Non Fiction Books That Will Help You With Personality Development

Reading books, for most of us, has been a primary coping mechanism to unwind and detach ourselves from the hustle of daily life. However, something that often slips from our minds after we have completed a reading session is that books, almost all of them offer way more than just entertainment for humans. I’ve discovered that non fiction books serve us as some of the most incredibly effective learning tools. By dedicating a fixed amount of time to reading non fiction instead of novels, I’ve found a wealth of knowledge that goes beyond mere entertainment or any other form of communication.

Let’s know more about the benefits of reading non fiction books and some great options from WHSmith for you to choose from.  

6 Benefits of Reading Non Fiction Books

Reading non fiction goes beyond gaining factual information; it influences our thought processes and cognitive functions. Reading non fiction has significant effects on the way we think and the functioning of our brains.

Improves general knowledge

The most obvious benefit of including non fiction books in your reading habits is the fact that your general knowledge is going to be significantly improved. No matter if you’re reading science, autobiographies, or any history book, one thing is certain, that you will gain relevant, factual information from them. The more you stay consistent in your reading skills, the more knowledge you gain and the better human you become. Gaining knowledge and factual information is true regardless of the non-fiction sub-genre you are choosing. Non fiction tells you about facts and provides you with factual data, and almost solid knowledge.

Understanding our past

Non fiction books teach us about our past. They help us understand our history and present the most important events of the past to us in different ways. The wars our ancestors fought, and events that changed our history and brought us to our current state, all can be learned from these books. These books are best for learning about who we are and how we got to this point in history. 

Develops analytical thinking

Non fiction books help us with analytical and critical thinking. It pushes our brains to learn how to take information and bring it together, how to extract relevant data and use it efficiently. The fact that these books are a source of information and facilitate learning makes them an essential part of your reading habits, helping your brain develop.  

Improves comprehension abilities

Reading non fiction promotes learning and exposes you to factual information, and new concepts, forcing you to understand what you are reading. Unlike fiction, where you can let your mind drift off from time to time without losing any important piece of information, non fiction books cannot be read without dedicating your full attention.

Teaches life lessons

Fiction books offer many opportunities to learn a lot of life lessons without any real effort. We learn different values from fictional characters in the novels. But if we think a little more deeply about it, there is a lot to learn even from these non fiction books. Reading different genres such as autobiographies, biographies, or memoirs comes with a lot of added benefits of finding out what real people feel and what real people around us might be going through in real life, what they thought, and how they reacted and might react in certain situations. We get to experience and learn about real-life events from the lives of the most fascinating people to have ever walked the surface of Earth. 

Improves your ability to concentrate

Staying focused, especially for extended periods is both challenging and essential in our day-to-day lives. Luckily, reading non fiction can help make us able to concentrate better and for longer. It basically teaches us to learn. 

Best Non Fiction Books on WHSmith

1. Marr’s Guitars By Johnny Marr

Guitars, Johnny Marr’s autobiography, captures the spirit of his life and career as a musician well. This book is a must-read for everyone with a passing fascination in guitars and the amazing performers who play them. It’s breathtakingly gorgeous, and it will make you desire more. 

Marr’s Guitars is not just for guitar enthusiasts; it’s a captivating read for anyone who appreciates art and photography. Marr shares personal reflections about each guitar, revealing the evolution of his iconic sound and playing style. Renowned photographer Pat Graham beautifully presents each instrument with full portraits and detailed shots, making it a visual treat for music fans. Readers will also get to know about when and where each guitar was played, creating a cultural history of modern music like never before. This edition is a hardback book with a printed imitation cloth cover, offering a total of 316 colour illustrations.

Also Read: Best Fiction Books You Can Read To Mark The Perfect Beginning Of 2024

2. Unruly by David Mitchell 

If you are keen to know more about the history of England’s Kings and Queens then it will go on to become a fun and insightful way with this amazing book cause everything will come to you when you begin reading David Mitchell’s Unruly. Mitchell, a history enthusiast and a comedian takes his readers on a mind map from the mythical King, Arthur to the reign of Elizabeth I. He reveals some of the never-seen-before angles and sides of these mythical and historical figures.

In this book, Mitchell aims to challenge the common perceptions of the English monarchs that portray them as not-so-serious rulers but rather group them as a bunch of fortunately wealthy and eccentric individuals. From their narcissism to the beheading practises, this book covers the evolution of Great England from a land ruled by merely armed thugs to a society that was paying taxes to some divinely anointed Kings. The writer writes about these instances with wit and brilliance, exploring how the current England’s past has influenced the present greatness it upholds today.

3. Politics On the Edge by Rory Stewart 

Rory Stewart was the former Cabinet minister and is the co-presenter of The Rest Is Politics podcast. He shares his personal life experiences from the ten years in Parliament during which he served. Starting from a different place, an outsider in 2010, he eventually did run for prime minister but was later dismissed from the Conservative Party which had changed drastically during that time.

This book talks primarily about issues such as prison violence, the response to the flood from the state, and the Brexit controversy during his period in ministerial roles, revealing multiple flaws in the government. He witnessed the ignorance, cronyism, and incompetence of several politicians that have been contributing to today’s nationwide political and economic chaos.

Despite the challenges, Stewart developed a deep affection for his constituency and gained insights into the era of populism and global conflict. Politics On the Edge is a candid and dark-humoured account of the absurdities of political life akin to our current political climate.

4. Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus

The book has sold over 6 million copies, yet is still one of the bestsellers in The New York Times and Sunday Times. The book has also been adapted into a major Apple TV series featuring Brie Larson with the same name. The book narrates the story of Elizabeth Zott who is a local chemist in the 1960s and faces challenges in her all-male workspace. She ends up becoming a major star on a cooking show where she’s not just teaching how to cook women but also inspiring them to challenge the preconceived heteronormative and patriarchal norms of society and change the perspective, one notion at a time. The book has received appreciation from various local and national sources and won several awards, making it a must-read.

Conclusion

Delving into non fiction books extends beyond the simple acquisition of information and knowledge, offering additional benefits that enrich our overall understanding and perspective. Aside from improving physical and mental health, reading also helps with comprehension, vocabulary growth, empathy, and sleep. So, if you’re indecisive about what to read next you can check out these recommendations. You will find a variety of Science and Nature, History and Politics non fiction books on WHSmith.

For more information, visit FrontCeleb. 

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