How many books has Robert Jay Lifton written?

Robert Jay Lifton published 1 novel, 15 non-fiction books and 1 other book that we list, as of September 2026.

What order should I read Robert Jay Lifton's books in?

Publication order is a safe choice; the full list is above. Most readers start with The Nazi Doctors.

What is Robert Jay Lifton's most famous book?

The Nazi Doctors (1986) is Robert Jay Lifton's most widely read book.

Robert Jay Lifton books in order

American psychiatrist and author

Lived: 1926–2025
Country: United States
Books: 17

Psychology

Robert Jay Lifton published 1 novel, 15 non-fiction books and 1 other book, beginning with Thought Reform and the Psychology of Totalism (1961). The best-known is The Nazi Doctors (1986).

Updated September 2026

Where to start with Robert Jay Lifton

Start here
The Nazi Doctors
Robert Jay Lifton's most-read book.

Standalone novels in order

Cults in Our Midst (Sep 1996)
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Non-fiction in order

Thought Reform and the Psychology of Totalism (1961)
510 pages
Buy
The Woman in America (1965)
293 pages
Buy
Revolutionary Immortality (1968)
178 pages
Buy
Boundaries (1969)
97 pages
Buy
America and the Asian Revolutions (1970)
178 pages
Buy
History and Human Survival (1970)
404 pages
Buy
Home from the War (1973)
478 pages
Buy
Explorations in Psychohistory (1975)
372 pages
Buy
The Life of the Self (1976)
190 pages
Buy
Indefensible Weapons (1982)
301 pages
Buy
The Nazi Doctors (1986)
561 pages
Buy
The Genocidal Mentality (1990)
349 pages
Buy
The Protean Self (1993)
262 pages
Buy
Destroying the World to Save It (1999)
384 pages
Buy
Superpower Syndrome (2003)
211 pages
Buy

Other books in order

Why Did They Kill? (2004)
382 pages
Buy

About Robert Jay Lifton

Robert Jay Lifton was an American psychiatrist and author, chiefly known for his studies of the psychological causes and effects of wars and political violence, and for his theory of thought reform. He was an early proponent of the techniques of psychohistory.

Biography from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0. Photo via Wikimedia Commons.

Robert Jay Lifton FAQ

How many books has Robert Jay Lifton written?: Robert Jay Lifton published 1 novel, 15 non-fiction books and 1 other book that we list, as of September 2026.
What order should I read Robert Jay Lifton's books in?: Publication order is a safe choice; the full list is above. Most readers start with The Nazi Doctors.
What is Robert Jay Lifton's last book?: Superpower Syndrome (2003).
What is Robert Jay Lifton's most famous book?: The Nazi Doctors (1986) is Robert Jay Lifton's most widely read book.