Tavistock Lives Book Series

A new book series will showcase the lives of those who have trained or worked at the Tavistock, intertwining personal and professional perspectives.

Published by Karnac, Tavistock Lives is an exciting new book series focusing on the lives of those who have trained or worked at the Tavistock.

Encompassing memoir, biography and autobiography, the series will explore how its subjects’ professional lives in the field of mental health have been shaped by, and have influenced, their personal narratives.

The series will launch in October 2026 with the publication of Professor Andrew Cooper’s Bluebird. Exploring death, dying and the impact of life-threatening illness, this posthumous memoir will raise profound questions about the omnipresence of death in life, while also foregrounding the life-affirming potential of psychoanalytic psychotherapy.

Professor Cooper worked at the Tavistock and Portman NHS Foundation Trust for many years as a Professor of Social Work and Psychotherapist, where he inspired generations of students and colleagues.  

Tavistock Lives is the latest book series to showcase the work and people of the Tavistock, joining the long-running Tavistock Clinic Series, which now numbers over 60 titles.