Editors Reads
Psychology & Behavioural ScienceSelf-Help & Personal DevelopmentMindfulness & RelationshipsHabits & Productivity

Lena Fischer

134 books reviewed 12 articles written

Psychology Editor, Editors Reads

Lena Fischer reviews books about how people think, why they behave as they do, and what the research actually says about changing. As Psychology Editor at Editors Reads, she covers academic psychology brought to general audiences, evidence-based self-help, and books about relationships, mindfulness, and personal development. She is particularly interested in the gap between what psychological science has established and what the self-help industry claims, and in writers who navigate that gap honestly.

134 Books Reviewed

Deep Work book cover
Bestseller

Deep Work

by Cal Newport

4.7

Deep work is the ability to focus without distraction on a cognitively demanding task. Cal Newport argues it's both rare and valuable in our economy — and if you master it, you'll thrive.

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Influence book cover
BestsellerEditor's Pick

Influence

by Robert Cialdini

4.7

The definitive book on the psychology of persuasion. Cialdini identifies six universal principles — reciprocity, commitment, social proof, authority, liking, and scarcity — that drive human compliance, and shows how they are exploited in sales, marketing, and everyday life.

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Never Split the Difference book cover
BestsellerEditor's Pick
4.7

Former FBI lead hostage negotiator Chris Voss reveals the counter-intuitive techniques he developed for life-or-death negotiations — and shows how they apply to salary talks, business deals, and everyday persuasion. The key insight: humans are not rational actors, and the best negotiators use emotional intelligence, not logic.

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The Alchemist book cover
Bestseller

The Alchemist

by Paulo Coelho

4.7

A young Andalusian shepherd boy travels from Spain to the Egyptian desert in search of treasure. Along the way he meets a series of guides who teach him that the real treasure is found in pursuing your 'Personal Legend' — your dream.

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The Book of Joy book cover
BestsellerEditor's Pick

The Book of Joy

by Dalai Lama XIV & Desmond Tutu

4.7

A record of a week-long conversation between the Dalai Lama and Archbishop Desmond Tutu on the occasion of the Dalai Lama's eightieth birthday — two of the world's most joyful people discussing how to find lasting happiness despite suffering, ageing, and loss.

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Joe Country book cover

Joe Country

by Mick Herron

4.6

The death of a former Slough House officer's child pulls the team into an operation in Oxford, where old enemies are surfacing and the landscape of British intelligence is quietly being dismantled by people who see it as a procurement opportunity.

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Mindset book cover
Editor's Pick

Mindset

by Carol S. Dweck

4.6

Stanford psychologist Carol Dweck's research on achievement and success reveals that one simple belief about your own intelligence and abilities has a profound effect on outcomes. People with a growth mindset — who believe abilities can be developed — consistently outperform those with a fixed mindset, regardless of starting talent.

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Siddhartha book cover
Editor's Pick

Siddhartha

by Hermann Hesse

4.6

Hermann Hesse's spiritual classic follows a young Brahmin's journey to enlightenment through renunciation, pleasure, commerce, and finally the unity of all things found at the river.

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The Worlds I See book cover
BestsellerEditor's Pick

The Worlds I See

by Fei-Fei Li

4.6

The co-creator of ImageNet and a pioneer of modern computer vision tells the story of her journey from immigrant teenager to AI's most influential scientist — and reflects on what AI's creators owe to the humans whose data made it possible.

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A New Earth book cover
Bestseller

A New Earth

by Eckhart Tolle

4.5

A follow-up to The Power of Now that takes Tolle's teachings further — examining how ego operates, why it causes suffering, and how a shift in consciousness could transform not just individuals but human civilisation.

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Bird by Bird book cover

Bird by Bird

by Anne Lamott

4.5

Beloved writer Anne Lamott offers funny, compassionate advice on the writing life — from dealing with the blank page to navigating publication — grounded in her personal experience as a novelist and teacher.

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Co-Intelligence book cover
BestsellerEditor's Pick

Co-Intelligence

by Ethan Mollick

4.5

Wharton professor Ethan Mollick — one of the most trusted guides to AI in the business world — offers practical wisdom on how individuals and organisations can work effectively with AI systems while maintaining the human judgment that makes the collaboration valuable.

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Showing top 24 of 134 reviewed books.

Articles by Lena Fischer

guide

Authors Like Fredrik Backman: 6 Heartwarming Writers

Authors like Fredrik Backman for fans of A Man Called Ove and Anxious People — Gabrielle Zevin, Matt Haig, TJ Klune, Mitch Albom, and more, with where to start.

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Books Like The Night Circus: 10 Atmospheric Fantasies

Books like The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern — 10 atmospheric, magical novels from The Starless Sea to Addie LaRue and Piranesi, with where to start for each.

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The Night Circus vs The Starless Sea: Read First?

The Night Circus and The Starless Sea are Erin Morgenstern's two atmospheric novels. Here's how they differ, what each does best, and which to read first.

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Conversations with Friends vs Normal People: Which First?

Same cool, intimate voice; two different emotional experiences. How Sally Rooney's debut and her breakout compare — and where to start with Rooney.

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It Ends with Us vs Verity: Which to Read First?

Same author, completely different experience. One is an emotional contemporary romance about a hard subject; the other is a dark, twisty thriller. Here's how to choose.

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Books Like Atonement: 9 Novels of Memory & Guilt

If McEwan's heartbreaking story of a childhood lie and a lifetime of regret stayed with you, these literary novels of memory, guilt, and war hit the same nerve.

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Books Like Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine: 9 Reads

If Honeyman's lonely, quirky, unforgettable heroine charmed and moved you, these uplifting novels of connection and second chances hit the same nerve.

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Books Like My Brilliant Friend: 10 Friendship Novels

If Ferrante's fierce, intimate portrait of a lifelong female friendship gripped you, these novels of friendship, ambition, and coming of age hit the same nerve.

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Books Like The Gifts of Imperfection: 9 Reads

If Brené Brown's call to embrace imperfection and live wholeheartedly spoke to you, these books on vulnerability, worth, and meaning hit the same nerve.

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Books Like The Power of Now: 9 Mindfulness Reads

If Eckhart Tolle's teaching on living in the present moment resonated with you, these books on mindfulness, spirituality, and inner peace hit the same nerve.

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Books Like The Way of Kings: 9 Epic Fantasy Series

If Sanderson's massive, intricate Stormlight Archive epic swept you away, these sprawling fantasy series deliver the same scale, world-building, and payoff.

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Where to Start with Anders Ericsson: A Reading Guide

Where to start with Anders Ericsson — how to approach Peak, his essential book on deliberate practice and expertise. A complete reading guide to the expert performance researcher.

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