Have you ever found yourself in a room, listening to a conversation and being in total awe of how easily it comes to people? I used to feel so inadequate when I was younger, thinking that I lived such a sheltered life that I was never exposed to such big ideas. The truth is, that knowledge is gained from life experience and from reading. Books have the ability to share the life experience and research of others with you. This expands what you are exposed to, making you really think about things in a different way. Let’s take a look at 7 amazing books that make you think and feel smarter.
Books that make you think and feel smarter
You may question how a book can make you think and feel smarter but if you have read our post about the importance of reading, you know that it comes with many benefits. To name a few, reading can:
- Increase your vocabulary
- Help you gain new insight
- Make you smarter
- Better your communication skills
- Increase you creativity
- Help you collect the thoughts and views of others and develop an educated opinion
Books can introduce you to new concepts and guides on how to expand your thinking of everyday situations. And you can bet when you implement what you have read into your life you feel a sense of accomplishment and a bit smarter for knowing how.
Here are our recommended books that make you think:
- Audible Audiobook
- John Brockman (Author) – John Allen Nelson, Khristine Hvam (Narrators)
- English (Publication Language)
- 396 Pages – 04/08/2013 (Publication Date) – Tantor Audio (Publisher)
Why not start this reading list off with a book whose title actually states that it will make you smarter? This book by John Brockman takes a direct approach by questioning the world’s most influential thinkers on what everyone should know. Spanning a range of topics from psychology to economics, these insights will change the way you think about your life and everything that surrounds you. Given its broad range of contributors and their areas of expertise, this book will definitely get you feeling smarter after reading!
- GOOD
- Audible Audiobook
- Charles Duhigg (Author) – Mike Chamberlain (Narrator)
- English (Publication Language)
- 02/28/2012 (Publication Date) – Random House Audio (Publisher)
This book is all about getting your brain thinking about habits. Why do we have them? How are they formed and can we break free from them if needed? It can be applied to our lives, both personal and professional and can transform the way we think. This book will get you thinking smarter in no time!
- Audible Audiobook
- Yuval Noah Harari (Author) – Derek Perkins (Narrator)
- English (Publication Language)
- 08/15/2017 (Publication Date) – HarperAudio (Publisher)
This popular book by historian Dr Yuval Noah Harari looks at the appearance of modern cognition. From examining the role evolving humans have played in the global ecosystem to charting the rise of empires, Sapiens integrates history and science to reconsider accepted narratives and connect past developments with contemporary concerns. Dr Harari also makes us look ahead, because, over the last few decades, humans have begun to bend laws of natural selection that have governed life for the past four billion years. With many thought-provoking ideas and debate-worthy topics, this book will have you looking at the world in a whole new way.
- Audible Audiobook
- Carol S. Dweck PhD (Author) – Bernadette Dunne (Narrator)
- English (Publication Language)
- 02/19/2019 (Publication Date) – Random House Audio (Publisher)
In this eye-opening book, Carol S. Dweck shows how success can be dramatically influenced by how we think about our talents and abilities. She explains the difference between a fixed mindset and a growth mindset which has become an important concept in recent years. Individuals who possess a growth mindset are most likely to succeed in their endeavours and you, too, could also set yourself up for success by reading this book.
- Audible Audiobook
- Mark Miodownik (Author) – Michael Page (Narrator)
- English (Publication Language)
- 07/29/2014 (Publication Date) – Tantor Audio (Publisher)
A more light-hearted look at the world, this book takes a closer look at what makes everyday objects interesting. Written by a material scientist, Mark Miodownik, this book is a culmination of the time he has spent exploring ordinary objects to find out what makes them extraordinary. This book will change the way you look at stuff and make you think about what goes into all the little things that surround you.
- Audible Audiobook
- Joshua Foer (Author) – Mike Chamberlain (Narrator)
- English (Publication Language)
- 03/03/2011 (Publication Date) – Penguin Audio (Publisher)
This personal account written by Joshua Foer chronicles his journey from a forgetful science journalist to a U.S. Memory Champion. His memory training lasted an entire year, following techniques from a number of different masters of memory. He discovered that anyone can improve their memory, they just need to know how – and why. The book highlights the fact that we don’t use our memories enough anymore due to technology and why we should start using them again.
- Audible Audiobook
- Steven D. Levitt (Author) – Stephen J. Dubner (Narrator)
- English (Publication Language)
- 05/12/2014 (Publication Date) – HarperAudio (Publisher)
Think Like a Freak may not seem like the title of a book that would make you think smarter, but it definitely will. This book teaches you how to reject conventional wisdom as often as possible. The authors explain how you need to ask the right questions about everything and come up with your own answers. In doing so, you stop relying on other peoples’ opinions or common sense. By retraining your brain and the way you think, you can completely change the way you view the world. It’s an easy read and also fun, a great combination to you thinking smarter!
These 7 books that will make you think and feel smarter for sure. Covering a range of topics – some humorous, some serious; they will change the way you think about and see the world. That, without doubt, are the first steps you need to take to broaden your horizons and expand your knowledge base. And before you know it, you will be one of those people having highly intellectual conversations which have people in awe! Be sure to check out our other reading lists as well to find more books which pique your interest!
