The following is a complete list of the books written and published by Dr. Eric Berne. Also available is a list of all of the journal articles published by Dr. Eric Berne, presented in chronological order. Included in this list is his seminal 1958 paper in which he introduces Transactional Analysis for the first time.

Games People Play

"Most people, in most of their family and business relationships, are constantly playing games with each other.  What's more, they are striving - often unconsciously - for an emotional 'payoff' which is startlingly different from what they might rationally expect to get from winning or losing their game. Here is an intriguing phenomenon which everyone has observed at one or another..."

Games People Play has sold over 5 million copies since it was first published in 1964. It has served as a foundation for many later books, including I'm OK - You're OK by Thomas A. Harris.

For more information on Game People Play including an index of all of the Games outlined by Dr. Berne, refer to the page on Games People Play.

What Do You Say After You Say Hello?

Many consider this to be the "sequel" to Games People Play.  Dr. Berne completed this work shortly before his death in 1970.  In this book, Dr Eric Berne reveals how everyone's life follows a predetermined script - a script they compose for themselves during early childhood.  Certain scripts include "Cinderella" and "Sleeping Beauty." The script may be a sad one, it may be a successful one; it decides how a person will relate to his colleagues, what sort of person he will marry, how many children he will have, and even what sort of bed he will die in.

Most readers start with Games People Play and then move on to read What Do You Say After You Say Hello or Transactional Analysis in Psychotherapy.

For more information on this book, refer to the page on What Do You Say After You Say Hello?

Transactional Analysis in Psychotherapy

This was Dr. Berne's first book that included his ideas on Transactional Analysis.  This was published in 1961.  Although Berne had published numerous papers outlining his theories on Transactional Analysis in the late 1950s, this was his first attempt at compiling all of his work into a single volume  In this book, Berne thoroughly describes his theories of Transactional Analysis, including the Parent-Adult-Child model. He also introduces games, but not with the detail seen in Games People Play.

This book is recommend for readers looking to learn more about Transactional Analysis and its origins. Many readers of Games People Play turn to this book to gain a more comprehensive understanding of Transactional Analysis.

Structure and Dynamics of Organizations and Groups

Dr. Berne published this book in 1963, after Transactional Analysis in Psychotherapy but before the wildly successful Games People Play.  In the preface, Dr. Berne states his objective with this book as: "to offer a systematic framework for the therapy of ailing groups and organizations."  In this book, Berne discusses the structure and dynamics of groups, classification of groups, the analysis of transactions, an overview of games, group psychotherapy, and other subjects.

Berne does not treat games in great detail - that would come next year in Games People Play.  This book is recommended for those interested in an introduction to the application of Transactional Analysis to groups.  For a more detailed discussion, readers are recommended to consult Principles of Group Treatment.

Principles of Group Treatment

Berne published this book in 1966, in the wake of the enormous success of Games People Play.  The liner notes best describe the book and Dr. Berne with: "The author presents the first systematic treatise on the use of transactional analysis in groups,"

In the first part of this book, Dr. Berne provides a broad overview of the important aspects of psychiatric practice with groups, then moves into the methods of group therapy, and then discusses aspects of group dynamics.  Dr. Berne devotes the second portion to the application of Transactional Analysis to groups, including theoretical basics, techniques, and its relations to other forms of treatment.

This book is recommended for those interested in learning more about the application of Transactional Analysis to groups. It is recommended that the reader complete Games People Play or Transactional Analysis in Psychotherapy prior to reading this book.

Layman's Guide to Psychiatry and Psychoanalysis

This book is an updated and revised edition of Dr. Berne's first book, The Mind in Action.  The Mind in Action was originally published in 1947.  The Layman's Guide to Psychiatry and Psychoanalysis was published in 1957, the year in which Dr. Berne first published his first papers on Transactional Analysis.

In this book, Dr. Berne explores a number of topics in a manner that can be understand by non-psychiatrists.  The subjects he chooses to discuss are subjects that he was frequently asked about in his many lectures and talks with laypeople.  He discusses the development of the human brain, why people dream, neuroses, the basis of psychoanalysis, and many other subjects.

Although this book does not address Transactional Analysis, it is an excellent reference for those interested in an introduction to psychiatry.

Sex in Human Loving

This book was first published in 1970.  Its content is based upon the Jake Gimbel Sex Psychology Lectures over which Dr. Berne presided at the University of California in April and May of 1966.

One reviewer compared Sex in Human Loving to the book Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Sex.  While this comparison is somewhat accurate, Sex in Human Loving takes a more serious and academic approach to the subject of Sex.  Berne addresses many topics, including sex education, the biology of sex, human relationships and sex, and sexual games.  Berne discusses some sexual games that he described in Games People Play, but he also introduces some new sexual games and elaborates on other games from Games People Play, such as Rapo.

This book is recommended for those readers interested in a more in-depth discussion of sexual games, as well as a discussion of sex within the context of Transactional Analysis.

Beyond Games and Scripts

This book, along with Intuitions and Ego States, was published posthumously.  This work was released in 1976.  Beyond Games and Scripts is a compilation of Dr. Berne's major writings.  It is divided into three major sections. The first section deals primarily with the theories of Transactional Analysis, including ego state, transactions, and games. The second section deals with Scripts, and includes excerpts from What Do You Say After You Say Hello.  The third and final section deals with group dynamics.

This book is an excellent synopsis of Dr. Berne's works.  It is recommended for readers who have a basic understanding of Transactional Analysis and who want to learn more about Dr. Eric Berne's contributions.

Intuition and Ego States: The Origins of Transactional Analysis: A Series of Papers

This work was published posthumously in 1977.  This is a collection of Dr. Berne's early papers in which he begins to outline the theories of transactional analysis.  The book begins with a paper from 1949, called "The Nature of Intuition" published in The Psychiatric Quarterly.   In this paper, Berne discusses intuition, which is the title of this book.  Several other papers are included, but the real gem is the paper "Transactional Analysis: A New and Effective Method of Group Therapy" published in The American Journal of Psychotherapy in 1958.  This is the seminal paper of Dr. Berne, and it is where he first introduces the term Transactional Analysis.

This book is recommended for readers wanting to learn more about the origins of Transactional Analysis. It is also recommended to readers wishing to read Dr. Berne's classic paper.

The Happy Valley

Published in 1968, this is Dr. Berne's first "unpsychiatric" book.  Although the colorful illustrations might lead the naive reader to believe that this book is for children only, this is not the case.  The book follows the adventures of a python named Shardlu, who is described as "was not very handsome to look at, and not very clever. In fact, he was a little mixed up. The only way he could earn a living was by being kind to people on Tuesday night and Friday morning."

Children will enjoy this book for the colorful illustrations and the fantasies it provokes. Adults will enjoy this book for the deeper messages embedded in what appears to be a simple children's story.

Eric Berne, Master Gamesman: A Transactional Biography

Published in 1984, this is the definitive biography of Dr. Eric Berne.  This work also provides a detailed history of Transactional Analysis.  The authors profile Dr. Berne from his childhood in Montreal, his early psychiatric training, his three marriages, and ultimately his premature death at age 60.

Ellen Berne, daughter of Eric Berne, says: "This book brings my father to life. It captures the spirit of the man.  The many anecdotes reveal his complexity and his humanity."

This book is recommended for those hoping to learn more about the man who created Transactional Analysis and authored Games People Play.  Included in the book are many pictures from the family members of Dr. Berne.

Scripts People Live

Claude Steiner was one of Eric Berne's closest students in the 1960s, witnessing the development of Transactional Analysis and Berne's work for Games People Play.  As Berne's student and beyond, Steiner developed theories regarding Scripts within Berne's Transactional Analysis framework.  This book presents an overview of transactional analysis and a discussion of the key elements and practical applications of script theory.

Steiner is still active within the International Transactional Analysis Association and is a practicing psychotherapist.

Born to Win: Transactional Analysis With Gestalt Experiments

Dr. Muriel James was a student of Eric Berne's closest in the 1960s, being a close participant in the development of Transactional Analysis. Following Berne's runaway success with Games People Play, Dr. James published Born to Win in 1971.

Dr. James begins the book by defining Winners and Losers, and then presents to the reader two approaches to become a winner: Transactional Analysis and Gestalt Therapy.  Included in the book are several Gestalt exercises on which to practice.

A complete bibliography of all the work published by Dr. James is located here.

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