One third of our lives takes place in dream world. But what are our dreams trying to tell us? Take a closer look with these fiction and nonfiction selections about dreams.

1. The Interpretation of Dreams: The Complete and Definitive Text by Sigmund Freud

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“What are the most common dreams and why do we have them? What does a dream about death mean? What do dreams of swimming, failing, or flying symbolize?

“First published in 1899, Sigmund Freud’s groundbreaking book, The Interpretation of Dreams, explores why we dream and why dreams matter in our psychological lives. Delving into theories of manifest and latent dream content, the special language of dreams, dreams as wish fulfillments, the significance of childhood experiences, and much more, Freud offers an incisive and enduringly relevant examination of dream psychology. Encompassing dozens of case histories and detailed analyses of actual dreams, this landmark work grants us unique insight into our sleeping experiences.”

2. Dream Alchemy: The Ultimate Guide to Interpreting Your Dreams by Jane Teresa Anderson

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“A complete listing of dreams, their meaning, and practical exercises to use to tap into the wisdom of your dreams and transform your life.”

3. Get Out of My Dream! by William A. Glasser

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“Whoever said it’s important to follow your dreams was right.

“Jobless, without a penny left in his pocket, stuck in a little room rented above a garage, and faced with another rejection letter, Les has all but given up hope of working as an editor in a publishing company. But then one night he has a dream.

“Who are the Gleamers and the Glooms, why are they at war with each other, and what do they want with Les? When a Gleamer befriends him, Les embarks on an epic journey to help his new companions. Along the way he is inspired to contemplate his own dilemma—will he continue to pursue his dream, or give up and be consumed by his own darkness?

“Fans of magical realism will enjoy this adventurous, humorous, and deceptively cerebral novella about the importance of following one’s dreams.”

4. The Ultimate Dictionary of Dream Language by Briceida Ryan

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“One third of our lives are spent in the dream world where our subconscious carries messages about love, success, and money that can help us in our waking life. The Ultimate Dictionary of Dream Language offers readers the ultimate guide to uncovering the secret meaning of their dream.”

5. The Dreamers by Karen Thompson Walker

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“One night in an isolated college town in the hills of Southern California, a first-year student stumbles into her dorm room, falls asleep—and doesn’t wake up. She sleeps through the morning, into the evening. Her roommate, Mei, cannot rouse her. Neither can the paramedics, nor the perplexed doctors at the hospital. When a second girl falls asleep, and then a third, Mei finds herself thrust together with an eccentric classmate as panic takes hold of the college and spreads to the town. A young couple tries to protect their newborn baby as the once-quiet streets descend into chaos. Two sisters turn to each other for comfort as their survivalist father prepares for disaster.

“Those affected by the illness, doctors discover, are displaying unusual levels of brain activity, higher than has ever been recorded before. They are dreaming heightened dreams—but of what?”

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