"If you only read the books that everyone else is reading, you can only think what everyone else is thinking."
— Haruki Murakami
Imagine a city of one million people where everyone can only read the same 10 books.
If those books are all about inequality and societal problems, that city's citizens will constantly be bickering and fighting. If they are full of stories about community and kindness, however, everyone will get along.
Regardless of how powerful those 10 books will be in dictating that society's thoughts, actions, and feelings, however, the people in that city will inevitably stop learning. Thinking, creativity, innovation — these activities will come to a screeching halt. Why? Because the pool of ideas is too limited!
The best those citizens can do is to rehash the same ideas from the same 10 books, over and over again. They'll need different and more input to create better output. The same dynamic holds true for you as an individual.
If you only read the few bestsellers everyone is talking about each year, and you and your friends mostly agree on their premises, none of you will learn! Where's the exchange of ideas? The thinking? The discourse?
When you read books no one else is reading, you don't just become a more creative person. You'll also be more interesting. You'll have something new to contribute wherever you go, and your mind will make connections no other mind is making.
If you're looking for an advantage in your career or even your personal life, look no further! Read what no one else is reading.
Here are 12 titles that fit that mark. Even if you're an avid nonfiction reader, I'm sure you've never heard of most of them.
When you summarize 1,000 books, you inevitably come across a few hidden gems. In this list, I've compiled 12 of them for you.
I rarely see these books on popular lists, and even though their authors are in some cases famous, it is usually their lesser known work that truly stands out, at least to me.
All of these books have made a big impact on me, and I'm sure they can have a positive effect on your life too.
Read what no one else is reading. Read the obscure, the questionable, and the forgotten. Pick books that lie outside your comfort zone, that feel hard to understand, and that have an air of mystery around them.
PS: I know I usually include the whole table of contents for convenience, but what's the point of a secret book list if you're just going to spill the beans right in the first round? 😁 Perhaps in another email. 🙃
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