Very extensive and well researched, outlining multiple and proven reasons as to why we dream. The only reason it's not 5 stars is because it lacked a certain charisma that at times made it laborious to read.

Why We Dream has two interwoven strands. The first is a useful summary of the latest thinking in neuroscience on the importance of sleep and of dreaming in particular. The second discusses how we can use dreams to gain insight and make changes to our lives through methods including dream interpretation and lucid dreaming.

The author is aware that these might be seen as the preserve of cranks and has defends herself against the accusation by producing a book that is rigorously researched.

Dreams help us absorb what we’ve learnt through the day, from the emotionally charged to the banal (I remember when I was learning to type how I’d dream of moving my hands on the keyboard). There’s a fascinating chapter on nightmares and their evolutionary role which I unwisely read just before falling asleep one night and…you guessed it.

There are insights into interpreting dreams and how this varies – and the common factors – across cultures. The author talks about keeping a dream diary and how it can actually help you remember more of your dreams (I’ve had this experience in the past).

All of this was interesting and well written but not entirely new to me as I’ve read other books such as Matthew Walker’s Why We Sleep which cover some of the same ground. What I really wanted to know was how to have lucid dreams.

The author discusses the scientific research which suggests it is possible to not only be aware that your are dreaming but to control events within the dream. At the end of the book she describes attending a retreat with a lucid dreaming ‘expert’.

My own thought after reading this chapter was that training to be a lucid dreamer is quite hard work. Techniques include meditation, dream diaries and setting alarms to wake up several times a night (during what you hope is your optimum dream time). It all sounds quite exhausting and as someone who has struggled with insomnia, I’m not inclined to mess with my sleep cycle.

While I was reading the book I often found myself wondering if I would dream that night, and what I would remember. I started keeping a dream diary again. I even sought out a couple of podcasts on lucid dreaming. Then I realised all this thinking about dreaming was keeping me awake at night.

So much of our lives now are colonised by productivity hacks, by wanting every aspect of our day to be more useful and fulfilling. Sleep is the final refuge. The last thing I want to do is start trying to optimise my sleep.

Who wants a lucid dream anyway? It’s like a choose-your-own adventure and there’s a reason why they have never really taken off. If I believe the unconscious mind is more powerful than anything available to us consciously, why hand over the reins?

Fortunately for me, I don’t meet the criteria the author lists for people who, research suggests, are most likely to have lucid dreams (high performance athletes, people with good spatial awareness and low susceptibility to motion sickness) so it seems I’m safe.

While lucid dreaming is not for me, Why We Dream provides a fascinating overview of the importance of dreaming and is written in an accessible and engaging style.

This is a great book that covers the history and science of dreaming. I love that it explores how dreams can have meaning. I would recommend this book to anyone who is interested in the world of our dreams.

I would like to thank Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book free of charge. This is my honest and unbiased opinion of it.

A stunning book filled with so much insight and information. As a lucid dreamer myself, I've often wondered about what's going on in our minds when we have such dreams. And whether these dreams hold any power to shape or structure our waking lives. Alice Robb goes into that and so much more. Anyone interested in how the mind works -- whether you're interested in dreams or not -- must read this book.

A comprehensive and lively account on the history and modern western interpretation of dreams. Alice Robb describes how dreams can give us insight into personal problems, as well as ideas for creative projects.

A nice overview of the history of the social, scientific, and personal meaning of dreams. While I enjoyed the author sharing her own exploration of her dreams, the chapters seemed to jump around quite a bit and lacked a logical flow. This book and Matthew Walker's Why We Sleep would make for nice introduction to the importance of sleep and dreams.

WHY WE DREAM by Alice Robb is about "the transformative power of our nightly journey." It covers a topic of high interest to our students, particularly those who take the course on Literature and Psychology. Robb notes that "we dream in order to work through our anxieties and prepare for our days." She describes beliefs held by Freud, Jung and others and offers extensive notes (almost 40 pages) that highlight the variety of her sources, plus a helpful index complements this pop-science work.

I learned some great stuff in this book! Dreams are crazy and what dreams are differ to each person! Read this and challenge yourself to look outside the box! Thank you netgalley for the free arc in exchange for an honest review!

As someone who struggles to find sleep for whatever reason if I dream when I wake up tried or not I am excited. I am in late 30s OKOK I am going to turn 40 in January. I find it harder and hard not only to sleep but dream. I have been told dreams are a way for your mind to process the events of the day. It takes everything you see, heard, watch, talked about and more and tries to make since of it as you dream. I wish I had started a dream journal when I was younger.

My sons tells me all the time if he is having a bad dream and can't wake up he takes control of his dream. I ask for him to write them down all the time.



Alice Robb help readers realize that dreams are not just dreams or even understanding of ones day but it is a guide of ones mental health. Why We Dream is a blend of psychology and dream analysis. Depending on your mind set this can change your life and make you a believer or you will talk away finding interesting topic but still sleep with or without dreams.

Thank you Netgalley and the Publisher Eamon Dolan/Houghton Mifflin Harcourt for an advance copy of Alice Robb Why We Dream.

Thank you to NetGalley, Eamon Dolan/Houghton Mifflin Harcourt and Alice Robb for an ARC ebook copy to review. As always, an honest review from me.

Why We Dream is a highly interesting and informative read. I learned a lot about the history of dream research and sleep, lucid dreaming, the psychology of sleep, dream interpretation, the influence of culture on dreams, and much more. There’s a whole culture of people who focus on dream interpretation that I didn’t know about. It’s fascinating. I found myself relating the information I learned, to people in my life.

However, some aspects of dream culture are a little too out there for me, and probably most of mainstream culture.

Overall, a great read that blends the psychology of sleep with dream analysis.

Why We Dream is a clearly written, well researched book about dreams that combines science, history and current research, with an anecdotal narrative that isn't overwhelming in terms of the book topic. The author explores connections between dreams and health, problem-solving, creativity and other interesting topics, such as lucid dreaming. Robb has written an accessible book about dreaming that would nicely complement any general book about sleep or that would provide a great introduction for those interested in dreaming.

Why We Dream looks at our dreams as tools to be used to further our health on a holistic level. Alice Robb, the author, draws on scientific research, anecdotal stories as well as first-hand experience to write this book. The combinations work well in looking at the roles dreams play in our lives, providing a wider lens.

Positing that dreams are the work of our brain working out trauma or stressful events, Robb draws the conclusion that dreams help our creativity. That they can be used as vessels through which we can channel positive energy and find healing.

This book does a good job of sharing this version of dreams and their purpose. It is not the Bible of the subject but is worth a read if the subject is of interest.

While on a research trip in Peru, science journalist Alice Robb became hooked on lucid dreaming—the uncanny phenomenon in which a sleeping person can realize that they’re dreaming and even control the dreamed experience. Finding these forays both puzzling and exhilarating, Robb dug deeper into the science of dreams at an extremely opportune moment: just as researchers began to understand why dreams exist. They aren’t just random events; they have clear purposes. They help us learn and even overcome psychic trauma.

Robb draws on fresh and forgotten research, as well as her experience and that of other dream experts, to show why dreams are vital to our emotional and physical health. She explains how we can remember our dreams better—and why we should. She traces the intricate links between dreaming and creativity, and even offers advice on how we can relish the intense adventure of lucid dreaming for ourselves.

Why We Dream is a clear-eyed, cutting-edge examination of the meaning and purpose of our nightly visions and a guide to changing our dream lives—and making our waking lives richer, healthier, and happier.

I liked this concept that successfully intertwined nonfiction and narrative without being too dull. Why do we dream is a question I think a lot of people would like to understand and know about. This book is informative and entertaining without being overly informative and lecture like.

There is plenty of white space and the book has been evenly spaced without being overwhelming. The only downside is the chapters are a bit longer. This book could benefit from having chapters split up a little bit more as not to overwhelm an average reader. I also would have liked to see graphics in here to better support a point visually.

This is a great book to feed a curiosity within each of us. I’d recommend this to anyone looking to learn more.