I’m here again in the midst of my daily ritual (writing a blog on the best books to read). While I write this blog, I’m in the middle of a family wedding ceremony. Weddings are bliss, aren’t they?
But that won’t let me from missing on my weekly ritual. So here I am with this very very important blog exclusively written for all those who hate reading or think reading books is not for them or “not-their-types.”
I’ve been working on this blog for around three weeks and am now clubbing it up here, in my favorite space.
In the past few months, I came across a bunch of people who had similar views on reading books. One guy said, “I can’t read books.”
“How did you pass your Engineering then?” I wished to retort but remained quiet.
For a better conversation, one guy said, “I read one book in one day once and then didn’t turn back to any book at all.” His statement puzzled me, and I thought maybe he made the wrong choice for his first read.
To add some positivity, one of the friends says, “I want to read books, but I get bored when I sit to read.” And he even asked me for suggestions. I’ve written a blog, especially for him, and he promised to follow it. Check out – How To Improve Your Reading Habit With These 6 Simple Hacks
And I’ve got many more such messages where you guys struggle to read. I completely understand your plight, and the old version of me would completely relate to you. Yes. I too was like you. You’re a non-reader for one reason – YOU HAVEN’T FOUND THE RIGHT BOOK.
According to a survey, 30% of men have not read a book since school. I’m not surprised at these statistics at all.
Well, all I wish is to lower down this stat to zero. Let me tell you some facts about a few great men you and I look upon.
- Abraham Lincoln – An avid reader, he stayed up to date on news reports. Every morning he read all the newspapers before having his breakfast. He borrowed books from all his neighbors until he had read through every book he had ever heard of in that country.
- Dr.A.P.G Abdul Kalam said, “Coming into contact with a good book and possessing it, is indeed an everlasting enrichment.” He has not only read books but also written plenty of books himself. He believes that books become permanent companions. Sometimes, they are born before us; they guide us during our life journey and continue for many generations.
- Sudha Murthy has a library of 20,000 books shared between Narayan Murthy and her. She has donated 60,000 books to other libraries through Infosys foundation. When talking on parenting, she says, “I used to tell my children that they wouldn’t get dinner until they completed that one chapter. In the night, before going to bed, I would say – Come…Let’s have a discussion on the book.” (I’ve read almost all her novels and non-fiction books. She is the best author and human being I’ve ever known)
- Dada Kondke – the famous and beloved comedy Marathi actor of good old times (in the early 80s) read each and every paper that was published. He created characters and wrote jokes after studying daily newspapers.
- Swami Vivekanand – read for 18 to 21 hours a day. On some days he didn’t sleep and read books at a stretch for many consecutive days. That was the dedication level.
- Warren Buffet – the third richest man in the world(2019), takes this reading habit to the extreme — he read between 600 and 1000 pages per day when he was beginning his investing career and still devotes about 80% of each day to reading.
- Mark Zuckerberg, needless to say – the CEO of Facebook, vowed in 2015 to read one book every week “with an emphasis on learning about different beliefs, cultures, histories, and technologies,” he wrote in a Facebook post. “Books allow you to fully explore a topic and immerse yourself in a deeper way than most media today,” he wrote.
Do you see how much all successful and great people are reading? Isn’t it breathtaking? Are you still stuck in these questions – “How to read?” “Why should I read?” and “How I hate reading from the bottom of my heart!” Then there’s this danger alarm that goes on now.
What Are You Loosing On If You’re Not Reading Books?
You’ll be missing on all the below benefits of reading books.
1.Reading books reduces stress.
2.Improves your memorizing ability.
3.Boosts your imagination power.
4.Strengthens you to make decisions wisely.
5.Develops critical thinking skills.
6.Builds your vocabulary.
7.Improves communication skills.
8.Reading books keeps you occupied and hence, away from evil thoughts.
9.Reading a book is the cheapest entertainment ever.
10.Builds self-esteem.
11.Helps you sleep better.
12.Learn about another world and learn at your own pace.
13.Makes you smarter
14.Makes you a creative person.
15.Improves your entire personality.
If you wish to become a better version of your current self, reading books is the only way out. So, what are you thinking? Get started today. It’s never too late to do a good thing.
I’ve picked a few best books to read from my book list. Pick any one from the below list and kick-start your reading habit today (all successful people Read, read and read more)
7 Best Books To Read If You Hate Reading
1. Richard Bach’s “Jonathan Livingston Seagull”
This book is often recommended as a gift to friends and relatives. It’s that effective and life-changing. Buy it and have it with you. You know when you have a book in front of you in your bookshelf has a lifetime impact on your brain.
2. Abdul Kalam’s “My Journey-Transforming Dreams into Actions”
You’d be moved to read the life journey of our beloved Abdul Kalam. This book narrates his story right from his childhood. It’s an inspiring read.
3. Sudha Murthy’s “Wise & Otherwise”
Sudha Murthy’s writing is the simplest and yet powerful. All her books are filled with beautiful stories. This one is a collection of her real-life stories that’ll leave you dumbstruck at times and a full of learning at other times. It’s an excellent book for a start.
4. Rupi Kaur’s “Milk & Honey”
If you’re too tired of reading long stories, you can start with this book which has mini-poems in it. The illustrations in the book are intense and intimate. It’s the best book to read if you’re fond of poems.
5. Chetan Bhagat’s “2 States”
This one’s far better than the movie that was adapted from the book. If you’re someone romantic, you can go for this book.
6. Ravinder Singh’s “I too had a love story”
This is a real-life story of the author, and it’ll take you through various beautiful layers of life. If you’re an emotional person, it’s a great book for you.
7. Preeti Shenoy’s “Life is What you make it”
Yes. You are right. I recommend this book in all my blogs. Because it has changed the life of many, including me. Go grab it.
Hope you’re excited to read these best books just like the successful people in the world are doing. You’re free to choose any genre you like. The bottom line is READ, READ AND READ.
Happy Reading!
Cheers
Shradz.
