22 non-fiction books that changed the way I think
This article is part of my December 2020 Gratitude series that help me end this year on a more positive and inspiring note.
I used to read fiction books when I was younger. I always wanted to finish a book in a single day, which often led to a few miserable school mornings. That was during my pre-teen years. Then I stopped for a while, after getting bored with stories about friendships, travelling pants, and first kisses. And well, there are only so many Harry Potter books.
The spark returned when I was preparing for my architecture studies and first discovered non-fiction books. Unfortunately, I was choosing them myself, and my English wasn’t very strong at the time, so I ended up reading quite a few mediocre titles with concepts I didn’t fully understand.
Luckily, in my first year of architecture, we were given a reading list and I fell in love with books all over again. From that point on, I started reading regularly. Having so many different interests has made this list wonderfully eclectic. I think it offers a little insight into who I am and what excites me, in case you were ever wondering.
1. Awareness by Anthony De Mello
- If you need to turn inwards
- Shop here
2. Essentialism by Greg McKeown
- If you think that sleep is overrated, productivity is the measure of success and commit to every opportunity
- Shop here
3. Thinking Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman
- If you want to spot your biases and rationally analyze the decisions of others
- Shop here
4. Guns, Germs, and Steel by Jared Diamond
- If you think Sapiens was a good book and wish to read something even better on the history of human societies
- Shop here
5. Made to Stick by Chip Heath & Dan Heath
- If you want to understand why "fake news" are so easy to believe and how to create great stories
- Shop here
6. Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell
- If you want to know if you have a chance to be successful
- Shop here
7. The Poetics of Space by Gaston Bachelard
- If you want to know why experience is much more important than numbers (in design)
- Shop here
8. The Life and Death of Great American Cities by Jane Jacobs
- If you want to know why the block of flats are not suitable for living
- Shop here
9. The Talent Code by Daniel Coyle
- If you want to guide your students or employees to reach their full potential
- Shop here
10. The Order of Time by Carlo Rovelli
- If you don't understand physics, but still want to learn about the complexity of our perception of time
- Shop here
11. The Art of Thinking Clearly by Rolf Dobelli
- If you want to make better choices in your life
- Shop here
12. Can't Stop Won't Stop by Jeff Chang
- If you are interested in the origin of Hip Hop culture
- Shop here
13. The Four Noble Truths by Dalai Lama
- If you need the essence of Buddha's teachings
- Shop here
14. Women Who Run With the Wolfs by Clarissa Pinkola Estés
- If you feel that society dictates to you what it means to be a woman and you need to get in touch with your intuition and instincts
- Shop here
15. The Power Broker by Robert A. Caro
- If you are interested in politics, corruption and the history of New York City
- Shop here
16. Thinking about Architecture by Colin Davies
- If you want to understands the concepts that make architecture and design so good
- Shop here
17. The Story of Art by E.H. Gombrich
- If you only want to read one book and understand art and its importance
- Shop here
18. The Robert Collier Letter Book
- If you already are or just planning to produce anything in written word
- Shop here
19. A brief history of Time by Stephen Hawking
- If you want to understand the universe, but you need it in simple language
- Shop here
20. Start With Why
- If you want to understand the importance of purpose in everything you do
- Shop here
Anything else you would recommend? Which books have changed your mind about something?
