23 Books like Selfless

Social

by Matthew D. Lieberman • 2013

Your brain treats rejection like a broken bone. Connection is a biological need, not a luxury.

4.07

3k+

🧠 Social Neuroscience 🤝 Social Connection 🧬 Evolutionary Psychology

Social 96%

Your brain treats rejection like a broken bone. Connection is a biological need, not a luxury.

by Matthew D. Lieberman 2013

4.07

3k+ ratings

🧠 Social Neuroscience 🤝 Social Connection 🧬 Evolutionary Psychology

The Self Illusion

by Bruce M. Hood • 2011

Your brain constructs the story of a unified you. Memory, culture, and neurons are the ingredients.

3.84

2k+

🧩 The Constructed Self 🧠 Memory Unreliability 🪞 Social Identity

The Self Illusion 95%

Your brain constructs the story of a unified you. Memory, culture, and neurons are the ingredients.

by Bruce M. Hood 2011

3.84

2k+ ratings

🧩 The Constructed Self 🧠 Memory Unreliability 🪞 Social Identity

On Kindness

by Adam Phillips • 2009

How kindness went from virtue to embarrassment. A compact history of what self-interest cost us.

3.54

707

📖 Intellectual History 🛋️ Psychoanalytic Thought 🤝 Altruism And Empathy

On Kindness 95%

How kindness went from virtue to embarrassment. A compact history of what self-interest cost us.

by Adam Phillips 2009

3.54

707 ratings

📖 Intellectual History 🛋️ Psychoanalytic Thought 🤝 Altruism And Empathy

The War for Kindness

by Jamil Zaki • 2019

Empathy is not a fixed trait. It's a muscle, shaped by forces we can learn to control.

3.93

3k+

🧠 Social Psychology ❤️ Empathy Training 🚑 Compassion Fatigue

The War for Kindness 94%

Empathy is not a fixed trait. It's a muscle, shaped by forces we can learn to control.

by Jamil Zaki 2019

3.93

3k+ ratings

🧠 Social Psychology ❤️ Empathy Training 🚑 Compassion Fatigue

Mindwise

by Nicholas Epley • 2014

Your social brain constantly guesses what others think, and its errors are systematic and fixable.

3.76

3k+

🧠 Social Cognition 👥 Theory Of Mind 🔍 Cognitive Biases

Mindwise 94%

Your social brain constantly guesses what others think, and its errors are systematic and fixable.

by Nicholas Epley 2014

3.76

3k+ ratings

🧠 Social Cognition 👥 Theory Of Mind 🔍 Cognitive Biases

Mirroring People

by Marco Iacoboni • 2008

Why you flinch when someone else is struck: your brain rehearses everything it sees.

3.79

986

🧠 Social Neuroscience 💞 Empathy Science 👶 Social Learning

Mirroring People 94%

Why you flinch when someone else is struck: your brain rehearses everything it sees.

by Marco Iacoboni 2008

3.79

986 ratings

🧠 Social Neuroscience 💞 Empathy Science 👶 Social Learning

Braving the Wilderness

by Brené Brown • 2017

The more we sort into tribes, the lonelier we get. Belonging starts with standing alone.

4.12

121k+

🏠 Authentic Belonging 🗳️ Political Polarization 🪞 Self-Acceptance

Braving the Wilderness 94%

The more we sort into tribes, the lonelier we get. Belonging starts with standing alone.

by Brené Brown 2017

4.12

121k+ ratings

🏠 Authentic Belonging 🗳️ Political Polarization 🪞 Self-Acceptance

Together The Healing Power of Human Connection in a Sometimes Lonely World

by Vivek H. Murthy • 2020

Chronic loneliness shortens lives more than smoking, and the antidote is hiding in plain sight.

4.22

8k+

😔 Loneliness 🏥 Public Health 🧠 Emotional Intelligence

Together The Healing Power of Human Connection in a Sometimes Lonely World Summary

Together The Healing Power of Human Connection in a Sometimes Lonely World 94%

Chronic loneliness shortens lives more than smoking, and the antidote is hiding in plain sight.

by Vivek H. Murthy 2020

4.22

8k+ ratings

😔 Loneliness 🏥 Public Health 🧠 Emotional Intelligence

The Science of Evil

by Simon Baron-Cohen • 2011

Zero empathy produces both cruelty and extraordinary systems. The neuroscience behind the split.

3.77

7k+

🧠 Empathy Research 🧬 Social Neuroscience 👥 Theory Of Mind

The Science of Evil 94%

Zero empathy produces both cruelty and extraordinary systems. The neuroscience behind the split.

by Simon Baron-Cohen 2011

3.77

7k+ ratings

🧠 Empathy Research 🧬 Social Neuroscience 👥 Theory Of Mind

The Status Game

by Will Storr • 2021

Belonging and rank: the twin drives of human life. The hidden tournament behind every act.

4.11

3k+

🧠 Evolutionary Psychology 🏆 Status Seeking ⚖️ Social Comparison

The Status Game 94%

Belonging and rank: the twin drives of human life. The hidden tournament behind every act.

by Will Storr 2021

4.11

3k+ ratings

🧠 Evolutionary Psychology 🏆 Status Seeking ⚖️ Social Comparison

Hope for Cynics

by Jamil Zaki • 2024

Cynicism offers safety but brings depression, loneliness, and early death. The science of hope.

3.89

3k+

🔐 Social Trust 🔍 Skepticism 😔 Loneliness

Hope for Cynics 94%

Cynicism offers safety but brings depression, loneliness, and early death. The science of hope.

by Jamil Zaki 2024

3.89

3k+ ratings

🔐 Social Trust 🔍 Skepticism 😔 Loneliness

Selfie

by Will Storr • 2017

How centuries of individualism, guilt, and competition built a self that can never feel good enough.

3.91

4k+

🏛️ History Of The Self 🌍 Western Individualism 📉 Perfectionism Critique

Selfie 94%

How centuries of individualism, guilt, and competition built a self that can never feel good enough.

by Will Storr 2017

3.91

4k+ ratings

🏛️ History Of The Self 🌍 Western Individualism 📉 Perfectionism Critique

A Philosophy of Loneliness

by Lars Fredrik Händler Svendsen • 2015

Loneliness rivals smoking in damage, yet calling it an epidemic misses the point entirely.

3.69

2k+

💭 Philosophy Of Emotions 🧩 Existential Philosophy 👥 Sociology Of Loneliness

A Philosophy of Loneliness 94%

Loneliness rivals smoking in damage, yet calling it an epidemic misses the point entirely.

by Lars Fredrik Händler Svendsen 2015

3.69

2k+ ratings

💭 Philosophy Of Emotions 🧩 Existential Philosophy 👥 Sociology Of Loneliness

The Power of Strangers

by Joe Keohane • 2021

Talking to strangers terrifies us, yet reliably makes us happier. The research on why.

3.92

1k+

👋 Stranger Interactions 🤝 Social Connection 💬 Conversation Skills

The Power of Strangers 94%

Talking to strangers terrifies us, yet reliably makes us happier. The research on why.

by Joe Keohane 2021

3.92

1k+ ratings

👋 Stranger Interactions 🤝 Social Connection 💬 Conversation Skills

How To Find a Black Cat in a Dark Room

by Jacob Burak • 2013

The hidden rules of trust, rivalry, and happiness that your brain follows without your permission.

3.61

🧠 Behavioral Psychology 🔍 Cognitive Biases 👥 Social Psychology

How To Find a Black Cat in a Dark Room Summary

How To Find a Black Cat in a Dark Room 94%

The hidden rules of trust, rivalry, and happiness that your brain follows without your permission.

by Jacob Burak 2013

3.61

74 ratings

🧠 Behavioral Psychology 🔍 Cognitive Biases 👥 Social Psychology

Why Brains Need Friends

by Ben Rein • 2025

Your brain is built to connect, then sabotages every attempt. The neuroscience of fixing it.

3.95

502

🧠 Social Neuroscience 🦴 Evolutionary Psychology 🧩 Cognitive Biases

Why Brains Need Friends 94%

Your brain is built to connect, then sabotages every attempt. The neuroscience of fixing it.

by Ben Rein 2025

3.95

502 ratings

🧠 Social Neuroscience 🦴 Evolutionary Psychology 🧩 Cognitive Biases

Saving the Modern Soul

by Eva Illouz • 2008

Why therapy's language now runs the boardroom, the bedroom, and the self.

4.08

184

🏛️ Cultural Sociology 🛋️ Therapy Culture 📚 Self-Help Critique

Saving the Modern Soul 94%

Why therapy's language now runs the boardroom, the bedroom, and the self.

by Eva Illouz 2008

4.08

184 ratings

🏛️ Cultural Sociology 🛋️ Therapy Culture 📚 Self-Help Critique

Morality

by Jonathan Sacks • 2019

Loneliness rivals smoking. Broken politics. Amoral markets. All from one trade: community for self.

4.34

2k+

🔗 Social Capital 🫂 Loneliness Epidemic 🧍 Individualism Critique

Morality 94%

Loneliness rivals smoking. Broken politics. Amoral markets. All from one trade: community for self.

by Jonathan Sacks 2019

4.34

2k+ ratings

🔗 Social Capital 🫂 Loneliness Epidemic 🧍 Individualism Critique

The Social Paradox

by William Von Hippel • 2025

Autonomy is the sugar of modern life: everywhere, irresistible, and quietly ruining your well-being.

3.77

184

🧠 Evolutionary Psychology 🤝 Social Connection 😊 Happiness Studies

The Social Paradox 94%

Autonomy is the sugar of modern life: everywhere, irresistible, and quietly ruining your well-being.

by William Von Hippel 2025

3.77

184 ratings

🧠 Evolutionary Psychology 🤝 Social Connection 😊 Happiness Studies

The Ten Types of Human

by Dexter Dias • 2018

Your brain runs ten minds. One feels another's pain. One learns to enjoy causing it.

4.16

2k+

🧠 Evolutionary Psychology 🔬 Behavioral Science 🤝 Social Bonding

The Ten Types of Human 94%

Your brain runs ten minds. One feels another's pain. One learns to enjoy causing it.

by Dexter Dias 2018

4.16

2k+ ratings

🧠 Evolutionary Psychology 🔬 Behavioral Science 🤝 Social Bonding

How to Know a Person

by David Brooks • 2023

Make anyone feel genuinely known. It is a teachable skill, not a natural gift.

4.03

41k+

🧠 Social Intelligence 💬 Conversation Skills ❤️ Empathy

How to Know a Person 94%

Make anyone feel genuinely known. It is a teachable skill, not a natural gift.

by David Brooks 2023

4.03

41k+ ratings

🧠 Social Intelligence 💬 Conversation Skills ❤️ Empathy

The Psychology of Belonging

by Kelly-Ann Allen • 2020

Belonging is a survival need. Here are the skills biology wired your brain to crave.

3.82

🧩 Belonging Research 🏫 School Belonging 🚫 Ostracism And Rejection

The Psychology of Belonging 93%

Belonging is a survival need. Here are the skills biology wired your brain to crave.

by Kelly-Ann Allen 2020

3.82

44 ratings

🧩 Belonging Research 🏫 School Belonging 🚫 Ostracism And Rejection

The Empathy Effect

by Helen Riess • 2018

Your brain misfires with strangers. A clinician's seven-part method for fixing the empathy circuit.

3.81

275

🧠 Emotional Intelligence 🧬 Interpersonal Neurobiology 🎯 Empathy Training

The Empathy Effect 93%

Your brain misfires with strangers. A clinician's seven-part method for fixing the empathy circuit.

by Helen Riess 2018

3.81

275 ratings

🧠 Emotional Intelligence 🧬 Interpersonal Neurobiology 🎯 Empathy Training

Compare Features	Free	Pro
📖 Read Summaries Read unlimited summaries. Free users get 3 per month
🎧 Listen to Summaries Listen to unlimited summaries in 40 languages	—
❤️ Unlimited Bookmarks Free users are limited to 4	—
📜 Unlimited History Free users are limited to 4	—
📥 Unlimited Downloads Free users are limited to 1	—

People love SoBrief

Join our global community of 600,000+ readers

★★★★★

This site is a total game-changer. I've been flying through book summaries like never before. Highly, highly recommend.

— Dave G

Worth my money and time, and really well made. I've never seen this quality of summaries on other websites. Very helpful!

— Em

Highly recommended!! Fantastic service. Perfect for those that want a little more than a teaser but not all the intricate details of a full audio book.

— Greg M