I finished reading Love’s Executioner by Irvin Yalom recently, and it has immediately become one of my favorites! Yalom is one of the foundational thinkers behind Existential Psychotherapy, and the book is a collection of ten case studies presented in a short-story format revolving around themes of love, grief, and authenticity.

It’s pretty refreshing to read case studies where the therapist doesn’t present themselves as an all-seeing, all-knowing genius; Irvin Yalom is very open about his uncertainties and mistakes with his clients. The cases he presents are fascinating, and he does a great job of illustrating his philosophical and therapeutic principles throughout. I highly recommend it for anybody interested in psychology, the human condition, or personality-centered short stories!

A few of my favorite poets that come to mind:

Charles Baudelaire

Arthur Rimbaud

Paul Verlaine

Ezra Pound

Gregory Corso

Sappho

Sylvia Plath

Li Bai

Dostoevsky is one of my all-time favorites! The Idiot made me weep the first time I read it.