Reading can make a person smarter, and this claim has been proven in many research studies. Just like what Jim Rohn once said, “Reading is essential for those who seek to rise above the ordinary.”
People who read often have a stronger vocabulary compared to those who don’t. They have a deep cognition of various types of topics and even a higher level of emotional intelligence, promoting better communication, connections, and relationships.
If you want to be smarter, here are the books that can give your intelligence a boost, enhancing the way your brain works:
1. A Brief History of Nearly Everything by Bill Bryson
Unlike the ordinary academic textbooks you see in school, A Short History of Nearly Everything is not your typical academic book because it is written more like an informal story with a chatty tone. Most talks about the world or universe seem to be uninteresting to many people, but the way this book was written makes it easier and enjoyable to read.
Bill Bryson’s book isn’t too tricky to comprehend, and the logic of some of the discoveries mentioned isn’t complicated to grasp. Still, there is no knowledge assumed, and Bryson explained the concepts in a detailed yet simple way along with his witty remarks and jokes.
If you are interested in finding out a lot more about this amazing world we live in, this book should surely hit your reading list! This book is for anyone who is searching for answers on life and the cosmos as it contains a brief history of nearly everything.
2. Think Like A Freak by Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner
Rather than putting all your trust and depending on the ideas and common sense of other people, Think Like A Freak encourages people to reject conventional wisdom. Ask questions about everything, question the answer, and come up with your own scientifically confirmed solutions and ideas.
If you want to boost your intelligence, you need to have a viewpoint shift, adjusting the way to think and make decisions.
Professionals often cite Think Like A Freak as one of the good books to read in the innovation-related industries. This is also famous for marketing professionals since it helps in equipping people to think smarter and influence others.
3. Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill
Think and Grow Rich is one of the best-selling books of all time, exploring the psychological power of thinking and the mindset you need for advancing your professional and personal life. If you’re an entrepreneur or an investor, this book is something you should begin investing time to read.
Essential aspects that make someone successful are what Think and Grow Rich will impart to you. It teaches the readers the fundamental factors that make someone thrive at something.
4. 4-Hour Work Week by Timothy Ferris
Tim Ferriss is known for his down-to-earth attitude, which may be the reason behind his astronomic rise in popularity.
The 4-hour work week shows how you can gain more time and financial independence, letting you live a more flexible lifestyle without shelving for retirement. The book says that you can free yourself from unproductive duties by automating passive income.
Into the bargain, this book teaches us to be “effective” instead of just being efficient.
5. The Art of War by Sun Tzu
The Art of War by Sun Tzu teaches us when to squabble and when to avoid fighting. It teaches us to shun the strong and to attack the powerless. Moreover, it instructs us on how to fool our adversary and to know our strengths and weaknesses.
This book written by Sun Tzu spreads to various facets of human interaction, although it primarily tackles human conflict. It tackles human interaction from business to marketing to interpersonal relationships in general.
The principles that this book has a cover business, politics, and even day-to-day life. So, people in higher social circles are so inclined to read this book, especially for the enormous number of top managers and executives.
If you want to grasp the basics of human interaction on a fundamental level, you better go and read the art of war.
6. Thinking Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman
Having a decision and fast thinking is undoubtedly helpful for minuscule choices such as choosing an everyday outfit. It isn’t that practical when making big choices in your professional and personal life. For instance, in making decisions for the business, it is just right to think them through clearly than rushing things out.
You need to slow down your thinking, especially in high-stakes situations. Daniel Kahneman, a world-famous psychologist, has written in his book about how to think in a particular circumstance.
According to Kahneman, the idea of risk is a human creation, which is here to assist us in navigating through hazards and uncertainties. The book has mentioned that there are circumstances to briskly think while there are times to think methodologically and slowly.
The two modes of thought were highlighted in the book. One is quick, impulsive, and emotive, while the other system is slower, deliberate, and rational. It examines the differences between sensible and emotional cognition, transforming the way you think.
7. From Good to Great by Jim Collins
Throughout Jim’s study, he discovered the characteristics that all successful organizations have in common — hiring the right people, dismissing the wrong ones, changing when the time calls, and developing competent leaders. This book includes teaches how thoughtful planning and proper scheduling can help you win.
8. The Power of Habit: Do What We Do in Life and Business by Charles Duhigg
Duhigg suggests that habit is the heart of everything we do. It teaches readers the ways how to alter these habits and communicates the gains and consequences it may bring in your life career and even to the entire society.
Understanding the reasons why we do the things we do. In line with this, this book proposes a simple model to help us understand how habits develop and break, leading to the cue-reward-routine model.
According to Duhigg, it is essential to keep the same signal and reward but change the routine in order to modify habits.
9. What If? by Randal Munroe
Randal Munroe created this book to answer questions you didn’t even know you needed answers for.
It addresses life’s unimportant problems in this book in a fun and learning-oriented way. Questions like: What would happen if your cells suddenly stopped dividing all of a sudden? What if there was only one soulmate for each person?
What If is a compilation of thought-provoking, scientifically-based responses to some of the most bizarre speculatory inquiries you can ever think of.
10. Sapiens by Yuval Noah Harari
Sapience talks about a brief narrative of humankind, back when were where at least six human species. It talks about the privileges that come that had us coming out as the only surviving species.
This book integrates history and science in order to rethink traditional narratives. It connects previous developments with modern challenges and analyzes individual events in the context of more significant concepts.
Sapiens talks about the role human development has had in the global environment in chronicling the emergence of empires.
