As we near the time of the year where many people are shopping for gifts, I wanted to compose a list of recommended books on the topics of mental health, psychology, true crime, and criminal justice. If you have any questions about any of these, please feel free to contact me! Some have also been featured in prior blog or podcasts of mine. Next to each book, I'll include a brief insight as to the book's content area in brackets. I didn't want to include books that I own but have not read yet, even if they are by the same author. I encourage you to utilize your local library to check out the books if you are not sure about buying it, as well as used book sites online, or your local bookstores/libraries.
Mental Health
In the Realm of Hungry Ghosts by Dr. Gabor Mate [the biological and psychological bases for addiction, war on drugs]
The Boy Who was Raised as a Dog by Dr. Bruce Perry [childhood trauma, stories of specific cases]
The Deepest Well by Dr. Nadine Burke Harris [childhood trauma, adverse childhood experiences, impacts on health]
Cracked, Not Broken by Kevin Hines [first-hand account of someone who has survived suicide attempts, and the ongoing challenges of living with a mental illness]
Blackout Girl by Jennifer Storm [first-hand account of someone who has faced trauma and addiction]
God, If You're Not Up There... By Darrell Hammond [first-hand account of a former SNL star with mental illness, addiction, and trauma history]
Weekends at Bellevue by Dr. Julie Holland [first-hand account of stories from a psychiatrists work in an emergency care facility for mental illness]
Lost Connections by Johann Hari [discussion about depression and the root causes, written by journalist and person with lived experiences]
Free Refills by Peter Grinspoon [first-hand account of a doctor who misprescribed medications & has challenges with addiction]
Creating Sanctuary by Sandra Bloom [discussion on the challenges facing those professionals working in the mental health field
Psychology
Think Again by Dr. Adam Grant [mental flexibility and changing how we think and how to change the thinking of others]
Originals by Dr. Adam Grant [creativity]
Permission to Feel by Dr. Marc Brackett [emotional well-being]
Some we love, some we hate, some we eat by Hal Hertzog [psychology of our relationships with food/animals]
The Psychopath Inside by James Fallon, M.D. [dives into the topic of psychopathy and what it really looks like]
True Crime/Criminal Justice
Murder and Misunderstanding by Shubi S. [first-hand account of someone with mental illness and criminal justice involvement]
To Protect and Serve by Norm Stamper [former officer discusses the practices of policing in America]
Bad Medicine by Charlotte Bismuth [former prosecutor discusses the opioid crisis and a case involving a doctor in NYC]
Dopesick by Beth Macy [discussion of the history of the opioid epidemic in the US]
Methland by Nick Reding [discussion of how meth has and is affecting towns across the US with a focus on one small town]
All Alone in the World by Nell Bernstein [dives into the justice system and how youth who have family who are incarcerated navigate the system]
Journey to the Center of the Mind (Series) by James Fitzgerald [stories from a former FBI special agent on his path to being a special agent, the cases he handled, the schooling, training, etc.]
The Rising by Ryan D'Agostino [personal story about losing family to a crime]
American Fire by Monica Hesse [story about arson cases involving a couple]