“How can you read such thick books?”
“I can’t even go through one page without dozing off.”
“Not even pictures? You’re a geek to read such thick novels loaded with text.”
Sound familiar? Every avid reader hears something like this every now and then. Here’s a big shout out to all book lovers who are already acquainted with the sweeping magic of books!
To those of you who are new on this journey, rest assured this might be the best sojourn you will ever go on. Books have the ability to ferry you to a different world through powerful words. They tickle your imagination, warm your heart, and provide comfort amidst chaos. They can leave you with memories and make you feel nostalgic for a world you’ve never heard of.
As renowned author Paulo Coelho rightly said, “The book is a film that takes place in the mind of a reader.” When you read books from different eras, or about a famous personality, the entire plot conjures up in the mind as you begin to visualize the writer’s creation. The mind of a reader is a paradise stocked with imagination and guided by a writer.
Certain books written for students play a crucial role in shaping personality. Quite often, as one progresses through school and college, their choice of books changes. From reading fantasy as a child, as you grow older you may start liking biographies, self-help books, drama or other genres.
Bestsellers like Atomic Habits, Ikigai, and Think Like A Monk are among the best books to read for students. However, apart from these, there are many underrated books that every student must read for their self-development. Keep in mind that they are not only students – anybody at any life stage can benefit from the following books. Let’s get rolling!
- Thinking, Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman: The writer of this book is a renowned psychologist. The book unravels the dichotomy of how the human brain works in two modes. Mode 1 is fast, instinctive, and emotional. Mode 2 is slower, more logical, and deliberative. This book explains the correlation between rational and non-rational triggers associated with the thinking processes of a human brain. Thinking, Fast and Slow draws on Kahneman’s decades of research, as he summarizes people’s tendency to frame choices according to situations. The book is an interesting insight into how humans react to situations and why they divert their focus toward easier questions or decisions in life.
- Genre: Self-help
- What you learn: It is possible to train the mind and control emotions.
- The Art of Happiness by 14th Dalai Lama and Howard C. Cutler: Co–written by the 14th Dalai Lama and Howard C. Cutler, a psychiatrist who posed questions to the former, this book explores the path to achieving tranquility with joy. Throughout The Art of Happiness, the Dalai Lama highlights the most important thing everyone is searching for: happiness. The book delivers a detailed explanation of how to solve daily problems so that one can live joyfully. It elucidates how to remain peaceful during stressful and challenging times. It explains how to channel inner happiness without being affected by any external factors.
- Genre: Self-help
- What you learn: A joyful heart leads to a successful and contented life.
- Courage To Be Disliked by Fumitake Koga and Ichiro Kishimi: This book is inspired by the work of 19th century psychologist, Alfred Adler. The beautiful work reinforces that one’s happiness lies in one’s hands and that one’s past must not dictate their future. It narrates the story of an unhappy young man who visits a philosopher in search of help. The entire plot is woven in the form of a conversation between the two characters, as the philosopher helps the young man understand that his emotions have taken control of his life. The engaging tone of the narrative clearly conveys that our actions should be our choice rather than being a reaction to other people’s actions. Courage To Be Disliked emphasizes that if you enjoy being liked, you must also have the courage to be disliked. Not everyone has to like you, and it’s okay.
- Genre: Self-help
- What you learn: Once you can accept criticism in the right spirit, you are on your way to becoming your best version of yourself.
- The Checklist Manifesto by Atul Gawande: The big idea in this book is that self-improvement requires discipline, and checklists are the secret ingredient to being more disciplined. The author states that it has become increasingly difficult to stick to goals. There is a lot of incoming information and many times, it can be overwhelming. You must be self-disciplined to deal with life’s complexities. The author tells us how keeping a checklist can be the key to help you surf through life easily.
- Genre: Self-help
- What you learn: By making a checklist, you will develop self-discipline, handle life’s complexities and stress intelligently, and stay on track with your goals and aspirations.
- One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez: Every once in a while, you find a fictional book that opens your mind, broadens your perspective, and helps you understand life better. One Hundred Years of Solitude by Garcia Marquez wraps you in a warm blanket of inspiration. This masterpiece of a book explores the depths and eccentricities of human nature. The writer presents a tale of Latin American history knit together with humour, wonder, and emotion.
- Genre: fiction
- What you learn: Have an open mind, and embrace life, with all its wonderful eccentricities.
You are what you read. Encouraging students to read books can lead them on a path to discover the best version of themselves. Whether it’s to elevate your life, find solutions to a problem, or to dig deeper into the lesser known aspects of existence, books can tell you it all.
It is not about how many books you can read, what matters the most is how well you understand a book. For instance, there is no point setting a target of reading 40 books in a year if you are not much into reading. Rather, make it a point to be a conscious reader to be able to lead a conscientious life. Take it slow, take it easy and see yourself grow with every good book you read.
A student’s life is filled with books. Choosing the best ones makes all the difference. Books help you learn more about yourself, your strengths and weaknesses, and how to channel your energy to lead a happy life. As you decide which books can help guide you on the path to progress, it is wise to connect with the career advisors of LaunchMyCareer, who can provide you with the right guidance to steer you towards a joyful and successful life.
