Games People Play

The Basic Handbook of Transactional Analysis

By: Eric Berne

Narrated by: David Colacci

Length: 6 hrs and 33 mins

Publisher's summary

Over 40 years ago, Games People Play revolutionized our understanding of what really goes on during our most basic social interactions. More than five million copies later, Dr. Eric Berne's classic is as astonishing and revealing as it was on the day it was first published. We play games all the time---sexual games, marital games, power games with our bosses, and competitive games with our friends. Detailing status contests like "Martini" (I know a better way), to lethal couples combat like "If It Weren't For You" and "Uproar," to flirtation favorites like "The Stocking Game" and "Let's You and Him Fight," Dr. Berne exposes the secret ploys and unconscious maneuvers that rule our intimate lives. Explosive when it first appeared, Games People Play is now widely recognized as the most original and influential popular psychology book of our time. It's as powerful and eye-opening as ever.

©1964 Dr. Eric Berne (P)2011 Tantor

Critic reviews

"An important book...a brilliant, amusing, and clear catalogue of the psychological theatricals that human beings play over and over again." (Kurt Vonnegut Jr., Life magazine)

Amazing Insight into Human Drama

This book should be required reading for every mental health professional or educator. Simply written, you will still likely need to read it through several times.

Great content, hard subject

Great information and well thought out thesis and antithesis arguments but it is difficult to follow on audio and lacks some of the needed diagrams

Interesting and practical

The material is difficult to properly comprehend and would require multiple readings to fully understand and appreciate.

Some reviews mention it’s hard to follow along and in print would be better. I agree that it likely will be easier in print; however, the book does come with the charts but I fear most people don’t know or don’t use the pdf that accompanies it. I suggest you review the printed material that accompanies the book.

This book was written a very long time ago and cultural references have since changed. Instead of playing games, the reader should strive to view the material without constantly judging the author’s use of gender and cultural references and instead focus on the important aspects of what is being said.

Much of the material was new to me and I think will be new to most who will listen. I don’t think much of this is taught anywhere these days. It’s somewhat academic and difficult to understand at first but for those very interested in learning practical psychology in everyday life, I think it will present some very meaningful ideas.

Berne is intelligent and arrogant.

While human interaction could be described as a game, I believe that it is highly inappropriate for psychiatry professionals to gaslight patients into believing that they are playing a "bad" game. because of the authors insistence that most human actions and interactions are games, it gives a general feel of humans being more evil then good.

Excellent read!

Quite an interesting and concise compendium on games people have been playing for time immemorial, right in front of our eyes. Definitely worth the read.

Reread after years

Somehow I remember it differently. Read it while in high school, maybe we simply understand people better now

A groundbreaking book that is now dated

the book is really very much outdated. while it was a classic at one point, he relied too much on Freudian and analytic theory which is now not considered accurate and current anymore. still in so, his underlying theme that what people are doing is playing a game rather than actually trying to do what they are doing on the surface, is accurate. the best example of this is why don't you yes but. this is known today also as help rejecting complaining. this is when a friend asked you for advice and every piece of advice you give they shoot down. the objective of the game according to burn, is not to get helpful advice is it appears. the object of this game is to win. to be able to shoot down as many of your suggestions as possible. that way they win.

hard to listen

struggled to finish it. it could have been more entertaining but the voice was very monotone

Great Idea! Terrible format for audiobook

This book was great. I'd like to start by addressing that many reviews mention the "sexism". Yes the way women and men are talked about is not culturally appropriate now, 50 years ago when this book was written that was the norm. To all the whiney people who could "barely" stand to finish on account of the sexism, seriously learn to see roles as what they are, and substitute necessary words to whatever floats your boat and won't enrage your inner SJW. Example: I'm a married man, and for most of the marital games I put myself in the position of housewife. The role of housewife certainly existed and still does. It might even be your role, offended feminist man.

This book has great ideas. But the execution is horrible for an audiobooks. Certain parts are impossible to understand because it's like the narrator is reading points off a chart. Be warned. Also, it's very short. With that in mind, the author is highly recommended by me.

Great content, I wish I had the print copy.

The content of the book is fantastic but hard to follow lists in audio format.

It would be awesome if Audible had a subscription option where you receive a print copy of the book to follow offline.