If you’ve been working or studying from home, you probably saved the time it took you to travel every day. With more time flexibility and restrictions on outdoor activities, you may have turned to Netflix, Amazon Prime, or Disney+. Because the alternative is boredom, right?
Wrong! Ever since I picked up my first book when I was 8, I can honestly say I have never been bored at length. Yes, even in school during geography lessons; I could hide a Harry Potter in the textbook, couldn’t I? And the reason is that reading books is simply enjoyable. Why do you think so many movies have been inspired from books?
But can your imagination ever compete with the graphics and picture quality of today’s shows? According to me, it can beat it hands-down. While watching a movie, you allow the director to choose the setting, the pace, the way your characters look and act. You are but a passive viewer. When you read, the characters come alive around you. To me, opening a new book is like opening the wardrobe and stepping into Narnia (guess where that movie got its story). You get completely engrossed in it.
Along with entertainment, you also learn a lot! That it builds your vocabulary is a no-brainer. English was my second language and it’s only because of reading habitually that I find myself way more fluent in English than even my native language. Books also allow you to travel the world while sitting on your couch. I’ve been able to explore all 7 continents and learn about the culture, geography, and history of so many countries just by reading fiction.
The best part about this experience is that you get to see the world from the perspective of different people. You don’t just see the characters on the screen. You get to hear their thoughts. Because of books, I’ve been able to understand the struggles of a self-made businesswoman, an ambitious politician, a doctor, a lawyer, an FBI agent, a child, a grandparent, and countless other people from all walks of life, across generations. You understand their feelings and their interactions with others who think differently. The ability to understand people and empathize with their feelings and behavior is a critical component of emotional intelligence, something sorely needed in today’s increasingly disconnected world. An interesting study even found that this very ability along with the improved vocabulary, concentration, and critical thinking skills are cognitive processes that increase a reader’s lifespan by roughly 2 years!
“A reader lives a thousand lives before he dies. The man who never reads lives only one.”
– George R. R. Martin
If you’ve become convinced you need to start reading, I suggest you start with a genre you would enjoy. Too often, people will pick up award-winning literature or famous biographies only to find that it is not engaging enough for them. I myself never went past the first 5 pages of ‘Mein Kampf’ by Adolf Hitler (I hope to finish it someday). On the contrary, my first book as a child was a ‘Famous Five‘ adventure by Enid Blyton. I loved it so much that I quickly took up the next in the series. Soon, I had branched out to other series of books by the author. With my new-found love for stories, I proceeded to reading books by other authors, and then to different genres. Because once you like a book, you get hooked on to reading. And then, you can expand your choices.
To help you get started, I’ve picked out 3 books I particularly liked in most categories that I’ve read. Enjoy!
3 best personal development books
- The Compound Effect by Darren Hardy
- Atomic Habits by James Clear
- The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey
3 best classics
- 1984 by George Orwell
- To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
- Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
3 most thought-provoking books
- Sapiens: A brief history of humankind by Yuval Noah Harari
- Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand
- Ignited Minds by Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam
3 fastest-paced series
- Scarecrow by Matthew Reilly
- Camel Club by David Baldacci
- Alex Rider by Anthony Horowitz
3 best fantasy fiction series
- Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling
- The Inheritance Cycle by Christopher Paolini
- The Kingkiller Chronicle by Patrick Rothfuss
3 most entertaining series
- Perry Mason by Erle Stanley Gardner
- Blandings Castle by P.G. Wodehouse
- Sherlock Holmes by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
3 best children’s series
- Famous Five by Enid Blyton
- Malory Towers by Enid Blyton
- Percy Jackson by Rick Riordan
“There is more treasure in books than in all the pirates’ loot on Treasure Island and best of all, you can enjoy these riches every day of your life.”
– Walt Disney
*Photo by Alexia Rodriquez on Unsplash
Human Nature 