Recently, several readers of the blog have asked me to recommend books to learn NLP. Here is my shortlist and why you absolutely must read these books.

Frogs Into Princes: Neuro Linguistic Programming, by Richard Bandler and John Grinder This book, in my opinion, is the grand-daddy of NLP books. If you haven’t already read it or leafed through it, it’s a transcript from a live seminar Richard Bandler and John Grinder gave in the early days of NLP. This particular format, chosen by Steve Andreas, protects the juiciness of the original delivery by the two co-founders. More fundamentally, Frogs Into Princes reveals between the lines the curious and ruthless attitude proper to the practice of NLP. You MUST read this book.

Unlimited Power : The New Science Of Personal Achievement, by Anthony Robbins

This book was probably the first to take NLP to the masses. While it gives Anthony Robbins’s spin of personal excellence to NLP, it exposes in very simple and entertaining language many of NLP’s classic models and patterns, such as representational systems, well-formed outcomes, reframing, among others. A really good introduction for the beginning student.

Turtles All the Way Down: Prerequisites to Personal Genius, by John Grinder and Judith DeLozier

This book definitely does not circulate on the usual NLP box office hits. But it’s one of the most provocative books available to the NLPer. It offers countless descriptions and exercises to stimulate the reader to access the know-nothing state, absolutely essential to modeling using the NLP methodology. Again, it’s one of the rare places where you can get a “whiff” of Grinder-style NLP.

Trance-Formations: Neuro-Linguistic Programming and the Structure of Hypnosis, by Richard Bandler and John Grinder

Another book edited by Steve Andreas. This one exposes, in seminar format, hypnotic patterns that the co-founders learned by modeling Milton Erickson. Once again, the live seminar format offers a more organic and juicy reading experience than the habitual dryness of the textbook. This one is still considered by many practicioners of NLP as one of the best books on hynosis. Be ready to pay top dollar for it as it’s held as a collectible these days.

Reframing: Neuro-Linguistic Programming and the Transformation of Meaning, by Richard Bandler and John Grinder

“Reframing” is the seminar equivalent of The Structure of Magic (also recommended below). Also in seminar format, this book shows how to use the language patterns of the meta-model to challenge and reorganize a client’s Model of the World. Another classic among the seminal texts of the early days of NLP. You’ll love it.

Using Your Brain–For a Change: Neuro-Linguistic Programming, by Richard Bandler

By this point, Richard Bandler and John Grinder had already split up. In this book, also edited by Steve Andreas in live seminar format, you’ll get to read Richard Bandler’s dabblings and experiments with his new neurolinguistic toy: submodalities. I believe this book was the first to present the Swish Pattern, one of the best-known NLP patterns/techniques.

Beliefs: Pathways to Health and Wellbeing, by Robert Dilts, Tim Hallborn and Suzi Smith

Robert Dilts et all do an outstanding job in presenting beliefs, how they constellate our unconscious and the impact they have on our view of the world. While beliefs generally do not show up until Master Practicioner levels of training, you’ll really enjoy this book’s simple language.

Whispering In The Wind, by John Grinder and Carmen Bostic St Clair

This book, while incredibly complex, will give you a very, very solid grounding in the scientific underpinnings of NLP. In it, Grinder and Bostic St Clair expose rigorously the influences that cybernetics, linguistics, psychology and other fields had in the founding of NLP. While it’s a hairy read and not easy to digest, you have to read it if you’re committed to mastering NLP.

The Structure of Magic: A Book About Language and Therapy, by Richard Bandler and John Grinder

Both Volume I and Volume II of The Structure of Magic present systematically how Bandler and Grinder modeled Fritz Perls and Virginia Satir. They also reveal the way Bandler and Grinder found to code their newfound communication model. While you may find it a tough read as well, you have to read this to get a sense of how a formal NLP model should be presented. I doubt that a model has been presented so thoroughly since the publication of this two-part series.

Patterns of the Hypnotic Techniques of Milton H. Erickson, M.D, by Richard Bandler and John Grinder

You have to read Volume I and Volume II of this two-tome essay for the same reasons that you have to read The Structure of Magic: because they reveal how to code patterns formally. Imagine what it would be like to stand in front of the world’s greatest hypnotherapist and trying to figure out what the heck he’s doing… “Patterns” will enchant you in some parts, challenge you in others, but definitely will impress you with the commitment and determination with which Bandler and Grinder pursued this peculiar modeling project.

Of course, different students of NLP will argue for a different Top 10 list. But this one will definitely set you on your way to understanding what NLP is all about, while at the same time getting you to use some of the practical tools that NLP offers, such as the Swish Pattern. One thing is for sure, keep Whispering In The Wind for dessert… :)