8 Of The Best Books For Understanding Body Language

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“The utmost form of respect is to give sincerely of your presence.”

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Most of what we communicate never actually leaves our mouths. A glance, a shift in posture, a folded arm or a fleeting expression can often reveal far more than words ever do. That’s why books on body language continue to fascinate anyone looking to better understand people, improve their communication skills, or simply become more aware of the subtle signals that happen every day. Whether you’re trying to read a room more effectively, navigate social situations with confidence, or sharpen your understanding of psychology, body language presents a window into what people are really thinking and feeling. The best books on the subject break down these cues in accessible, practical ways, helping you spot details you may have otherwise overlooked. Join us at What We Reading as we present the best books on body language, guaranteed to help you decode human behaviour and see communication in a totally new light. 

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Emotions Revealed – Paul Ekman

Kicking off our list of books about body language is Paul Ekman’s transformative work, Emotions Revealed. A practical, mind-opening, and potentially life-changing exploration of science and the self, he assembles his research and theories to provide a comprehensive look at the evolutionary roots of human emotions, including anger, sadness, fear, disgust, and happiness. 

Drawing on decades of fieldwork, Ekman shows that emotions are deeply embedded in the human species. In the process, he answers such questions as: What triggers emotions, and can we stop them? Can we learn to distinguish between a polite smile and a genuine one? Can we ever truly control our emotions? Unique exercises and photographs help readers identify emotions in themselves and others. 

The Definitive Book Of Body Language – Allan Pease & Barbara Pease

It is a scientific fact that people’s gestures give away their true intentions. Yet most of us don’t know how to read body language – and don’t realise how our own physical movements speak to others. In The Definitive Book of Body Language, Allan and Barbara Pease draw on thirty years of experience and the latest cutting-edge findings to examine each component of body language and provide the basic vocabulary to read attitudes and emotions through behaviour. 

Filled with fascinating insights, humorous observations, and simple strategies that you can apply to any situation, this intriguing book will enrich your communication with and understanding of others – as well as yourself. 

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Check Out The Best Books On How To Read People

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The Like Switch – Jack Schafer & Marvin Karlins

From a former FBI Special Agent, The Like Switch is packed with all the tools you need for turning strangers into friends, whether you are on a sales call, a first date, or a job interview. Dr Jack Schafer has developed dynamic and breakthrough strategies for the day-to-day battles of getting people to like you. 

Dr Schafer cracks the code on making great first impressions, building lasting relationships, and understanding others’ behaviours to learn what they really think of you. With tips and techniques that hold the key to taking control of your communications, interactions, and relationships, The Like Switch shows you how to read others and get people to like you for a moment or a lifetime. 

The Power Of Body Language – Tonya Reiman

In The Power of Body Language, Tonya Reiman, a world-renowned expert in the field of nonverbal communication, helps readers learn how to interpret others’ gestures and expressions, understand the nonverbal messages that they are sending to others, and consciously use body language to promote success in one’s personal and professional life, with explanations of specific gestures, facial expressions, body positions, and body movements. 

Reading People – Anne Bogel

Reading People is another eye-opening exploration of body language by Anne Bogel. In it, the popular blogger takes readers on a journey to understand themselves and others by exploring popular personality frameworks, offering practical applications to improve all facets of life, including love, marriage, productivity, parenting, the workplace, and spiritual life. 

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Check Out The Best Books On Communication

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You Say More Than You Think – Janine Driver

With sass and a keen eye, media favourite Janine Driver teaches you the skills she used every day to stay alive during her fifteen years as a body language expert at the ATF. Janine’s 7-day plans and her 7-second solutions teach you dozens of body language fixes to turn any interpersonal situation to your advantage. She reveals methods in You Say More Than You Think that other experts refuse to share with the public, and she debunks major myths other experts swear by. 

If you’re looking to become bulletproof at work, secure in your relationships, and content in your own skin, it’s more important than ever before to be mindful of what your body is saying to the outside world. At a time where every advantage counts – and first impressions matter more than ever – this is the book to help you really get your message across. 

What Every Body Is Saying – Joe Navarro

Read this book and send your nonverbal intelligence soaring. Joe Navarro, a former FBI counterintelligence officer and recognised expert on nonverbal communication, explains how to “speed-read” people: decode sentiments and behaviours, avoid hidden pitfalls, and look out for deceptive behaviour in his book on body language, What Every Body is Saying. 

You’ll also learn how your body language can influence what your boss, family, friends, and strangers think about you. Full of examples from Navarro’s professional experience, this definitive book offers a powerful new way to navigate your world. 

Social Intelligence – Daniel Goleman

In Social Intelligence, Daniel Goleman explores an emerging new science with startling implications for our interpersonal world. Its most fundamental discovery: we are designed for sociability, constantly engaging in a “neural ballet” that connects our brain to the brains of those around us. 

Our reactions to others, and theirs to us, have a far-reaching biological impact, sending out cascades of hormones that regulate everything from our hearts to our immune systems. Goleman breaks down the surprising accuracy of first impressions, the basis of charisma and emotional power, the complexity of sexual attraction, and how we detect lies. Most hearteningly, Goleman also explores how we all have a built-in bias toward empathy, cooperation, and altruism – provided we develop the social intelligence to nurture these capacities.