and do is under our conscious control? How much is not? And most crucial of all: if we understood how our unconscious worked - if we knew why we do what we do - could we finally, fundamentally, know ourselves?

From checking a dating app to holding a cup of coffee or choosing who to vote for, our unconscious…


Book cover of How to Use the Laws of Mind

Christopher A. Pinckley Author Of State of Mind 2.0: 11 Lessons of the Most Productive People on the Planet

From my list on leveling up spiritual entrepreneurs & artists.

Why am I passionate about this?

After decades of trial and error, reading hundreds of books and applying the lessons I learned, practicing thousands of hours of meditation & emotional integration work, landing in jail multiple times, battling 20 years of chronic fatigue, surviving a prolonged life/death illness, losing everything, becoming homeless, and rebuilding myself anew, I’ve seen a few things. When I emerged from the abyss, and without my conscious awareness of the fact, I had become transformed. I had become who I’d been seeking all along. Now I hold the space for my clients to express themselves unconditionally, access their deeply held suppressed emotional charges, and shatter the beliefs that keep them tethered to an outdated reality that is fast becoming obsolete in the New Earth.

Christopher's book list on leveling up spiritual entrepreneurs & artists

Christopher A. Pinckley Why did Christopher love this book?

The first, biggest breakthrough I had in life with business, money, and creating what I wanted came when I began reading Dr. Joseph Murphy. I started with his first book The Power of Your Subconscious Mind but my favorite is How to Use the Laws of Mind. Dr. Murphy explains how it became his life mission to interpret the metaphors and hidden messages within the bible into real-life methods on how to harness your own subconscious mind to create the life that you deserve. When I began utilizing affirmations it changed my life.

At the time I was a struggling personal trainer trying to figure out how to get clients in an area swarming with hundreds of other trainers trying to do the exact same thing. When I began utilizing the affirmations in his books it changed everything. Overnight, I booked out solid and became successful. If you want…

By Joseph Murphy,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked How to Use the Laws of Mind as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

This is one of Dr. Murphy’s best books, on a par with his classic The Power of your Subconscious Mind.<.I> It explains the difference between the conscious and subconscious mind, and how the two work together to create the reality of the individual.

As in Murphy’s other books, examples are given of how people overcame problems or manifested their desires by changing their minds through belief, affirmation, and visualization. The chapters deal with: HEALING PRAYER BECOMING SPIRITUAL-MINDED THE CREATIVITY OF THOUGHT THE MEANING OF EVIL THE MEANING OF LIFE CONTROLLING ONE’S FEAR THE POWER OF SUGGESTION MARRIAGE, SEX, AND DIVORCEIn…


Book cover of Reframe Your Brain: The User Interface for Happiness and Success

Bo Yoder Author Of Optimize Your Trading Edge: Increase Profits, Reduce Draw-Downs, and Eliminate Leaks in Your Trading Strategy

From Bo's 3 favorite reads in 2023.

Why am I passionate about this?

Author Trader Truth-seeker Mentor Neuroscientist Polymath

Bo's 3 favorite reads in 2023

Plus, Bo's 3-year-old's favorite books.

Bo Yoder Why did Bo love this book?

I really enjoy Adam’s take on the art of communication, success engineering, and persuasion, and I was most interested in how he re-engineered the concept of affirmations into a much more brain-changing ‘re-frame” protocol.

I have used specialized breath work stacks within my Myalolipsis Technique to shut down the brain’s Default Mode Network so that the subconscious mind can be re-programmed to eliminate self-sabotaging or limiting behaviors. However, this takes time and is a 1 on 1 process.

With this book, Adams has created a “one to many” process that I suspect will have a big impact on those who read it. It’s my favorite book this year because it sparks an entirely new area for me to research and develop within my Myalolipsis Technique toolbox.

Book cover of Deep Clearing: Balance Your Emotions, Let Go Of Inner and Outer Negativity, Shift To Higher Consciousness: A Radical Inner Process

Finnian Kelly Author Of Intentionality: A Groundbreaking Guide to Breath, Consciousness, and Radical Self-Transformation

From my list on living life with intentionality.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’m the founder of Intentionality Inc., a speaker and high-performance coach, and a master breathwork facilitator. I help world-changing leaders implement the Intentionality® methodology to find new levels of fulfillment and growth in their creative endeavors, relationships, and overall well-being. I have been dubbed "the Business Mystic'' because of my unique ability to awaken consciousness in business and inspire CEOs and leadership teams to have a more expansive human experience. I love books that emphasize ancient wisdom but also have practical applications for modern-day living and weave the universal aspects of spirituality into personal development. I hope these books are as thought-provoking to you as they were to me!

Finnian's book list on living life with intentionality

Finnian Kelly Why did Finnian love this book?

I thoroughly enjoyed this book because it shifted my outlook with actionable tools that helped me in my healing journey and self-perception. Applying the spiritual principles of awareness, acceptance, direct experience, and witnessing that Ruskan outlines helped me ‘do the work’ without the fight or flight mechanism that can sometimes hijack us when facing pain or discomfort.

This author has really outlined the purpose of our emotions and how to relate to them as an energy.

By John Ruskan,

Why should I read it?

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

What is this book about?

THERAPIST RECOMMENDED! Learn a superb holistic self-therapy process for complete inner healing. Release painful feelings and destructive NEGATIVE EMOTIONS. Clear depression, anxiety, trauma, and emotionally-based physical health issues. Make yourself impervious to outside negative forces by clearing inner negativity. Open your heart and start to genuinely love yourself.
Drawing upon his 25 years as a holistic psychotherapist, John Ruskan presents a brilliant self-therapy system for complete inner healing and well-being. Based on a unique synthesis of Eastern meditation-mindfulness principles and Western humanistic psychological insights, the DEEP CLEARING program will empower you with a feeling-based, holistic, inner process that will clear…


Book cover of Dynamics of the Unconscious

Noel Eastwood Author Of Psychological Astrology And The Twelve Houses

From my list on for learning psychological astrology.

Why am I passionate about this?

I've had a deep passion for the esoteric world since childhood. I read books on everything to do with ghosts, magic, and astral travel, and began drawing up astrology charts from books I had borrowed from the library as a teenager. I studied astrology back in the mid-1980s when the new age was in full swing. Ten years later I went back to university and studied to become a psychologist. I am a firm believer that an understanding of personality through depth psychotherapy, and the hidden wisdom found in alternative schools of knowledge, can enhance one’s personal and spiritual growth in the difficult times we face today.

Noel's book list on for learning psychological astrology

Noel Eastwood Why did Noel love this book?

Liz Greene and Howard Sasportas are brilliant at uncovering the very nuts and bolts that form our personalities. Your unconscious urges, drives, and instincts are clearly shown in the astrology chart through the planets, their signs, and house placement. Understanding these foundational aspects of the chart gives you an enormous advantage when doing readings for your clients, your friends, family, and particularly for yourself.

By Liz Greene, Howard Sasportas,

Why should I read it?

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

What is this book about?

Combining the symbolism of astrology with that of psychology, the authors show you how to understand depression, the quest for the sublime, the astrology and psychology of aggression, and alchemical symbolism for tracking life changes. Charts. Reading list.


Book cover of Black Boy, Black Boy

Artika Tyner Author Of Justice Makes a Difference: The Story of Miss Freedom Fighter, Esquire

From my list on children celebrating diversity.

Why am I passionate about this?

The library has always been my favorite place to visit. As a child, I would travel the world through books. I learned about different cultures and studied other languages. Through these experiences, I gained a deep appreciation for cultures around the world. I also learned an important lesson that inclusion is the thread that weaves together a rich multicultural tapestry. Fast forward to today, I share these lessons through my work as an author, leadership scholar, and law professor. My booklist reflects a celebration of diverse cultures, introduces learning tools for becoming an inclusive leader, and provides an invitation to join me in taking intentional action for justice and equity.  

Artika's book list on children celebrating diversity

Artika Tyner Why did Artika love this book?

It introduced children from all backgrounds to the possibility of what they can become.

It challenges the limitation of stereotypes and biases. It is a reminder that you can be not just who you want to be, but also fulfill the destiny of who you ought to be. 

By Crown Shepherd, Mychal Baston (illustrator),

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Black Boy, Black Boy as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 7, 8, 9, and 10.

What is this book about?

Black Boy, Black Boy, what do you see?

I see a bright future ahead of me!

A melodic mantra with a powerful message: Black boys can be a doctor, a judge, the president . . . anything they want to be!

Each page depicts a boy looking into the future, seeing his grown-up self, and admiring the greatness reflected back at him. This book is created to teach Black boys there are no barriers--if you can dream it, you can be it!

This book is for Black boys so they see themselves as the heroes of the story.

This book…


Book cover of Success Through Manipulation: Subconscious Reactions That Will Make Or Break You

Sandy Graham Author Of You Speak For Me Now

From my list on to influence human society.

Why am I passionate about this?

Over the past decade, I’ve become very concerned with the direction authoritarianism is taking human society. It’s a global problem that now infects America, leaving us with a partisan divide we may not be able to bridge. My recommended books helped me understand the situation and how one might speak out against this negative force effectively. Convinced that bombarding readers with facts alone is useless, I chose to provide a novel that is interesting and captivates readers. My goal is to entice readers to press on to the end regardless of their political persuasion, in hopes that along the way some thought will be devoted to the issues raised.

Sandy's book list on to influence human society

Sandy Graham Why did Sandy love this book?

Our future is determined by us, and our actions are determined by our thought processes. In other words, the future of human society can be influenced by manipulating group thought. Colin applies years of training and experience as a hypnotist to give us a view of how the human brain functions and how it can be manipulated.

He views it as two computing systems. A subconscious mind performing 40 million tasks/second deals only in the present, ignoring abstract things like “yesterday,” “don’t,” etc. The second conscious mind uses 40 tasks/second to control and program the first. It doesn’t exist in babies and develops during childhood. How that growth is managed determines its adult thought process and ultimately group thought. Colin provides insights on how it can be manipulated for good or bad results.

By Colin Christopher, Chris Simon (illustrator),

Why should I read it?

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

What is this book about?

MANIPULATIONGet it, before it gets you! Do you realize you are being manipulated, or are you oblivious? Do you know who or what is manipulating you? Can you identify the manipulation? If you can identify it, can you do anything about it? How is manipulation affecting you? Can you change these effects? Can you use them to your advantage?Success through Manipulation delves deeply into how you think and how your mind reacts to your environment, friends, family, work, and much more.Learn how to stop reacting, become consciously aware and take control of your mind. Manipulate your thinking and become more…


Book cover of The Hidden Brain: How Our Unconscious Minds Elect Presidents, Control Markets, Wage Wars, and Save Our Lives
Book cover of The Elephant in the Brain: Hidden Motives in Everyday Life
Book cover of Resilience from the Heart: The Power to Thrive in Life's Extremes

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