Books Written by John Bowlby

Bowlby was a British psychiatrist and psychoanalyst who spent his career arguing, against the dominant thinking of his time, that a child’s bond with a primary caregiver is a biological necessity, not a byproduct of feeding or convenience. His attachment theory, developed across a three-volume trilogy and decades of clinical work, became one of the most influential frameworks in developmental psychology.

If you’ve heard the terms secure, anxious, or avoidant attachment, they trace directly back to Bowlby’s original research. His trilogy is dense and academic, but A Secure Base is a more accessible entry point.

By Lisanne Swart · 4 books · Psychology · Updated August 2026