The best personality books to read come in a variety of topics and subtopics within the study of personality. In this list, you’ll find a book for every subfield, interest, and fascination you might have in personality science. From the Enneagram to Myers-Briggs, from personality development to personality disorders, there’s someone for everyone interested in learning more about personality. so get your tbr ready to add some of the best books for personality.
This list is organized into seven categories. you can jump to what you’re looking for or just scroll.
You are reading: Books on personality types and relationships
live your best life with your personality
the enneagram
myers-briggs personality types
other personality models
the psychology of personality
personality development
personality disorders
live your best life with your personality
The best personality books in this section are about living and thriving with your personality.
the haulwen nicholas personality test book
There’s nothing more fun than taking personality quizzes, whether it’s myers-briggs or something more fun, like a quiz you’ll take in a magazine or on buzzfeed. we have an irresistible desire to answer a few questions and learn a deep truth about ourselves, even if it’s just “what breed of dog are you?”. If you love personality tests, be sure to read Haulwen Nicholas’s book of personality tests. This fun book includes 25 easy-to-score quizzes that help explain who you really are. some of the tests include “what is your type of communication?” and “what kind of rule breaker are you?” and “what is your type of stress?”. If you love taking quizzes, this low-stress, high-fun book will keep you engaged on a journey of self-discovery. in no time, you will have read one of the best books for personality.
how to read it: buy the personality test book on amazon
do what you are by paul d. tieger, barbara barron, and kelly tieger
This helpful book promises to help you discover your perfect career based on your personality type. If you feel stuck in your current job and want it to be a better fit for you, or find yourself in a situation where you have the option to reimagine what your career could look like, this book is for you. The opening section of the book helps you find your personality using a Myers-Briggs test. then do what you’re looking for with a few more personality quizzes, like the four different temperaments. Finally, the book looks at each Myers-Briggs personality in detail, exploring which careers are good and bad. to find a way to quickly harness the power of personality, whatever you do gets you on the right path.
how to read it: shop do what you are on amazon
the introvert advantage in networking by matthew owen pollard
If you’re an introvert like me, the very thought of networking makes you want to walk into a cave and never come out. True, networking seems to be a natural talent that only extroverts are born with. On the verge of introvert to networking, Matthew Pollard argues a different side of the story; For Pollard, introverts can not only tolerate networking, they can also survive and thrive in networking situations. he wishes this introvert empowerment book had appeared when he was younger. still, the wisdom imparted here is useful no matter where you are in your career.
how to read it: buy the introvert advantage for networking
personality is not permanent by benjamin hardy
in personality is not permanent, therapist benjamin hardy shatters everything we thought was true: that personalities are fixed forever, that you can’t evolve or change your personality type. Instead, Hardy argues that personality types can be fluid, dismissing conventional models of personality like Myers-Briggs and the Enneagram and showing how they can be more destructive than good. Hardy’s book seeks to help him rewrite his own life story, identify his life purpose, and overcome the trauma that has defined his personality and his life to date. this provocative book has a message worth listening to.
how to read it: buying personality is not permanent at amazon
silence for susan caine
Perhaps the most influential personality book of the past two decades is Susan Cain’s Tranquility: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking. one of the best books on personality, quiet and radically reformulated introversion, which helps us understand that introversion also has its power, just like extroverts. Before stillness, introversion was seen as a setback or something to be overcome. Instead, Cain quietly celebrates the gifts, abilities, and powers that introverts possess, including a deep dive into why introverts are needed more than ever. reassurance is a crucial and necessary entry in the best personality books on introverts.
how to read it: buy peace of mind on amazon
the enneagram
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The Enneagram Personality Types are of interest to anyone who wishes to understand personality. These best personality books are a must for learning the enneagram model.
the simplified enneagram by renee baron and elizabeth wagele
The enneagram, an ancient method of brainstorming nine different personalities, can be complex and mysterious. It may seem overwhelming to sort through all the information about the Enneagram Personality Types, but in The Enneagram the test was made easy, and its wisdom is distilled into fun, humorous, easy-to-understand language so you can get past the boring rules and get it right. How will it impact your life? There are many books on the Enneagram, but this is the one I highly recommend for beginners or those who need a solid introduction to the Enneagram.
how to read it: buy the enneagram easily on amazon
the enneagram guide to awakening by beatrice castano and uranium paes
I love the no-nonsense feel of this book. Using his enneagram personality type, the authors help you find direction in his life when his compass is turning. If you feel lost or adrift, this book will help you harness the best of your Enneagram type to right the ship and push you back in the right direction. in this book, each type has a “path”, for example: the path of type 1 is “the path from anger to serenity”. you’ll gain a better understanding of your strengths, weaknesses, and your core personal journey.
how to read it: buy the enneagram guide to awakening on amazon
ashton whitmoyer-ober’s enneagram for relationships
If you know your enneagram type, you can discover the optimal conditions for your relationships with family, friends, colleagues, and lovers. In The Enneagram For Relationships, you’ll learn how to capitalize on the strengths and push the limits of your enneagram type in your interactions and relationships with others, which makes this book worthy of a place on any list of the best books on personality types. and relationships.
how to read it: buy the enneagram for relationships on amazon
the way back to you by ian morgan cron and suzanne stabile
On the way back to you, the authors help you find your way to self-discovery using the enneagram model. To be clear: the authors are Christians, and spirituality plays an important role in this book. but I think its insights into the nine enneagram types and their strengths, weaknesses, and potential paths to self-discovery make it a good read for everyone.
how to read it: buy your way back to you on amazon
myers-briggs personality types
some of the best books on personality deal with the hugely influential myers-briggs personality indicator, the mbti. In this section, we’ll look at different books on personality types.
different gifts: understanding personality type by isabel briggs myers with peter b. myers
Co-authored with Isabel Briggs Myers (yes, one half of the famous Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI)), this book has sold hundreds of thousands of copies and is still going strong even now. why? because the wisdom in the different gifts offers essential truths about how understanding our personality can help us better navigate the waters of life. no book will offer you a better guide to the mbti than the gifts that differ. Organized by the effects of preferences on personality, the book also explores the practical implication of type and the dynamics of type development. gifts that differ could be seen as the unofficial companion to the mbti test and is definitely one of the best personality books.
how to read it: buy different gifts on amazon
my true type by a.j. soaked
What sets this book on the myers-briggs model of personality apart is its in-depth look at people who span more than one type, like if you were a jfp. dr aj my true type by drenth will help readers find the full truth of their personality when their type is not as straightforward as the original 16 options. drenth includes a so-called “type clarifier evaluation” to dig deeper and help you find your true type. part 1 clarifies your personality preferences while part 2 clarifies your roles. This book is for anyone who has ever felt that their MBTI type does not exactly describe their unique personality. this book picks up where mbti leaves off, making it one of the best books on personality.
how to read it: buy my true type on amazon
the personality runners by merve emre
In this book, Merve Emre exposes the murky history of the Myers-Briggs indicator. emre explores the dynamic between the mother-daughter team at the heart of the assessment, then traces its remarkable rise to become the standard personality test. emre discusses the test, which helps power the $2 billion dollar psychometric testing industry even though its actual merits are debatable. If you are looking for more information on the history and background of the MBTI, this is the book for you.
how to read it: shop personality brokers on amazon
hacker personality of joel mark witt and antonia dodge
The co-hosts of the “Personality Hacker” podcast, the authors have demystified the 16 MBTI types in this book adaptation of the hit show and accompanying website. This book includes an in-depth personality quiz, journaling prompts, a full explanation of the MBTI, chapters dedicated to each type, techniques for personal growth, a breakdown of cognitive functions, and insights into your personality and how it manifests in your lives. relationships and your career. in other words, a way to “hack” your personality with all its strengths, weaknesses, and tendencies.
how to read it: buy personality hacker on amazon
please understand me ii by david keirsey
david keirsey published please understand me an explanation of 16 mbti types, 1978, a bestselling book that sold nearly 2 million copies. That book has since gone out of print, but Keirsey’s work is still published today through the sequel to the book Please Understand Me II, which deals with temperament, character, and intelligence traits for each of the 16 types of mbti. Kerisey breaks each of the types into four categories: “craftsmen,” “guardians,” “idealists,” and “rationals,” and then illuminates how mbti types impact courtship and romance, how they come into play in parenting children and how they affect leadership styles. At 350 pages, this book is one of the best personality books out there and a complete bonus read that really pulls out some unique meanings that will make you go beyond the basics of your type.
how to read it: buy please understand me ii on amazon
your secret self by barbara g. cox
If you need a quick guide to the myers-briggs personality test, choose barbara g. cox is your secret self. This bare essentials guide to the MBTI includes a full test and accompanying chapters explaining each type. You’ll be up to speed on the basics of mbti by the end of this short but sweet introduction to assessment with modern descriptions.
how to read it: buy your secret self on amazon
other personality models
the mbti and the enneagram are not the only methods to model personality types. In this section of the best personality books, we will learn about other personality tests and their corresponding analyses.
steven kessler’s 5 personality patterns
In this intriguing book on personality traits, Steven Kessler proposes a new way to test and explain personalities. Specifically, Kessler believes there are five main personality patterns when evaluating our motivations and behavior. Kessler describes five “survival” patterns: the exit pattern, the fusion pattern, the enduring pattern, the aggressive pattern, and the rigid pattern. The result is a unique insight into personality type that offers insight that goes beyond the boundaries of the MBTI, the Enneagram, and other popular personality tests.
how to read it: buy the 5 personality patterns on amazon
the four tendencies of gretchen rubin
Gretchen Rubin is best known for her book The Happiness Project, but here she branches out into personality psychology in this must-read on 4 personality type books. According to Rubin’s model, there are four “tendencies” that classify everyone. after taking a test to determine your bias, you’ll read all about your new type: there’s the “defender,” the “questioner,” the “compeller,” and the “rebel.” rubin offers not only an explanation for each type, but also a section on how to “deal” with someone of each profile, knowledge that we all need to survive in our interpersonal relationships. Among the best books on personality types, The Four Tendencies is a refreshingly modern book on personality traits.
how to read it: shop the four trends on amazon
the oxford handbook of the five factor model edited by thomas a. wider
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The five-factor model of personality contains “super traits” that help explain variations in personalities. You can learn more about the so-called “big five” model online here. But if you want to take a really deep dive and understand the theory behind and the application of this model, grab the Oxford Handbook of the Five Factor Model, which belongs in any ranking of the best books on personality types. This comprehensive guide to the Five-Factor Model reviews each factor (Ocean O: Openness to Experience, Conscientiousness, Extraversion, Agreeableness, and Neuroticism), discusses construct validity, and ends with applications for using the Five-Factor Model in the real world. Each chapter is packed with engaging essays by academics and psychologists, making this a good book to jump in and out of and one of the best books on personality.
how to read it: buy the oxford handbook of the five factor model on amazon
surrounded by idiots by thomas erikson
according to thomas erikson’s book on personality traits, there are four types of human behavior: red behavior, yellow behavior, green behavior, and blue behavior. the goal is to understand how to interact and communicate with each type of behavior. Erikson then goes further and offers his thoughts on managing group dynamics through different behaviors, ways to manage different behaviors, and how to overcome behavioral obstacles. We all know how interpersonal relationships at work can get problematic, so you’ll definitely want to read Surrounded by Idiots, one of those books about personality types and relationships.
how to read it: shopping surrounded by idiots on amazon
psychological types of carl jung
Psychiatrist Carl Jung had many psychological interests, including personality theory books. From symbolism (which we include here on the blog in our roundup of the best books on symbols and their meaning) to archetypes and everything in between, Jung published extensively on many topics, including the psychology of personality. In Psychological Types, Jung goes deeper into his analysis of introversion and extroversion as the two types, but Jung also explores the problem of “type,” that is, personality types, across time, religions, cultures, and other sources. , making it among the best psychology books on personality. this isn’t exactly a jung 101 book, the material is dense but rewarding to work through, but any serious student of personality psychology should read this, it’s definitely on any list of the best essential personality books.
how to read it: buy psychological types on amazon
dario nardi’s magic diamond
In The Magic Diamond, Dari Nardi adapts Carl Jung’s Eight Ways People Work for the modern world. According to Jung, we develop preferences or “cognitive processes” and their unique gifts. these tendencies have been organized into eight different types, including “active adapters,” “cautious protectors,” “excited thought-exchangers,” and more. Nardi offers guidance in finding your type and learning how to harness it for personal growth and personal development.
how to read it: buy the magic diamond on amazon
the psychology of personality
It’s fascinating to learn the ins and outs of personality testing, but sometimes you want to dig a little deeper into the cognitive and psychological basis of personality. In this set of the best personality books, you’ll find several books on personality psychology.
the cambridge handbook of personality psychology edited by philip j. corr and gerald matthews
The Cambridge Handbook of Personality Psychology is one of the must-read books on personality psychology. This is the definitive book on personality psychology, and it is designed like a textbook. That means you’ll get the latest and greatest cutting-edge research that brings you up to speed alongside psychologists in training. you will learn cognitive and motivational factors of personality and social and cultural considerations, among other things. With thoughtful contributions from a variety of practitioners, you’ll get the best of the best in personality psychology in this entry on the list of the best personality theory books.
how to read it: buy the cambridge handbook of personality psychology on amazon
personality psychology: domains of knowledge about human nature by randy j. Larson and David M. bus
For an accessible textbook on the psychology of personality, try Personality Psychology: Domains of Knowledge About Human Nature. A key entry on this list of the best books on personality psychology is good for both students and classroom psychologists. Its authors will guide you through the main research areas that scientists study in six domains, such as dispositional, cognitive/experimental, and adjustment, to name a few. If you are looking to increase your knowledge of psychology, this textbook will be a valuable tool to help you with that goal and one of the best key psychology books on personality.
how to read it: buy personality psychology on amazon
personality development
It’s fascinating to think about how our personalities developed. Have we always been introverts? Were we extroverted during childhood and then changed direction? and is the personality permanent? In this section of our list of the best books on personality, we search for books on the science of personality development with the best books on personality development.
the art and science of personality development by dan p. mcadams
If you are interested in books on personality development, see dan p. mcadams for a detailed introduction to the approach. This book has a unique structure organized by the development of three layers of personality: the social actor, the motivated agent, and the autobiographical author. mcadams walks you through how his personality develops throughout his life, such as the crucial change from age 5 to 7. mcadams’s comprehensive yet highly readable book tells him everything he needs to know about how our personalities emerge.
how to read it: shop the art and science of personality development on amazon
the development of personality by carl jung
Yes, this list of the best books on personality may include a second book by Carl Jung. because he is so influential, jung also deserves a place here. In Personality Development, one of the leading books on personality development, Jung explores the ways our personalities develop, with a strong focus on how parents, teachers, and other adults shape our personalities during childhood to good or bad. This critical and moving volume ranks atop psychology’s best books on personality. Jung argues that many of our emotional and cognitive disorders develop during our childhood as a result of unhealthy and unhelpful relationships with the adults in our lives. Although it was written many years ago, Personality Development is as relevant today as it was when it first came out and definitely belongs on any list of the best personality theory books.
how to read it: buy personality development on amazon
personality disorders
And finally we end this epic list of the best personality books with a look at personality disorders. We’ll hear how to manage personality disorders, take a closer look at sociopaths, and take a journey through the world of psychological personality disorders in these stellar books on personality disorders.
the borderline personality disorder survival guide by alex l. chapman and kim l. funny
As someone diagnosed with borderline personality disorder, I know there’s a lot of stigma surrounding the condition. For this list, I decided to include this book, the Borderline Personality Disorder Survival Guide, instead of books that stigmatize people with this complex, emotional, and painful disorder. this means treating the illness with compassion, which is the goal of this guide to surviving with borderline personality disorder. definitely among the best personality books, the borderline personality disorder survival guide.
how to read it: buy the borderline personality disorder survival guide on amazon
diagnosis and treatment manual of personality disorders dsm-5 by len sperry
Are you looking to delve into the diagnosis and treatment of personality disorders? Looking for the best books on personality disorders? enter this manual on the diagnosis and treatment of people with personality disorders. Updated with the latest DSM-5 diagnostic and treatment guidelines, this book is the quintessential comprehensive guide to understanding personality disorders and one of the best books on personality.
how to read it: buy dsm-5 personality disorders diagnosis and treatment manual on amazon
jon ronson’s psycho test
According to many diagnostic criteria, psychopathology is a personality disorder. One of my favorite books of all time, The Psychopath Test is an entertaining playthrough of the treatment and industry of psychopathology. On any given day, an incarcerated psychopath calls journalist Jon Ronson and asks him to investigate his case. And so, Ronson embarks on a sometimes hilarious, sometimes sobering journey into the world of psychopaths. this book is very readable and asks provocative questions about the ethics of treating and profiting from psychopaths.
how to read it: buy the psycho test on amazon
the sociopath next door by martha stout
sociopaths have their own personality disorder diagnosis, according to the dsm-5, which characterizes the condition as “antisocial personality disorder,” also known as “aspd.” At first it seems like this is a rare diagnosis, but in the sociopath next door, we learn that there are plenty of sociopaths hiding in plain sight. In fact, according to author Martha Stout, Ph.D, around 4% of the population are sociopaths. So how do you recognize and treat sociopaths? this book has everything you need to know about how to identify and interact with sociopaths.
how to read it: buy the sociopath next door on amazon
understanding personality disorders by duane l. dobert
Last but not least in this list of the best personality books, Understanding Personality Disorders is your one-stop book for learning about the diagnosis and treatment of major personality disorders. each personality disorder has its own chapter, which means you get an in-depth look at any personality you’re interested in learning more about. This basic guide to personality disorders should be on a shelf in your home library that contains the best books on personality disorders.
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