Blink, The Power of Thinking Without Thinking by Malcolm Gladwell (2012)

Canadian writer Malcolm Gladwell's most popular book presents a popular science format research from psychology and behavioral economics on the adaptive unconscious: mental processes that work rapidly and automatically from relatively little information. It considers both the strengths of the adaptive unconscious, for instance in expert judgment, and its pitfalls, such as prejudice and stereotypes.

Gladwell also mentions that sometimes having too much information can interfere with the accuracy of a judgment, or a doctor's diagnosis. In what Gladwell contends is an age of information overload, he finds that experts often make better decisions with snap judgments than they do with volumes of analysis. This is commonly called "analysis paralysis." The challenge is to sift through and focus on only the most critical information. The other information may be irrelevant and confusing. Collecting more information, in most cases, may reinforce our judgment but does not help make it more accurate. Gladwell explains that better judgments can be executed from simplicity and frugality of information. If the big picture is clear enough to decide, then decide from this without using a magnifying glass.

Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell (2008)

In Outliers, Gladwell examines the factors that contribute to high levels of success. To support his thesis, he examines why the majority of Canadian ice hockey players are born in the first few months of the calendar year, how Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates achieved his extreme wealth, how the Beatles became one of the most successful musical acts in human history, how two people with exceptional intelligence—Christopher Langan and J. Robert Oppenheimer—end up with such vastly different fortunes, how Joseph Flom built Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom into one of the most successful law firms in the world, and how cultural differences play a large part in perceived intelligence and rational decision-making.

Mental Radio by Upton Sinclair (1930)

"Mental Radio" by Upton Sinclair is a book published in 1930 that documents experiments testing his wife Mary Craig Sinclair's alleged telepathic abilities. While in deep depression and drawn to the occult, she attempted to mentally duplicate 290 drawings created by her brother. Sinclair reported surprising success rates, though the experiments lacked scientific controls. The work attracted both praise—including a preface by Albert Einstein—and sharp criticism from skeptics who questioned the methodology and results.

The Principles of Psychology, Volume 1 by William James (1890)

This is the first inexpensive edition of the complete Long Course in Principles of Psychology, one of the great classics of modern Western literature and science and the source of the ripest thoughts of America’s most important philosopher. As such, it should not be confused with the many abridgements that omit key sections.The book presents lucid descriptions of human mental activity, with detailed considerations of the stream of thought, consciousness, time perception, memory, imagination, emotions, reason, abnormal phenomena, and similar topics. In its course it takes into account the work of Berkeley, Binet, Bradley, Darwin, Descartes, Fechner, Galton, Green, Helmholtz, Herbart, Hume, Janet, Kant, Lange, Lotze, Locke, Mill, Royce, Schopenhauer, Spinoza, Wundt, and scores of others. It examines contrasting interpretations of mental phenomena, treating introspective analysis, philosophical interpretations, and experimental research.It remains unsurpassed today as a brilliantly written survey of William James’ timeless view of psychology.

The Principles of Psychology, Volume 2 by William James (1890)

Volume 2 of the famous long course, complete and unabridged. Covers stream of thought, time perception, memory, and experimental methods.

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