The Body Keeps the Score: A Reader's Guide

Value Book Market-Jun 23 2026

The Body Keeps the Score by Bessel van der Kolk is one of the most widely read popular-psychology books of the last decade. If you've seen it on bestseller lists and wondered what it's about, here's a plain overview.

What the book is about

Dr. Bessel van der Kolk is a psychiatrist who has spent his career studying the mind and body. In this book he explores the connection between the two, drawing on neuroscience, psychology, and case stories to make the science approachable for general readers.

He discusses a range of approaches that have been studied in his field, and writes in a narrative, readable style rather than a clinical one.

Who tends to enjoy it

Readers interested in popular science and psychology
Students exploring psychology or social work
Anyone curious about how the mind and body interact

You don't need a background in the field to follow it.

Why it stays popular

The book has remained a steady seller for years, and readers often describe it as engaging and thought-provoking. It's a frequent pick for book clubs and reading lists in the popular-science space.