Must-read books for an aspiring psychologist?

[billymays]

I want to nurture my interest in psychology, so I can commit and continue through my Bachelor's and ultimately attend graduate school. I am attending a community college right now, so I have plenty of time to get more and more interested in this field. My interest for psychology has already been sparked; now I just want to set it ablaze.

Can anyone recommend some reading material that will get me absolutely hooked? I could also narrow down areas that really really get me excited. For example, I love psychodynamics. Should I look for books written by Jung and Freud? Or should I try to find literature that might be more generalized (easier to understand) but watered-down? Remember that I am very new to psychology. What are must have books for a newbie? What about online resources? PsychCentral seems to be pretty good. I just want to get the ball rolling while I'm at community college.

Thanks

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[paramour]

You should search the PhD forum. There used to be a book recommendation list and there are usually more than a few threads where people are asking for material on x, y, or z topics.

Link: http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=293985

 

[billymays]

Thanks!

 

[bjl12]

Eckhart Tolle (Author) is a goodie. He has a very interesting philosophy regarding mental conditions/illness and, using his philosophy, makes complete sense.

 

[JustNoticing]

Eckhart Tolle (Author) is a goodie. He has a very interesting philosophy regarding mental conditions/illness and, using his philosophy, makes complete sense.

I didn't love it, but his book "the power of now" (or something like that) teaches mindfulness techniques that are very popular in many therapeutic treatments. I'm not sure what else he has written.

I highly recommend On Becoming a Person by Carl Rogers

Freud and Beyond: A History of Modern Psychoanalytic Thought by Mitchell and Black gives a very good brief history of some analytic thinkers that may give you some directions on what you may want to read next.

 

[paramour]

Yalom's The Schopenhauer Cure and The Gift of Therapy were good, quick reads.

 

[drscholls]

Man's search for meaning by Victor Frankl.