Books About Dream Interpretation

NONFICTION

Nov 2

Explore this curated list of books about dream interpretation and find your next read. From practical books about dream interpretation written by psychologists, to a book analyzing the dreams of famous historical figures, and even a memoir focused on dream interpretation, you’ll find recommendations for reading a book about dream interpretation here.

The Wisdom of Your Dreams: Using Dreams to Tap into Your Unconscious and Transform Your Life
by Jeremy Taylor
IN A NUTSHELL. Tips for remembering and interpreting your dreams
SHORT & SIMPLE. Practical guide to dream interpretation, dream symbols, and working with others to understand dreams
GO FOR THIS BOOK IF…you want to read a practical guidebook about dream interpretation.
Learn how dreams can teach you about yourself and inspire creativity with this practical book about dream interpretation. The Wisdom of Your Dreams, provides useful techniques for remembering and interpreting dreams, understanding dream symbolism, and working with others to interpret dreams.
nonfiction + self-help
Inner Work: Using Dreams and Active Imagination for Personal Growth
by Robert A. Johnson
IN A NUTSHELL. Learn how to use your dreams and imagination to inspire personal growth
SHORT & SIMPLE. Practical introduction to two important techniques in Jungian psychology, dream interpretation and active imagination
GO FOR THIS BOOK IF…you want to read a practical book about dream interpretation grounded in Jungian psychology.
Robert A. Johnson is a well-known Jungian analyst, and Inner Work is perhaps his most practical guidebook to using dreamwork and your imagination for personal growth. Readers will learn how to engage with their unconscious mind through the use of dream interpretation and active imagination exercises to help them become their truest self.
nonfiction + self-help + psychology
Interpretation of Dreams: The Complete and Definitive Text
by Sigmund Freud
IN A NUTSHELL. Classic work on Freudian dream interpretation
SHORT & SIMPLE. Freud’s reflections on the meaning and interpretation of dreams
GO FOR THIS BOOK IF…you want to read a book about the Freudian approach to dream interpretation.
Interpretation of Dreams is Sigmund Freud’s classic text on dream interpretation and it lays out his theory that dreams are wish fulfillment. This book about dream interpretation offers a psychology of dream interpretation along with examples of actual dreams and their interpretation. If you’re looking for an easier read, check out, The Interpretation of Dreams: Simplified & Modernised.
nonfiction + psychology + classics
Dreams: (From Volumes 4, 8, 12, and 16 of the Collected Works of C. G. Jung)
by Carl Jung
IN A NUTSHELL. A collection of Jung’s essays addressing dreams and dream interpretation
SHORT & SIMPLE. Psychologist Carl Jung’s reflections on dreams and dream interpretation
GO FOR THIS BOOK IF…you want to read a book about dream interpretation written by Carl Jung.
Jung was a student of Sigmund Freud, but the two eventually split, in part because of their view of dreams. Freud viewed dreams as wish fulfillment, but Jung viewed dreams as a way to see into the unconscious mind. This collection of Jung’s reflections on dreams and dream interpretation includes his essays: "The Analysis of Dreams," "On the Significance of Number Dreams," "General Aspects of Dream Psychology," "On the Nature of Dreams," "The Practical Use of Dream Analysis," and "Individual Dream Symbolism in Relation to Alchemy."
nonfiction + psychology
Balancing Heaven and Earth: A Memoir of Visions, Dreams, and Realizations
by Robert A. Johnson and Jerry M. Ruhl
IN A NUTSHELL. Memoir and guide to using dreams, visions, and life struggles to chart your path
SHORT & SIMPLE. Renowned Jungian scholar recounts his life and the dreams and visions that led him along his journey
GO FOR THIS BOOK IF…you want to read a memoir book about dream interpretation.
Johnson begins this memoir by telling readers about a near-death experience he had at the age of 11 during which he lost a portion of one of his legs. He goes on to tell the story of his life and the visions and dreams that led him along his spiritual journey while offering a roadmap for readers interested in learning from their own dreams and visions.
nonfiction + biographies & memoirs
Dreams: A Study of the Dreams of Jung, Descartes, Socrates, and Other Historical Figures
by Marie von Franz
IN A NUTSHELL. Dreams of famous figures analyzed from a Jungian perspective
SHORT & SIMPLE. Reflections on the meaning of dreams psychologically, spiritually, and philosophically along with analysis of the dreams of famous figures.
GO FOR THIS BOOK IF…you want to learn about dream interpretation by reading about the dreams of famous historical figures.
Jungian psychoanalyst, Marie von Franz worked closely with Carl Jung. This book about dream interpretation is a collection of her essays about dreams. In Dreams, von Franz, explains how dreams are analyzed and interprets the dreams of famous historical figures like Socrates, Descartes, Jung, and Hannibal.
nonfiction + psychology
Jungian Dream Interpretation: A Handbook of Theory and Practice
by James A. Hall, MD
IN A NUTSHELL. Short, relatively easy read about how to interpret dreams
SHORT & SIMPLE. Academic, but accessible, introduction to interpreting dreams using a Jungian framework
GO FOR THIS BOOK IF…you want a quick introduction to how to interpret dreams from a Jungian perspective.
This book about dream interpretation written by a psychiatrist is somewhat aimed at practicing therapists, but is relatively accessible for lay readers. Jungian Dream Interpretation is a quick and practical introduction to dream interpretation, though some of the examples in this book (which was originally published in the 1980s) addressing LGBTQ+ issues will be offensive to modern readers.
nonfiction + psychology