Games People Play : The Psychology of Human Relationships

Being the slightly paranoid, mistrustful, and mildly misanthropic person that I am, this book, which suggests that there are hidden agendas (ulterior motives) behind many people's actions, absolutely knocked me over! I always knew that people had their little games (destructive games, attention-getting games, sympathy-seeking games, etc ...), but this book gives one the ability to put a handle on them; define them, name them, see the "moves" associated with them, describe the "payoffs" associated with them, and plan antitheses to them.After reading this book, I was able to see and identify games (and rituals and pastimes) being played by people all around me. I even identified games I was playing (read the book honestly and you might also come to that conclusion)! That's one thing I picked up from this book - games are not always conscious.Read this book and read it honestly with no preconceptions, and it will indeed benefit you. Since this book was a general overview of Transactional Analysis, I am looking forward to reading other materials on this subject.Happy reading!

This book is Eric Berne's popularization of Transactional Analysis, the approach to understanding and treating realtionship disorders that he largely developed. Whatever its efficacy as a form of therapy, it is a fascinating way to veiw ordinary human interactions. I first read this book more than two decades ago and have gone back to reread portions of it ever since. While Berne's categorizations of pastimes and games seems somewhat skimpy (after all, behavior is infinitly richer than any theory can easily handle) the basic assumptions of Transactional Analysis provide a new way of understanding much that people do that otherwise seems either meaningless or baffeling. It is a real contribution to understanding ourselves.My life is not 'game free' but at least I recognize more of the games I play, and am less likely to mistake their arbitrary rules for life and death imperatives.Definitly worth reading for anyone who values self examination.